(Ripley County, IN) – Osgood resident and retired South Ripley teacher Nancy Durham is this year’s Hoosier Lottery Hoosier Hero.
Each year the Hoosier Lottery recognizes an outstanding Hoosier through the Hoosier Hero Program for their outstanding service to their community and the future of Indiana.
A native of Rushville, Durham graduated from the Ball State University and accepted a position at South Ripley High School in 1976 and never left.
She taught language arts, social studies, speech and humanities, guiding students from the seventh grade all the way through their senior year.
“The seventh graders still want you to be involved in every single part of their lives,” Durham said. “The seniors needed me because they needed college recommendations, scholarship recommendations, and they needed to get themselves ready for college writing.”
In addition to teaching, Durham kept score at basketball and volleyball games, directed drama productions and senior plays, and served as a cheerleader coach.
Adapting Through the Decades
Teaching for nearly five decades means witnessing a tremendous amount of change.
When Durham started in 1976, tests were made on hand-cranked mimeograph machines that left hands covered in blue ink, and technology meant knowing how to operate filmstrips and opaque projectors.
By the time she retired in 2014, classrooms had gone one-to-one with Chromebooks, and grades were logged entirely online.
Even after her official retirement, Durham wasn’t ready to walk away entirely.
She spent the next 10 years as a substitute teacher, stepping in for maternity, medical and emergency leaves—even navigating the challenges of teaching through the COVID-19 pandemic.
It was two years ago that she stepped away out of the classroom for good.
The Rewards of the Classroom
As for what she would tell a young person considering a career in education today, Durham gives a clear and passionate message.
“Keep at it. Don’t give up. It’s worth it… when somebody’s eyes light up and they get the answer, when they get accepted into their college or when they finally get a better grade on a test, that’s worth it. We desperately need good teachers,” she said.
Durham regularly encounters former students who thank her for her guidance.
She even inspired one of her former students to become an English teacher at South Ripley, fulfilling a childhood promise to one day “take her job.”
An Unstoppable Retirement
Nancy Durham stays active with her involvement in a number of organizations::
- Educator Advocacy: She serves as the Second Vice President for the state organization of Delta Kappa Gamma (an international society for key women educators) and sits on the Indiana Retired Teachers Association (IRTA) Foundation Board, which awards scholarships and provides emergency help for elderly teachers.
- Community Leadership: She is an active board member for Genesis Pathways to Success, a nonprofit promoting workforce activities and STEM camps for middle schoolers.
- Church and Fellowship: Nancy directs her church choir, teaches children’s church and helps run a senior ministry.
- Veterans Affairs: Honoring her late parents who were both veterans, she is deeply involved in the American Legion Auxiliary, sponsoring essay contests for local youth.
Supporting Those Who Give Back
As a retired Indiana educator, Durham is a beneficiary of the Hoosier Lottery’s commitment to giving back.
Each year, the Hoosier Lottery contributes a portion of its net proceeds directly to the Indiana Teachers’ Retirement Fund, “..ensuring that heroes such as Nancy Durham are supported in their post-classroom lives,” reads a statement from the Lottery.
