Laura Nickelson, a Riverside Brookfield High School social studies teacher, is retiring at the conclusion of this school year. Although the pandemic has changed the way her last two years have looked, Nickelson has planned to move on after the 2020-2021 school year for the past five years. 

During her tenure as a faculty member at RB, Nickelson taught AP European History, AP Government, AP World History, Western Civilization, Global Area Studies, and Sociology. In addition to teaching, she started the Scholastic Bowl team and the Model United Nations club.

Looking back, Nickelson fondly remembers the people she has interacted with at RB.

“My favorite memories are the individual students and teachers I have had the privilege to work with and teach. Some special memories of my AP Euro classes stand out,” Nickelson said. 

Nickelson’s highlights also include a trip to England and France with the AP Euro and French language students.

In her retirement, Nickelson and her husband, also a recently retired teacher, originally intended to travel the world; however, the COVID-19 pandemic has halted some of these excursions.

“We were going to spend time at a language school in Salamanca, Spain this fall but don’t feel like that is the wisest trip to take right now, although we may revise our plans now that the EU has said it will allow vaccinated Americans to travel there. That trip is probably sidelined for another year,” Nickelson explained. 

In the meantime, the Nickelsons will be traveling around the United States in a camper trailer they purchased just before the coronavirus shut down the world. They are still making reservations and working out the details, but Nickelson and her husband plan to visit various Wisconsin state parks and Vermont this October to see New England’s stunning fall colors. 

From lessons learned inside the classroom and out, Nickelson urges the importance of hard work and enjoyment in achieving goals.

“Hard work gets you to where you want to be, so keep working toward your goals. Just remember to enjoy life along the way. It is people, not things, that make you happy,” Nickelson said.