Due praise for Montana’s distinguished educators

Education is a powerful journey that doesn’t end senior year in high school, or even senior year in college. Sometimes all it takes to set a student down this lifelong path is a spark, a reason to get motivated in the first place, a reason to achieve.

One thing that typically gets overlooked in times of budget strife are the success stories going on under our noses.

As the Helena School District grapples with a potential $1 million shortfall for next year, at the same time the educators’ union is negotiating new contracts, it’s easy to point fingers at where those cuts should be made or where they shouldn’t.

Let’s point the fingers in a different direction, however, and highlight Monday night’s Celebration of Excellence banquet.

Each year for the past seven years, the Helena Education Foundation — such a positive force for enhancing education in our community — has honored almost 50 distinguished students, and the educators who most impacted them, for their meritorious work.

These are the excellent students of today, the bright leaders of the future, and they deserve a heart-felt congratulations, as do the teachers who empowered them.

Full Story: http://helenair.com/articles/2009/05/19/opinions/top/irview_090519.txt

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Comprehensive Approach Key to Building a High-Quality Education Workforce http://matr.net/article-34266.html