‘Happy’ feelings mutual

RANDOLPH – There is no substitute for a substitute teacher named “Happy.”

“Happy is the nicest person you’ll ever meet,” said Brayden Shearer, a senior at Randolph High School. “She always comes into her substitute job smiling and laughing. I think this is what makes her so special because as her nickname implies, she is always happy and capable of making your day.”

Kathy “Happy” Huetig, Belden, has been a favorite substitute teacher “on and off forever,” but more on than off since 1996, she said.

She used to sub at Laurel and at Coleridge but she decided to stick with subbing only at Randolph.

It became her happy place. “I know the kids. I like the kids,” she said. “They treat me good.”

Hueting said her nickname came from elementary students not being able to pronounce her last name. But high school students said it has more to do with her personality.

“When we see her walk through the door into the school, everyone wants to know who she is subbing for and you hear a resounding cheer from the people who haver her and a disappointing sigh from the people who don’t,” said Isaiah Salmon, a 2023 Randolph High graduate.

Huetig’s background and education is in physical education. She also received certification in athletic training and sports medicine.

She went back to school years later for administration and served as prinicipal at Stromsburg from 1990 to 1996.

She was a professional student. “I’d teach a year or two to save up enough money to go back and then I’d go back to school,” Huetig said.

She found her niche in substitute teaching at the high school level.

“High school kids talk to you and carry on conversations. Little kids don’t have time. They have to zip, zip, zip, go do this and play with their friends,” she said.

Students describe her as fun, optimistic, caring and laid back.

“I feel the conversations with her are never dull and always contain something that will make your day,” Shearer said. “She is able to connect with each student no matter the circumstance.”

In an effort to show Huetig how much she meant to them, a group of high school boys decided to get her a special gift. Shearer, Salmon, Walt Hammond, Gage Jensen, Andy Hausman, Bryson Eledge, and Aiden and Ajay Gubbels purchased sneakers for her at Christmas 2022.

“She always wears the same shoes to work from when we were freshman to when we were seniors so we through it would be a good idea,” Salmon said. “Also, we love shoes as a group so we sneakily asked her what her shoe size was and showed her shoes we were thinking about buying for ourselves and if she liked them.”

Her reaction? Priceless, Shearer said.

“Her reaction . . . almost made many of us boys tear up,” Shearer said. “She was greatly appreciative of the gift and even gave all of us hugs afterwards.”

Randolph’s 2023 graduating class also popped a special question to Huetig, designing a sign that read, “Will you be our class speaker?”

“We didn’t want to put that much pressure on her but at the end of the day we couldn’t envision anyone else being our class speaker,” Salmon said.

Huetig said she was “floored” by the gesture.

“They even brought flowers to seal the deal. I said yes, I would try,” Huetig said.

When Randolph High School calls for a substitute, Happy will keep saying yes as long as she can.

“My certificate ends in two years,” she said. “By that time, I don’t know if I want to renew it again or not. I’m getting up there in age but the kids don’t think so.”

Shearer said it’s evident when you talk to Huetig that she enjoys her job. Talk to students and it’s easy to see why - feelings are mutual.

“I just like being around the kids,” she said. “They keep your mind a thinking so you don’t just turn into a vegetable.”