Burns, Ebel Cited for Excellence

Rachel Burns teaches grades 9-12 advanced placement science at Omaha Northwest Magnet High School. Among her courses taught are biology, anatomy/physiology, advanced placement environmental science and advanced horticulture.

Northwest Principal Thomas Lee called her “one of the best teachers I’ve seen” in 27 years in education.

“She has taken Northwest High School to another level with her labs and experiments in the classroom,” he wrote in a letter of recommendation.

As a farm girl, Burns grew up playing with frogs and salamanders in area creeks. As she grew older she noticed the number of amphibians declining. That led her to a graduate school thesis investigating the effects of pesticides on frogs.

During her college years, she tutored high school students in the Omaha area, and taught university level courses, as well.

“My greatest goal in teaching is to foster a love of science and inquiry within my students,” she wrote in her application.

“I want them to be curious, ask questions, and know how to develop their own scientific investigations to find answers to their questions,” she wrote.

Burns has a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master of science degree, both from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Joni Ebel teaches pre-algebra to seventh-graders at Columbus Middle School.

“She has been asked to change roles, classrooms and responsibilities numerous times,” wrote Middle School Counselor Kim Shevlin in a letter of support for Ebel’s nomination. “Each of these new challenges has been accepted with a positive outlook and attitude.”

Ebel cited at least five of her own teachers, in particular, as influencing her decision to become a teacher.

“My desire to not give up on a student, strive to enjoy educational experiences outside of the classroom and persist in solving a problem and tackle it in different ways are accomplishments in my educational journey,” she wrote in her application.

Ebel has taught algebra and math at the sixth through eighth grade levels during her career, and holds membership in numerous professional associations.

She has a bachelor’s degree in secondary and middle level education (math and music) from Concordia University and a master’s degree in educational administration from Doane University.