Laura Vanderslice is impacting the world of education as
head of the language arts department at Desert Hills Middle School in St.
George, Utah.
Originally from Delta, Utah, Laura graduated magna cum laude
from SUU in 1996 with a major in English, a minor in Spanish, and a certificate
in secondary education. In 2004, she earned a master’s degree in education from
SUU.
Laura is a 22-year veteran of the Washington County School
District, and taught 17 years at Dixie Middle School and is now in her fifth
year at Desert Hills Middle School.
While there are many rewards for being an educator, Laura
says she always experiences a “proud moment” when she receives a thank you note
from her students. Her students are a great source of pride.
Growing up, Laura had dreams of becoming a biologist or a
veterinarian, but she quickly changed her mind once she discovered that working
with animals would require, on occasion, putting then down.
“I have always loved school so it was a good fit,” she says
of her career choice.
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| Dannielle Robinson and Laura, freshmen year roommates and still best friends. |
Laura has always been independent, but while a student at
SUU she learned, out of necessity, the valuable lesson of budgeting her time
and money. As a result, she earned good grades and still had plenty of fun
while a fulltime student.
She loved her campus experience and how her professors knew
her on a first name basis. Her literature classes were a highlight because she
could read and discuss books, which she loves. Favorite professors included
Dave Lee, Kay Cook, and S.S. Morty.
Laura has three sons and is married to Kurt Vanderslice. She
enjoys traveling, and looks for opportunities to be outside, particularly if
she can read a good book on the beach. A fierce competitor, Laura has competed
in the Ironman, St. George Marathon (twice), Ragnar and Spartan competitions,
and multiple half marathons.
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