Fund Story

As a teacher and coach Kathy Nova mentored countless students. She taught physical education for thirty-six years at New Prairie High School, retiring in 2012. During her career at New Prairie, Coach Nova coached girls' swimming for thirty years, boys' swimming for twenty years, gymnastics for five years, tennis for three years and track for eleven years. She also developed a middle school swim team that she coached for ten years. She was a track assistant and a volunteer assistant golf coach (when needed) and a volunteer assistant girls' swim coach for thirteen years. Kathy also served as the athletic letter club sponsor. Prior to her time at New Prairie, Coach Nova taught K-12 physical education and health and coached volleyball, basketball, track and cheerleading at South Central for the first two years of her career.

Coach Nova graduated from Washington High School in 1969 where she was the panther mascot for one year and a varsity cheerleader for three years. She received the Outstanding Swimmer Award after her four year career of swimming at WHS. Kathy went on to swim at Indiana State University for four years where she received outstanding swimmer awards while pursuing her teaching degree. She received a bachelors degree from ISU and a masters degree from Indiana University. Coach Nova was inducted into the Washington High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2009.

Coach Nova is a Red Cross volunteer and a Water Safety, Lifeguarding and CPR instructor. She also served as a First Aider at Notre Dame football games. She has been the coordinator for Aspect Foundation, an international exchange student program, for ten years. She also loves to coordinate adventure travel trips and backpacking trips.

Kathy and her husband, Jim, live in La Porte and enjoy traveling, scuba diving, bicycling, kayaking and attending NASCAR races. They established this scholarship in 2022 to benefit New Prairie High School athletic seniors.

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