LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Kimberly Depue was nominated by her colleague of 22 years, Lisa Polk.

Four years ago, when a student committed suicide, Mrs. Depue was the first teacher to put a sign on her classroom door that said, "Safe Space!" It meant her class was a safe space where students could talk, cry, laugh, or do whatever they felt in order to deal with their grief, with no judgement from anyone. Many other teachers followed suit in allowing the students to do what they needed during that time of grief.  

Mrs. Depue's classroom has always been a safe haven for students. She goes above and beyond to help students achieve their academic and personal goals. Almost every year, she is recognized by a student as an honored educator, someone who has had a profound impact on their life. Why is that? Because she is real, approachable, and honest.  She can give students hope for the future, and if there's a situation she doesn't know how to handle, she will find someone who can. Kids trust her, which is a big compliment in today's world. In the medical profession, the mantra is, "Do No Harm." Mrs. Depue follows this mantra to a T.

Mrs. Depue has reinvented her teaching career several times, and she is licensed in a number of areas to prove it.  Need a biology teacher? She’s your girl. How about teaching students how to cook an omelet? She’s got that covered that, as well. She has tried to convince her friends that she can perform a tracheotomy with a straw, but no one wants to be in a position to tempt fate.

Mrs. Depue taught middle school science for several years before moving to the high school and developing the Career Education Program from the ground up.  Back at middle school, students begged to get in her class because her activities were hands-on and exciting.  Building roller coasters is much more interesting for a 13 year old than reading about physics out of a textbook. How about finding a spider in the house and bringing it to school? This always worked as an excellent way to get seventh graders over arachnophobia, but it never really had the same impact on the adults in the building.  

Mrs. Depue's sophomore career class is now a graduation requirement at Marietta High School.  Students research a career and plan the pathway to their future. They determine the route to get there, whether it's career training, college, or technical training. Mrs. Depue also teaches college courses in Leadership, Nutrition, and Healthworker certification. She has a very popular senior class, College Foundations. In this class, students are graded to fill out college admissions applications, financial aid forms, and college essays. They also prepare for the realities of college life. In addition, she has coached and advised too many activities to mention, including Science Olympiad, political clubs, HPAC, SADD, and many more. She is a strong advocate for mental health awareness and bringing that awareness to her students. She is often the teacher that students seek when they need a safe adult. Mrs. Depue has also pioneered the College Credit pathways in her school, which allow current students to earn over 50 semester hours of college credit.

Throughout her 33 year career, Mrs. Depue has held leadership roles, including President of the Marietta Education Association. She has negotiated several staff contracts, as well as her current position as grievance chair, protecting the rights of her colleagues.  She has presented her programs at local and national conventions.  

"Her presence and expertise will be missed, but her retirement is well deserved," said Polk. "I will miss her, her colleagues will miss her, and most importantly, her students will miss her. She is a big presence who will leave a big hole."