Hello! My name is Lauren Alvarado, and I am so excited for my second year teaching Kindergarten at Harvest Hills Elementary! I grew up in Gretna, Nebraska, and I graduated from Gretna High School in 2018. It was in GPS that I found not only my passion and love for learning, but my passion for teaching because of the impact my teachers had on my life. From a young age, I have had a strong desire to become a teacher that instilled the same passion and love for learning into students' lives. I received my degree in Elementary Education and Special Education (K-6) at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in May 2022.

I loved my first year teaching kindergarten at Harvest Hills Elementary! Kindergarten is such a special time to learn and grow, and I absolutely love being a kindergarten teacher! I chose to become a teacher because I am passionate about instilling in children a strong desire to learn and grow, promoting inclusion of all students in a safe and fun learning environment, and helping students develop confidence in their own unique abilities. It is my goal to maximize all students' potentials in my classroom. 

Many of you may remember me as "Miss Holke"! I got married this summer to my amazing husband Leo! If I am not at school, I am spending time with my family and friends, trying new restaurants and coffee shops, teaching dance at the studio I work for in Elkhorn, or traveling. My favorite place that I have traveled to recently is the Cayman Islands, which is where I went on my honeymoon this summer!