Dennis Scheele is probably a name you’re familiar with if you go to Noblesville High School. As an art teacher and coach for girls track and field and girls cross country, Scheele typically has his day filled with Miller activities.
34 years ago, Scheele started his career at NHS as what he called “a teacher and a half.” At the time, the school didn’t employ many art teachers, so he was stretched thin teaching a majority of the electives by himself. Now, the school has seven art teachers, so Scheele can focus on the classes he is more passionate about.
“Since the beginning, I’ve taught a little bit of everything: drawing, painting, ceramics, printmaking,” Scheele said. “Right now I’m teaching foundation classes and two advanced digital design classes.”
Teaching art is what has been keeping Scheele’s hands full since he first started teaching in 1977, but it wasn’t his initial plan. In high school, Scheele focused on architecture and says he really enjoyed it. But when the time for college came, he had to choose what was best for his future in athletics.
“I went to school on an athletic scholarship to run, and the school that I chose did not have architecture, so art was just kind of the next best thing,” Scheele said. “I didn’t choose art until a year and a half later though. I followed my roommate to a few classes just to see what was going on, then one thing lead to another.”
In Scheele’s opinion, the way he found his love for art was just a stroke of good luck. That same roommate who had shown him the art classes he enjoyed so much also helped him think of ways to use his new art degree.
“[My roommate] went into education too, so I had a little help with those decisions just because, out of good fortune, my roommate happened to be in art education,” Scheele said. “Here I am 42 years later, and it has been fantastic.”
Scheele is the kind of person who obviously loves his job. Even though the he found his career through chance, Scheele still comes in excited to work every day.
“I’ve been blessed, because not everyone knows when they first get into their career if they’re going to like it or not, but I teach art every day. You go to math class, and science, and I go to art class,” Scheele said. “It kind of makes you smile, doesn’t it?”
Not only is Scheele zealous about teaching, he’s also involved in Miller sports as a coach. Scheele is enthusiastic about teaching art because it’s fun and what he loves, but coaching is what keeps him moving and feeling rejuvenated.
“[Coaching] makes me feel young, you know? I’m 63 and I’ve been doing girls cross country since I came here in ‘84,” Scheele said. “My passion was running, and fortunately I got into [coaching] that within a few years.”
Junior Brynn Eaton has run for Scheele for three years and appreciates his enthusiasm for the team. One of her favorite moments with her coach was when the team won fifth place at state in 2016.
“Wow, I don’t know if I’ve ever seen anyone so excited,” Eaton said. “We were all crying and screaming and he jumped up and was screaming right along with the rest of the team.”
According to Eaton, Scheele knows how to handle both wins and losses well.
“Scheele is just as excited and proud as the rest of the team when we perform well,” Eaton said. “However, when we don’t succeed, he knows what we need to do to improve and help us keep our heads up so we stay positive for the next race.”
Before Scheele started teaching at NHS, he taught at Central Pike in Petersburg for seven years where he was the boys cross country coach. Now that he has coached both squads, he has noted some differences from the teams and coaching them.
“The girls cross country team has been very enjoyable. There’s a whole different attitude coaching the ladies versus the guys,” Scheele said. “They keep me feeling young, and of course I’m passionate about my running.”
Scheele’s excitement plays a major part in the team’s morale, but his runners say his knowledge and coaching skills are what keep the team disciplined.
“Coach Scheele is very knowledgeable about the sport and knows how to push us to be the best runners we can be,” Eaton said.
As a young runner, Scheele was involved in lots of team bonding activities that he said he loved. All of those great experiences and opportunities his coaches provided him with inspired him to one day do the same for others.
“I’m all about giving back. I was very fortunate in high school and college to have coaches that we traveled and did things [with],” Scheele said. “I always thought that if I was in that kind of position, I’d want to bring opportunities to young people.”
Now that Scheele is in a position to give back to young athletes like his former coaches did, he does just that.
“I always ask my teams to some day give back, because I worked really hard at providing them opportunities like camping and overnight trips,” Scheele said. “It’s just my philosophy to have fun.”
Advertisements like the ones Scheele passed on the highway are the kinds of things he says art students should pay attention to. According to Scheele, there is a stigma around art where people don’t think it’s useful as a career path because they think it’s just painting and drawing — but graphic design and advertising are growing industries and an art degree is useful for them. Scheele advises students who want to go into art to remember these job options.
“Now pretty much every company has their own art department to design pamphlets and brochures and things they need,” Scheele said. “So there’s as many jobs available for artists as there are for any other career.”
Scheele’s classes and teams keep him busy from 7am to 5pm every day, and he says he loves it. He claims to be in his own little world since he hasn’t been home before 6 o’clock in 50 years, but he also wouldn’t want to spend his time any other way.
“Most people are like ‘he’s still kicking? He’s still around?’ You know at this point, I have kids whose parents were on my team — and I’m on my way to grandkids,” Scheele said. “I’m just content to be in my own little world.”
As a former art student, and now art teacher, Scheele has learned a lot about making decisions for his career. His advice for any students trying to figure out the next step in their learning career is to stay true to their passion.
“Be passionate with what you want to do. I know it’s a cliche and everyone says it, but it’s really important,” Scheele said. “You have to make your own way. When an opportunity comes around you gotta grab it.”
Scheele has made lots of memories and impressions in the years he has been at Noblesville, but he does plan on retiring when he turns 65.
“Every day of my life is so exciting so when I retire, I don’t know what it’s going to be like for me,” Scheele said. “Anybody who’s in line for my job is going to have a good time.”
we don’t succeed, he knows what we need to do to improve and help us keep our heads up so we stay positive for the next race.”
Before Scheele started teaching at NHS, he taught at Central Pike in Petersburg for seven years where he was the boys cross country coach. Now that he has coached both squads, he has noted some differences from the teams and coaching them.
“The girls cross country team has been very enjoyable. There’s a whole different attitude coaching the ladies versus the guys,” Scheele said. “They keep me feeling young, and of course I’m passionate about my running.”
Scheele’s excitement plays a major part in the team’s morale, but his runners say his knowledge and coaching skills are what keep the team disciplined.
“Coach Scheele is very knowledgeable
about the sport and knows how to push us to be the best runners we can be,” Eaton said.
As a young runner, Scheele was involved in lots of team bonding activities that he said he loved. All of those great experiences and opportunities his coaches provided him with inspired him to one day do the same for others.
“I’m all about giving back. I was very fortunate in high school and college to have coaches that we traveled and did things [with],” Scheele said. “I always thought that if I was in that kind of position, I’d want to bring opportunities to young people.”
Now that Scheele is in a position to give back to young athletes like his former coaches did, he does just that.
“I always ask my teams to some day give back, because I worked really hard at providing them opportunities like camping and overnight trips,” Scheele said. “It’s just my philosophy to have fun.”
Advertisements like the ones Scheele passed on the highway are the kinds of things he says art students should pay attention to. According to Scheele, there is a stigma around art where people don’t think it’s useful as a career path because they think it’s just painting and drawing — but graphic design and advertising are growing industries and an art degree is useful for them. Scheele advises students who want to go into art to remember these job options.
“Now pretty much every company has their own art department to design pamphlets and brochures and things they need,” Scheele said. “So there’s as many jobs available for artists as there are for any other career.”
Scheele’s classes and teams keep him busy from 7am to 5pm every day, and he says he loves it. He claims to be in his own little world since he hasn’t been home before o’clock in 50 years, but he also wouldn’t want to spend his time any other way.
“Most people are like ‘he’s still kicking? He’s still around?’ You know at this point, I have kids whose parents were on my team — and I’m on my way to grandkids,” Scheele said. “I’m just content to be in my own little world.”
As a former art student, and now art teacher, Scheele has learned a lot about making decisions for his career. His advice for any students trying to figure out the next step in their learning career is to stay true to their passion.
“Be passionate with what you want to do. I know it’s a cliche and everyone says it, but it’s really important,” Scheele said. “You have to make your own way. When an opportunity comes around you gotta grab it.”
Scheele has made lots of memories and impressions in the years he has been at Noblesville, but he does plan on retiring when he turns 65.
“Every day of my life is so exciting so when I retire, I don’t know what it’s going to be like for me,” Scheele said. “Anybody who’s in line for my job is going to have a good time.”

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