Rachel Mundt, the new Rock Hills STEM teacher for kindergarten through fifth grade, has lived in Formoso since August 5. STEM, which stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics, is a new program for the elementary school.

Mundt attended Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln, where she received a degree in sports management. She is currently working to obtain a masters in education degree at K-State.

Mundt is engaged to Zach Spiegel. They met online and have been together for two years. Mundt is an athletic person so she enjoys playing sports, working out and just moving. Her favorite part of living in Jewell County so far is the quiet. She said there aren't a lot of cars that wake her up.

This year is Mundt's first year of teaching. She graduated from Nebraska Wesleyan in December, so this is her first big job. Since the STEM program is new, Mundt is looking forward to seeing what she can do with it. "I'm looking forward to making it my own," Mundt said. She is also looking forward to seeing how the students respond.

Mundt sees each class, kindergarten through fifth grade, for a half hour every day. "I'm considered a specials teacher," Mundt said. "So the students do a lot of projects in my class." Right now the kindergartners are building dog houses, first and second grade are building walls and third through fifth grade are building bridges.

Rachel Mundt

Mundt was at Nebraska Wesleyan for three years in the education program. Then she changed her major to sports management for her senior year. She had decided she wanted to do the athletic director courses. "The job here actually found me," Mundt said. Mr. Meyers had contacted Zach and asked him if Mundt would want to get back into teaching.

Mundt gives this advice for individuals who are considering becoming teachers, "Do it. Just love them."