33 is the right number for LCC business teacher
— Madalynn Graham
Laurel Advocate
LAUREL — Shelley Groene the LCC high school business teacher is retiring after 33 years of teaching.
Shelley Groene originally went to college at Wayne State college to pursue a degree in Business Administration. “I changed my mind my sophomore year when I decided I didn’t want to sit at a desk all day,” said Groene.
Right after graduating, she took a job at Newman Grove where she taught business classes and coached volleyball for two years. “Then I transferred to Albion and taught and coached for eight years before coming to Laurel of which this is the twenty-third year,” said Groene.
Over the years, Groene has gained a lot of memories. She says that some of her favorite memories include spending extra time with students for activities. Groene has been the Jr. High and High School volleyball head and assistant coach, High School basketball head and assistant coach, Prom sponsor, Future Business Leaders of America FBLA sponsor and yearbook sponsor.
Teaching business wasn’t the only reason she went into the teaching career, she says Mary Miller, her past volleyball coach, inspired her. “I love coaching volleyball and this was the main reason I went into this career,” said Groene.
Throughout the years, she has coached volleyball for Junior High and High School. “My highlights include taking my volleyball team to the state semifinals in Albion, having undefeated seasons with the LCC Junior High team,” said Groene.
The other extracurricular, FBLA, has also made a lot of memories throughout the years for Groene. “Other memories include Nick Hansen, David Brandow and I did a marketing competition project at the Southern Hills Mall. Mitch Knudsen was my first ever National FBLA qualifier. We traveled to Atlanta, GA where we decided to ride Segways. Needless to say, I will never ride one again as I can’t figure out how to stand straight going up a curb,” said Groene.
More recently she recounts when Connor Boysen attended FBLA Nationals in Baltimore. “While we were there this restaurant featured a new type of meat every month. It was camel meat so Connor ate a camel burger,” she said.
She also remembers when Hunter Pehrson and Brian Potts qualified for Nationals. “Hunter, Brian, and I traveled to Baltimore and San Antonio. I lost my wallet in Baltimore so it’s a running joke,” she said.
She has had kids qualify for National FBLA every year since Mitch Knudsen and says it has been one of the highlights of her teaching career. “Highlights include all the wonderful students I got to work with and will never forget from all three schools and Seppo Evwaraye,” said Groene.
After retiring, she hopes to sub at school, volunteer more, spend time with family, and finish some projects including sewing with her mom.
“I think the hardest part about teaching is working with a great group of students and then letting them graduate. To my past students, there are so many of you I will never forget. You have touched my life and way of teaching. You have kept me young when I felt old, you have kept my heart racing (little scares) when needed, and I am so proud of your accomplishments,” she said.
