Since 1998, the Mitchell Rotary Club has recognized local teachers with the Carl Sprunger Outstanding Educator Award.
This year’s recipient is Mitchell High School English teacher Leslie Rylance. “To be recognized from the students is really an awesome honor,” said Rylance. “It just shows that you’ve had an impact. Whether that’s as an English teacher, an SRB advisor, just somebody, a smile in the hallway, it feels really good.”
Her love of education started as a child growing up in Parkston. Rylance joined the Mitchell School District in 2019.
She says meeting the students needs is challenging. “It’s hard to educate a kid who comes to school hungry, who comes to school with dirty clothing, with no idea where they’re going to sleep that night or no idea where they’ve been the night before,” Rylance said. “You can’t take care of them outside of school, so for those eight hours they’re in school, it’s important to give them lots of love and structure and make them feel safe and welcome.”
Rylance says she’s “old school” by expecting students to raise their hands and write papers on paper, yet she’s working to integrate methods such as artificial intelligence in safe, acceptable ways.