Holm spent life teaching

First-grade teacher at Ralph Witters Elementary Sonja Holm has been teaching for 42 years, 30 of which were spent teaching in Hot Springs County.

Holm will be retiring from the Hot Springs County School District at the end of the 2015-16 school year.

"It's a way of life," Holm said. "I can't remember not teaching. I've been teaching since I was 21 years old and it's been a great career. I've enjoyed every minute of it."

Holm was born and raised in South Dakota where she began her teaching career before moving to Hot Springs County.

"I have taught preschool through ninth grade," she said. "I started in special education and taught for a couple of years. Then, I taught reading, PE and even art."

Holm was also the literacy coordinator for Ralph Witters Elementary for eight years sharing a classroom with Jocelyn Jurovich.

"That was a really fun thing to do and I think every classroom should have two teachers," she said.

After retirement, Holm said she plans to spend her time reading.

"I'm not a traveler but I do have a grandson, daughter and son-in-law that live in South Dakota that I am excited to go visit whenever I want to," she said. "My husband is an avid collector of antique tractors and engines and I enjoy going with him. I'm sure that there are going to be many tractor shows in the future. Otherwise, I'm just going to look forward to having time for myself and read. I've got shelves of books to read."

Holm said it will be very different since she will no longer be teaching.

"It's going to be hard, but I'm going to be fine," she said. "I think for the first six months I'm going to do nothing. I'm going to learn how to live not by a clock or around a calendar."