Northern Wyoming News - Serving the Big Horn Basin for over 100 years

Kendyl Garza wasn't a stranger to Worland before she moved here, and now she's happy to call it home after getting hired as a first-year second grade teacher at South Side Elementary School for the 2023-2024 school year.

Garza grew up in Powell, where she graduated high school. She didn't know what she wanted to do after high school, and instead of going to school she went on a mission with the Christian organization Youth With a Mission.

She said, "I spent three months with that program in Thailand teaching in Muslim and Buddhist schools and I really enjoyed it. We travelled to mountain villages where girls would only go to school until sixth grade, and it really made me understand the value of education."

This experience inspired her to return home and pursue a degree in education. She began her journey at Northwest College in Powell, but not before getting married to her husband Josh Garza of Worland in 2019. The two of them graduated from NWC in May 2021, and Kendyl went on to finish her bachelor's degree in elementary education at Black Hills State University in Spearfish, South Dakota, earlier this year.

She said that while browsing for potential teaching jobs, she had a goal of returning to the Big Horn Basin. Garza said, "I take a lot of pride in the education I got here, so I knew that this was the area I wanted to work in. I also knew that they would treat me well and pay me well compared to other places I've looked at."

The decision to settle in Worland was an easy one for Garza. It was her husband's hometown, and she spent much of her time here when they dated in high school. She said, "I always really liked Worland. I feel like it's similar to where I came from, maybe a little smaller, but I know the community is very strong. I remember it snowed one time I was here, and when I went to drive back to Powell all the community was out shoveling each other's driveways and stuff."

As a first-year teacher, Garza said, "I was nervous to start the year. Everyone was telling me that if I needed help to ask questions, but I felt like I didn't even know the questions to ask. I have a great team to help me when I do have questions, but it's up to me to create the environment, the procedures, all of that. That was scary at first."

She has since had time to settle into her new role at South Side, and Garza said she's been enjoying her time with her first group of students and looks forward to what the school year holds. She said, "They're fun! The first grade teachers gave me some good kids. I'm excited to build relationships with them and the parents, but I'm also excited to see growth, because ultimately that's what it's all about ... I already know it's going to be hard for me when they have to leave at the end of the year."