A familiar face around Valpo is this week's Valpo Life in the Spotlight. She's sweet, smart, a snappy dresser, and one of the most selfless people that I have ever met. Kaye Frataccia, retired teacher and active community member shows us how one person can make a huge impact.
Kay was born and raised in Muncie, Indiana. She attended Ball State where she majored in English and Spanish. She then moved to Monterrey, New Mexico to attend the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education. There, she met Ric Frataccia (who is now her husband). After living in different parts of the US, Kaye and Ric came back to Valpo.
"We were living in Texas. Ric was a curriculum director. We wanted to get closer to family so we put out feelers. Ric was recruited by DOE to be principal at Northview Elementary so we moved to Valpo in 1988. That's when I went back to teaching," Kaye explained. "I always wanted to teach. I had a teacher I knew when I was little. She was an inspiration. It's a noble profession as you prepare kids for the future. I never once regretted it. I loved being a teacher."
So Kaye went to work as a special reading teacher at Thomas Jefferson Elementary. Soon after, Ric suggested that Kaye move to the middle school and be a Spanish teacher.
"He said, 'If you went to the middle school and taught Spanish at Ben Franklin I could save a job.' Jobs were scarce budget was tight at that time, so I said sure," Kaye said.
That's where she stayed until retiring two years ago.
Throughout most of her life, Kaye has always been involved in her community. She has a long list of initiatives that she participates with, including the United Way of Porter County, Tri Kappa, Housing Opportunities, ValPLAYso, she is the former Chairperson of the Board of Directors for the Don Quijote Foundation, she was involved with speech and debate at VHS, and her newest endeavor is with Empower Porter County where she was recently named Program Manager.
"The Around the Table initiative that I just started on will keep me busy. It's a part-time job but it's very important," Kaye said. "I think that there is such a need for this. Drug and alcohol abuse ruins so many lives so if there is something that can be done to change that I want to do it. I am happy to be working with Empower Porter County.
"Every project that I have done I have met some great people. That's one thing that I really like about being involved; So many people that are very inspirational. I like to keep busy. I always have felt that you should not be a taker, but a giver. We have a great community. I love living here I feel like you should give something back in order to keep it that way," she continued.
When Kaye has free time, she loves to spend time with her family, read - she's involved in multiple book clubs - learn new technology, and keep herself fit at the Valpo YMCA.
"I feel good. I feel like life is really good right now. I try not take any of it for granted," Kaye said. "I think you need to enjoy what you have. If you don't have something, set some goals and work to get what you want. And have a positive attitude. I used to have a sign like this on my classroom door that read 'attitude is everything'. You get out of life what you put in it."