Meet Your Neighbor is a weekly feature by Spartan Weekly News staff writer Grace Anne Johnson. If you’d like to be featured, or know someone that would be a great candidate to be featured, please email us at sprtnwkly@aol.com or call 864.574.1360.
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Casey Bolduc is teaching kids about the power of teamwork, hard work, and determination — on and off the field.
A college athlete, Bolduc spent four years playing soccer for Charleston Southern — a time she looks back on as the best of her life. After graduation, she accepted a position at the university, working in Residence Life as an assistant dean. She was able to continue taking classes while working at the school, and earned a second undergrad degree, as well as her master’s.
At the time, she assumed she would end up working in the Charleston school system, as she already had connections in the area from student teaching during her degree.
Life, however, had other plans.
Bolduc grew up in Spartanburg, so when she heard about an opening at Jesse S. Bobo Elementary School, she applied on a whim. “I met my now principal at a career fair, and ended up interviewing for the position,” she says. “When I found out I got the job, I was actually skiing in West Virginia and was on top of a mountain when she called. I was like, I’m so excited, but I’m literally on top of a mountain, I’m going to have to call you back!”
Bolduc shares that she always knew she wanted to come back to Spartanburg — the opportunity just came more quickly than expected. “I love the Upstate. I love the mountains, and I just knew that I always wanted to come back home eventually.”
Now, Bolduc works as the Physical Education teacher at Jesse S. Bobo Elementary — a role she’s held for the past three years. She spends her days in the school gymnasium, upbeat soundtrack playing as she teaches everything from pickleball to four square — and teaches her students about life along the way.
“I love how high energy the job is, and I love getting to design each unit,” she says. “I change things up from year to year, and I love seeing what the kids’ favorites are.” Currently, she shares that her classes are preparing for their upcoming field day later in the spring.
For Bolduc, what matters most is seeing her students translate the skills they learn in PE class to their day to day lives. “I love any unit that involves cooperative learning and teamwork,” she shares. “I love teaching about things like what it looks like to work cooperatively and helping them see how these things translate to things later in life, like when they get a job one day. We talk a lot about real world application.”
Bolduc also shares that, for many of her students, PE class provides them with their first exposure to real outdoor play. “A lot of our kids don’t get any time outside at home because they live in an apartment, or their parents have to work full-time and can’t take them outdoors. They don’t have that opportunity, so this is the first time they’re learning how to play kickball or jump rope.”
Bolduc’s passion for her job is clear — and so is her impact. This February, in her very first year of eligibility, she was named Teacher of the Year.
“I had no clue,” she says. “Anyone can be nominated once you’ve been at a school for three years, and I knew I had been nominated, but it’s all anonymous. I had no thought that I would win. There were so many good teachers up for it, I just thought it was really nice to be nominated.”
“When they announced my name, I turned around and saw my family peeking around the corner there to surprise me. We did a hallway walk, and all the kids were cheering. It was super fun. I was shocked, so surprised by it all. I knew it was a goal of mine to be Teacher of the Year, but I didn’t think it would happen so quick.”
For anyone who knows Bolduc, however, the award comes as no surprise. She’s always going the extra mile to come up with new ways to support her students. In addition to her physical education classes, Bolduc partnered with two other teachers to apply for a school grant. Their goal? To use the money to create a school garden.
Their application was accepted, and thanks to the teachers’ creativity and care, the students of Jesse S. Bobo have had the opportunity to onions, carrots, and potatoes grow in real time.
Day after day, Bolduc is showing up for her students — and making a difference in so many unique ways.
