OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — Ann Claybrook, a mother of three, says she wouldn't mind going back to fourth grade after seeing all the fun her fourth grader has in Brianne Trout's class.
"She is not only teaching in a fun way but making memories that will last a lifetime for these fourth grade students," Claybrook stated in her One Class At A Time nomination letter.
Claybrook says it's in Trout's DNA to be a teacher.
"She has a love for teaching, that as soon as you talk to her, like, she was born to be a teacher," Claybrook said.
Trout, who moved from Colorado, has been at Wolf Springs Elementary for three years.
"I moved here and that was the same year the pandemic started so that was such a rush to come into that," Trout said.
Although it was a rush, she's staying true to her motto.
"I have a motto and it's hanging above my door and it just says to dare greatly, and yes it's from Brene Brown," Trout said. "We're stepping into something. A lot of it is unknown and it's scary and the kids are scared too. We're taking it day by day, year by year almost too, but just that when you're in the arena together and you're with your community and you're with your team, that you can dare greatly."
And parents, like Claybrook, are noticing.
"It was just super exciting to hear how she's transforming the room in order for the kids just to be able to learn things about reading and English and character traits and character development, in such a fun way," Claybrook said.
Trout creates room transformations to cover a variety of different subjects.
"Coming in and we're under the sea and we're in Hogwarts," Trout said. "I'm able to kind of step away and just be fully in the moment with my kids."
For her, being present in the classroom can help, after hearing difficult news she's been processing since last summer.
"My husband, in August, was actually diagnosed with brain cancer and so gosh talk about a heart-wrenching phone call," Trout recalled.
Thanks to her large support system, both at school and home, she keeps going.
"Honestly, I'm so thankful for the support system that I've had, being able to, on my way to work when it feels like a heavy day to just call up my dad and say, 'Hey dad, today's a hard day,'" Trout said. "And to know that, you know that those people are there for you and that no matter what is going on personally or at home, that when I come here, those kids are going to be excited to see me and they come in the door with a smile on their face."
And even on those hard days, she herself is "daring greatly" by bringing her best to the class.
Both her students and their parents have noticed, which is one of the reasons she was announced as KSHB 41's next winner of One Class at a Time.
As Trout heard the news, her students were in the background, clapping and smiling ear to ear, including Ethan Kuenzie.
"My teacher means a lot to me and I really appreciate her for what she's done to all of us in our class," Kuenzie said. "I was very excited, and I was about to cry because like, she means a lot to our class."
Congratulations to Mrs. Trout!
To nominate an educator you believe is going above and beyond, share why you believe they should be the next winner of One Class At A Time, fill out our nomination form.
