Katrina is an English teacher at Central High School. She has been teaching for 33 years, all at Central High. Katrina grew up with a love of books and spent much of her time reading and babysitting. When she realized she could combine her love of literature with her love for kids, she knew she had found her path. Her greatest inspiration is Sally Shipley, her high school speech and forensics coach. Katrina enjoys helping students discover their gifts, whether in writing, speaking or leading, and believes each student brings something valuable to the classroom. A fun fact about Katrina is that actor Paul Rudd, best known for his role as Ant-Man, was in her high school forensics class at Shawnee Mission West
Noah is an art teacher at Central High School. He has been teaching for six years, with the past three spent at Central. Pulling his inspiration from Larry Cullins, Noah brings creativity and energy to his classroom every day. His favorite part of teaching is getting to know his students and watching their artistic skills grow and improve throughout the year. Some fun facts about Noah are that last year, he earned second place in a large openweight sumo wrestling tournament in Texas and he dressed up as a clown at Central’s 2023 graduation ceremony.
Lindsay is an orchestra teacher at Central High School. She has taught for 23 years, all in Salina, with 11 of those at Central High. Growing up surrounded by music, she was inspired by her mom, who is also an orchestra teacher, and by the female conductors she had as a student. Those influences sparked her desire to share her passion for music with others. Her favorite part about teaching is being able to watch her students grow because she has taught some of them for up to eight years. A fun fact about Lindsay is that she played in Carnegie Hall with the National Wind Ensemble when she was in college.
Alan is a journalism teacher at Central High School. This is his 16th year teaching and his third year at Central. He originally went to college to become a sportscaster but quickly realized he was meant to be a teacher and coach. He has been inspired by many teachers and coaches who have guided him along his path. A fun fact about Alan is that when he was in college, he had dinner with Woody Harrelson, which ended with the two of them playing a basketball game together.
Alyssa Waldron is an English teacher at Central High School, currently in her eighth year of teaching and her fifth year at Central. She became a teacher because she loves that no two days are the same and that every student brings something unique to the classroom. She credits Mr. Lucke, her high school softball coach and math teacher, as a key inspiration. Her favorite part of teaching is her students, who bring joy and purpose to each day and make even planning and grading feel more rewarding. A fun fact about Alyssa is that since 2019, she and her fiancé have traveled to half of the U.S. states.
Lizzie is a world history and criminal justice teacher at Central High School. She has been teaching for seven years, all of them at Central High. Lizzie was inspired to become a teacher by her brother, and her goal has always been to make learning fun and engaging for all students, including those who face learning challenges. Her favorite part of teaching is her students and the variety each day brings. She especially enjoys watching students grasp new concepts and apply them to real-world situations. A fun fact about Lizzie is that she has a rubber duck collection in her classroom of around 200 ducks, which she has never purchased herself, as every single one has been gifted to her by students and staff
Michael is a drafting, engineering and architecture teacher at Central High School. He has been teaching for 19 years, all of them at Central High. Michael became a teacher to share his passion for industrial technology, and he has a goal to inspire students to enjoy it as much as he does. His favorite part of teaching is seeing students complete their projects in class and witnessing their hard work, dedication and growth reflected in their finished projects. A fun fact about Michael is that he enjoys hiking throughout the mountains during the summertime.
Matt is an algebra and calculus teacher at Central High School. He has been teaching for 14 years, with 13 of them being at Central High. Matt became a teacher after having math teachers in high school inspire him to share his passion for learning math with others. His favorite part of teaching is seeing students develop as creative thinkers and expand their problem-solving skills. He especially enjoys when students discover a new problem-solving method. A fun fact about Matt is that he knows how to juggle.
Patrick is an algebra, trigonometry and precalculus teacher at Central High School. He has been teaching for 34 years, with 31 of them being at Central High. Patrick was inspired to become a teacher in high school after discovering his love for helping others learn. His favorite part of teaching is seeing students have “light bulb” moments when they grasp a concept they’ve been learning. He also enjoys getting to know his students and learning about their unique life stories. A fun fact about Patrick is that he loves to golf.
