THURSDAY, MAY 8, 2025 • VOLUME N0. 123 • ISSUE NO. 33 • 1 SECTION • 10 PAGES
Serving Colfax • Mingo • Baxter • Western Jasper County
T H A N K Y O U T E A C H E R S Unleashing future artists Baxter K-12 art teacher Elizabeth Carter finds inspiration from students of all ages By Jamee A. Pierson Jasper County Tribune “Take chances, make mistakes, get messy!” The famous words from Ms. Frizzle on The Magic School Bus ring true to Baxter K-12 art teacher Elizabeth Carter everyday she steps into the classroom. From paint to clay and every medium in between, art is a way for kids to explore in a fun, safe way. “(My favorites are) when the littles get ex-
cited about clay, big breakthroughs in skill from persistence and repetition, when big kids bring me something they made that they are super proud of, when skills they learned in art translate to other parts of their lives, and seeing kids grow up and graduate knowing they made it through school partly because art was a part of their day,” Carter said. “I’m just paying it forward.” Carter had a strong base of art teachers
growing up, helping her to become the teacher she is today. She’s learned to slow down and take breaks and most importantly, notice the little things, which have helped her as not only a teacher but a person, too. “There’s no prize for running yourself ragged,” Carter said. Working in a small school, Carter is able to watch kids grow from finger painters to sculptors and everything in the middle. Watching
Learning to do big things Baxter kindergarten teacher Gennypher Popenhagen strives to start kids school journey off in a positive environment
Jamee A. Pierson/Jasper County Tribune Much like the tree that grows in the Baxter school, Gennypher Popenhagen loves watching her kindergartners grow from the start of the year through the final day.
By Jamee A. Pierson Jasper County Tribune Gennypher Popenhagen gets to start her morning with little smiling faces ready to learn and do big things. The kindergartners might not also be the easiest students to reason with but watching their growth from the start of the year to the end is unlike any other grade. “I love seeing students get excited about learning,” Popenhagen said. “It makes everything worth is when you see something click for a student and they really start to grasp how to read.” Popenhagen has been
teaching at Baxter since 2019 as a paraprofessional, a substitute and now a kindergarten teacher. One big difference she has seen since starting in the profession is the expectation for kids, even at the early age. “The amount of academic demand on kindergarten now from when I was in kindergarten is outrageous,” Popenhagen said. “Can they meet the expectations? Absolutely! It would be SO nice though if we could let them be five and explore through play more than we are able to because of the academic demand we are forced to put PEPENHAGEN | 3 CONTACT US
kids find their talents and then bloom into artists is more than a perk of the job for Carter. “We just hosted the Iowa Star Conference art show with 11 schools represented. Great energy, lots of inspiration and artistic community shared,” Carter said. “Getting passionate art kids all together to play and learn is always the best! That and all the kids I’ve seen grow up CARTER | 3
Jamee A. Pierson/Jasper County Tribune Art is life for Baxter K-12 art teacher Elizabeth Carter.
Music is life Colfax-Mingo music teacher Tyler Harper helps shape future musicians both in elementary and junior-senior high school By Jamee A. Pierson Jasper County Tribune Making beautiful noise sound like music is the challenge set out for Colfax-Mingo teacher Tyler Harper. In his first year at C-M, Harper teaches 306 general music and 7-12 choir at the junior-senior high school. “Kids are amazing,” Harper said. “I get to see them learn and grow over the years and be a little part of who they become. It is enormously rewarding in that aspect.” Harper isn’t new to teaching, HARPER | 3
Jamee A. Pierson/Jasper County Tribune For Colfax-Mingo music teacher Tyler Harper watching the kids learn and grow in the reason he teaches.
Always on the move Baxter K-12 PE teacher Kyle Stribe stays busy as a teacher and a coach By Jamee A. Pierson Jasper County Tribune Teachers can wear many hats and Baxter K-12 PE teacher Kyle Stribe has more than a few. Along with his “day job,” Stribe coaches junior high football, high school boys basketball and Shaw Media high school boys golf. “My favorite part about teaching is the relationJamee A. Pierson/Jasper County Tribune ships that I am able to From football to basketball to golf along build with the students and with teaching K-12 PE, teacher Kyle Stribe athletes,” Stribe said. “Each stays busy at Baxter. day in teaching comes with est. 1851
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different challenges as students all come from different backgrounds.” Stribe gets to see all of the kids who move through the Baxter School District. From kindergartners just starting out to senior getting ready to begin new adventures, he is a constant for them as they grow as Bolts. Days aren’t always easy when working with such a wide range, but the support STRIBE | 3
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