“It’s kind of like you take someone who is already an excellent teacher, but also has the attributes of a Nickelodeon producer,” Poehl said. “She knows what kids like.”

The TES administrator might be on to something, considering Gurwell spent many years in broadcast journalism, from stints in Nebraska to work at a Kansas City network affiliate.

But now, she’s settling into her second career — elementary education — and already is making a noticeable splash.

Gurwell learned last week that she has been selected for the Horizon Award, which recognizes just 32 teachers from across the state annually.

The award goes to teachers who are in their first years of the profession.

Poehl and USD 464 Superintendent Lyn Rantz nominated Gurwell for the award. Gurwell and the other 31 teachers will be recognized at a personal development conference later this year in Topeka.

“I was shocked, to be honest,” Gurwell said about learning that she had won. “I was most happy for the district itself because I think it’s about time people start taking our district seriously. We have amazing teachers here.”

A 1990 graduate of Millard North High School in Omaha, Neb., Gurwell earned a degree in broadcast journalism from the University of Nebraska in Lincoln and worked in that field for 20 years.

Ready for a change, and the opportunity to help youth, Gurwell started taking night classes through University of Saint Mary’s Overland Park campus to become a teacher.

For years she set her watch to the fast pace of broadcast journalism.

Now, she zooms right along with a classroom of fourth-graders.

“If you can put yourself at their level, you can design instruction that’s going to make them remember,” Gurwell said.

In an era of video games and instant gratification, some students also have attention deficit disorder. Gurwell’s philosophy is to keep the instruction lively while also teaching life lessons through the instruction.

“If you don’t keep them moving, you’re going to lose their attention, whether they have ADD or not,” she said.

The class has a blog that students on which students have certain jobs in maintaining the site. Students are “paid” for different “jobs” they have in the classroom.

At the end of each week, Gurwell makes her way around the room to collect “rent.”

That collection, for instance, gave the students a real-world glimpse with their recent vacation.

“You have to pay rent over Christmas break?” Gurwell said, relaying what students said when she came around for payment. “We weren’t even here.”

Gurwell said that lesson is popular at home.

“The parents love it especially because the kids are starting to understand ‘oh my goodness. This is what happens here. And this is what you do for me.'”

The self-proclaimed “new old teacher,” who commutes from De Soto, said other teachers have been welcoming and helpful as she transitions to her new career. She said she’s proud to be part of the TES staff.

“Coming to a small town, you’re worried they’re not going to accept you, but I’ve been accepted with open arms,” she said. “They’ve just been amazing.”