By Tucker Henderson

Reporter

Each spring, Sourcewell recognizes both educators and school staff who have demonstrated leadership and positively impacted students and colleagues throughout the year. This year’s award goes to New York Mills High School class of 2006 alumnus Josh Hendrickx who was recently named the 2025-26 Educator of Excellence at Freshwater Education District.

Hendrickx’s dream for teaching was cemented into reality when he took a careers class in ninth grade with Mr. Sorenson in NY Mills. He had thought of the career in the past, but it wasn’t until he took that course that he decided that he would pursue it.

“It was something that I’d always thought of doing, it started as ‘well, you get to coach sports,’ but it turned into more than that,” laughed Hendrickx. “My dad pushed me hard to do that because he understood the scheduling with your kids would be the same, summers off, just those little perks and benefits that people talk about.

“He really pushed me to do it, but then I really grew a love for it, it wasn’t just the perks and benefits of teaching,” he continued. “I learned to love it. It was ninth grade in Mr. Sorenson’s careers class, and Mr. Boe would be another big reason why.”

After Hendrickx graduated in 2006, he went on to Minnesota State University Moorhead, where he received his Bachelor’s degree in Education. In 2018, Hendrickx received a Master’s degree in Reading, Comprehension and Educational Leadership from Southwest Minnesota State University. He became a special education para in the Wadena School District for a year and a half before being hired as the 9-10th grade teacher at the Freshwater Alternative Learning Center over a decade ago.

“This is my 12th year at Freshwater. I’ve been the ninth and 10th grade ALC teacher all of those years. I have them all day and I teach all of the general education subjects, so they’re never leaving my classroom,” he chuckled. “So it is a little different than you may see at a typical public high school with a different teacher for every class. I am the guy all day, so they either learn to love me or like me, but it’s definitely a chance where we have to build a relationship or we’re going to struggle every day.”

Through Sourcewell, the staff at Freshwater Education District nominate their peers for the Educator of Excellence award along with consideration from superintendent Eric Weber. As Freshwater’s staff members are spread out in different locations and vocations, much of the team’s work is often unseen by the majority.

“It was quite a surprise, I didn’t really expect it,” said Hendrickx. “Freshwater is a little different, we’re not all working under one building, and so we don’t always get to see the work of everybody else in Freshwater at the time, so with the staff being so small at the ALC, it wasn’t something I truly ever expected to happen. So I was pretty humbled and honored when my name was called at the workshop, I really never expected it.”

Hendrickx will be recognized at an award ceremony at the Northern Pacific Center in Brainerd in May as the 2025-26 Educator of Excellence for Freshwater Education District. From dreaming about coaching with summer benefits while in high school, his entire outlook on teaching has evolved into a passion for his career as an educator.

“My favorite part wouldn’t even necessarily be the academic part,” he said. “It’s the fact that I get to work with a lot of diverse students, not just diversity with ethnicity, but I get students from all social classes.

“A lot of my students are coming to me, missing things, whether it’s a leader, a mentor, a role model, a father figure, lots of those different things they’re missing,” he continued. “So that’s where it’s most important for me and what I enjoy the most, is creating relationships with these students and through that, I can get them to learn almost anything I need them to, because I have a relationship with them built on trust, honesty, and accountability.”

While working within an Alternative Learning Center can have its challenges with bringing students back up to speed in their academics and meeting their educational needs as they come up, there is a special reward from being able to fulfill those needs.

“The biggest challenge would be the academics,” said Hendrickx. “We have to fill a lot of gaps that were left with these students when they get to us. A lot of them are behind in their knowledge base, so we’re filling a lot of gaps with students to catch them up, but also that’s what’s cool about it, I get to meet them where they’re at. It’s not necessarily where ninth grade standards say you need to know this, well if you don’t have the knowledge prior to that, it’s pretty hard to learn that. So that’s the biggest challenge, students come to us with a lot of holes and gaps in their learning, but then on the flip side, that’s what’s the best part, we get to meet them exactly where they’re at and build off of what they have.”

Hendrickx’s career as an educator comes with a long list of supporters, especially those he credits for much of his success at the Freshwater ALC in Wadena. He especially appreciates the support from superintendent Eric Weber, ALC head teacher Heidi Heino and his paraprofessional, Betsy Larson.

“I would just like to give a shout out to the staff that I work with as well,” he said. “A lot of the things that I do here are supported by them, this isn’t a one-man show even though it’s my classroom.

“Heidi plays a big role in my everyday and Eric for allowing me to do the things that we do, without that, I’m not sure I’m qualified for this award, because I’m only allowed to do what I’m allowed to do,” he continued. “Without their support and being told ‘yes, go ahead and do those things,’ I’m not sure I would be where I’m at, even as a professional. They play a huge role. My classroom para, Betsy, too, she’s here every single day, jumping in feet first with all of my crazy ideas and all these things that I want to do. So I want to give a shout out to them because of all the support they give.”