Longtime educator, former state legislator, and passionate outdoors advocate Jan Nicolay died last Saturday, May 18. Nicolay, 82, died after a lengthy battle with cancer. Her death marks the loss of a significant voice for the conservation of South Dakota’s natural resources.
In the days since Nicolay passed away, tributes have mentioned that she was the first female principal in the Sioux Falls School District, taking over the helm of Washington High School in 1987. More impressive is how colleagues remember Nicolay as a “champion for kids,” noting how she helped start programs aimed at helping those youth facing significant challenges.
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