by Aften Woodbury, BHS Journalism Department
In Buhler, KS if you walk into room 208 at Buhler High School, you are greeted with colorful paintings, a comfortable atmosphere, and a warm smile from Mrs. Hanna Lehr.
Mrs. Lehr is a 4th-year ELA teacher who has worked hard to get to know her colleagues and students. She is well-known and adored by students at BHS.
Mrs. Lehr puts a lot of time and effort into paying attention to her kids.
“I love the students most of all. Even if I taught a different subject, my favorite part would still be talking to students and getting to know them. My favorite part about teaching English is having discussions with students about stories and books. It is so fun to hear different perspectives and talk through questions we have about literature.”
Mrs. Lehr always stands in the halls with a smile on her face greeting every student, even if they aren’t going into her class.
Even the teachers appreciate and adore Mrs. Lehr’s behavior and relationship with her students. Jason Kohls, the ELA team leader, talks highly of her character.
“I felt Mrs. Lehr was an incredibly kind and caring person. She also seemed very organized and yet extremely creative. From the beginning, she was someone who I could be comfortable with, trust, and rely on,” said Kohls.
Mr. Kohls especially admires the way she teaches.
“I feel Mrs. Lehr's teaching is extremely student/kid-focused. She cares deeply about her students, not only as students in her class, but as people. She is creative in how she approaches the subjects she teaches, and is constantly looking for ways to connect with students in a way that makes English class relevant and meaningful to them. What most students don't see is how much she collaborates and works with other teachers to be the best teacher she can be. I could see she was going to be a great teacher when she student-taught in my classes, and I am truly glad she chose to become part of our ELA team at BHS when she graduated. Now, in her fourth year as a teacher at BHS, she continues to grow and become an even better teacher. She helps me become a better person, colleague, and teacher.”
Lehr endured some negativity in high school and it influenced her to change her passions.
“I used to want be a teacher when I was a kid. I had a lot of negativity in my life and people told me I shouldn’t be a teacher.”
Mrs. Lehr actually was going to go to college majoring as an architect but, her senior year she had a teacher tell her to do what makes her happy and follow her dreams.
She is currently earning her master’s degree in Administration through FHSU so that someday, if she decides to become a principal, the degree is already there.