Nebraska Rural Community Schools Association (NRCSA) reached out about outstanding alumni from our rural schools. Instantly, Mrs. O'Neal responded that she wanted to nominate Dr. John Helgeson, a 1994 graduate of DPS who is currently teaching in South Korea, stating "Dr. John Helgeson has written numerous articles and has been an advocate for ELA education all over the nation-giving speeches and writing several articles on education; specifically in the reading field."
From there, she asked Dr. Helgeson for his biography, which is shared below...
My teaching career began at a middle school in Minnesota, where I taught English and History. During those early years, I pursued a master's degree in education. While my initial motivation was to advance on the salary schedule, I quickly discovered that graduate study deepened my understanding of teaching and learning, making it far more rewarding than I had anticipated. I also realized that, although I had originally intended to teach high school, I found working with middle school students especially engaging and fulfilling.
After three years, I relocated to the Seattle area, where I taught English, History, and Drama in a highly diverse middle school serving students from a wide range of socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. Five years later, I took a cultural leave of absence to participate in the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme. As an Assistant Language Teacher, I collaborated with Japanese teachers to support English instruction in public high schools. During our year in Japan, our daughter was born, and afterward our family returned to the Seattle area.
Upon returning, I joined a junior high school north of Seattle, where I continued teaching English and History in grades 7–9. During this time, I pursued a doctoral degree in Curriculum and Teaching, further strengthening my interest in instructional design, literacy, and teacher learning. After seven years in the classroom, I transitioned to the district office as the 6–12 English and Social Studies Curriculum Specialist. In this role, I partnered with teachers and administrators across twelve secondary schools to lead curriculum adoptions, develop instructional resources, facilitate professional learning, and support curriculum writing and implementation.
Throughout my years in the Seattle area, I actively shared my work with educators through conference presentations and publications. I presented at regional conferences, including the Washington Association for Educators of Talented and Gifted, the Washington Educational Research Association, and the Association of Washington School Principals. Nationally, I presented at conferences hosted by the Association for Middle Level Education (AMLE), the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), and Kappa Delta Pi. I also published articles in professional education journals focused on reading, writing, and classroom discussion. This work ultimately led to my appointment to the Executive Council of Kappa Delta Pi, the International Honor Society in Education.
In 2020, my family embraced another international opportunity by moving to Taiwan, where I taught middle school English and History at Taipei International School for five years. After our daughter graduated from high school in 2025, we sought another international experience and relocated to South Korea. I currently teach middle school English and Social Studies at Korea International School while our son attends high school there.
Today, I continue to pursue opportunities to learn with and from educators around the world. In addition to presenting at conferences in Taiwan and South Korea, I have presented at international conferences in Malaysia and Thailand. What I enjoy most about education is that the role of an educator can continue to change. Every new role, school, country, and collaboration has challenged me to grow as an educator and has given me a fresh perspective on teaching and learning.
What an impressive resume! Congratulations to Dr. Helgeson on all that you have accomplished, and thank you to Mrs. O'Neal for submitting her recommendation for him to receive this award!