Donna Bever has spent the past nine years teaching kindergarten at Pray-Woodman Elementary School and enjoys being part of the Maize Family because of the focus placed on students’ success with the help of family, school, and the community.

In fifth grade, she realized she was meant for the classroom after helping her classmates with long division. “I always loved school and had great teachers who were role models,” she said. “They made me realize that teaching was the career for me.”

Spending her day with kindergartners makes her passionate about building trusting relationships with each student and having the privilege to watch them grow academically and socially. 

Pray-Woodman Elementary School Principal Nils Gabrielson said, “Donna provides a highly functioning and fun learning environment for her students, and students love learning from her.” 

Donna’s favorite moments come at the end of the year at kindergarten graduation when the students are excited to get their diplomas and fill out their memory books. “I love listening to their favorite kindergarten memories and remembering all the fun we had.”