Over her past 38 years of teaching, 1978 WSC graduate Terri Jelinek has devoted herself to the improvement and success of math education in the state of Nebraska. For her work, Jelinek recently received the Don Miller Distinguished Service Award from The Nebraska Association of Teachers of Mathematics (NATM).

“We have a Nebraska Association of Teachers of Mathematics, and their board established this distinguished service award in 1989,” Deb Romanek, Math Director for the Nebraska Department of Education, said. “Its focus is to honor Nebraska educators that contribute in the improvement of Math Education in our state.”

This award came as a surprise to Jelinek, who said it was an honor just to be added to the list of people who have received this distinguished award.

“I was very surprised I had won the award,” Jelinek said. “I know the list of people who have received that award, and they’re all people I look up to myself.”

Jelinek has been directly involved with NATM, through serving in two different positions on the board over the years. From 2004 to 2005 she was the public relationship representative and from 2006 to 2007 she was the secretary for the board. She has also served as a presenter at state and regional conferences for the board as well.

“She is always one person who will step up and help others and is always willing to be that leader in all kinds of levels,” Romanek said.

Jelinek attributes her immense involvement with NATM and other state departments to the amazing mentors she has had over the year, one of them being a teacher of hers at Wayne State College Lee Brogey.

“I have been blessed with a lot of great mentors, one of them being one of my Wayne teachers Lee Brogey,” Jelinek said. “He had a big impact on me choosing teaching and got me involved doing a lot of work with NATM and other state departments.”

In addition to being involved in NATM, Jelinek has taught math at North Bend Central High School in North Bend, Neb. for the past 28 years. Her expertise is geometry has drawn high praise from her colleagues as one of the best the state has to offer.

“If I had to think of the top geometry teachers in the state of Nebraska, Terri would be on the top of my list,” Romanek said.

Jelinek said her main goal is to have her students become successful college students and to be prepared for whatever career they may choose.

“I want my students to be well prepared for college in whatever career they are pursuing,” Jelinek said.