Welcome to Indian Hill Master Class! This school year, we are using this annual series as a celebration to highlight the exceptional people who curate a feeling of HOME for our students, our families, and each other. This month, Interim Assistant Superintendent Whitney Buell shines the spotlight on Indian Hill High School teacher, alum, parent, and mentor Benn VanOudenallen, who just traveled to state with our Indian Hill Mock Trial team!
Whitney Buell (WB): First – right off the top – tell us about the Indian Hill Mock Trial experience at state!
Benn VanOudenallen (BV): I am so proud of our students! Out of hundreds of teams, our program had two of the final 31 teams in the state, and one of our teams fought all the way to the final four. The match was an absolute nail-biter, and we managed to win one of the three ballots of the eventual state champion. The seniors on the team have done an amazing job over the last three years upholding the IH Mock Trial tradition, and it has been a career highlight for me to watch them grow. All of our students put a ton of time into the case, building a creative plan of attack, and then communicating on a high level.
WB: Wonderful to hear! Thank you for the update. Now, to focus a bit on you! Benn, you are a teacher, an alum, a parent, and you work with students in a variety of ways outside the classroom as a mentor – you bring so many perspectives to the conversation. So let’s begin with some insight from you about what it means to you to be a member of the Brave Family in each of these roles?
BV: There are days where I actually find myself laughing at how small my geographic circle of activity has become. It is a blessing to do something you love. To do something you love within your own community is beyond imagination. I moved here in 1992 as a Junior in High School and I have never lost the sense of appreciation for how such a small community offers so much to a young person. My wife Michelle is a 13-year club member, and my daughters Grey and Ingrid are on the 13-year club path, but I will always have the thankful perspective of a transplant. I hope that appreciation is reflected in the way I teach, coach, and cheer on our children.
WB: What do you do within your role as both an educator and a mentor to create a sense of Home for each student you work with?
BV: I often point out to my students that if they do poorly, I'll tell their parents in the aisles at Kroger. It's a joke, but it drives home the fact that I sat in those chairs, I drove these roads, and I played on these fields. When it came time for my own daughters to start their journey, we came back. I'm all in. I hope that sense of investment comes through in the meaningful conversations that happen in between the content. The old teaching chestnut goes..."they don't care what you know unless they know you care."
WB: What is your greatest hope for our district as a graduate, as a parent, and as a member of the team?
BV: Forgive me if I sound like an economics teacher for a bit, but my greatest hope is that the students of this district maximize their family's return on investment by taking chances! I want a culture of 'yes' to thrive. Embrace how many opportunities there are to make mistakes in the pursuit of joy. Utilize the outstanding team of adults who care so deeply about helping you become the full person you were made to be. The more I teach, the more I realize it is about growth rather than grades and we have to embrace both the sunshine and the rain that make that possible.
Photo caption: Interim Assistant Superintendent Whitney Buell with an Indian Hill High School teacher, alum, parent, and mentor Benn VanOudenallen.