Brenda Ely is an accomplished educator with a dynamic career in teaching and leadership. She has been with Brown County Schools for 26 years. Currently a third-grade teacher, Brenda brings a wealth of experience across various grade levels and roles. Her career highlights include teaching first grade, science, and math, as well as serving as an instructional coach, mentor and an NIET Master Teacher. She is recognized for her dedication to enhancing student outcomes and supporting fellow educators.

As a former ROI STEM Fellow, Brenda is deeply committed to fostering a love for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in her students. Her passion for academic excellence extends beyond the classroom, having coached numerous academic teams and contributed significantly to school improvement as a member of the Leadership Team at Helmsburg Elementary.

In 2016, Brenda's exemplary contributions to academic coaching earned her recognition as one of the Top Academic Coaches in Indiana. Her exceptional teaching skills were further acknowledged in 2024 when she was honored as the Teacher of the Year for Helmsburg Elementary.

As a TedEd leader and coach, Brenda fosters collaboration and inspires her students to share their passions with the world. Whether in the classroom or as a leader, Brenda Ely continues to shape the future of education with her unwavering commitment to excellence.

Erica Garman has been a teacher in Brown County Schools for 15 years and has spent the last four years at Helmsburg Elementary, where she also serves as the technology coach. She loves finding creative ways to use technology to make learning fun and engaging for her students.

A proud graduate of Indiana University, Erica earned her degree in Elementary Education in 2008. She later went on to get her Master’s in Applied Behavior Analysis from Ball State University, which helps her bring unique strategies to the classroom.

In 2021, Erica was chosen as a STEM Fellow in the ROI STEM Fellowship Program, a recognition of her dedication to promoting STEM education. Her passion for teaching and helping students succeed shines through everything she does!

Darcy Rund has been at Helmsburg for 4 years, but has taught for over 33 years. Some of her accomplishments include her class coming in fourth place in the National Erector Set Car of the Future Contest, two time Wal-Mart Teacher of the Year, first place in the National Book It Make a Difference Day Contest, and recipient of a $2000 grant to purchase two aeroponic Tower Gardens for students to use. Darcy started a Garden Club where fifth and sixth grade students created a beautiful garden inside of the school library. Students used the Tower Gardens, student art, and knowledge of different cultures to create a beautiful reading space. Darcy brought Robotics to Helmsburg and currently coaches the Robotics Team and works with students in Science Bowl. STEM is an important part of her classroom, and her passion for it is unrelenting. 

Michelle Joy is a fifth grade classroom teacher in her 23rd year of teaching at Helmsburg Elementary. After spending most of her career teaching 3rd and 4th grades, she’s excited to take on the challenge of teaching 5th grade for the first time this year. Her journey in education is all about inspiring students to love learning, give their best, and continually growing as an educator. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Indiana University Bloomington with a minor in reading. Wanting to dive deeper, she also got her Master’s Degree in Language Education from the same university, which helps her bring valuable reading and language skills to her classroom. For four years, she served as a literacy coach for her district, where she worked closely with other teachers to learn varied teaching methods and support their students’ learning. She also takes on the role of high-ability coach, challenging gifted students to reach new heights. She is also one of the coaches of the math bowl team, where she encourages teamwork and a love for math. 

Teresa Fultz joined Brown County School Corporation in 1994.  She began her teaching career in special education at Nashville Elementary School.  She later changed to general education and taught fifth and first grade until she moved to Helmsburg Elementary School.  There, she continued teaching in first grade.  She received her teaching certificate from Indiana University and later completed her masters there too.  She has been recognized as an Armstrong Educator at Indiana University.  Mrs. Fultz has participated in NIET as a mentor teacher and as a part of the leadership team.  She has also served as an instructional coach for Helmsburg Elementary School.  In 2022, she was recognized as Teach of the Year for Helmsburg Elementary School.  For two years now, Mrs. Fultz has participated in the TEDX event for Brown County School Corporation as a coach for the TEDEd Club that met with students after school to develop TED Talks.  She is committed to teaching her students and helping her school become the best it can be.

Natalie Robison has been a dedicated Kindergarten teacher at Helmsburg Elementary since 2003, shaping young minds with her passion for education and nurturing spirit. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from Franklin College and completed her Master’s degree at Indiana Wesleyan. Over the years, Natalie has been recognized for her exceptional contributions, being named Brown County Schools Elementary Teacher of the Year in 2010 and Helmsburg Elementary Teacher of the Year for 2022-2023. In 2020-2021, Natalie took on the challenge of teaching a remote kindergarten class, utilizing tools such as Canvas, Screencastify and Zoom to deliver synchronous and asynchronous lessons. From 2021 to 2023, she served as an NIET mentor teacher, working closely to mentor and evaluate teachers within her school, further demonstrating her leadership and commitment to professional growth. Beyond the classroom, Natalie has served as the Technology Coach at Helmsburg Elementary since 2014, supporting teachers in integrating technology into their instruction. In the same year, she played a key role in piloting Brightlink Interactive Projectors for the school and trained teachers district-wide on their implementation. She has also led afterschool training sessions, guiding colleagues in effectively using learning websites and Canvas, Brown County Schools' Learning Management System. Natalie’s expertise, innovation, and dedication have made her a cornerstone of her classroom and a leader in school wide initiatives.