Lynette Varner

Lynette is an Instructor of Elementary Education at Ball State University where she teaches practicum classes, senior seminar, student teachers, and serves as a Professional Development Liaison to Mitchell and Washington-Carver Elementary. Prior to teaching at Ball State, she taught a variety of grade levels (1, 3, 4, 5, K-plus, title I Reading, and 3rd/4th gifted and talented) during her 17-year tenure with New Castle Community Schools. Mrs. Varner taught middle school at St. Lawrence Catholic School and served as principal for two years. Lynette is an active member of Indiana Beta Epsilon chapter of Alpha Delta Kappa International Honorary for Women Educators.  Lynette and her family, husband Mark, and daughter Emily are all avid readers.

Peggy Lewis

Peggy is the Director of the BSU Schools Network.  Her primary responsibility is to coordinate the Professional Development Schools Network and facilitate the PDS work within our partnership of P-12 schools and museums.  Peggy has taught in schools in California, Maine, and Iowa.  Along with classroom teaching in grades 5 and 6, her background includes work with gifted and talented K-6, middle level education, consulting as an education specialist for both language arts and mathematics, and serving as the stateside education liaison for a National Science Foundation expedition to Antarctica.  Along with being a band booster and swim parent, she always finds time to be an active participant in Book Club, one of her favorite leisure activities.

Julie Eckelman

Julie has been a primary grade teacher in the Muncie Community Schools for 33 years. She earned her Bachelor and Masters Degrees from Ball State University and currently teaches 2nd grade at Mitchell Elementary. She serves as the Technology Coordinator and the Webmaster for Mitchell. Julie loves finding new ways to integrate technology into her lessons and challenge her students. She has presented her cross-curricular unit on the Iditarod Dog Sled Race at several conferences. Julie is an active member of Tri Kappa Sorority. She enjoys reading and walking her dog, as well as flower gardening, entertaining, and traveling with her husband, Mark.

Erin Peck

Erin grew up in Columbus, Indiana, with her parents, Tony and Jeanie. She has two older sisters, Jennifer and Heather, whom are both teachers, and a twin brother, Robert. She is a senior at Ball State University majoring in Elementary Education with a concentration in Kindergarten/Primary and also a member of Kappa Delta Pi. Currently she is student teaching in Mrs. Julie Eckelman's second grade class, at Mitchell Elementary, in Muncie, Indiana. Erin was passionate about teaching at an early age. She plans to graduate in May 2009 and pursue her teaching career.

Ana Maria Delk

Ana graduated from Ball State University in 1991 with a BS in Art Education and minors in drawing, painting, and photography. She has taught elementary, middle school and high school visual arts classes since graduation. Ana was voted Elementary Art Teacher of the Year for the Art Education Association of Indiana in 1994. In 1998, she received a Teacher Creativity Grant to attend a Navajo Weaving School in Colorado. Ana served as the Indiana Art Education State Conference Coordinator from 1999-2006. In 1999 and 2001 she received the AEAI President's Award. Ana was named the 2001 Teacher of the Year for Muncie Community Schools and was one of the top ten finalists for the Indiana 2002 Teacher of the Year award.