OHIO Chillicothe alumna Kelly Bolender finds joy in teaching career

In a fifth-grade language arts classroom at Buckskin Elementary School in South Salem Ohio, Kelly Bolender measures success in fist bumps, letters from former students and the quiet confidence that grows when a child reaches a goal. It’s the kind of impact she hoped to make when she chose the teaching profession more than 20 years ago.

For the Greenfield, Ohio native, Ohio University Chillicothe was the natural choice for her education degree — close to home, affordable and surrounded by a community invested in her success.

Bolender graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Education from Ohio University’s Patton College of Education in 2003, later earning a master’s degree in Teacher Leadership from Wright State University in 2012.

“I was excited to attend Ohio University Chillicothe for the affordability and comfort of being close to home,” Bolender said. “The comfort of home and the strong support from my family and community helped my younger self succeed.”

Her path at OHIO spanned multiple campuses. Chillicothe was her primary campus, but Bolender took courses on the Athens, Lancaster, Southern and Zanesville campuses, ultimately earning credentials to teach grades 4–9 with concentrations in language arts and social studies.

Like many new teachers, Bolender launched her career as a substitute in several school districts, an experience that opened doors. She covered two maternity leaves at Rainsboro Elementary.

“I am thankful for that experience because my time at Rainsboro was very enriching,” she said. “College coursework doesn’t really prepare you for the opening and ending of a school year…This helped prepare me for my own classroom the following year.”

She later served as a reading intervention specialist supporting students at Rainsboro and Buckskin Elementary Schools before moving into a role teaching seventh-grade English at the Greenfield Middle School. Then Bolender returned to Buckskin Elementary as a fifth-grade reading teacher, a role she has held for 18 years.

“Buckskin is a special place, and I am so thankful that I get to teach in this amazing little school,” Bolender said.

That sense of belonging—to a school, a profession and a region—connects back to what Bolender admired most about her own teachers and professors.

“My favorite teachers and professors were the ones who really made us feel important,” she said. “They took the extra few minutes to make small talk and take an interest in us outside academics. I try to be that kind of teacher, and I remember that we are all human and try to have the understanding and compassion that we all need to succeed.”

For Bolender, the rewards of a teaching career are not measured by state dashboards but demonstrated in daily interactions.

“The most rewarding moments of teaching are when you see the students make growth,” she said. “They see me in the community or at athletic events, they give me fist bumps, hugs or high fives. I hear ‘Hey, Mrs. Bolender’ at the grocery store and that is the most rewarding part of being an educator.”

Bolender’s oldest daughter, Jacolyn, is in her second year in the nursing program at OHIO Chillicothe. Her younger daughter, Brooklyn, a high school sophomore, is considering a path in education. Bolender sees a strong connection between the two fields.

“Both professions require patience, empathy, compassion and strong communication skills,” Bolender said. As a parent and educator, she is proud to see her daughters find their own ways to serve their community.