Each day this quarter, Mrs. Dollinger’s students have walked into class excited to see which new pair of shoes she will be wearing. The past three years, Dollinger has been wearing a different pair of shoes to school each day for the entire first quarter of. This fun ritual allows her to showcase her extensive shoe collection.

“So I have made it this year and the last two years, the first nine weeks I won’t repeat shoes,” Dollinger said. “Now I only have three more days so I just have to remember which shoes I have worn and which I haven’t.”

Dollinger’s passion for collecting shoes stemmed from a young age as she has been the same shoe size since she was 12 years old. Shoes have become a form of self-expression for her. Dollinger believes shoes are a constant in her life no matter what changes she experiences.

“I like the ability to match my outfits, not wear the same shoes all the time, and being able to be different,” said Dollinger. “I figured at any point in my life I [will] wear the same size. So it doesn’t matter what phase of life I’m in, I can always have shoes to wear.”

Even though she admits she sometimes falls victim to popular trends, Dollonger typically looks for exclusive pieces. She watches the drops that come early, looks for deals online, and even visits shoe stores when traveling.

“Most of them are tennis shoes, so it’s not necessarily like all Nike or all Adidas,” Dollinger said.  “It’s just tennis shoes in general just because those are the most comfortable. And the ones that stand out to me are the ones that are different and unique. I have some plain ones, but I like the ones that nobody else has or that are a little bit different than what everyone else has.”

Dollinger’s shoe collection never goes unnoticed on campus. Known for being a dedicated sneakerhead, she’s notorious for her ever-growing collection. Colleagues and friends alike eagerly anticipate the debut of her latest pair.

“Dolly is a bit obsessed with shoe buying,” AP Biology teacher Mrs. Markovich said. “And [she] probably has enough shoes to go an entire quarter without repeating as long as her daughter doesn’t steal some.”

Dollinger, who teaches anatomy, sometimes even ties her shoes into her lessons. For example, she often wears one of the two pairs of glow-in-the-dark Nike Air Forces with skeleton feet on them to class during the skeleton unit.

“Every day I loved walking into class and seeing a new pair of shoes,” senior Emersyn Runions said. “They were always so cool. She had these really cool Nike ones and one shoe was one color and one shoe was another color and they were great.”

The students have taken a liking to Dollinger’s collection, often striking up conversations with her about them. She enjoys being able to share her hobby with her students. Some students have even gone as far as helping her add to her collection.

“The kids notice it, which is kind of cool,” Dollinger said. “In high school you don’t get a whole lot of recognition but they notice it. A couple of years ago my students collected money and bought me a pair of shoes as a Christmas present. That is probably one of my most special pairs because it was from them. They contacted my daughter to find out what size I wear, and what kind of shoes I liked, and they picked it out. They were so excited to give them to me and then so excited to see me wear the shoes and now it’s just one of those special things that I have.”

This story was originally published on The Red Ledger on October 23, 2024.