Church celebrates teachers

Submitted 

The communications committee of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, High Plains area, hosted a Teacher Award Celebration on Sunday, April 19. Teachers from local high schools were nominated by the youth in the church’s congregations. Nine teachers and their families were invited to have dinner with the students and their families. During the meal, the teachers were honored as the students read tributes they had prepared for their teachers. Dr. Jamon Peariso, principal at Banning Lewis Ranch Preparatory Academy, handed each teacher a certificate and gift card as a thank you for impacting so many youth in our community.    

The Outstanding Teachers who were awarded:

From Falcon High School:

Charity Garner, nominated by students Blake Talbot and Kobe Abe

Samantha Cates, nominated by student Spencer Coleman

Andrew Heydt, nominated by student Brynlee Ipson

Tyler Privia, nominated by student Skyler Loyd

From Peyton High School:

Treyston Whaley, nominated by students Tristan Smith and Parker Gauruder

Bailey Balsick, nominated by students America Falcon and Colin Frank

Angela Miller, nominated by student Sophie Landsem

From Vista Ridge High School: 

Andrew King, nominated by student Myra Case

From Liberty Tree Academy:

Gina Coleman, nominated by student Dallin Wightman

Also in attendance: Robert Farris, Assistant Headmaster at Liberty Tree Academy

The keynote speaker was President Daiko Abe, who leads 10 congregations of the church in the High Plains area, including Limon, Calhan, Falcon and eastern Colorado Springs. His stewardship spans families that together include more than 470 youth, along with many more younger children.

President Abe spoke of Jesus Christ who often ministered to the one individual, such as the man who had waited 38 years at the pool of Bethesda. He likened this to teachers, who encounter countless students over the years yet shape each one personally, leaving a lasting impact on young lives.

He shared one study that followed children for more than 40 years — kids who grew up in every kind of hardship. The study asked a simple question: Why do some of them thrive anyway? The answer that kept coming back was almost stubbornly simple. Children who flourished despite hard beginnings almost always had at least one caring adult outside their home who truly saw them. Just one.

To illustrate, President Abe shared a memory from his own high school. He wanted to learn to pole-vault, but his track coach knew nothing about the sport. Undeterred, the two watched a VHS training video together, rewinding and replaying it until the tape wore out. Daiko practiced again and again, landing on the mat only about half the time. His coach would stand beside the mat ready to catch him, breaking his fall whenever he drifted off course. President Abe said he has never forgotten the love and dedication of a coach whose only wish was for his student to succeed. Daiko went on to compete at state in pole-vaulting.

That, President Abe said, is what great teachers do — day after day, student after student.