Kelly Ollila – WKS Alumni

On a very cold November morning, I visited with Kelly in her sun filled office located within the walls of William M. Kelley School just down the hall from the main office. A broad, warm smile greeted me along with an overflowing enthusiasm. We chatted about growing up in Silver Bay, our experiences at WKS and what it is like as a WKS teacher in 2018.

Kelly commented, “l completed a circle by coming back to teach in Silver Bay. I loved growing up and going to school here. I appreciate and am grateful for the opportunities Silver Bay offered to me as a student and being back has given me the chance to get right back in and be part of creating new opportunities. One of the biggest changes since I was a student is how technology has changed communication on so many levels, limiting face to face contact with parents, colleagues and some students.”

Kelley graduated in 2002 from WKS and entered The College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minnesota thinking a degree in athletic training would fulfill her career desires. As a participant in high school athletics and finding biology of interest, the choice seemed to be right. During her course work, though, Kelly started to consider whether the major she was pursuing was the right one for her. She taught Sunday School during high school and enjoyed the interaction with her students. She found herself thinking this kind of interaction was missing from what she had chosen. Out of curiosity she took a few education classes to see what they were like. Enjoying what she found, teaching became her career path. After graduating in the spring of 2006, she applied to many different school districts securing a position in Mora, Minnesota where she taught science for 6 years. Family and friends learned of an upcoming science teacher opening at WKS and, knowing how much Kelly loved the north shore, encouraged her to apply for the position. Recalling her WKS experiences and recognizing the safe learning environment and the numerous opportunities to try new things, she applied and was accepted to fill the position.

Kelly has not looked back. She has enthusiastically embraced opportunities to engage and excite students. With that warm smile on her face, this was her answer to my question of what the best part of returning to WKS was: “I like to be involved, to keep busy with school activities and functions. I loved participating in band, being able to play three sports, take part in NHS, work during the summer at my parent’s ice cream shop in Beaver Bay, experience and enjoy homecoming, and so many other activities while going to WKS and now I get to be part of it all again! I love the small class sizes, the fact that I know most of my students’ families and have the opportunity to motivate and challenge my students to want to learn!”

Kelly’s responsibilities outside of her high school science classroom include being the student activities director, National Honor Society advisor, M Club Booster and M Club Sports Banquet coordinator. She also supervises homecoming activities and events, coaches softball and supervises the Galley food and beverage concession during home sports games and activities.

In addition to her school life at WKS, Kelly is married to Erik Ollila, is mom to two little ones; a girl named Everly (2 years) and a boy named Lukas (4 months) and she loves being at home close to family. Her mother and father in-law recently moved to Silver Bay and Kelly enjoys the great family support! She is the daughter of Michelle Mensing Fenstad (class of 1973) and Wayne Fenstad (class of 1967).

Kelly (Fenstad) Ollila