Helena has some great educators and six of them were recently recognized by the Helena Education Foundation.

HEF surprised Katie Meyer at Helena Middle School; Lisa Parker at Helena High School; Mike Agostinelli at Smith Elementary; Kari Wald at Bryant Elementary; Paul Phillips at Capital High School; and Deb Jacobsen at Hawthorne Elementary with the Let's Talk About Great Teachers awards.

HEF Executive Director Lisa Cordingley said the educators are selected by the foundation through feedback from families, community members and administrators.

"Teachers are chosen by HEF for their support of the goals of the foundation and commitment to the mission," Cordingley said. "Some get there by their actions engaging in our programs, others get there because they do all these things without us and we want to celebrate the outcomes."

A humble Parker, HHS business teacher, said she just does her job and was very surprised to receive the award on Friday.

"I think of all the good things I've done, and it's because of the great kids I've had," she said.

The awards are the idea of Helena orthodotist Tim Ballweber, who sponsors it by buying two tickets for each educator to HEF's Great Conversations event.

"We do Great Conversations to promote great education," Ballweber said. "There wasn't a real connection to HEF's goals. So my proposal to Lisa was to recognize some teachers that might have fallen through the cracks over the years."

Mom Tiffany Brown nominated Wald for her award.

"Our son had some issues a couple years back and Ms. Wald recognized the signs," Brown said. "If it wasn't for her there's no telling where our son would be right now. She would never look down on my son when he would make mistakes or get into trouble. She really goes above and beyond for any child. I know she went the extra mile for my son, just as she would for any child."

After 29 years of teaching at Central Elementary, Meyer recently moved to HMS to teach an English and math recovery course. She said she was shocked when HEF representatives walked through into her classroom.

"As a teacher you just do what you know is best for students and you just want them to have success," Meyer said. "You don't think about yourself."

Ballweber said the whole point of awards stems from his own childhood in Hamilton.

"I had no intention of going to college," he said. "One teacher made a difference. He was my wrestling coach and he helped me get a scholarship to attend school in Dillon. Everything I have and am is based on education and one teacher took the time to make a difference - and it changed my whole life."

Parker had a similar experience.

"In high school I loved my business teacher and I wanted to become a teacher just like she was," she said.

Parker said students are her inspiration because they make the job so fun and easy.

"I love getting up and going to school every day," she said.

Reporter Alana Listoe:

447-4081 or alana.listoe

@helenair.com