Matt Baker originally thought he’d be a journalist, but a love for the classrooms of his youth was always in the back of his mind, so he changed his plans at the University of Illinois.

Every student coming through Dwight Elementary School over the last 32 years has been able to attend one of the more creatively planned third or fourth grade classes with Stinnett Gettinger.

Rhonda Johnson, who teaches at Immaculate Conception School in Morris, has been teaching fifth grade students for 25 years, following in the footsteps of some of her favorite teachers.

Lauren Blatti’s journey toward teaching was inspired by one of her own childhood teachers, though she knew she wanted to be a teacher from a young age.

"Super strengths" are many for the fifth-grade teacher from Coal City Intermediate School.

Steven Custer, a Morris Community High School teacher and soccer coach uses his experience with the game to connect with new students as he teaches them English as a second language.

Todd Kein has spent 26 years at Morris as an English teacher and baseball and basketball coach. He has found a "happy marriage" coaching baseball while teaching literature.

Read our letters submitted by students and parents to Morris Herald-News for our 2025 Thank You Teachers special edition

Kristen Hemmersbach didn't know what she wanted to do with her life until a friend asked her to take an early childhood education course at Joliet Junior College, and that course reminded her of all the good teachers she had as a student in Shorewood.