Kaitlyn holds her $2 donation with principal Brenda Becker, teacher Kris Wilson, and MVDFS President Keith Kramer (2015)

In 2015, Kaitlyn Nolan, a third grader at Maquoketa Valley, found two dollars on the playground. Kaitlyn ran up excitedly to her teacher, Kris Wilson. She asked her teacher if she could keep the money to buy Dippin Dots. Mrs. Wilson asked her to hang on to it, as they were going to talk about cause and effect in the classroom later that day. Nolan said, "We had class after that recess, and she drew the ripple effect." They talked about how everything we do affects something else. After that class, Kaitlyn decided to donate the money to Maquoketa Valley Dollars for Scholars. 

Kaitlyn graduated in 2025. Almost a decade later, it was her turn. At the awards ceremony, Kaitlyn was awarded $3,800 to attend the University of Iowa. "All these lessons that I was taught growing up have finally hit me now that I'm 18 and going to college," said Kaitlyn. "I know what I can do... I'm proud of myself for what I can do." She admits that in the short term, the ice cream would have probably tasted great. "But in the long term, I know what I did was the right thing."

 

Kaitlyn stands with Kris Wilson, retired MV teacher, at the Class of 2025 MVDFS Awards Ceremony. (2025)