Sturgis, MI—Sturgis Middle School teacher Jodie Scheid has been selected to receive the 2025 John E. Oster Award for Excellence in Teaching. Scheid’s nomination was submitted by her peers and then reviewed by an independent award committee made up of community members and Sturgis Public Schools leadership. She will be the 44th recipient of the award, which she will accept during the Sturgis Area Community Foundation’s Annual Meeting at the Sturges-Young Center for the Arts.
About the Award
The Oster Award is presented annually to a teacher in the Sturgis Public School District who exemplifies exceptional teaching standards, professional dedication, and extraordinary service to the Sturgis community. The award honors the legacy of the late John E. Oster, a Sturgis attorney who placed a high value on education.
About Jodie Scheid
For nearly three decades, Jodie Scheid has been a cornerstone of Sturgis Middle School, teaching eighth-grade history for 29 years. Growing up in Genesee, Michigan, she was first inspired by her father, a longtime teacher, and discovered her own passion for history while in college. Jodie earned her teaching degree and athletic training certification at Grand Valley State University, later completing a mater’s degree in Athletic Administration from Western Michigan University.
Scheid is widely admired for her creativity and ability to make history come alive. Among her most memorable lessons is the Oregon Trail simulation, a week-long collaboration across the eighth-grade team that immerses students in the lives of pioneers. For her, history is never dull—it’s human drama. As she puts it, “History is not boring, it’s people’s lives. It’s a drama and story of the lives people have lived.” That perspective inspires lessons that spark curiosity and ensures students leave her classroom eager to learn more.
Beyond the teaching, Scheid’s leadership extends throughout the school. She serves as Social Studies Department Chair, mentor to new teachers, Sturgis Education Association Co-President, and chair of the Positive Behavior Support Committee, where she finds creative ways to celebrate student success. She has also given back as an athletic trainer at football games, coach for volleyball, basketball, and softball, and CPR and First Aid instructor.
With her own children now grown, Scheid considers her students and athletes part of her extended family.
“My own children are grown, and I’m an empty nester now. Spending time with my students and athletes… I don’t think they realize how much they do for me, instead of them.”
Reflecting on her career, Scheid shares up her personal philosophy: “The grass isn’t greener on the other side of the fence. It’s better when you make it better.”
