A Leap of Faith

Mullen Education Association Member Sarah Hardin Named '26 Nebraska Teacher of the Year

Sarah Hardin never imagined she would become a teacher. The O’Neill native didn’t come from a family of educators and teaching was never on her radar. But she loved science and excelled in the subject throughout school. A trip to Yellowstone National Park was the first time she remembers envisioning a future in science. Standing at Old Faithful, she listened as a park ranger explained the geyser’s predictable eruptions and the science behind them.

"There was a park ranger explaining how Old Faithful worked—why it erupted at the same time and how they could predict it," said Hardin. "I just thought that was the coolest job, to watch that happen, be in the park, and then explain the science to people."

Science, Love and Opportunity
Hardin earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Nebraska in Kearney and eventually moved to Mullen with her husband, Shelby. 

"I had a really hard time moving to Mullen just because neither of us had family there and there weren't any science jobs that I could find. But, you know, we do crazy things for love," said Hardin. 

Hardin found work as a banker and her husband, who also has a degree in biology, began a career in telecommunications. Together they made Mullen home, raising their two sons while staying heavily involved in the community. As Hardin recalls, it was about 19 years ago when opportunity—quite literally—came knocking. 

"The Mullen Public Schools superintendent knocked on our door and spoke with my husband.  He knew my husband had a biology degree and he said, ‘I’m looking for a science teacher, and I heard you have a science degree.' My husband said, 'Well, so does my wife.'" 

Following that conversation, she was offered the teaching position and took some time to consider the offer. Hardin had spent years building a successful career in banking and enjoyed her work.

"I really did some tough thinking. I remember calling my parents. My dad's a CPA, so he's very practical and entrepreneurial-minded. I could tell was thinking, 'What are you doing?'"  

For Hardin, the decision ultimately rested on two passions—her deep love of science and the fulfillment she experienced working with youth groups.  

 "I did a lot of soul searching and just decided, you know what? I'm going to take a leap," Hardin said. "So that was it. I put my notice in at the bank and started that summer when school got out."

Transition to Teaching
Hardin began a transition to teaching program through the University of Nebraska at Kearney and jumped right in. 

"I went straight into the classroom while I was taking my first class in teacher education," said Hardin. 

The early years weren’t easy, but Hardin found support within the Mullen Education Association and with the help of a very dear friend and mentor Scott Jones. 

"I was about two years into teaching, and I was following a teacher who had been here a long time, who was very well respected. His name is Scott Jones, who works for ESU 16 now. Scott was very well respected. The kids loved him, everybody in the community loved him as a teacher and as a person. I'd been out of science and college for a few years. It was hard to live up to that, especially as somebody who had never taught, never student-taught, and I remember feeling like, 'I don't think I'm ever going to be a good teacher.'"

At one point, Hardin confided in Scott that she didn’t think she’d ever measure up to him. Scott offered some much-needed advice that stuck: “He said 'If you are the best teacher you’re ever going to be in this year of teaching, you shouldn’t be teaching anymore,'” Hardin  recalled.

That perspective changed everything. Sarah stopped trying to be perfect and instead focused on getting better every day—redoing lessons that flopped, chasing professional development opportunities and learning from mentors. Hardin even graduated with her Master’s in Biology from UNK while teaching.

Slowly, the milestones began to appear: students writing back from college to say her classes had prepared them, former students majoring in science or engineering and the joy of opening the world of science beyond her classroom.

Beyond the Classroom
For Hardin, science has never stayed inside four walls. She’s spearheaded projects like a geothermal greenhouse—funded by an anonymous donation—that uses earth’s natural heat to sustain plants year-round. Her students will soon be planting, observing and maintaining the ecosystem firsthand. And with colleagues, she co-founded a STEM club for fourth through sixth graders that quickly included participation of nearly every child in those grades into after-school engineering and coding projects. The STEM club eventually morphed into the annual Family STEM night, where enthusiasm from the parents sometimes outpaces the kids’.

Hardin's childhood dream of becoming park ranger has manifested into a science-backed trip to the Everglades National Park in Florida, where students explored the park alongside biologists and also had the opportunity to visit the sea turtle hospital and snorkel in coral reef. 

Next year, Hardin will lead a team of students to Alaska, where glaciers, Denali National Park and coastal ecosystems adventures await.

Teacher of the Year
This fall, Hardin's quiet dedication received a loud recognition: she was nominated for—and then named—the 2026 Nebraska Teacher of the Year. 

"Somebody nominated me, and I have not figured out yet who it was. I know two people who were asked to write letters of support for my nomination but I'm still not sure," Hardin said. "I received a call from the Nebraska Department of Education explaining that I was the finalist, and he said, 'You have to be in Lincoln for your interview next Friday, and you need to make a 10- to 15-minute lesson plan for the selection committee."

When she stood before the selection committee, she chose to do what she does best: put science in her students’ hands. In just 15 minutes, she guided the committee members through dissecting owl pellets. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was authentic—and it worked.

In 2026, Hardin will begin a year of new opportunities as Nebraska's Teacher of the Year including attending space camp in Huntsville, Alabama, attending national-level leadership events, participating in Washington Recognition Week and in the National Teacher of the Year competition later this year.

Why Teaching Matters
Looking back, Hardin is certain: she never would have dreamed of piloting new science labs or of leading marine biology projects in Florida had she not taken a leap of faith into teaching. But beyond the personal opportunities, it’s the spark in her students that matters most.

“Kids have more wonder than adults,” she said. “And watching them discover how something works—that’s the best part.” 

Hardin hopes her story is a reminder that teaching is a profession that welcomes passion, curiosity and a willingness to grow. Her journey shows it is never too late to find purpose in the classroom and make a lasting difference in the lives of children.