WHO 13 NEWS – The Family Consumer Science teacher at North Polk Middle School is expanding her lesson plan. Not only inspiring students to learn how to live better, but how to lead and give back to their community. 

Nikki Kallal’s effort to turn classroom learners into community leaders is what earned her the Golden Apple.

Mrs. Kallal’s classroom is filled with different gadgets to cut, sew, and bake.

“I mean kids will come in here and I thought they knew what FCS was, but they’ll say, ‘there’s an oven?’ And I’ll say ‘yeah, there’s five,’” Mrs. Kallal said. “‘Do we get to cook?’ ‘Yeah!’ And then they’ll always ask, ‘do we get to eat?’ I say ‘no, I’m going to eat all of your food. And I’m like no, yeah you make what you eat. That’s part of it.’ And they’re so excited, that’s the best part.” 

Students love the hands-on learning, and Mrs. Kallal loves how everyone can take part. The “Adaptive Life Skills” class she started allows students of all abilities to participate and feel included.

“That is just something so important. And part of it is because I have a son now with special needs,” Mrs. Kallal said. “The kids are so special. And not just kids with special needs, but kids that have different interests, and kids that have different hobbies, and want to belong in different ways. That’s really important.”

Mrs. Kallal works with students during class, before, and after school.

“So most times at the end of the day is when our clubs meet and she always has kids in and out, in and out working on different projects and things,” Emily Young, an instructional coach at North Polk Middle School, said.

She advises the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) chapter at North Polk Middle School. It’s a student organization that helps grow future leaders by focusing on community outreach.

“We’re raising money to make care packages for nurses, ER nurses in Des Moines,” Annaliese Kamps said.

“Last year, I worked with Annaliese and another friend who we raised almost $700 for Make-A-Wish Iowa,” eighth-grade student Elie Crawford said.

Mrs. Kallal helps students with projects that help others.

“She’s always positive and she’s always ready to take an idea and go with it,” Crawford said. “Like she helps us get a reachable goal and she’s always ready to just ‘let’s try it.’”

“She’s just done so much for the community,” Kamps said. “She’s always willing to do stuff for people.”

And that’s a big reason why Kamps organized other students and teachers to nominate Mrs. Kallal for the Golden Apple.

“I feel like I’m in a dream, honestly,” Kallal said when she accepted the award. “I appreciate it. I love every day at school, every day with my kids. It’s the best. Kids always say, ‘do you like what you do?’ Or like practicum teachers. And I love what I do, every single day. Every single day is different. My husband the other day said, ‘don’t you do the same thing every day?’ I said no. I said, ‘every single minute is something different.’ And I love that part of it. So, thank you. I can’t believe it. Honestly.”

Those who work with Mrs. Kallal can believe it and say she deserves the recognition.

“She gives her own time for the kids,” Jon Richards, the principal at North Polk Middle School, said. “And I think that’s the beauty of what you want out of an educator is going above and beyond. And that’s where kids just really love coming to school and getting educated and you know being with a teacher that’s always positive.”

“She really cares about not just developing them as students,” Young said, “but as people that are just going to go out there in the world and make a good, positive impact.”

A positive impact that’s taught and modeled in middle school. Life lessons that will serve students long after they leave.

Mrs. Kallal has been at North Polk School District for the past six years, and teaching for more than two decades.

Watch the full interview with Mrs. Kallal below.