North's Schueller Teaches with 'Heart and Soul'

teacher Nikki Schueller works with words every day, as she oversees North's award-winning publications.

On Tuesday, words failed her, as students and district officials surprised her with the Judy White-Ora "Teaching with Heart and Soul" award. Unique to Public Schools, the award was created to honor the memory of White-Ora, former Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, who died of cancer in 2006.

"Judy started a campaign for teacher to take the pledge to teach with passion, heart and soul," Supt. Sue Zurvalec said. "This award comes from teachers to their own, and Nikki is just the epitome of someone who is so dedicated to igniting that passion in her students."

The last three-and-a-half years have brought many challenges for Schueller. In the fall of 2007, her son, Parker, was born with an undiagnosed medical condition that has since required 80 hospitalizations.

"There are no work places in the country that would have given me the time off I needed," Schueller said. "You taught me the meaning of unconditional love. You loved me even when I wasn't at my best."

She added that no one ever made her feel any guilt for taking the time she needed to be with her son. "They've been supportive at every level," Schueller said of the district.

Schueller, in turn, has given support to her students, who took home more than two dozen awards from the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association spring conference in April. In addition, North's newly-developed, online news publication, thenorthernstaronline.com won a Columbia Silver Crown Award, one of only 18 given nation-wide by Columbia University.

"What she kicks off in kids is unbelievable," North Farmington principal Rick Jones said.

Senior Alexandra Foster agrees. Though she wasn't involved in either the yearbook or newspaper as an underclassman, other teachers told her she had a gift for writing. When Foster asked to be part of the publications class, Schueller didn't hesitate to welcome her.

"She's just been so inspiring and supportive," Foster said.

Schueller said she has also been inspired by her students, who literally took over the school's news room when Schueller had to be away caring for Parker.

"By the second year, it was the truest form of a student-run publication," she said. "They really embraced it, and Parker."

At the end this year, Schueller will take a leave of absence, in the hopes that staying home to care for Parker will cut down the number of his hospital visits. It will also allow Schueller and her husband, Guy, to continue their search for a diagnosis.

"I hope and pray someday I can come back to teaching," Schueller said. "It's tough. This has been my dream job."