Twice Named Outstanding Teacher of the Year
For more than 30 years, Vikki Smith Ensman ’67 dedicated herself to teaching in the San Diego, California area.
After graduating from SHS, she earned her bachelor’s degree at the University of North Dakota and her master’s of science at California Polytechnic State University. Her majors were biology and Spanish. Says an alum, “She consistently taught her classes mostly in Spanish. Most of her students came from Mexico and spoke only Spanish.”
Twice Vikki was named the area’s outstanding teacher of the year. “She was completely inspirational in the way in which she shared information and motivated her students to learn.” She coached student teams to numerous victories in the Olympics of the Mind. In recent years, she was chosen to participate in a prestigious San Diego State University program, researching new teaching methods.
Vikki also was a skilled artist in varied mediums — stenciling, toll painting, botanical drawings and gourd art which led to appearances on national TV shows.
She also was passionately involved in conservation causes and activities.
In January 2005, Vikki suffered a massive stroke that left her without use of her left arm and minimal use of her left leg. Observes an alum, “Vikki proved to be a huge inspiration to many of her students, colleagues and friends. She certainly inspired me to want to be a better person and to want to contribute to the general well-being of our world.” She died in 2020 in Fort Collins, Colorado.