Just ask the national parent-teacher association. Or, take a look at some of the parents she’s helped during the years.

In April, Himpel was one of five parent educators named “Parent Educator of the Year” by the National Parents as Teachers association.

Janet Crow, coordinator for Parents as Teachers program at the Northeast Kansas Education Service Center in Lecompton, has worked with Himpel for eight years.

“Jackie was nominated because she’s an incredible person,” Crow said. “She does such a good job with the families she works with. She’s really caring. She gets to know the family and where their needs are.”

Himpel has proven herself to be a versatile PAT leader, Crow said.

“She makes personal visits, sets up playgroups in Linwood, and advocates for kids and their families, inviting state legislators to the playgroups,” Crow said. “It’s things like that that have helped the people in this area understand how important it is that education starts very, very early.”

Included with Himpel’s nomination forms were letters from three families with whom she has worked. “They talked about how much she means to them and how much she had done for them,” Crow said.

Himpel, who grew up in Basehor and still lives there, was one of the first to know about the start-up of Parents as Teachers in this area. At the time, she worked in the board of education office in Tonganoxie, helping prepare the district’s newsletter. Himpel became the liaison for the program.

“Then I got pregnant,” Himpel said. “I thought if I was going to promote the program then I’d better sign up for it.”

About two years later, a job opened up in parents as teachers. Himpel applied.

“I liked the job in the beginning because it was more flexible being a mom and I could be with my kids that way,” she said.

Today, 13 years later, the flexibility of the work schedule still fits with Himpel’s lifestyle.

She can schedule her appointments for evenings, and she can take off time to help with her children’s projects.

“This afternoon I was able to go up and help with a Kansas Kids fitness day and help out with the third grade class,” Himpel said.

She and her husband, Jeff Himpel, have two sons. Spencer is in the third grade, and Beau is in the fifth grade.

Not only is the scheduling great, but so is the work itself. As a Parents as Teachers educator, Himpel makes visits to a child’s home from birth to age 3.

“I really like working with kids,” Himpel said. “Even as mine grow older, I still get to be around younger kids — babies and toddlers.”

The fact that she’s a mother herself affects the way she does her work.

“I think it helps to be a parent so you can be empathetic to the parents you work with,” Himpel said. “You enjoy being around children and do not mind getting down on the floor and playing with the kids. We do a lot of messy activities that the parents might not want to do themselves, or wouldn’t try.”

On a recent Monday morning, Himpel perched on a kitchen chair, face to face with Sierra Salazar, the 17-month-old daughter of Scott and Amy Salazar. Sierra was sitting in her highchair elbow deep in homemade play dough as her older brother, Steven, played with more of the play dough nearby. Himpel had made the cherry flavored dough that morning, using Kool-aid to add color and a fruity scent.

Himpel also served as PAT educator for Steven.

Amy and Scott Salazar were one of the couples who nominated Himpel for Parent Educator of the Year.

“She is always knowledgeable, helpful and fun,” Amy said.

Himpel sometimes totes an indoor sandbox filled with rice or oatmeal for the kids to play in. And, parents are encouraged to join in on the fun.

“We try to engage the parents in activities so it’s not just us playing with the kids,” Himpel said.

“Our main job is to be parent educators — to help the parents be better parents,” Himpel said. “The main focus of the Parents as Teachers program is for every parent to be their child’s best first teacher.”