Helping people is Lane’s passion

EMT teacher is first Area 31 Teacher of the Year

Torii Hinkle, staff writer

Melissa Lane was drawn to becoming an EMT because she likes helping people.

That same love of people eventually led her to teaching EMT in the Area 31 Career Center.

“I’m a people person,” Lane said. “It runs in my family and we all just enjoy human interaction.”

Lane’s path has led to being named the Area 31 Teacher of the Year for the 2022-23 school year. This is the first year Area 31 has named its own Teacher of the Year. In previous years, Area 31 teachers were included with Ben Davis teachers for Teacher of the Year voting. Last year Lane was a finalist for Ben Davis Teacher of the Year.

“I love my career,” said Lane, who started in Area 31 in 2008. “Being able to teach this class is a great opportunity to watch students grow into a career.”

Lane teachers seniors only. Before becoming a teacher, Lane worked in journalism and dentistry and then became an EMT in 1998.

“This is a two semester course,” Lane said of her EMT class. “The first semester you get a certificate to become a 911 dispatch and after two semesters you are on your path to getting an EMT degree.”

Lane’s student also earn Ivy Tech credits. Her favorite thing about her job is seeing her students go into the EMT field.

“It’s exciting and fun,” Lane said of being voted the Area 31 top teacher by her peers. “I couldn’t believe it at first.”