Tana Everett, AHS special ed teacher, named Montana Council for Exceptional Children's Teacher of the Year

You may be familiar with the expression “a teacher can make or break a child” and no one understands this better that Anaconda Junior/Senior High School special education instructor Tana Everett, who just this past week was presented with the prestigious Montana Council for Exceptional Children (MCEC) Teacher of the Year Award.

“This award honors a MCEC member who currently provides direct services to students with exceptionalities and whose work exemplifies the best in special education teaching. Professional Awards give us a unique opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments of our colleagues. Through these awards, we recognize the special educators who have advanced the field and the quality of special education service, as well as CEC members whose contributions have moved the Council forward in significant ways,” the Montana Council for Exceptional Children website reported.

“Some of my colleagues – Kari Hoscheid (AJSHS school counselor) was probably the pusher, she nominated me. Then there were about six other people who nominated me to get the award,” Everett said.

ct,” wrote Hoscheid in her letter of support. “I have had the privilege of working with her for almost 15 [years]. I cannot put into words on how much Tana has changed the lives of every student she has encountered over the years. Tana has worked in a variety of classrooms, but mainly our Self-Contained classrooms where our students are working on basic life skills. I have observed Tana do the most incredible projects with our students, especially having her students experience activities in our Anaconda community. She makes sure that they are included in all things, and that they get to experience what all students get to experience.”  

The MCEC awards were presented Thursday, April 4 in Missoula where she won Teacher of the Year. And after 22 years of teaching special education, there’s no denying that she was the right candidate for some serious accolades. Additionally, she has been an instrumental advocate for the Special Olympics program here in the Smelter City.

“This isn’t something she needed to do, but something she chose to do. She has been an integral part of starting our local program and ensures that all of our students have the opportunity to participate on an athletic level. Together, we have had the chance for our students to be a part of a team. WIthout Tana, I am not sure we would be able to have a local Anaconda team,” Hosheid further wrote in her letter.  

Everett described her experience receiving the award.

“So, there was a luncheon where the high school girls got a ‘Yes I Can’ award, so there were some awards at lunch, and then my award was at dinner, so it was really special,” she said referencing the ceremony.

She was born and raised in Anaconda and fondly recalls being a student herself at Dwyer and Lincoln elementary schools.

“I went to Lincoln School and I remember seeing some special ed kids on the playground and I was just drawn to them because, I don’t know, seeing if they needed help. And it was probably third grade when I realized what I wanted to do. These kids are so pure,” she said. 

This is Everett’s second year with high school kids, having primarily worked with elementary students, and she was unsure at first whether she would like it.

“But with this group of kids,” she said, “we have such a tight-knit community, but they’re so pure still. They’re just happy.”

Everett said that the support the kids receive from their peers is phenomenal. 

“In PE, they give them a little bit of special treatment because, playing volleyball it’s 'oh try it again.' And my kids don’t always like that. But they’re really trying to help the kids. But it teaches them, it’s okay to take help. People want to support you and see you succeed, so let them help you,” she said. “But they’re just so pure of heart.”

Some of her students she had taught at Fred Moodry four or five years ago and has had the privilege of watching them grow up over the years. 

“It’s fun to watch them mature. It’s really cool. But I feel fortunate where I can still kind of protect them. If something’s going on out there I can go address it so I’m very protective of them, too,” she said.

The exciting news of her win appropriately came from her nominator, Kari Hoscheid. 

“Kari told me and I was like, 'oh my gosh Kari.' Then she handed me the letters that the people wrote,” she said choking up. “And it took me like a month, well not quite a month, but the sobbing reading them. All the nice things that people said. And like I said, you don’t do it because – I didn’t even care if I was even recognized, it’s just really special.”

Everett’s reaction was exactly what you would hope to see in a teacher, especially a special education teacher. It was impossible not to absorb the compassion and tenderness the educator exhibited as she got emotional talking up her students in the light of her own achievement. Proving that, not only is she happy about the award, she’s incredibly deserving of it as well.

“Well, I don’t think it’ll change anything about me, it just feels good to be recognized and supported and all the love I’ve been given by so many people,” she said, adding that one of those people was Anaconda Public School Superintendent John Sullivan, who made the drive to Missoula to witness the award ceremony.  

“I’m really blessed to work here. I was really fortunate to go to college and come back and get hired right away, it’s been really fun. And all the love and support, it just means so much to me,” she said. “It warms my heart.” 

To learn more about the Montana Council for Exceptional Children, visit https://montanacec.org.