For Meghan Finley, teaching isn’t just a profession—it’s a homecoming. She grew up in Ottawa, attended its schools, and after time spent away, she made a deliberate choice to return and invest in the next generation. Now, nearly two decades into her teaching career, she’s shaping young minds in the same district that shaped her.

Meghan’s journey through Ottawa’s schools started in kindergarten at Central School, back when it sat near the river. Her family later moved to the south side, where she attended McKinley School, then Shepherd Middle School, before graduating from Ottawa High School. From there, she pursued her degree at Northern Illinois University, always staying close to home—until she didn’t.

Fresh out of college, Meghan struggled to find a full-time teaching position. She took on a role as an aide in Putnam County, but when a fifth-grade job opened at Central School, she jumped at the opportunity. “It was surreal,” she recalls. “I was back where I went to school, teaching kids in the same hallways I had walked as a student.”

She was lucky to be paired with a retiring veteran teacher, who served as a mentor in those early years. “She had so much knowledge,” Meghan says. “She guided me through everything. I couldn’t have asked for a better start.”

But after two years, she felt a pull to step outside her comfort zone. With her sister also becoming a teacher, the two took a leap—moving to Las Vegas together and landing jobs in the same school.

Las Vegas was a drastic change from Ottawa. Teaching in a year-round school with students whose families worked casino shifts opened her eyes to a completely different way of life. “The family dynamics were just so different,” she says. “Parents were working all night, schedules were unpredictable—it made school a unique challenge for many kids.”

She taught fifth grade in Vegas for three years, but the big-city life wasn’t for her. The Midwest kept calling. She found herself visiting home constantly, and in 2011, she made the move back—this time, for good.

She slid right back into Ottawa’s school system, stepping into a third-grade teaching role at Jefferson School, where she’s been ever since. Now in her 19th year of teaching, Meghan still loves what she does—because she knows she’s part of something bigger.

“I get to be part of a team that truly supports each other,” she says. She works closely with fellow third-grade teachers Melissa Allen and Jennifer Manning, bouncing ideas off them daily. “We’re constantly collaborating, making sure we’re on the same page. When we work well together, the kids benefit.”

Third grade is a pivotal year—one that builds essential skills in math, reading, and independence. It’s also a time when students start forming memories that stick with them for life. Meghan knows this because she can still remember her own third-grade teacher, Mrs. Sand, who made learning fun and engaging.

“She let us research topics we cared about,” Meghan recalls. “I remember picking the Beach Boys because my dad was a huge fan. It’s funny how little things like that stay with you.”

Now, she sees her former students out in the world, working jobs, raising families, becoming adults. “It’s surreal when they come up to me at Walgreens or Culver’s and say, ‘Ms. Finley, do you remember me?’” she laughs. “Sometimes they’ve got beards, and I barely recognize them, but they remember me. That’s what matters.”

Her deep ties to Ottawa make her feel lucky to be here. The sense of community, the supportive school culture, and the lifelong friendships she’s made remind her why she came back. “It’s a place where people take care of each other,” she says. “I had a great experience growing up here, and now I get to help kids have that same experience.”

Looking ahead, Meghan is always challenging herself to evolve as an educator. The rapid changes in technology and screen time have pushed her to find new ways to keep students engaged, while still balancing traditional learning approaches. “The world isn’t going back,” she says. “So I have to keep moving forward with it.”

And as she continues shaping young minds, she hopes one day, one of her students will look back—just like she did—and remember a teacher who made a difference.