Rev. James D. Conley, D.D., S.T.L. | Diocese of Lincoln website

Linda Kirkendall has been named the 2024 St. John Cantius Secondary Educator of the Year. This recognition comes as she retires from a teaching career spanning 46 years at Sacred Heart School in Falls City.

Kirkendall's early education began in a one-room schoolhouse near Western, Nebraska, where her parents farmed. She recounted, “The teacher had to bring water from home to the school,” and described how lunches were warmed on a hot plate.

After attending Western Public Schools briefly and graduating from Milligan Public School following her father's death, Kirkendall was encouraged by her mother to pursue higher education. Initially planning to study business, she shifted focus after working with a student with disabilities during high school.

Offered an athletic scholarship for volleyball and track at Peru State College, she started studying elementary education but switched to English following advice from a literature instructor.

Despite doubts about being hired as a non-Catholic at Sacred Heart School, Kirkendall applied and was hired without an interview due to a recommendation from a friend. Sister Hilaria Phipps, S.C., the principal at the time, facilitated her hiring process.

Kirkendall's nearly five-decade career included teaching English and coaching various sports. She noted that being able to discuss faith openly was crucial for her teaching philosophy: “I’ve been able to talk about Christ in my classroom for 46 years.”

She emphasized the importance of grammar and cursive writing in her classes and valued feedback from former students who credited her for their success. Her favorite novels to teach seniors were "The Power and the Glory" and "The Screwtape Letters," which led to meaningful discussions about faith.

As sponsor of Helping Hands, Kirkendall highlighted the role of volunteering in private schools' success: “Volunteering is what helps make private schools be successful.”

After her husband Doug’s death in 2023, Kirkendall expressed gratitude towards the Sacred Heart community: “It was the Sacred Heart family that held me together and gave me purpose.”

Reflecting on her career, she quoted St. Paul’s words on love from 1 Corinthians 13, underscoring the central role faith played throughout her tenure at Sacred Heart School.