Big Honor Finds Way To Tiny School Teacher Of 25 Students At Almo Is Named State’s Top Educator

Kit Bennett came to tiny Almo Elementary School two years ago and found many of the 25 students were a lot like she was as a child - they needed a little encouragement.

“The children here were very shy. They were backward. They were very timid, and they didn’t have any self-confidence,” said Bennett, Idaho’s 1996 teacher of the year.

One memorable educator helped Bennett to gain confidence when she was a grade-schooler, she wrote in her application for this year’s honor. But she said her greatest accomplishment is that she passed the gift of self-esteem on to her students.

“Everyone working together, we’ve accomplished great miracles. These kids are great,” Bennett said Tuesday. She is the first Cassia County teacher to ever win that honor.

“I think the bottom line is before a child can learn, the child has to feel comfortable with their environment, with the teacher and they have to know that making mistakes is okay as long as we learn from them and keep trying,” she said.

The award is sponsored by the Legislature and state Department of Education, agency spokeswoman Rhonda Edmiston said. Bennett will represent the state in a National Teacher of the Year competition.

“What happens with the teacher of the year is they become the spokesperson for teachers and they are almost expected to be an expert. At this point, they’re considered to be a master teacher,” Edmiston said.