Zookeeper to Teacher – Ms. Settelmeyer

“I am everyone’s biggest cheerleader even when they don’t want a cheerleader.” One of our schools newest teachers Ms. Settelmeyer said as this interview went on. Ms. Settelmeyer has worked as a science teacher for the past 6 years, in Williston, North Dakota, before transferring to Horace for the new year.

She teaches biology and bio med. Settelmeyer attended NDSU for her zoology degree before going back to school to get a teaching and masters degree. Before becoming a zoologist, and teacher, she wanted to be a marine biologist. Settelmeyer never wanted to be a teacher in high school, but she never realized how life takes these crazy curves.

Ms. Settelmeyer actually has a very interesting past career life. She went to college to be a zoologist, and proceeded to work in zoos and wildlife parks. She lived in North Dakota, Iowa, Oregon, and Colorado while working as a zoologist.

While she was there she loved the education aspect; going on tours, training demos. Settelmeyer has raised 3 baby monkeys while she was there, raising them like newborn babies. It was a crucial and long process to get them to be able to go back into their habitat, with their first time parents. The parents didn’t how how to take care of the monkeys, and the zoo keepers were worried about the babies being killed.

Ms. Settelmeyer has also helped train a snow leopard to gain trust back to male leopards. She exclaimed how it was also a very slow process, but well worth the wait in the end.

Ms. Settelmeyer’s appearance into the teaching work field will forever astonish us, and we are glad she is here with us this year. She described this way of learning as new, exciting, and a little challenging for the students this year. Settelmeyer is every bit excited to share her knowledge this year with all of us.