Title: Teacher
Company: Ruskin High School, Hickman Mills C-1 School District
Location: Kansas City, Missouri, United States
Kimberly “Kim” F. Sixta, BA, MS, Teacher at Ruskin High School, Hickman Mills C-1 School District, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Educators for dedication, achievements and leadership in Social Studies Education.
Ms. Sixta has been affiliated with the Hickman Mills C-1 School District for close to 30 years. Since 2010, she has been teaching social studies classes at Ruskin High School within the Hickman Mills C-1 School District in Kansas City, Missouri, where her expertise in the subject and her commitment to fostering academic excellence and civic engagement among her students are widely acknowledged. In this capacity, Ms. Sixta leads department meetings, teaches a variety of classes, and manages a leadership class for juniors and seniors who compete in the tri-county bi-state area. Her responsibilities also include handling numerous scholarship applications, overseeing after-school administration for tutoring and other activities before transitioning into athletics, and serving as the ACT coordinator for the district. Additionally, Ms. Sixta collaborates with Avila University on its Upward Bound program to support first-generation college students.
From 1998 to 2010, Ms. Sixta taught at Hickman Mills High School, her alma mater, before the district merger led to her transfer to Ruskin High School. During this period, she developed her instructional skills and built strong relationships with students, parents and colleagues alike. For more than a decade, Ms. Sixta focused on developing her skills in executing lesson plans in accordance with the curriculum, providing individualized instruction and fostering an environment that enhanced learning.
Ms. Sixta’s passion for education was shaped by her earlier experiences in probation and parole during the mid- to late 1990s. Through that work, she recognized the importance of proactively reaching young people at pivotal moments in their lives to help them change direction. This realization inspired Ms. Sixta’s transition into alternative education and ultimately led her to pursue a career in teaching.
Holding an academic background that has played a significant role in shaping her career trajectory and successes, Ms. Sixta earned a Bachelor of Arts in sociology with an emphasis in history and minors in anthropology, theology and secondary education, cum laude, from Avila University in Kansas City. Furthering her expertise, she completed a Master of Science in education on campus. Ms. Sixta also pursued doctoral cousework toward an EdD in educational leadership (ABD). These academic achievements have provided a robust foundation for her teaching practice and informed her approach to curriculum development and student mentorship. In addition to her formal education, Ms. Sixta holds several professional credentials, including special education certification and administration certification from the State of Missouri, and holds a real estate license in Missouri with Keller Williams.
A member of the National Education Association, Ms. Sixta maintains active involvement in professional circles that support educators’ growth and advocacy efforts. She has also been involved with various committees, such as the AVID committee, and has served as a professional development representative and social studies department chair at Ruskin High School. Ms. Sixta has further supported the school as the ACT national test and site coordinator, senior class sponsor, StuCo sponsor, National Honor Society chair and liasion for YouthLead KC, among other endeavors. Beyond the classroom, Ms. Sixta is engaged with several civic organizations reflecting her commitment to service, currently supporting Catholic Charities, Scouting America, and the Pet Resource Center of Kansas City.
As a leader in her field, Ms. Sixta has contributed to educational literature as an author of published articles for the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in 2026, and most recently in FORBES. Her contributions have been widely recognized through numerous honors and awards over the course of her career. Among these are inclusion in Who’s Who Among America’s High School Teachers every year between 1998 and 2001, Hickman Mills District Teacher of the Year in both 2014 and 2025, and being named Missouri Teacher of the Year in 2026, among several other accolades.
The importance of relationships and connections within the classroom has been central to Ms. Sixta’s philosophy as an educator. She attributes much of her success to working alongside dedicated colleagues over nearly three decades, many of whom have become close friends outside of school, as well as having a strong support network that shares her passion for education. For Ms. Sixta, teaching is more than a profession; it is a calling that continually motivates her to overcome challenges and inspire others.
Throughout her tenure in education, Ms. Sixta has garnered profound satisfaction in seeing former students return as adults and express interest in community service opportunities. She takes immense pride when alums visit during college breaks or inquire about ways to give back through service projects. These moments affirm Ms. Sixta’s belief that service is foundational to teaching and central to her leadership classes. Instilling values such as compassion, empathy and civic responsibility remains one of her proudest achievements.
Looking ahead, Ms. Sixta intends to continue teaching at Ruskin High School while maintaining collaboration with Avila University on programs supporting first-generation college students. She is also actively engaged with LINC and the Division of Family Services at an online virtual school where she assists students unable to attend traditional classes or those involved with the juvenile system, helping some work toward earning their high school equivalency diploma. While future paths remain open-ended, Ms. Sixta is certain that whatever direction she pursues will remain rooted in serving young people within education.
For more information, please visit:
Missouri National Education Association Teacher of the Year Announcement
Teacher of the Year Announcement
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