Stockbridge Teacher Nikki Myers shares with her students the wisdom that comes with years of experience

by Amy Haggerty

Nikki Myers has taught for Stockbridge Schools for 24 years. She has taught a variety of grades, including first through fourth, plus sixth, seventh, and Title I. Myers grew up in Stockbridge, and her parents, Roger and Sharon, stayed in the Stockbridge area. Teaching was in her blood, considering her father taught Social Studies at Stockbridge High School.

“Watching teachers do what they love helped me develop my passion for helping others,” explains Myers. “I came back to Stockbridge, and it was great working with former teachers and families I grew up with. It felt like coming home, and it was where I wanted to be!”

Myers graduated in 1988 and attended Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti. Her degree is in Elementary Education with minors in Science and Social Studies. Later, she attended Marygrove College and completed her master’s degree. Myers is currently single but has a special man in her life. She always has a smile on her face and finds a way to deal with life looking at things in a positive light. She is a shining example of how working hard and staying upbeat will help you get through the challenging days.

She considers her two incredible sons to be her greatest accomplishments in life: Riley is 24 years old, and Logan is 19. Riley graduated from Michigan Tech, is married, and lives locally, working for Tenneco as a Quality Engineer. Logan attends Grand Valley State University and is carrying on the teaching profession family tradition; he is majoring in secondary education, focusing in Physics and History.

Myers notes that she works with the most AMAZING staff in Stockbridge! She also quotes the book, The Four Agreements, which she lives by to this day! These four beliefs have carried her through her 24 years of teaching: Be impeccable with your word, don’t take anything personally, don’t make assumptions, and always do your best. She recommends this book to young teachers to get them through the early years of teaching.

Some advice she gives to Stockbridge students, “Be kind and show empathy to others…Our world would be a better place if we all were just kind to one another…In my classroom, I also talk to kids about making mistakes. It’s okay to make mistakes, as long as you are working hard to grow from those mistakes and always trying your best.”