Mieke Bushhouse

Why I work at Impact on Education:
Education is a human right.  We have to take ownership of addressing systemic barriers that are in place in order to impact equity and inclusiveness in education.  This organization is uniquely positioned in the school district to act nimbly as student needs change and emerge.  Impact on Education has the ability to help bring the right resources to the learners who need them.

What makes me smile:
A cup of coffee outside on a crisp and sunny morning, spring flowers, my tiny city dogs running on a trail, someone having an ah-ha moment

Favorite teacher:
My fifth grade teacher, Ms. Ruimveld, showed me the keen awareness teachers have of their students, along with their capacity to creatively reach students.  I was a quiet kid (and am still a pretty quiet adult), who knew the answers, but wouldn’t raise my hand to participate.  Instead of leaving well enough alone, Ms. Ruimveld created a very simple game and she put a sticky note on my desk where I would tally of the number of times I raised my hand.  As she guessed, my desire to do well on the tally game turned out to be stronger than the discomfort I felt raising my hand (and possibly giving the wrong answer!).  It was such a small thing, but that individualized attention made a huge difference in my educational experience and I appreciate what teachers bring to the learning experience.

More about me:
I grew up in southwest Michigan and got my undergraduate degree from U of M in Ann Arbor.  My knowledge of Big Ten sports may be lacking, but I can provide detailed reviews of libraries and delis, though they may be dated at this point.  After visiting a cousin in Colorado during college, I knew I found my next destination.  In 2005, I moved to Denver and have been here since.  I take any opportunity I have to be outside and love mountain biking with my husband.

Ask me about:
Mountain biking, all types of cuisine and cooking, birding