Keiper has student-taught in special education classes at two schools in central Indiana, including Indianapolis Public Schools No. 91, and at Allisonville Elementary since Jan. 14. The award also recognized her involvement in a CEC student chapter as co-president of the chapter at Butler along with Brittany Wickliff, and also highlighted her advocacy for special needs children beyond the classroom.
On top of that, last year she recruited volunteers from Butler and the community to join her in mentoring students in the Indianapolis U.S. Dream Academy. The academy is an afterschool program for children with an incarcerated parent as well as youth at risk of incarceration, and at her urging, members of Sigma Nu fraternity at Butler became members as well. However, Keiper declined credit, saying she was just the facilitator.
Keiper is a 2009 graduate of Oregon-Davis High School and the daughter of Mike and Debbie Keiper of Walkerton. Keiper thanked her parents for their love, support, and for establishing a foundation for her to dream and reach her goals, and she also recognized the Oregon-Davis School Corporation for providing her with an education to help prepare her to be successful at Butler.
