2006 Graduate

Kelli Hildreth Petersen is a 2006 graduate of Norwalk High School and was a multi-sport athlete earning eleven letters during her high school career and is one of the most accomplished track and cross country runners in Norwalk history. Kelli was not only a multi-sport athlete but she also participated for four years in show choir and three years in Jazz Choir. She was a three year letter winner in soccer and a member of the 2003 team which finished as state runner-up champions that season. It was in cross country and track that Kelli excelled during her high school career. In cross country she helped lead the first and only team state cross country appearance in 2005. Individually she was a two-time cross country conference champion and finished 2nd and 4th in her other two years. She was a district champion her freshman year and then finished 2nd and 3rd twice the next three years becoming a four-year state meet qualifier. She became the only female cross country runner in Norwalk history to accomplish this feat. In track and field Kelli excelled in three distance events including the 800, 1500, and 3000, qualifying for the state meet in these events seven times. She was both a district champion twice and runner-up five times. She was a conference champion three times and a runner up twice. Following high school Kelli attended Simpson College competing in both cross country and track and field before transferring to UNI to complete her education after her junior season. She currently is a special education teacher in the Des Moines school district and lives in Des Moines with her husband Joe and their son, Samuel.