Reinvention might be the best medicine. That was the case for Heather Hobson, who found her peak of joy pursuing her dreams later than most.
Growing up as an only child in Cedar Lake, Hobson went to school at Hanover Central High School. She has since transitioned into an English language teacher at Nathan Hale Elementary School in Whiting. While teaching was always an interest, it wasn’t the primary vision for Hobson growing up.
“This is my 19th year in teaching,” Hobson said. “I got started a little later than most because I originally went for a degree in political science that I didn’t do much with. Teaching was always something that I was drawn to. I went back to school to get my teaching credentials, and I’ve been doing it ever since.”
Hobson has been living in Whiting for almost 20 years and just moved into teaching in the area as well. Prior to that, she spent almost a decade teaching English, Spanish and language arts in places such as East Chicago and Harvey, Illinois.
On top of making a late adjustment to get into the teaching industry, the running community is another area that Hobson first got acclimated to in the last decade. She works with the Calumet Region Striders NWI, one of the premiere running clubs in Northwest Indiana. This is the first year that Hobson is a chair on the board with the adult running programs.
She believes her work with Striders has helped bring more light to how she’s been able to find happiness in trying new things in life.
“The big message is all about perseverance and how it’s never too late to change yourself if you want to try something new,” Hobson said. “I’ve even carried that message along to my students. It’s a story about the growth mindset and how we can all work to get better at something we might not be great at.”
Additionally, Hobson has also coached for Girls on the Run, a non-profit program that works to strengthen the skills for young girls, as well as her school district, to combine her love for teaching and running.
Outside of those areas, Hobson is also a yoga instructor and a dog mom that loves to support the community.
One way she’s working to do that is by helping to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House Charities.
“My school district allowed me to do a dress down day for the students, since they’re usually in uniform,” Hobson said. “They could wear jeans for $1 and all the money went to the organization. We raised more than $650 that day.”
She also partnered with friends and family to create some more events to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House Charities.
“We hosted a charity bingo fundraiser in Griffith with a raffle as well,” Hobson said. “Plenty of businesses, family and friends have helped out by generously donating funds and gifts to support the charity.”
As for what’s next on the agenda for Hobson, she really enjoys teaching and doesn’t plan to move onto a different role anytime soon. She takes pride in volunteering for the community and could look into getting more involved with coaching in her future.