RaeDeen R. Heupel
"Dakota Gal" was born in Pipestone, Minnesota, in 1963. Her family moved to a ranch south of Bowman, North Dakota, when she was five. She has three brothers and one sister who attended a rural school and they were an active 4-H family. RaeDeen attended Bowman High School where she was a FFA, speech, and math team member as well as an inductee of the National Honor Society. She attended religion classes and graduated in 1982 with 63 classmates. Her class voted her as a student with the"most common sense." RaeDeen ranked seventh in her class while receiving the prestigious
Balfour and Dekalb Awards for leadership excellence.
Rural
School Teacher, Mrs. Downing and RaeDeen
RaeDeen attended North Dakota State University from 1982 to 1987. She was a leader on campus, usually attending a different meeting every evening. She initially enrolled in the computer science program but transferred into agricultural education and extension because she enjoyed working with people. A special honor for RaeDeen was being selected the "Little International Queen" by her peers in the Saddle and Sirloin Club. The FFA Work Experience Abroad Program through a United States Information Agency grant occupied her 1985 summer and fall quarter. She toured Europe with other FFA members from across the United States, participated in a German course, and was a guest of two host families in Austria.
Upon graduating from NDSU, RaeDeen started her "tour" of work assignments. She has served in the hospitality, food, and customer service areas in addition to working as a teacher and an Extension Educator. RaeDeen especially enjoyed working with youth and their families in these positions. Unique and very memorable experiences were serving as a Correctional Educator and an Assistant Professor at a university. As a correctional educator she conducted the Test of Adult Basic Education, provided General Equivalency Diploma instruction, taught basic skills classes, and served as minister of external affairs for the prison library.
RaeDeen's public speaking experience started as a 4-H member. She won't forget a district competition where she gave a demonstration with her dog. One constructive criticism was that she should have said "veterinarian" rather than "vet." During her FFA membership she was in competitive speaking. One year she was in the prepared contest with a speech on the grain embargo. This speaking interest continued and developed when she joined Toastmasters International. She attended meetings on a weekly basis for approximately six years before earning the "Distinguished Toastmaster" award.
Area Table Topic
Awards July 31, 2003
DTM Award 1st Place Area Table Topics 03/04
"Dakota Gal" enjoys speaking, writing, travelling, knitting, music, and meeting people. She can be contacted to present an inspirational speech or facilitate a meeting or conference by writing to her at raedeenh@yahoo.com. She is currently researching and petitioning to become the first female
President of the United States of America as an INDEPENDENT candidate.
RaeDeen -- May 2008