Teaching was not always the plan for Abigail Kutlas-Prickett, also known to most students as Ms. KP. Originally, Kutlas-Prickett said she just knew she wanted to make a direct, positive impact on the future of the world, and she found that purpose in her own classroom.
Born and raised in Grand Island, Nebraska, Kutlas-Prickett said she attended a large public high school, where she was the definition of an involved student. She said she was a part of the school newspaper, orchestra, different choirs and even tennis. She said she was also the classic “good kid” — the one who excelled at all tests and earned teacher trust easily.
After high school, Kutlas-Prickett said she attended Northwestern University near Chicago, where she earned her master’s degree in secondary education. When she got into teaching, Kutlas-Prickett said she felt hopeless about the world, as it was a very politically chaotic time. She said this is where she realized she needed to be “where the past was taught and the future was being built: a classroom.” Kutlas-Prickett added, “Teaching for me felt like something I could personally do to make sure there were young people in our country who were aware of our history and of the problems that our country has overcome.”
Kutlas-Prickett said one of her biggest motivations wasn’t just her love for history, but also her sense of justice. Back in Grand Island, she said she watched how her friends, who were just as involved and talented as her, were treated differently just because they didn’t fit the exact description of a “perfect student.” Kutlas-Prickett said, “I saw a lot of my friends who had teachers and counselors who, frankly, did not see them as valuable.”
A memory that still sticks with Kutlas-Prickett is about her close friend from show choir who didn’t get to graduate on time and couldn’t attend college due to problems out of his control. Seeing his struggle, while her own path was open, was a wake-up call to her own privilege. Kutlas-Prickett said, “There are worlds and experiences that people are inhabiting that I had the privilege to be unaware of.” Kutlas-Prickett said she entered education to make sure every student, not just the “good ones,” felt seen and valued.
Today, Kutlas-Prickett said she is pursuing her master’s degree in history and government from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL), while balancing her other roles in school. In academic decathlon and student council, she describes herself as more of her “outside-of-school self,” since these students are self-motivated and have earned her trust. For her U.S. history freshmen class on the other hand, Kutlas-Prickett said she keeps the “guardrails” up. She said freshmen are normally nervous, so she focuses on setting up a steady foundation of rules and expectations before they are given more freedom.
When she isn’t grading papers, Kutlas-Prickett said she is a mom and a “hobbyist.” She said she enjoys spending most of her time with her son and husband outdoors, often working in their vegetable garden. She also loves outdoor activities like biking and hiking. Inside, Kutlas-Prickett said she loves to cook, especially when she gets to bring a little bit of history into the kitchen and explore new cultures through food.
Kutlas-Prickett said this year in particular is really special for her, as it is her fourth year of teaching at South High, meaning that the freshmen she started teaching are now graduating seniors. Seeing their growth from nervous kids to confident young adults, to her, is a great achievement.
As for advice to those graduating seniors, she passes down a lesson that her own high school teacher, Ms. Butters, gave her: “You must ask yourself if you are really enjoying the things you do.”
Reflecting on her own busy college years, where she overworked herself with activities, Kutlas-Prickett adds one final piece of advice: “It’s not selfish to say no to things that you really don’t want to do if you know they aren’t going to enrich your life.”
