Ms.

Ellyn Dankers  
___ 
 
My life began when I was born in Rochester, Minnesota at St. Mary's Hospital. At that point in 
time, I had a seven-year-old sister named Briana. Three years later, I gained a younger sister named 
Karlie. My parents, Randy and Eva, raised us on a beautiful countryside farm in between Lake City and 
Wabasha, Minnesota. My father worked for the City of Lake City Public Works and my mother is a school 
nurse for Lake City Public Schools, so it made the most sense for my sisters and I to attend school in Lake 
City. I attended Bluff View Elementary School for Preschool through Sixth Grade and Lincoln High School 
from Seventh until Twelfth Grade. I believe it was the Tenth Grade when I really knew that I wanted to 
become an educator. After graduating from Lincoln High in 2015, I continued my education at Rochester 
Community and Technical College and received my Associates Degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences. 
Moving on from RCTC, I was accepted into the Elementary Education K-6 Program through Winona State 
University-Rochester. My graduation date from this program is in May of 2020; I will graduate from this 
program with my Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education K-6 and receive my Minnesota Teaching 
License.  
 
My favorite thing to do is spend time outdoors with my greatest influence and biggest role 
model, my Dad. Randy always wanted boys, but he got three girls. He raised my sisters and I just as if he 
would have been raising boys. We explored the land, fished the lakes, and spent quality time hunting wild 
game together. These activities created a very tight knit and special bond between my father and I. Still 
today, I love to listen to his jokes, learn from him, and spend as much time with him as I can. My other 
hobbies include singing and creating music, sharing laughs with close friends, and spending time with my 
huge extended family. When I was in high school, I participated in three different choirs, tennis, softball, 
marching band as well as the school play and musical productions. I continued my choir experience in 
college when I joined the RCTC Concert Choir and Show Choir.  
 
My love for working with children goes back to when I was babysitting as a thirteen-year-old, but 
one specific child really confirmed going into the field of education for me. I was a Personal Care 
Assistant for a child with autism for three years. He really shaped my mind and influenced my life. He 
showed me a different way of viewing the world and how each individuals’ lives can be so impactful on 
one another. Since then, I have worked in various daycares and school-age before and after school 
programs that offer full time care during the summer. Through all of my experiences, I have learned that 
every child is unique in their own way and always has something to offer.  
 
Children are incredible beings and I have always enjoyed being in their presence. I am looking 
forward to spending the rest of my career surrounded by the young minds of the future. I have learned 
that children are just as capable of teaching me new things as I am to teach them new things. I want to 
make a difference in the lives of as many students as I can. My students' success is my success and they 
are the reason why I am so passionate about teaching. Becoming a teacher gives me the opportunity to 
improve the quality of education, give back to the community, and change the lives of students.