Nicole Brown

In the fast-paced world of high school electives, where subjects like math and science often take center stage, Nicole Brown, the Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) teacher at Newton High School, brings something invaluable to the table—quite literally. As a first-generation college graduate, Nicole understands the importance of practical skills, and she’s dedicated to passing that knowledge on to her students.

A Quad Cities native, Nicole found her way to Newton after earning her degree from Eastern Illinois University and teaching at Christman High School. But her journey started much earlier in high school, where she was actively involved in the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) organization. FCCLA, formerly known as Future Homemakers of America, was pivotal in inspiring Nicole to pursue a career in family and consumer sciences. “I was a state officer in FCCLA, and that experience made me fall in love with the idea of teaching students these crucial life skills,” she recalls.

Nicole now teaches Foods 1 and 2, as well as Child Development, Parenting, Adult Living, and Resource Management at Newton High. While the titles of these classes might sound traditional, Nicole’s approach is anything but. “I always tell my students that when you take this class, you’re one step ahead of everyone else who goes into a fast-food job or restaurant. You know food safety and sanitation. You’re already equipped with the tools to succeed,” she explains.

Nicole’s classes aren’t just about cooking or budgeting—they’re about preparing her students for the real world. In her Foods classes, students learn basic culinary skills that will serve them well whether they become professional chefs or simply need to cook for themselves. Nicole understands that food is a universal necessity, and she wants her students to leave her class feeling confident about how to provide for themselves.

“Everybody’s going to have to cook one day. It’s just a matter of time,” she jokes, adding that even the restaurant business can surprise people with its complexities. Many of her students get their first jobs in fast food or other restaurant settings, and she delights in knowing they’ll be better prepared than most applicants because of the knowledge they gained in her classes.

Her impact on students doesn’t stop at culinary skills. In her Adult Living and Resource Management courses, Nicole is helping students prepare for life’s most significant milestones—choosing a college, managing finances, and even buying a home. “We just finished a college research project where students had to investigate admissions requirements, financial aid, and even what clubs they could join at their chosen schools,” she says. By turning these daunting life steps into manageable assignments, Nicole hopes to reduce the overwhelming feeling that often accompanies the transition from high school to college or career life.

Nicole’s commitment to her students doesn’t end when they leave her classroom. In fact, she’s had students come back to thank her for the life-changing lessons she taught them. “I had a former student who told me, ‘Thanks to your finance class, I was able to buy my first house,’” she recalls with a proud smile. Moments like these remind Nicole why she chose to teach FCS in the first place.

But her classes are not just about survival; they are about thriving. In her resource management course, Nicole emphasizes the importance of managing credit, saving for the future, and avoiding debt traps. These are lessons that, once learned, have a long-lasting impact on her students’ lives. “We talk about budgeting, saving, and even how to deal with identity theft,” Nicole says. These are real-world issues that many students don’t realize they’ll face until it’s too late, but Nicole makes sure they leave her class prepared for whatever life throws at them.

As the only college graduate among her three siblings, Nicole knows firsthand the challenges her students face. Her siblings took different paths—one into the Navy, another into construction, and a third into trade school. This diversity of experiences has shaped her teaching philosophy. “I tell my students, ‘It doesn’t matter what you want to do, you can do it.’ I’m living proof that there are many paths to success, and I want them to feel the same confidence I did.”

Nicole’s love for teaching shines through in every conversation, and it’s clear that her students aren’t just learning how to bake a cake or balance a budget—they’re learning how to build a life. “Family and Consumer Sciences touches everything in our lives,” she says. And with a passionate educator like Nicole Brown at the helm, her students are leaving high school equipped with more than just knowledge—they’re leaving with the confidence to succeed in life.

With Nicole’s unwavering commitment to teaching essential life skills, Newton High School’s FCS program is setting students on a path toward independence, success, and fulfillment. And, as Nicole would say with a smile, “You can’t go wrong with a recipe that includes a little bit of everything.”