CSC graduate receives American Star teaching honor

Lanik teaches math, spelling, science and the language arts to fourth, fifth and sixth graders in the Hemingford Middle School. She also is the high school’s cross-country coach.

Lanik’s willingness to spend extra time helping students and her obvious love for teaching were factors in her selection.

All the Hemingford students from kindergarten through high school as well as the faculty took a break from their classes Wednesday morning to honor Lanik. Gov. Dave Heinemann, Deputy U.S. Education Director Bill Knudsen of Washington, D.C., Nebraska Deputy Education Commissioner Polly Freis, State Board of Education Member Kandy Imes of Gering and Nebraska State Education Association representative Leonard Hartman were among those present.

The award came as a complete surprise to Lanik. A meeting of Hemingford teachers alerting them that something special was going to happen took place while Lanik was at cross-country practice.

“I was very shocked and overwhelmed when my name was called,” said Lanik. “I can’t describe the feeling.”

The Hemingford Elementary School principal, Ron Foster, called Lanik “a sweetheart of a teacher who is really dedicated to her job. She will do everything she can to help students succeed.”

Foster said the award speaks well for the Hemingford Schools. “This is a once in a lifetime honor for our school. It shows that you don’t have to be a big school to be a good one. I’m proud of all our teachers. They are very supportive and encouraging of one another.”

Lanik was nominated by Jac-Lynn Orr, who, with her husband Kirk, has three children in the Hemingford system. She submitted the nomination after reading in the Hemingford Ledger that applications were being sought. Orr said she had observed the methods and innovative strategies that Lanik uses to improve student achievement and make a difference in the lives of students.

Lanik graduated from Orleans High School in 1977. Shortly afterwards, she met Tim Lanik, who was teaching at North Loup-Scotia and she was visiting a friend there. They were married in 1979 and moved to Hemingford shortly afterwards. He teaches science and is the boys’ basketball coach at Hemingford High.

After the Laniks’ two children were old enough for school and pre-school, Cindy enrolled at Chadron State in 1986. She had been an aide in the Hemingford Elementary School, and recalls that Glen Kotschwar, then the Hemingford elementary principal who is retired and lives south of Chadron, encouraged her to go to college and become a teacher. She graduated from CSC in 1989 and began teaching in the Hemingford Elementary School that year.

“I have high expectations for my students and they usually live up to them,” Lanik said last week. “If what I’m doing isn’t working, I try something different. I try to find ways to reach them all.”

During his remarks, Gov. Heineman noted that he has a special appreciation for teachers, due in part because his wife is a teacher and generally receives more compliments for her work than he does.

“Education is the great equalizer and I want you to know Cindy that you and other teachers make a great difference in the lives of all these students.”

Tim Lanik graduated from Chadron State in 1978. Their children also are CSC grads and are teachers. Nathan teaches math in Alliance and Lindsey teaches business at Emerson-Hubbard in northeast Nebraska.

Lanik noted that the award came almost exactly a year after she had a calamity in her life. On Aug. 21, 2005 she tripped in her classroom. Although she did not fall to the floor, she had suffered a broken hip, requiring surgery the following day. But in just 2 ½ weeks she was back at school, and even coached the cross-country team for a few weeks from a wheelchair.