The Following is this week’s I AM, YOU ARE, WE ARE Honoree; by Ashton Greer and Nicole Van Hyfte
Carl Ankenbrand moved to Hoopeston in August of 1995 to teach art in Hoopeston. “Everything happens for a reason,” he said after explaining that his original plan was to take over for his high school art teacher in Mt. Carmel, Illinois. She had agreed to retire once Ankenbrand got his degree…she didn’t hold up her end of the deal, so he landed at the Hoopeston Area High School. He now teaches art for Maple and John Greer Grade Schools.
Hoopeston is where Carl met his wife, Kelly, and her two children, Samantha and Nathan. After they married, they had a daughter, Taylor. Carl, Kelly, and Taylor are all local educators with Taylor starting her first-year teaching at Maple this year. “Hoopeston has become my home…I married into the Cornjerkers,” Carl says with a grin.
Carl loves the relationships and special connections he shares with his students. “Being the art teacher makes you a superstar! The relationship you build in the classroom carries on for years. A lot of kids need that.” His motto is, “Create art, not problems.”
Carl has also served as a City of Hoopeston alderman for over 18 years. He has loved being involved with projects such as the splash pad and is proud of the work they did to keep dispatch in town. “There are so many things to do in town. I love that people are really investing in Hoopeston right now. It’s so nice to see. It’s really growing.”
Carl has been involved in the Hoopeston community in many ways including driving the school bus, coaching football, coaching wrestling, and taking photographs for the school district. He gives credit to his now 89-year-old father for his drive. “I have that instilled in me; he led me by example.”
If you have someone you would like to share,
visit https://forms.gle/deCPiQ1cxn1pDLhZ9
or contact Ashton Greer, City of Danville agreer@cityofdanville.org or
Nicole Van Hyfte, Vermilion Advantage nvanhyfte@vermilionadvantage.com.
