A Pella Middle School Teacher receiving state recognition says students were the key piece in being honored by the Iowa Department of Education. Joan Nikkel, a 7th grade language arts teacher, was selected as a top five finalist for Iowa Teacher of the Year, and says a letter submitted by her students was not only a special gift and tribute to her, but it was a key piece in earning the award.

Members of the Pella Student Council wrote a letter in support of their teacher to nominate Nikkel for the Iowa Teacher of the Year Award. Among that group were current 8th graders Stephen Gaul, Eli Ebeling, Emily Blom, Alexa Klein, and Tess Hopkins, who all say Nikkel has had a positive impact on them when they were in her classes last year.

Read the letter the Pella Middle School Student Council submitted for her nomination here: Mrs.-Nikkel-Teacher-of-the-Year-2