BILLINGS — Q2, Education Foundation for Billings Public Schools, Western Security Bank, and City Brew Coffee have teamed up for “One Class at a Time.” It's a program that recognizes teachers who go above and beyond to help their students.
Meet Amber Dimich, a teacher who truly believes that art transcends language.
"If you're making art, you're telling a story or you're expressing your identity," said Mrs. Dimich. "I just think it's really healthy for our students. I think that they probably need a little bit more of it. They probably need a few more years with it. So by the time I'd see them in fourth and fifth, we're doing more conceptual stuff, and they don't have to do as much trusting a process. I get to see more of them, so to speak."
Drawing creativity out of her students can be challenging at times, but it's a challenge she truly enjoys.
"It's met with a little resistance. You gotta have a lot of trust when you're asking students to just trust a process. 'I need you to draw me this, and we're going to turn this into something.' So yeah, there is a little bit of resistance to it, but most of them are eager to share. So it's worth it. It's worth a little bit of that stress."
Mrs. Dimich doesn't just teach at Newman.
"Throughout the week, I'm here at Newman for one day, Orchard for one day. I have a split day between two of my schools in the Heights on Wednesdays. So I go between Sandstone and Eagle Cliffs. And then I spend all day Thursday with Eagle Cliffs, and I spend all day Friday with Sandstone. By the end of the week, I think it's 550 faces that I get to see."
So if she had to choose, what's her favorite part of being a teacher?
"I love talking to our kids, especially when they get excited about a project that they're starting to make. It is so exciting. The conversations that come out, how eager they are to explain something to me. Where it's like, 'Let me tell you about this, Mrs. Dimich. This is a story. This is what happened when I was little.' And then all of a sudden, I'm like, I had no idea that it would elicit such a strong response."
And they are responding, growing, and thriving under her enthusiastic leadership. And because of that, the Education Foundation for Billings Public Schools presented Mrs. Dimich with a $500 grant proudly sponsored by Western Security Bank. City Brew Coffee also presented her with a $150 gift card, along with some other tokens of appreciation. Congratulations.
If you would like to nominate a deserving teacher, click here.
