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Many students in HHS lookout for Ms. Krolak because she’s like a school mom. Gives the best advice, is helpful, trusting, and most importantly caring. Hearing her laugh and getting her presence is the best thing about her. Although she does spend a lot of time in school and doing school work she does have interesting things. She’s traveled over places like Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Las Vegas, The Bahamas, New York, Turks, and Caicos. One thing many people do not know about Ms. Krolak is that she did try to pursue law school but then realized that was not for her. She visited law schools, picked out a law school in Chicago, took her LSATs, and filled out the application.  “I did for a brief moment…as a young person you do worry about money and so teachers don’t make a lot of money. So many people were like “Oh you should be better, something bigger” which is kind of sad because what’s better than being a teacher.” She did mention that there were signs and cues in why or what career to follow. Signs in the church of a calling of teachers lecture, kids would go up to her and tell her she should be a teacher even when she thought her help was not enough. Until she valued all her callings and decided that was going to be the path she would stick to.

A question I asked her was if she has ever felt like her teaching and being surrounded by students all day and mostly her entire life, has it changed the way she views adolescents and understands our generation. Her response was, “OMG yes, I always say that you guys help keep me feeling young, on the inside, not the outside, not the body. The mind and the soul are willing…talking with you guys. It cracks me up when I don’t understand your lingo.” Walking into her classroom and asking for help or just vibing with her is something to look forward to. Seeing her smile and crack jokes makes any day better. “People are always surprised on how old I am and I don’t think it’s so much my looks as it is my attitude and how I feel…and I think you guys help me be like younger.” Many people fear to start bonds with new people and honestly Ms. Krolak is the easiest person to start one with, just don’t take advantage of it. One of the most memorable people I’ll forever keep with me through my school life. She’ll help you as a teacher and teach you as a mother.

Ms.Krolak has an awesome work ethic, initiative, perseverance, sense of morals; her passion for teaching has always been with her which makes up her name and what she represents. Being a part of the Brickie family means a lot to her. Enjoys being in Hobart because she believes it’s a really unique community, it’s not a small nor big community but everyone’s still close which makes them super down to Earth. Pretending to be someone you’re not, being super smart, fancy, or even putting on a show for people is not needed in Hobart, is something she mentions. Staff and students make her feel so welcomed in the school. “Makes you more comfortable, makes you okay to work with people, and to talk to them and feel like you have somebody to go to.”

One of the most challenging years in her career has been the year 2020-2021. The school years Covid-19 hit. Many students were in person and also challenging because many were also online. It was an experience other teachers never experienced that as well. Including days where materials were not working. You get used to the normal ways of teaching after you’ve done it for a while especially when the kids at home did not have the stimulus the students in the class did. “This challenged me to do things differently…it made me look at what I do as a teacher a little bit differently…and what also made me realize is how much I really do enjoy my students and that interaction” she stated. Which made everyone appreciate things a little bit more and be humble about the opportunities we have on a daily basis we do not even realize.