she glows ABBI RICHCREEK

By Jennie Renner | Photo by Eva Toscos

Abbi Richcreek is always eager to learn and try new things. “Whether it is investigating the possibilities of robotic dogs working in tandem with the school and police force or learning how to use a sand blaster… I know I absolutely glow when I push myself to conquer any challenge,” she said.

Richcreek is originally from Hartford City, about 90 minutes south of Warsaw, where she currently lives and works as a teacher. She studied Japanese in high school and declared it as a major in college but wasn’t sure what she was going to do as a career. Then she remembered something her aviation and industrial technology teacher said to her in high school.

“He always told me that I would be really good at being an engineering or technology teacher,” she recalled. Richcreek always liked handson learning, so she looked into industrial technology education and declared that as her second major.

After college, she got a job teaching high school in Marion, Indiana. A few years later, she began teaching in Warsaw and spent ten years at the high school and the last seven at Edgewood Middle School.

Working with guidance counselors, Richcreek identifies young people who are historically underrepresented in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education and encourages them to try her classes. She teaches design and modeling, automation and robotics, medical detectives, and computer science for innovators and makers.

Outside of the classroom, Richcreek organizes extra-curricular project-based learning opportunities like Forget Princess, I Want to be an Engineer. This program encourages girls to pursue careers in engineering by providing them with role models, resources, and handson experiences. Futures in Manufacturing introduces students to the manufacturing industry and its various career opportunities through workshops, field trips, and mentorship programs. GoBabyGo! lets students adapt ride-on cars for children with mobility impairments, allowing them to explore their environment independently. Flotation Devices for Addy allowed students to design a water flotation device to enhance the safety and mobility for Addy, a young girl with a rare genetic disorder.

Richcreek also collaborates with Grace College on the Enable the Future project, which focuses on producing prosthetic hands for individuals in need. This partnership provides essential assistive devices while teaching students about the importance of community service and innovation.

All these extracurricular activities are not part of Richcreek’s teaching responsibilities; she does them because she is passionate about helping young people have fun while learning and exploring careers. She makes the opportunities available to students at no cost by securing funding and collaborating with organizations. For the Forget Princess program, she partners with a local chapter of the Society of Women Engineers.

“I just have too many ideas,” she said. “I want to show students that you can make an impact now, you don’t have to wait until you’re in college or until you are an adult to make an impact in people’s lives.” a