She has a heart for educating youth

<p>A teacher at Wilson Elementary School since 1971, Ellen Lesher has always had a passion for teaching, and she got her first taste of it at an early age.</p><!-- Nothing to do. The paragraph has already been output --><p>“I started teaching Sunday school as a teenager and loved it,” she said. “I did tons of babysitting. Since I was 12, I have liked being around lots of kids.”</p><p>Born in San Rafael, Lesher grew up in Richmond, El Sobrante and Pinole, where her parents and brother still live. </p><p>“I found my way to Petaluma in 1970 when I entered the teaching credential program at Sonoma State University,” she said.</p><p>Lesher sees herself as a part of “four communities. </p><p>“There's the community of my family and friends; my partner Dennis Rodgers' family; the Wilson School community, where we only have 200 students; and the Dillon Beach community, which is also small and made up of family and friends,” she said.</p><p>Lesher says her greatest challenge is “finding the right balance to stay involved in each of my communities.”</p><p>She describes herself as gregarious, patient, calm and inquisitive, with a love for life. </p><p>The craziest thing she's ever done? “Last summer, I climbed Half Dome in Yosemite in 100-plus degree heat with two friends,” said Lesher. “I was not very prepared and should have brought far less food and a lot more water. </p><p>“My hiking buddies pooped out; one went off ahead and the other one hurt her ankle. So I went ahead up, by myself. At the top, I met three nice younger men from San Francisco, who loaned me a rope (I didn't have one), clipped me on their line and helped me get down.”</p><p>She considers one of her greatest accomplishments to be positively touching the lives of at least 1,000 children in kindergarten through sixth grades for the last 39 years.</p><p>She also takes pride in her school, which, she adds, “is over 150 years old. Last year, we had a historical monument placed and a plaque installed in front of the school.”</p><p>Something people might find surprising about Lesher? </p><p>“I have been having a lot of fun dabbling in real estate and I sold my first house in July, thanks to a lot of help from a lot of people,” said Lesher. “I can see myself retiring from teaching, eventually, and taking on a second career in real estate. The fun comes from trying to match people with a house or property that they love.” </p><p>Lesher said she also has a love for opera. </p><p>“It might surprise people who know that I love the Rolling Stones, too,” she said.</p><p>What one thing would Lesher change about the world if she could? </p><p>“I would do everything in my power to make life easier for young families with children, so both parents didn't have to work so many hours to support their families,” she said. “It sounds old-fashioned, but I guess I am old-fashioned, to wish to see that at least one parent could stay at home with the children and attend their events.”</p><p>(Lynn Schnitzer at argus@arguscourier.com)</p>