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NAUVOO, ILL. -- She puts 200 percent of herself into her work.

She is loved by the children as well as their parents.  And she makes learning fun and kids look forward to going to her class every day.

Those are just some of the statements used to nominate April's KHQA Excellent Educator.

Mrs. Rebecca Haas has taught elementary-aged students for 18 years. She teaches kindergarten at Nauvoo-Colusa Elementary School.

KHQA asked Mrs. Haas how she decided to become a teacher.

Haas said, "I love children.  I am married to a farmer and we were walking one day.  My husband asked me what I wanted to do with my life that I've never done, and I said I would love to teach.  I've taught Sunday School in the past and did musical things for that.  I just became very interested in the children, so I went back and got my degree at age 38 and have been teaching ever since."

"We need lots of great teachers, and I think it's a great field to get into," she said.  "It's very rewarding.  I don't do it for the money, I do it to watch the growth and just to love the children.  It's very rewarding.  I like to teach the project approach, where we formulate our own questions and we research to find answers."

Mrs. Haas and her students studied corn and the children were asked to bring in packaging of some type of food that contained a corn product.  The result was a life-sized corn castle complete with flags, windows and door.

She said, "If you respect and love the kids, you will get it right back.  That's the most important thing.  Treat them like you want to be treated, and we all learn together.  It's just a very rewarding experience."