One Room, One Teacher

Since opening its doors in 1905, the University of Nebraska at Kearney — then the Nebraska State Normal School — has played a major role in educating Nebraska’s future educators. Many of those early educators went on to teach in Nebraska’s rural areas, often in one-room schools where they did everything. Not only were each of these educators the only teacher students had from kindergarten through eighth grade, but they also maintained the school. Whether they taught in one-room schools or not, these rural teachers played a vital role in educating students in Nebraska. One Room, One Teacher is a scholarship program for UNK College of Education students that acknowledges the hard work and dedication of Nebraska’s unique rural educators.

Family, friends and former students are invited to honor an educator through this program. It’s a celebration of education and of those who contributed and still continue to. Educators honored do not have to be graduates of UNK. Any teacher who taught in rural schools, one room or more than one room, is eligible to be recognized through the One Room, One Teacher program.

Each year, a special ceremony on campus honors these educators. In addition to being honorees, scholarship recipients studying to be teachers address the group and thank them for their generosity.