Kylee VanMeter is settling into her first semester at Ball State and beginning her journey toward a career in elementary education. A graduate of North Knox Jr. Sr. High School in Oaktown, Indiana, Kylee is pursuing a major in Elementary Education.

Kylee is the next student featured in a Teachers College series highlighting Ball State recipients of the Next Generation Hoosier Educators Scholarship. The Indiana Commission for Higher Education awards the scholarship to high-achieving students who plan to pursue careers in education. Recipients can receive up to $10,000 each year for four academic years.

A Lifelong Dream

Kylee VanMeter poses with an older woman and man in a crowded school hallway, likely around the time of her high school graduation. The older woman and man each have an arm around Kylee as they smile for the camera. Kylee wears a white dress, white sandals, and a black cardigan, with her long brown hair worn loose. The older woman wears khaki pants and a striped long-sleeve shirt and holds a white jacket and black purse. The older man wears jeans and a teal short-sleeve button-up shirt. Both have white hair.Kylee has wanted to become a teacher for as long as she can remember. Whenever someone asked what she wanted to be when she grew up, she always answered, “A teacher.”

Her papaw helped shape that dream. He taught for about 40 years, and Kylee often watched former students stop to talk with him when they ran into him. Many shared how much they enjoyed having him as a teacher.

Those encounters showed Kylee how deeply a teacher can influence students’ lives.

“I always thought it was really cool that he was able to make such a big impact in other people’s lives simply by teaching their junior high shop class,” Kylee said.

Kylee has also gained experience in the classroom herself. During a high school internship, she helped teach sixth-grade special education and third-grade classes. She hopes student teaching and shadowing opportunities at Ball State will help her discover which grade level feels like the best fit.

Finding Her Place at Ball State

Kylee VanMeter hugs a younger boy while posing for the camera in front of glass and silver doors leading into a crowded event space. She rests her head against his as she wraps her arms around him, while he smiles with his hands held in front of him. Kylee wears a black lace dress and black dress shoes, while the boy wears jeans and a maroon T-shirt.Kylee’s first campus tour showed her the many opportunities Ball State offers. She immediately liked the campus atmosphere and saw the value of the resources and experiences available to education majors.

Now, she looks forward to meeting new people and forming new friendships during her first semester. She also plans to take an American Sign Language class, which she believes will help her communicate with future students.

During her internship, Kylee saw how often nonverbal children use sign language to communicate. Learning ASL will give her another way to connect with and support students in her future classroom.

Preparing to Teach Future Generations

Two high school-age young women pose on a polished wood stage with a black curtain backdrop. Kylee VanMeter lies on her stomach facing the camera, propping her head in her hands with one foot raised behind her. A tenor saxophone rests on the floor in front of her. Her friend stands over her with a foot on either side, holding a flute and piccolo while resting her hands on her knees. Both smile at the camera and wear black pants with gray marching band jackets featuring red and black accents and a stylized “NK” on the front. Kylee has long brown hair, while her friend has shoulder-length blonde hair.Kylee hasn’t decided exactly what grade or subject she wants to teach yet. Right now, she leans toward English language arts and reading or science. She hopes her future classroom experiences will help her find the right fit.

For now, Kylee wants to build the skills she will need to teach future generations effectively. She also wants to step outside her comfort zone, try new things, and grow personally during college.

She brings plenty of experience with her to Ball State. In high school, Kylee competed on academic teams, joined National Honor Society, and played in the band for four years. She also served as a weekly peer tutor and completed an internship that gave her hands-on classroom experience.

Outside of school, Kylee enjoys reading and spending time with friends. Music also plays a major role in her life. She played clarinet for three years, alto saxophone for one year, and tenor saxophone for three years. She plans to continue making music throughout college and beyond.

Kylee also enjoys trying new things, including her latest challenge: teaching herself to play the banjo.

“It’s not going too well,” she admitted. “I just don’t understand how people move their fingers that fast!”

A Scholarship That Makes College Possible

Kylee VanMeter sits among a group of peers at what appears to be a high school graduation ceremony. She is one of six young women seated on the edge of a stage, five of whom wear graduation gowns with red stoles and gold Academic Honors Medallions featuring a blue Indiana state emblem. Another young woman wears two honor cords but no gown. Four young men stand behind them. The stage is set with chairs and a podium against a tan brick wall with a screen, suggesting a high school gymnasium.For Kylee, receiving the Next Generation Hoosier Educators Scholarship means she can pursue her dream career without worrying as much about how she will afford college.

The scholarship will help Kylee enjoy her college experience while she prepares for a career in education. It gives her financial support as she builds on the classroom experience she already has and discovers the kind of teacher she wants to become.

Kylee’s dream of becoming a teacher started with a simple childhood answer. Now, she is taking the next steps toward making that dream a reality.