Retired teacher recognized for work

By Jennifer Lantz, Of the Reporter

Julie DeBower might be retired, but that does not mean that her teaching career has gone unnoticed or stopped all together. She has now won two awards and she could not be prouder after being nominated by her colleagues.

DeBower has won the 2018 Iowa Family Consumer Science Educators (IFCSE) Lifetime Achievement Award and Iowa American Career and Technical Education (ACTE) Lifetime Achievement Award.

After retiring in 2016 from Nashua-Plainfield High School after 37 years teaching to care for her aging parents, DeBower still finds time to keep active in the Charles City and Nashua-Plainfield communities.

DeBower taught family and consumer sciences and health in addition to advising for FCCLA and supervising students in the Heart ‘N Soul Café. She watched her students build leadership skills for future careers to homemaking skills and made a great impact on their lives.

“I’m honored to be nominated for these awards and to receive them,” said DeBower. “I’ve been lucky to have a career at Nashua-Plainfield with wonderful students, parents and colleagues.”

She was nominated due to her leadership on the local, state and national level, her innovations and contributions to the field. Many of her students held national and state offices and took several STAR projects to the state and national level.

Now retirement has her busy with substitute teaching at Nashua-Plainfield and Charles City schools along with supervising area student teachers from Iowa State University.

She is also the president of Alpha Delta Kappa honorary women educators sorority, a judge for district and state STAR events, a member of the fundraising committee for FCCLA and of the communications board at St. John Lutheran Church in Charles City.

“I know it sure keeps me busy,” said DeBower after listing her activities. Her husband, Gary, is working in Mason City and farms, and they have two children, Justin and Danielle.

Retirement does not stop DeBower from affecting students’ lives, and some former students still keep in contact with her.