Aiming for independent thinkers

Ben Wiehn, the new social studies teacher at Iola High School, is nothing if not an adherent of the middle states. Born and raised in northeast Nebraska, Wiehn attended college in Huron, South Dakota (“Huron: Home to the World’s Largest Pheasant”), before eventually sliding back down the longitudinal grain chute and landing in Yates Center, Kansas.

After five years as the middle school history teacher and high school football coach at Yates Center, Thursday marked the 40-year-old’s first full day at IHS. A devoted student of history and politics, Wiehn is also keen not to let his coach’s whistle go mute. To that end, this former wide receiver for the Huron University Screaming Eagles has signed on as the Mustang’s newest assistant football coach.

WIEHN, a smart, enthusiastic teacher, with the sort of easy, unaffected confidence that comes from being good at sports in high school, will be teaching sophomore World History as well as a class called “Hands-on History,” whose mission, at least in part, will be to work in close collaboration with the Allen County Historical Society in an effort to help organize museum displays and various other local projects.

Already a subscriber? Log in

Username or Email Address

Password

Remember Me

View subscription options