Kline Named Indiana Teacher Of The Year First Runner-Up
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David Slone-dslone@timesuniononline.com
It's a good thing Lorinda Kline is a math teacher at Edgewood Middle School.
At a school convocation Tuesday afternoon honoring Kline for being the Indiana Teacher of the Year first runner-up, there were a lot of numbers to contend with.
Along with the 553 Edgewood students, 45 full-time teachers and five part-time teachers, 150 of Kline's former students came from Warsaw Community High School for the ceremony.
Seven people also spoke during the 90-minute convocation before Kline, who has taught for 22 years, took the podium herself.
Kline has taught at Edgewood the last seven years.
JoElla Smyth, Edgewood principal, told students at the assembly that Kline was the state runner-up for teacher of the year. Kline originally was nominated for Edgewood teacher of the year by several teachers, parents and students. Warsaw Community Schools then chose Kline to be the Warsaw Schools teacher of the year. In the summer, Kline discovered she was chosen as one of the top 10 teachers in the state from a field of 63. She traveled to Indianapolis Sept. 2 with the other nine nominated teachers to be interviewed by a 15-member committee.
Monday, Tania Harman, an English as a new language teacher at Warren Primary Center, South Bend, was announced officially as the Indiana Teacher of the Year.After Smyth introduced State Superintendent of Schools Dr. Suellen Reed, who was present to recognize Kline, the theme song to "Rocky" began playing. Kline walked in, hugging familiar faces, waving to the students and with a big smile on her face.
Smyth then had another surprise for Kline. In walked 150 WCHS students who previously had Kline as a teacher. As each student strolled in, they gave Kline a hug and a single flower.
Beginning her remarks, Reed told Kline that receiving 150 hugs "has to be a wonderful thing for you, Mrs. Kline."
Reed then listed Kline's many previous awards, work and academic championships at Edgewood and Lawrenceburg, where she taught for 15 years.
"What she does for students is help provide for their dreams," said Reed.
Reed said Kline believes every teacher is like Michelangelo. They work with every student, and when they're finished, the students are ready to face the world.
"She believes all students and teachers should strive for excellence," said Reed. "She believes her students and other teachers should exude class. She also believes that the kind of things kids want to do, if teachers believe a kid can do it, then kids will believe they can do it."
Four Edgewood teachers also praised Kline.
Science teacher Ben Barkey wrote a poem about Kline, using the words classy, special, engaging, inspirational, humble, cool, humorous and loving to describe her.
"We aspire to be like her," said Barkey. "How fortunate we are to have you as a teacher, Mrs. Kline."
Dick Rooker quoted Alexander Pope, saying, "Act well your part, there all the honor lies."
Rooker said Kline knows her part, loves her part, acts her part and inspires others to act their part.
Nate Howett was emotional in praising Kline. He said greatness was sometimes an overused word, but it applies to Kline.
"You might be No. 2 on paper, but you are No. 1 in our hearts," Howett told Kline.
Veronica Helser said she felt blessed to work with Kline. She considers Kline to be a true mentor and friend.
Helser told a story about how the electricity went out one day at Edgewood. Teachers were walking around with flashlights in the gym as the school waited for the power to come back on.
Kline didn't want to waste time, Helser said, so she collected all her students in a circle. Flashlight in hand, Kline began teaching her students.
"She believes that no moment should be wasted when it comes to impacting a child," Helser said. "I learned through her that every student matters, every minute matters, every moment matters."
Chris Gensinger, Warsaw Schools K-6 director and assistant to the superintendent, presented the plaque to Kline recognizing her achievement.
Kline then had the opportunity to speak.
"Wow. So what would you have done if I had actually won?" Kline joked.
She then thanked Reed and the media for attending, and congratulated Harman for being the teacher of the year.
She told the crowd to be proud of Warsaw, the orthopedic, eggs, ducks and maybe soybean capitol of the world.
"I'm working hard with all my fellow teachers that we become the capitol of the world in education," said Kline.
She thanked everyone who supported and believed in her, including her husband, Tom Kline, and her two daughters, Grace and Hannah.
"People asked, 'How do you top this?' I get to work with these people every day," Kline said of her students and fellow teachers.
She also said she gets to empower and teach kids every day, be her students' biggest cheerleader and toughest coach.
"Kids these days are capable of giving me goosebumps every day," she said.
She said she knows the teachers of Edgewood, knows their creativity and their concern for students.
"I am blessed and humbled to represent them. They inspire me every day," Kline said.
After the convocation, Tom Kline said they were very appreciative of the supporting community.
"I think we're all very touched by it. JoElla did a very good job of putting it all together," he said. "We're very fortunate to have a super community to support her."
