Kevin Wallace grew up just an hour north of Columbus in Mansfield, Ohio. His undergraduate studies were completed at Grace College in Winona Lake, Indiana, near Warsaw. Currently, he is the fourth-grade teacher at Central Elementary School in Valparaiso.
Wallace expressed interest in being a teacher early on when he was still in high school. He went on to go to the same college as his father, where he didn’t only study, but also played sports.
“I’d always wanted to be a teacher. When I got to be 14 or 15, I thought being a teacher would be a good thing,” he said. “My dad had gone to Grace College to become a minister. I had a scholarship to run track there, and I also played on the basketball team as a walk-on.”
For the past 38 years, Wallace has been working at Central. He’s taught fourth-grade students his whole career, but he did spend some time leading fifth-grade classes. He hasn’t taught elsewhere.
In nearly four decades teaching, Wallace has come to discover for himself the best parts about being an educator. He feels he plays a larger-picture role in students’ lives, and there are three ways he seeks to better them as people.
“The reason I’m a teacher is because I want to influence kids. I want them to be responsible, I want them to be hardworking, and I want them to be good citizens,” he said. “If my kids are working toward those three things, the standards are going to come naturally.”
Wallace has been teaching since 1987. Much has changed in his time as a teacher. He’s witnessed how changes in society, the culture, and even standardized testing affect students and school districts as a whole.
The biggest concern for Wallace is that an impact and imprint be made in the classroom. He gives his all in the learning environments in which he serves, setting up tomorrow’s leaders for future successes. He uses certain techniques to get his messages across. If anyone is active outside of school, whether as an athlete or something else, he makes efforts to attend games and matches.
“I’m not the best teacher in the world by any stretch, but I want to make an impact on my students,” he said. “I use a lot of humor in class. If you have a really good rapport with your kids, your kids will do almost anything for you. It’s about establishing long-term relationships.”
Wallace started a mowing business when he was 13. In addition to his teaching, he continues to keep up with it today. His full-time job always takes precedence, but he puts substantial effort into both the ventures making up his livelihood.
Identifying himself as a high-energy person, Wallace is able to manage multiple endeavors. His way of life helps him relate to people, and his side hustle provides him with room to reflect when, during other times and after completing other duties, he can’t—it keeps him engaged physically, as well.
“I’ve done 43 years of the mowing business. One thing I like about it is that it gives me a lot of time to think,” he said. “I’m kind of a white-collar worker, but I’m also a blue-collar worker, so I can relate to anybody. I love the exercise it gives me.”
Wallace and his wife have five children who live in a variety of places across the country. Due to that reality, he’s looking forward to retirement so that he can travel more. His vast collection of tennis shoes will go on to grow, too.
Wallace has been living in Valpo for a while now. In the years since he first moved to the area, he’s attended gatherings of all kinds, like the city’s annual Popcorn Festival. He hasn’t thought of what other communities might have to offer because of the comfort to be found so nearby.
“It’s a really nice community. People are friendly. I know there are other nice communities in Northwest Indiana, but I wouldn’t trade Valpo for anything. It’s been a good ride. It’s been a great place to raise my kids, and we have a lot of fond memories here,” he said.