Espinoza star of Montana

ARLEE — Carmen Espinoza is a remarkable teacher. Her students ‘say so, her coworkers say so, and now the U.S. Dept. of Education says so.
The American Star Award is a special honor given each year by the Department to just one outstanding teacher in each state.
This year, Montana’s award was granted to Espinoza, a 6th grade teacher at Arlee Elementary School.
“She really cares about kids,” said Principal Lisa Miller.
“She deeply cares, and has a passion for teaching,” Miller said.
Espinoza has been teaching in Arlee for 12 years.
It’s something she’s always wanted to do, noted her daughter Nikki Espinoza. Nikki said her mom had to defer her dream, though, in order to raise her family.
“She always wanted to teach, but she had me.”
When Nikki was in fourth or fifth grade, her mom went back to college to get her teaching certificate.
“She graduated with honors,” Nikki said proudly.
Nikki is now a teacher herself, but she’s most proud of her mom. “She doesn’t sit in the teacher’s lounge,” she said of the elder Espinoza. Instead, she is engaged with the children and their learning.
Espinoza was granted the American Star at a surprise ceremony Sept. 27 in the Arlee school gym. At least it was a surprise to her.
During an otherwise normal day, the 6th graders were shuffled into the gym for a “bus safety” assembly that quickly transformed into a celebration for their favorite teacher. A large banner unfurled, and friends and family members from around the state crowded the teary teacher.
Carolyn Snowbarger, Director of the US Dept. of Education’s Teacher to Teacher Initiative was on hand to present the award.
The American Star Award is given to honor “exemplary classroom teachers who are successful in using innovative teaching strategies and raising student academic achievement for all of their students,” according to the department. Teachers are nominated by their peers, and one award is given in each state.
Snowbarger said there were 4,000 teachers nominated this year. Selection is by a panel of 20 former classroom teachers. They review each application, talk to the nominator, and to each candidate’s principal before voting.
“These are representative of the everyday, hardworking teachers of America,” she said of the nominees.
But something about Espinoza is special, and she rose to the top of the list. And, Snowbarger said, seeing the response of a community like Arlee lets her know her group made the right choice.
Former Arlee teacher Tamara McDermott nominated Espinoza two years ago. She’d heard of the award and wondered who she would choose, if she could. McDermott considered two things: “If I could pick someone,” she said, “who would it be who was really good with the kids, and really helpful to me as a new teacher?”
The answer was obvious. “Carmen has a passion for living and a passion for teaching,” McDermott said. And, after Espinoza battled colon cancer four years ago, “she’s really inspired me to live each day to the fullest.”
That face-off with death led to a focus, McDermott said.
“She didn’t want the kids wasting time in class” because that wastes precious time in your life.
“It’s a very difficult vocation,” said Principal Miller. “It takes a lot of hard work.” Miller said Espinoza does that work, and does it well.
“The secret behind great teaching is bringing the parents in” to the process, she said. And Espinoza does that. “She’s very thorough and organized, has great rapport with the parents and great communication with the kids.”
Plus, she is unstoppable. And she mummifies chickens. And makes a wax museum.
Those activities were novel ways of getting the students to engage in social studies, said McDermott. For the wax museum, students researched characters, then acted them out, “Complete with a red velvet rope,” McDermott said.
And the chickens? Well, the class was studying ancient Egypt and its mummification methods. “We didn’t want to do a person so I thought we’d do chickens instead,” Espinoza said. So the class packed chickens in salt. Then unpacked. Repacked, and eventually covered them in cloth strips and lacquer. “Did it work?” one curious man asked. Yes, said Espinoza. So well in fact, that she still has a couple in her closet.
These novel approaches were examples of what led to Espinoza’s being honored. That and her indominatable spirit.
This year, her cancer returned. But she kept on.
“When her cancer came back, she was more worried about her classroom than herself,” said McDermott. “She was always coming early and staying late.” After taking most of last year off, and spending the summer undergoing chemotherapy treatments, “she’s determined to come back as the greatest teacher ever,” Miller added. So McDermott nominated her again.
“It’s not just teaching to her- it’s her life, it’s her vocation,” Miller said.
That was well evident during the awards ceremony. While flocked with well-wishers and questioned by the media, Espinoza looked up and asked, “Where are my children?”
Her concern was foremost for her class. Assured they were fine (sitting in the stands holding the flowers given their teacher), she let herself go on.
The children she teaches appreciate her care. “That’s all she cares about,” said her pupil Donovan Lodge, “the students and the school. She deserves this award a lot.”
Other students agreed. Amber Steele remarked Espinoza is “always on the upside of things.”
“It’s awesome,” added Isaiah LaMere.
“I thought she always deserved more than she got,” said Espinoza’s mom, Lucille Sullivan. Sullivan drove in form Wolf Point for the ceremony. She had seen her daughter just a couple weeks before, she said, “but she was so sick. I just thank God,” she said.