Kelsey’s early life was filled with trouble and tragedy. She lost her father at age 5, and grew up in a family where chaos and addiction were normal. Kelsey began acting out. After taking her mother’s car and wrecking it at the age of 14, she found herself at Boys Town. The most familiar activity at Boys Town was sports, and that’s where she found comfort. She played volleyball, basketball and soccer while also getting herself on track academically. Kelsey began thriving. She graduated from Boys Town High School in 2012 and headed to college in Iowa on an academic and athletic scholarship playing soccer. Kelsey dreamed of becoming a teacher so she could help give back to kids who were lost just like she had been. She graduated from college and has been a teacher and coach in Omaha for the last six years. She uses the skills and values she learned at Boys Town daily. We recently caught up with Kelsey and asked her to share an update on her story.
In Her Own Words
Hello fellow Boys Town friends, family and supporters! My name is Kelsey Wolf, Boys Town alumni class of 2012. I am honored to share my story and update you on my life after graduating from Boys Town.
After graduation, I attended college in Iowa where I played soccer and pursued a degree in teaching. My ultimate goal was to be able to help as many children as I could, the same way that Boys Town helped me. Graduating in 2016, I found myself back in Omaha teaching. I chose a school with demographics and students similar to those found at Boys Town. That’s where I felt called to and where I believed I could make the most difference: at a school where there are some students who were like me who may be struggling with trauma. I have students from all over the world – which is also similar to Boys Town who cares for kids from all over the country – with a large refugee population from Myanmar. Something that Boys Town instilled in me was the beauty of meeting people from all walks of life. That’s something I still love and enjoy doing today, and I have the amazing opportunity to do this in the school I work at. I have taught sixth and seventh grade social studies while coaching cross country, basketball and soccer the over the last six years. The highlight has been watching hundreds of students realize and believe in their potential along the way.
Then and Now
I’m very dedicated to my job where we learn a social skill of the week, following the model at Boys Town. . Our core values are similar to Boys Town. Our vision is to inspire hope, raise achievement, develop leaders and strive for excellence. In my classroom you see social skills all over my room. However, the learning goes so much beyond that. Through my testimony I’m able to show my students that no matter where they’re from or what choices they are making it is never too late to change. I was kicked out of my house when I was 12 and flunked half my classes in seventh grade. However, at Boys Town, I learned that there are better ways to communicate and handle my frustrations.. I teach my students how to communicate in a way that will help them be successful and encourage them to find healthier outlets in their lives. At Boys Town I learned from my Family-Teachers that it’s possible to have a happy and healthy marriage. I learned that there are homes where people don’t cuss, name call, shout or throw things when they are mad, but calmly work out their issues. Realizing that there is more out there is really what changed my life, propelled me to build healthy habits and seek out healthy relationships going forward.
Personally, this year has been very busy. I married the love of my life, Zach. Zach is currently full time in the Army and working on his master’s degree in special education. Together, we bought our first home this summer and have a dog named Bentley. This year we welcomed our daughter, Ruby Rose, into our family. I couldn’t thank Boys Town enough for helping me achieve my professional goals but also my personal goals. As I sit in my home typing this up with my husband and daughter napping on the couch, I can’t help but credit this beautiful family to Boys Town. Being able to raise my daughter in a healthy, happy and stable family is my greatest accomplishment to date. I know that raising a family comes with many challenges, but I know the skills and knowledge Boys Town provided me will help us overcome every adversity with love and compassion.