BENSON -- While Northside Elementary teacher Kathy Ahrndt waits for her new classroom improvements, Benson School District administrators are excited about the future student benefits from her classroom makeover.
In June, Ahrndt was announced as a grand-prize winner of the Got 2B Safe! Contest, a national competition promoting child abduction prevention.
As part of the honor, Ahrndt's classroom will be given a $10,000 makeover.
"It was kind of a real, nice surprise," said Superintendent Lee Westrum. "And Kathy is an outstanding teacher.
"You're always surprised when something like this happens ... but I'm not surprised they picked a lesson of hers. She does a real nice job for us."
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Westrum said this isn't the first time a district teacher has won an award, citing recent winners of the Minnesota VFW Teacher of the Year and Minnesota Science Teacher of the Year awards. "But this is pretty rare," Westrum said. "This is definitely the biggest prize, obviously."
Ahrndt's $10,000 classroom makeover is scheduled to begin this month and the improvements will be revealed on the first day of class in September. Ahrndt said she requested technological boosts to her room, such as a SMART Board, which is a touch-controlled, interactive whiteboard that hooks up to a computer and projector.
A professional designer for the contest will fashion the final plans of the classroom makeover.
Dennis Laumeyer, principal of Northside Elementary School in Benson, said Ahrndt asked him for some ideas about the classroom improvements.
Laumeyer said Ahrndt has been an asset to the elementary for 16 years because she "works to meet all student needs, uses a lot of different teaching strategies, and works very well with others by sharing ideas and sharing strategies."
Ahrndt's ability to integrate technology into her teaching has also made her very valuable to the elementary, Laumeyer said.
The makeover will benefit many students over the years, Laumeyer said, because Benson's third-grade students get rotated for different subjects among the elementary school's three third-grade teachers.
"We're just very proud of Mrs. Ahrndt for the recognition she is receiving," Westrum said. "She is an outstanding teacher and this will be great for our kids and her students."
