KEARNEY – Emily Abed always knew she belonged in the classroom, teaching students and making a difference in their lives.
She just took a detour to get there.
Born and raised in Englewood, Colorado, Abed was one of those kids who “absolutely loved” school. Her mother was a high school physical education teacher for 35 years, so she saw firsthand the impact educators can make.
However, she decided to go a different route after high school, completing a bachelor’s degree in marketing at the University of Colorado Boulder. Abed worked in that field for three years before rediscovering her “inner purpose.”
“I started substitute teaching in fall 2023 and quickly realized that being in an elementary school was where I was supposed to be,” she said. “My fiancé and I always dreamed of moving to Kearney to settle down, so we took that opportunity in our lives to move, and I started pursuing my initial teaching certification in January 2024.”
Abed is working on her certification in elementary education through a post-baccalaureate program at UNK, which she plans to complete this December. She’s a member of the Elementary Education Club and Kappa Delta Pi honor society, and she’s worked as a paraprofessional at Kenwood Elementary School since February 2024.
This fall, she’ll start a new position as a fourth grade teacher at Kenwood, which she calls a “dream come true.”
“I love getting to work with students and help them find their aha moments,” Abed said, “and the community at Kenwood is everything that I could have ever hoped for. I have had nothing but amazing experiences in education, and I know this is where I am supposed to be.”
What do you enjoy about being a paraprofessional?
Being a part of a welcoming and valuable community! I walk into school every day knowing that I am going to have a great day because of all the hugs I get from the students I talk to and the support I receive from my co-workers. I work a lot with the fourth graders because I will be teaching that grade this fall, so I am getting the opportunity to get firsthand experience with those students.
One of my favorite opportunities at Kenwood last fall was getting to greet all the students coming to school in the morning. That always brought so much happiness to my heart, and the students would always get on me if I was not there to greet them right at 7:30. It was amazing to know that the students care as much as I do. I love everyone at Kenwood, and I am honored to get to work there for many more years to come.
How valuable is this experience for someone who’s currently completing their teaching certification?
I would say the experience that I am getting from working at Kenwood as a para is the most valuable experience that I could have gotten while being in college. I recommend that any college student in any of the education programs at UNK get the opportunity to be a para at their desired school level. Being able to apply what I learn in class to the actual classroom and vice versa has truly impacted my ability to be a better educator and understand how each student learns best. I believe that I am less overwhelmed about my first year teaching because I have seen it firsthand and am comfortable enough to be able to reach out to my co-workers if I need support.
What stands out about UNK’s teacher education program?
The professors and hands-on field experiences! Every single professor I have had at the College of Education is passionate about their job and will do whatever they can to support every student who is in their class. No matter how many questions I ask or how long my conversations are with them, they make me feel valued and reassure me that I am in the right place, going down the right path.
In terms of the hands-on field experiences, I get the opportunity to go into schools and apply what I just learned to lessons that I actually teach to real students. It’s an amazing concept! At CU Boulder when I was in marketing, we did not get any opportunities like this within our program – you had to seek out the opportunities yourself and it was not always guaranteed that you would get that opportunity. At UNK, you are guaranteed the field experience, as long as you follow the TE Big 8 and pass successfully. I truly love the program and will definitely recommend it to anyone with whom I cross paths.
