“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” - Maya Angelou
This is a favorite quote of Potosi High School's favorite grandma, Carolyn Riniker. This is an idea that she brings with her to Potosi High School every time she is in the building.
Mrs. Riniker loves being part of the Potosi School District and making a school-wide impact on the students and the teachers.
Potosi junior William Tobin grew up being neighbors with Mrs. Riniker; he claims that she is like another grandma to him. He enjoyed seeing all the house decor that she has collected over the years. William is honored to be part of a school that Mrs. Riniker substitutes in, and he is excited to invite Mrs. Riniker to his graduation party. Tobin says she impacts Potosi High School with how big-hearted and caring she is. “Mrs. Riniker is always very interested in what you have to say and is always wanting to know more.”
Tracy Brunton, Potosi High School Ag and FFA teacher, is impacted by Mrs. Riniker variously throughout the year, from her subbing when Brunton goes to Oklahoma for national soil judging, to when she just needs a sick day off. “She makes an impact here because she is always super kind, very understanding, and is always very invested in the students. Students are always excited when she subs.”
History teacher Debra Hutchcroft said, “Mrs. Riniker is one of the most genuine people I know. She has been subbing since I started teaching. She is as much a part of this district as any full-time teacher. Everything she does for our district is from her heart; she cares for the students, and there are not many subs like that. She loves to volunteer and help; you don’t see that in many people. Students care for her like she is one of their own; they protect her, making sure other students treat her right when she is here. You can’t not be happy around her; she brings happiness wherever she goes.”
Mrs. Riniker loves subbing in the art room. She enjoys being able to see the creativity and fun the students have while creating art. She has been able to show lots of students her artwork and teach them new tricks.
Potosi’s art teacher, Rahni Haverland, says, “She adores our students, and they adore her. She is very interested in their lives and loves to see what the students are up to in the art room. She's a kind and generous soul who is always willing to help when she is needed. I love having her sub for me.”
When she is not subbing, Mrs. Riniker enjoys crafting, knitting, and collecting Christmas decor. Mrs. Riniker graduated from UW-Stout with a degree in clothing tech styles and design, and a business minor, and she used to work at JCPenney before subbing in Potosi.
“I am very blessed to have a place like Potosi High School to sub at. I have always loved the grandma image, lots of hugs, and with substituting at Potosi High School, I get to fulfill those joys.”