Karen Kucera

“The first ten years were filled with college, getting married, teaching 9th grade math in Arkansas (while Rick was in the Air Force), moving back to Illinois and starting a family in Gurnee. Then on to the next 30 years. I enjoyed being a part of the Parent Teacher Organization in Gurnee Schools, being a Cub Scout Den Mother for four years and the Pack's Committee Chairman for a year, coaching an after school activ-ity called Odyssey of the Mind for several years and attending numerous baseball, soccer and tennis meets the boys played in. Rick started me playing golf, but I really never got into it. We also played tennis and I enjoyed that and took more lessons and played with a group of friends year round at an indoor facil-ity in Waukegan until tennis elbow got the best of me. I worked as a bookkeeper for nine years. During the time my younger son was in high school at Warren, I got involved in a Fine Arts Booster organization at the high school. This was a springboard for me that led to being elected to the Warren High School Board of Education. I served 8 years, 4 of those as vice president. While on the board I got interested in a statewide education organization, Illinois Learning Partnership. This led to being a member of their state focus group on teacher induction. I then was on State of Illinois Board of Education panel on teacher in-duction for one year. I decided to "retire" from volunteering at that point. At least for now!”