By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

The “Coaches in the Classroom” feature is a weekly series that spotlights and celebrates coaches throughout Portage County, who spend their days in the classrooms and hallways leading today’s student-athletes to be tomorrow’s leaders.

Today’s spotlight is on Waterloo High School’s Nicole Lewis, who is a 1st Grade teacher at Waterloo Elementary School and is the Vikings’ girls basketball head coach.

• School District: Waterloo Local.
• How many years have you been a teacher?: 22 years overall; 12 years at Waterloo. I have taught 1st Grade for 12 years, 3rd Grade for one year, 2nd Grade for three years and Kindergarten for six years.
• What made you want to become an educator?: I have always wanted to be a teacher since I was a little girl.  Playing school with my brothers was always something I did. So becoming a teacher was always something I wanted to be!
• What is your favorite part of your job?: My favorite part of the job is the students and watching them grow in their learning throughout the year. Watching them grow from when they start 1st Grade to what they are able to do at the end is very rewarding. I love what I do each and every day. Seeing students learning and having fun makes my job so rewarding.  I also love to teach reading. First grade lays the foundation to reading skills and this is an area I am very passionate about!
• What have you learned about being an educator that you didn’t know before you started?: We can wear many different hats.Teachers are here for all of their students in many ways other than just teaching them academics. And that although you have students over the course of a year, you can leave a lasting impression on them. 
• Which teachers influenced you to go into education?: Not just one specific teacher influenced me, but I would have to say that I had some remarkable teachers as I went through school and they all have been an influence to me along the way.
• How do you apply some of your classroom to your coaching?: Building relationships with my students in my classroom is very important to me! I have carried this over to my coaching as well. Building relationships with my students and players is very important to me. I care for all of my students and players and want only the best for them in the classroom, on the court and as members in our community. I also have high expectations for my students and players! I encourage them to be the best they can be in all that they do.
• Funniest thing that has ever happened to you in a classroom?: Over my 22 years of teaching, there is always something that happens — especially with teaching little ones that will make you laugh throughout the day! Each day is never a dull moment I say. I should have written down things throughout the years about funny things kids say or do and made a book!
• Mentors in your building who have helped you along the way?: Sara Heppe, Emma Laughman, Kim Shondrick, Brenna Kirkbride, Jodi Canale, Sandi Arbogast, Stephanie Sullivan, Cory Sullivan, Beth Pratt.