Waseca Industrial Technology and Engineering Teacher Bill Kuschel is Waseca’s 2023-24 teacher of the year.
The award was first announced at Waseca’s Veterans Day program in November. The announcement and recognition came to Kuschel as a surprise at the time, and he had the opportunity to share what the award means to him at WEA’s retirement and recognition banquet May 30 at The Mill.
Waseca’s TAP (Teacher and Student Advancement) teacher Anastasia Garza introduced Kuschel at the banquet and explained why he was deserving of the award. She noted that he started the VEX Robotics program at Waseca seven years ago and the success of the program is because of him and his relationship with the students.
“They showed up every day with smiles on their faces, because Bill Kuschel was there,” Garza said at the banquet.
During his speech, Kuschel explained that he is a Waseca Bluejay “to the core,” as he graduated from Waseca High School in 1984. After graduating from Mankato State University, he taught for one year in Eureka, South Dakota. He hated the experience.
“I was too close to the age of my students, and I couldn’t wait for the year to get done and find a different career,” Kuschel said.
He did just that. He found a career in Sioux Falls as a rental store manager, but his goal was to get back to Waseca. He moved to Faribault and for 20 years, he served as a manager for a rental store there.
His journey back to Waseca started when Waseca’s former Industrial Tech Instructor Bill Olson walked into Kuschel’s shop the day after Labor Day twelve years ago.
Kuschel knew Olson was a teacher at Waseca and asked him why he wasn’t in the classroom. Olson informed him that he retired since his health wasn’t the greatest and told him that he should come back to Waseca to replace him.
Kuschel hadn’t taught for 23 years and didn’t know if he could still teach due to his license. But he was able to get his license back and was hired. He started in the middle of the school year, at the start of the second trimester.
“That year was full of fear, full of anger, full of frustration, full of tears,” Kuschel said.
But as he continued, he began to love his job, especially after teaching STEM classes, teaching Project lead the Way curriculum, and starting the VEX Robotics program at Waseca. This past year for the program was the most successful one yet, as the team Monkey Buccaneers competed at the world’s competition. They ended up winning the Design Award at the tournament.
“The Design Award is an award for the team that best communicates and uses the engineering design process,” said Kuschel. “They took what I teach and they just took it to the next level. As a teacher that’s so gratifying.”
Kuschel also talked about a former student of his, Breanna Stoesz, who graduated in 2019. Kuschel recalled her saying to him “I want to be just like you” at her graduation party. Kuschel got a message from Stoesz about a month ago informing him that she accepted a job as a Project Lead the Way teacher and robotics coach in Arkansas. Kuschel read part of the message at the banquet.
“I wouldn’t have this as my job if it wasn’t for you and your classes,” Stoesz stated in the message. “Thank you for always being your best for your students. It has made such a positive difference in your students’ lives.”
“Is that why you teach or what?” Kuschel said after reading the message.
Kuschel went on to thank his family and colleagues and stated that him being a teacher in Waseca has been a dream come true.
“I graduated from MSU and my dream was to come back and teach at my hometown school,” said Kuschel. “I got my dream, and I’m a teacher, in Waseca. I’m a Bluejay!”
Friend of education and support staff of the year
WEA Co-President Eric Teders introduced Ted Hammond at the banquet, who is this year’s Friend of Education. The Friend of Education goes to someone who volunteers at the Waseca schools.
Hammond retired from teaching Marketing at Waseca in 2011, but that hasn’t stopped him from making an impact on the Waseca schools.
“His love of education and students has never retired,” Teders said about Hammond. “Since retirement he’s coached many things in our district, including freshmen football, freshmen basketball, and currently junior high basketball and golf.”
Hammond thanked Teders and also thanked his wife Penny, as he stated he would not be in education if it wasn’t for her. She introduced him to DECA and inspired him to go to school to be a Marketing teacher, which he was for 35 years.
Sixth-grade teacher Patricia Mercier introduced Ryan West as the support staff of the year. West is the head custodian at Waseca Intermediate School (WIS) and formerly worked at the junior and senior high school.
Mercier stated that if someone ever needs a problem fixed, West is always there is solve it.
“He will respond immediately,” Mercier said about West. “He is so kind, never complains, and I know those of you at the high school that used to have him wishes he was still there.”
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