Cathi Boone is a first grade teacher at Hawthorne Elementary School in Wheaton. She is a library lover, former swimmer and musician. Wheaton Patch: How long have you been at your current school? How long have you been a teacher? Cathi Boone: I've been here 7 or 8 years. I have taught off and on since 1976. WP: What inspires you to work with children? CB: Children have fearless desire to learn. We ask children to take enormous risks all the time with what they have to learn. If someone asked us to take a job where everything everyday was new no one would take the job. Children are expected to …

Virginia Jones, a 7th grade language arts teacher at Edison Middle School, is the oldest of five siblings and a triathlete who loves Mexican food. She believes that teaching is not a profession, but a calling. Wheaton Patch: How long have you been at your current school? How long have you been a teacher? Virginia Jones: I am in my seventh year at Edison and my 15th year of teaching. WP:  What inspires you to work with children? VJ: I believe that teaching is not a profession that you choose; it is a profession that chooses you. It is a calling. I cannot remember a time when I did not want to …

Laura Busboom, Edison Middle School teacher, spent the better part of her life learning as much history as possible. Now, her knowledge of the subject is clear during her lessons in sixth and eighth grade social studies. Wheaton Patch: How long have you been at your current school? How long have you been a teacher? Laura Busboom: This is my 6th year teaching here. I have been teaching 7 years total. I had a one year position at Wheaton Warrenville South. WP:  What inspires you to work with children? LB:  I love their curiosity. I had a long term sub position and every day was so exciting. …

Name: Amy Nooden School: Wheaton North Subject: Choral Activities and Piano Grade: 9-12 Wheaton Patch: How long have you been at your current school? How long have you been a teacher? Amy Nooden: This is my 4th year here. I was a choir teacher for 6 years before that. WP:  What inspires you to work with children? AN: Their energy—it inspires and exhausts me in a good way. They have so much enthusiasm. WP:  What is your favorite hobby? AN: Music. WP:  What was your favorite vacation? AN: I love to vacation. I've been to Florida and I'm going to Tucson. My favorite was when I went to the …

Name: Courtney Farrell School: Emerson Grade: 5th Grade Wheaton Patch: How long have you been at your current school? How long have you been a teacher? Courtney Farrell:  It is my first year here and it's my sixth year as a teacher. WP:  What inspires you to work with children? CF: I always wanted to be a teacher growing up, playing school in basement and what not. I was hopefully going to be making a difference academically and personally. Children have such an innocence and as a teacher you get to impart your own values and ideas to help shape who they become. WP:  What is your favorite …

Teachers can change change lives in a single lesson. They hold a power that not many possess and their efforts to make the world a better place have not gone unnoticed.  Melissa Sender, Pleasant Hill Elementary teacher, spent six weeks over the summer teaching in Uganda with nonprofit organization, Empower a Child. She spent everyday differently—visiting schools, hospitals and prisons. She took supplies everywhere she went, helped out in communities and played with the children. Sender said she did everything from learning how to make concrete to building a goat shed. Wheaton North music …

Name: Kevin Williams School: Wheaton North Subject (s): Activities Director, Senior Rhetoric, co-sponsor yearbook, Falcon ambassadors, services organization Grade: 12 Wheaton Patch: How long have you been teaching at your current school? Kevin Williams: It is my 30th year in the district. I started at Edison. WP:  What inspires you to work with children? KW:  I just like helping people and this a great way to do it cause every single day you're helping people and its nice to see them grow and improve and make a difference. WP: What is your favorite hobby? KW: I like traveling, being outside, …

Name: Cheryl Martines School: Edison Middle School Subject: Health and PE Grade: 6-8 Wheaton Patch: How long have you been at your current school? How long have you been a teacher? Cheryl Martines: I have been here since 1985. I had 5 years experience in Minnesota, East Aurora and DeKalb.  WP:  What inspires you to work with children? CM: Seeing how they can grasp the information for the very first time and expand. Seeing that look on their faces. WP:  What is your favorite hobby? CM: Playing the piano. I have played since I was seven (years old). WP:  What was your favorite vacation? CM: I …

Name: Mary Davis School: Jefferson Preschool Subject: Preschool special education Grade: 3, 4, and 5yr-old preschool Wheaton Patch: How long have you been at your current school? How long have you been a teacher? Mary Davis: This is my 3rd year at Jefferson and my 4th year altogether. I spent one year in a different district. WP:  What inspires you to work with children? MD:  I originally went to school to be an accountant but I quickly realized life behind a desk was not for me. I need to be with kids. My sister has special needs so it was part of my life and I embraced it. WP:  What is your…

Name:  Julie Braun School:  Edison Middle School Subject:   Math (Pre-Algebra, regular math and block math) Grade: 6th Wheaton Patch: How long have you been at your current school? How long have you been a teacher?  Julie Braun: I have been teaching for 18 years at Edison Middle School. WP:  What inspires you to work with children? JB:  I love children and I love seeing children get excited about learning and watching their confidence level increase in math.  WP:  What is your favorite hobby?  JB: I enjoy working out, coaching the 7th grade Edison Volleyball team, and spending time with my …

Name: Erica Valenti School: Wheaton Warrenville South Subject: Health, First AID and CPR Grades: Sophomores and Juniors Wheaton Patch: How long have you been at your current school? How long have you been a teacher? Erica Valenti: I have been a teacher here for 14 years. I was at Proviso for 2 years before that. WP: What inspires you to work with children? EV: This job is always changing and there is always new curriculum. I love high school and I enjoyed it myself. This age group works for me. The subject matter I teach is mental health. It's a class that really develops good life skills. WP…

Name: Gillian Wilson School: Emerson Grade: 5th Grade Wheaton Patch: How long have you been at your current school? How long have you been a teacher? Gillian Wilson: I have been here 8 years and 28 years total being a teacher. WP:  What inspires you to work with children? GW: When I was 5 years old had student teacher and I decided that I wanted to become a teacher. I want them to have a happy and productive time in school. I love their sense of humor. WP:  What is your favorite hobby? GW: Travel, reading, walking, and tracking Manchester United, they are the best soccer team. WP:  What was …

Name: Tracy Holland School: Hawthorne Elementary Grade: 4th Grade Wheaton Patch: How long have you been at your current school? How long have you been a teacher? Tracy Holland: This is my 7th year, my first year back in the classroom since I have been at Hawthorne.  This is my 21st year of teaching. WP:  What inspires you to work with children? TH: I love helping the kids realize that they can do things they never thought they could. I also love talking with kids about books. WP:  What is your favorite hobby? TH: I love to read, knit and do crafts. WP:  What was your favorite vacation? TH: A …

Name:  Tod Harper School: Edison Middle School Subject: Science Grade: 6th Wheaton Patch:  What inspires you to work with children? Tod Harper: It's very rewarding to be a positive influence in the lives of so many young people, particularly if I can nurture their interest in science and in being lifelong learners. WP:  What is your favorite hobby? TH: It's hard to pick a favorite; I enjoy reading, biking, amateur astronomy, working around the house on landscaping and DIY projects, family activities, pets, roller coasters, generally anything to keep my mind and body active (but relaxing is …

Name: Lorie Martinez School: Wheaton North Subject (s): Special Education mostly English Grade (s): 9-12 Bio: Martinez is the head of student council which has more than 300 students. They meet every Tuesday morning and are in charge of all of the dances. "It's almost equal to my teaching job in terms of time invested," Martinez said. "It's nice to work with students that are very interested and devoted to the school and its success."  Wheaton Patch: What inspires you to work with children? Lorie Martinez:  Really enjoy being with kids and I was hoping I could make their lives little bit …

Melissa Sender spent six weeks over the summer teaching in Uganda with nonprofit organization, Empower a Child. She spent everyday differently—visiting schools, hospitals and prisons. She took supplies everywhere she went, helped out in communities and played with the children. Sender said she did everything from learning how to make concrete to building a goat shed. However, this teacher's favorite part of the trip was not a surprise. "My favorite part was being in the schools," Sender said. "I was in a classroom that had 90 kids in it and they all wanted to be there and they all wanted to …

Name: Roberta James School: Wheaton Warrenville South Subject(s):  Communications Studies and Acting Class Grade: 10-12 Wheaton Patch: What inspires you to work with children? Roberta James: It's their attitude. They're so willing to learn and so willing to try something. They're more risk takers than adults are, especially on stage. WP: What is your favorite hobby? Movies. Movies is the biggest thing. When I'm not doing a show I can maybe have one evening where I watch four or five films in a row. I love doing a double or even triple feature on Saturday if someone is willing to go with me. …