The Henry County Unit of Retired Teachers and Retired School Personnel, a part of the state organization of MRTA (Missouri Retired Teachers Association and Public Retired School Personnel), is pleased to announce Kathi Austin, Clinton, as the candidate for the 2023 Distinguished Retiree Award representing Region 6.
MRTA, organized in 1960, is an association of over 30,000 retired educators whose purpose is to promote the professional, social, and economic welfare of all retired school employees.
MRTA has fourteen regions in Missouri, and Region 6 is comprised of nine counties – Bates, Benton, Cedar, Dallas, Henry, Hickory, Polk, St. Clair and Vernon counties.
Kathi Austin is a proud 1972 graduate of the Clinton School District and was voted “Friendliest” by her senior class. She was a member of the Student Council all three years in high school.
She enjoys working on her class reunions and looks forward to catching up with her classmates every five years.
Kathi was a non-traditional student when she started college and graduated from Central Missouri State University (UCM) with a B.S. in Education in 1992. She received her master’s in education from CMSU in 1998. Then, she taught combined first and second grades at Davis R- 12 for seven years. In 1999 she was hired as a Title I Reading Recovery Specialist at Clinton for 14 years.
She and her husband, Rocky, have been married for fifty years. They have two sons, Jason and Lance, a daughter-in-law, Kristi Plumlee Austin and three grandchildren: Kloi, Kenadie and Molly.
During her years at Henry Elementary, she wrote a total of ten grants offered by the Clinton Educational Foundation and the Truman Lake Community Foundation totaling $7,000. Through the grants, she was able to build her classroom library and resources for the Title I staff members.
As she was nearing her retirement from the Clinton School District, she wanted to develop a “Legacy Project,” something she could leave that represented her pride toward the school district. The project she produced was teacher’s name, grade, and title signs that hung from the hallway ceiling outside each administrator and teacher’s classroom. She raised the necessary $786 from the Booster Club and PTO to design and cover the cost of making the signs. Kathi hung a total of forty-eight signs throughout Henry Elementary in the Spring of 2013. This made it easier for parents and guests to locate classrooms when they were visiting the building.
Following retirement Kathi became involved with seven organizations: Bright Futures, P.E.O., Chapter IU, Udolpha Miller Dorman Chapter of DAR, Clinton Study Club, the Henry County Unit 2 of Missouri Retired Teachers Association (MRTA), the Clinton Alumni Association, and the Henry County Historical Society and Museum. She is also a Jubilee member (50+) of the Clinton United Methodist Church.
Kathi Austin is a shining example of a person with a passion to serve. As a parent, educator, church member, community partner and MRTA member, Kathi’s dedication to serve shines and inspires. Through her service she strives to better the lives of all individuals, enhance the growth and well-being of her community, since retirement, she endeavors to support and protect a viable retirement system for herself and fellow colleagues. We, the Henry County Retired Teachers and Retired School Personnel of Region 6, are proud to offer Kathi’s qualifications and name as an outstanding individual worthy of the Distinguished Retiree Award for Service. She exemplifies the MRTA Motto: “TO SERVE, NOT TO BE SERVED.”
