Kastor truly cares about the kids

HURON — When Dustin Kastor teaches, he talks with — and not talks to — his students. There is a difference, as the 24-year educator explains. "In class, we laugh, we tell stories, and we engage with one another," said Kastor, who today teaches sixth-grade math and science at Woodlands Intermediate in Huron. "I really do enjoy them, especially at this age. It's great. It makes for interesting conversations." While Kastor helps children learn about subjects in his courses, the most important lessons, however, have nothing to do with math or science. They focus on life. "To be successful in life, they need to know how to treat others, with respect, and how to interact with others," said Kastor, who recently started a gentleman's club for sixth-graders, which further hammers home these principles. "At this age, they are starting to become young adults, and sometimes they don't understand how to interact with one another. I try to help them learn that through our engagements in class." During the past two years, amid a pandemic, Kastor gained a newfound appreciation for teaching simply because he couldn't do it at times. "I had a lot of health issues. I ended up in the ER. I had problems with the virus," Kastor said. "It's been rough for me, but I can't even imagine what these kids are going through. We talk about that, too, in class. I try to do everything I can to make kids feel safe and feel better when they're with me." When Kastor's students depart from him for high school and beyond, maturing into adults, he hopes they fondly remember their time together. "When they leave me, I really hope their takeaway of me is that they know I care," said Kastor, who's married to his wife, Kim. They have two children: Aiden and Wilson. "Kids need to hear that: That someone cares about them," Kastor said. Speaking up Several of Kastor's students spoke highly of their teacher. This would include: • Adelyn Van Sickle: He's really funny, and he finds a way to make us laugh if we are struggling. He always helps us, and he always does these fun activities with us. • Julia Farrell: He's really funny and nice. He is one of my favorite teachers. He always makes stuff fun and never makes it boring or scary. • Hudson Forbes: He has a good sense of humor, and it's really good for a teacher. He's a good teacher. He finds a way to make what we learn fun but also finds a way to get you to know it. And it's not a boring class. I look forward to it. • Sophia Rapp: He keeps class interesting and also makes me stay awake. It keeps me up, and I pay attention to the lessons. He also makes me want to learn a lot.