By: Cheney Hurley –

Second-year Family and Consumer Science teacher Kenzie Potthoff knows the value of a good education. Like many people in this country, Potthoff was the first one in her family to earn a university-level degree.  

“I paid for everything myself and it was really hard. I changed my major junior year [as] I originally majored in English Education. It just wasn’t a fit and I didn’t find out until later. I got my degree in Secondary Education in Family and Consumer Sciences [from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln],” said Potthoff, who teaches classes like Culinary Foundations, Human Behavior, Food Prep and Presentations, and FCS Overview.

Potthoff feels like she is doing what she is supposed to be doing with her life. Although she does have regrets, like everyone, that did not include her decision to change her major. In fact, she regrets not figuring out that she wanted to switch her major sooner.

“I graduated with 10,000 dollars worth of credits that I couldn’t do anything with. I was a little stubborn the first two years and I was like, ‘This is what I want to do and I don’t care what it takes.’ Then it just didn’t click and I don’t know if I could’ve done [English Education] my whole life. I respect [English teachers] even more because I went through all that, but I just don’t have the same passions that some of them do and I don’t think I would’ve been as good at it,” said Potthoff.”

Like all great teachers, Potthoff has advice for her students that can be used far beyond the classroom setting.

“I meet so many high school students that have no idea what they want to do and it’s okay to not know, but it’s not okay to not try and figure it out. Figuring out what you’re good at and what you like to do is number one and then your career is number two,” said Potthoff. “The best advice that I got and used was no risk, no reward. I was totally taking a risk [changing majors]. I could’ve just graduated with a degree in English and I would’ve graduated on time. There are a lot of things that I’ve tried that I was really scared to try and every single one has turned out good. Even if the result wasn’t good, what I learned from it was good.”