MISSOULA — Each month KPAX and sponsor Noller Automotive Supercenter are proud to recognize a nominated teacher who goes the extra mile with a $500 One Class at a Time grant.
Haley Velazquez is a teacher who works with the littlest learners at Hawthorne Elementary School in Missoula. She says she was ecstatic upon learning that she had been named the December winner and would be receiving a $500 grant.
"I think it was one of those things where you hear you're being nominated for something, but you don't actually think that you're going to be chosen, and so, I was blown away,” Velazquez said.
“It's definitely an incredible opportunity for me to not only highlight this brand new program that we have, but also my students and all the awesome learning that we're doing in the class, so we're very grateful,” she continued.
Velazquez teaches 17 students, and most of them are four years old. The goal is to build reading skills by teaching social and emotional skills and also learning focus letters.
One of those being is the letter "a" and student Declan McFarren showed his mastery through a song, “A' says, 'ah, ah, ah, ah;' I know the letter 'A', 'A' says ah.”
Velazquez says teaching the younger students is rewarding.
"This is their very first experience being in a public school, so I get to be a part of that self-discovery of who they are, who they are as a friend, who they are as a student, and it's just a special thing to watch."
Velazquez plans to use the $500 grant to fund a brand-new light curriculum next month which includes the purchase of a light table so her students can explore different colors involving light. She also plans to purchase more developmentally appropriate books involving science and stem activities. The money will also fund equipment that helps with sensory and fine motor skills.
Hawthorne Elementary School Paraeducator Lisa Guenther nominated Velazquez for the One Class at a Time award.
"Haley is just awesome. As a new teacher, she has so much energy and compassion, so I felt she really deserved to be recognized for her effort and working with the littles,” Guenther said.
"I think all teachers can probably relate that you never feel like you're doing enough, and so it feels really good to be recognized,” Velazquez told MTN.
