Nikol Vickrey Baker

After graduating from UW with a teaching certificate, I moved to Arizona where I taught high school business classes for 6 years. While there, I also tried my hand at coaching girls basketball, 7th & 8th grade as well as freshmen. Didn't realize how mean girls can be until that experience. :) Moved to Nebraska where I taught for 4 years; again as a business teacher, but now with the added responsibility of district technology coordinator. Again tried my hand at coaching girls basketball, this time at the varsity level. Thank goodness it was a small school as they were just happy to have a coach. :) All kidding aside, it was a great experience.

Was introduced to my husband, John, through a mutual friend via the telephone. Flew to CA to visit a few times and fell in love. We married in July 2004 and it has been wedded bliss ever since. We were blessed with a baby girl last summer.

We live on the ranch in which John manages the cattle operation. It's a lot like my childhood but with better weather. :) I'm the administrator of a teacher training program for the county. While I still miss the classroom, I enjoy working with new and veteran teachers from the area school districts. And the flexibility of the job allows me to spend time with Makenna while still earning a paycheck.

We try to go home to the family ranch in Daniel one or two times a year. It's great to get back home, but don't know many people and town just doesn't seem the same. I'm sure a stop light will soon make its way to Main Street, but I'm glad to say I grew up there when there wasn't one.

Gees, there are so many. I read Tay's story about basketball - a lot of stories there. Then I was telling someone just the other day about "the ramp" and how intimidating it was as a freshman, but pretty cool as an upperclassman. But the one thing I will never forget has to be about band; you know, "One time, at band camp." Ha, ha, just had to get that in there. Anyway, Mr. Sheppard couldn't seem to pronounce the "h" in Hugh Steele's name. And it seemed like Hugh was always getting in trouble in band. Well, Mr. Sheppard would get after him and say, "Hugh!" Except without the "h" sound it always sounded like, "You!" Us drummers in the back row always though Mr. Sheppard was yelling at us, but were relieved when it was really "You Steele" he was mad at. Oh, those were the days!