News : Upmeyer receives Teacher of the Year Award from NSAC/NCA

After 24 years of teaching speech and serving as one of the coaches for the VSHS Speech Department, Eric Upmeyer is adding a new subject matter to his daily routine: Technology. Upmeyer will be going to an event in San Antonio this summer to learn to help students with computers. Along with his communication and speech classes, Upmeyer will be one of the teachers helping students with their laptops as VSHS implements its "1 to 1" computer program. Upmeyer was also invited, but did not go, to another event down south in the past year. He was named as the 2012 Recipient of the NSAC (National States Advisory Council) award for High School Teacher of the Year. This award is given to someone who has made a significant contribution to his/her high school in the classroom and/or extra-curricular activities. Eric’s letter of nomination was written by Judy Vogel, and letters of support were written by Lee Tjelmeland (DMACC), Matt Kingsbury (Vinton-Shellsburg Principal), and Deb Vaughn (Vinton-Shellsburg Language Arts Chair). The NSAC works with the NCA (National Communication Association) in honoring teachers and others who have contributed significantly to communication education throughout their careers. Upmeyer chose not to attend the convention in December of 2012, saying he did not want to give up a week in the classroom. Lee Tjelmeland was a student in Upmeyer's classroom two decades ago. She had this to say about her former teacher in her letter of recommendation for the award: Dear National Communication Association;

I am writing to nominate Eric Upmeyer of the Vinton-Shellsburg Community School District in Iowa for the National Communication Association’s Marcella E. Oberle Award. I teach speech communication courses at Des Moines Area Community College and Grand View University, and Eric’s excellence as an educator and individual significantly influenced my decision to study and teach in the area of Communication Studies. Throughout his tenure at Vinton-Shellsburg, the dedication he has shown to his students, discipline, and community has been evident and far-reaching.

I first experienced Eric’s exceptional qualities as an educator as a student at Vinton-Shellsburg in the 1990s. In his classes Eric teaches the importance of effective communication and the increasing demand for these skills. In a discipline that is often feared by individuals of all ages, he eases the discomfort that many have of public speaking and strives to put students at ease through discussion and practical examples and assignments. Eric is an active member of the Iowa Communication Association, and his strengths as a teacher were recognized in 1999, when ICA honored him with the “Outstanding New Teacher Award.”

Outside of the classroom Eric has also had a positive influence on his students as a coach for successful co-curricular large-group and individual speech teams. His speech teams regularly compete at the Iowa High School Speech Association state and all-state levels. Eric also coaches the Vinton-Shellsburg debate team and has directed the high school musical at least once and assisted in other theatrical performances. A strong and positive involvement in community is another strength that Eric embodies. Eric was a vital and active member of the Vinton Public Library Board for eight years and was president of the Board for some time. He has also volunteered his knowledge and abilities to the local community theatre where he has filled a number of roles, both on stage and behind the scenes.

However, the most positive influence that Eric has had on his students transcends the discipline of Communication Studies and co-curricular activities. Since I have known him, he has consistently been a teacher of tolerance, open-mindedness, and sensitivity towards others, a feat that is not always easy in a small rural Iowa school district. Above all, Eric’s compassion and understanding towards his students and his ability to teach with these qualities is what makes him an outstanding educator. My first encounter with Eric Upmeyer occurred over 20 years ago, and his genuine goodness as a person and teacher still resonates with me today. Recognizing his abilities with the Marcella E. Oberle Award from the National Communication Association would be a way for his students to say “Thank you, Mr. Upmeyer, for teaching us.”

Sincerely,

Lee M Tjelmeland

Instructor of Communication Studies

Des Moines Area Community College, Grand View University