Champion of the Month
As a 20-year veteran at Lakes Middle School, Steve Bartlett has helped more than a few scared sixth-graders. But last week was the first time his help was honored in front of the entire student body during a surprise assembly.
Bartlett, a teaching aide, is Numerica Credit Union’s newest School Champion of the Month.
Seventh-grader Savannah Lovitt nominated Bartlett, or “Mr. Broccoli” as she calls him, writing in her essay that he “is always there to help.”
Savannah wrote that she started at Lakes as an overwhelmed sixth-grader, nervous about the workload and frustrated with her new classes.
“I would get mad and frustrated when I tried and tried to get the problem right and to understand,” Savannah wrote in her essay. “For some reason it took me longer to grasp math concepts than other kids in class, but after school there was always a helping hand.”
Thanks to Bartlett and his after-school Homework House, which gives students a place in the school to go for additional help, Savannah made it through her first year of middle school just fine.
“He would never get angry or give up when helping me, and even if it seemed impossible to finish one lousy problem, he always had the energy to explain it one more time,” the essay reads. “So without Mr. Bartlett’s help math class or any other class would have been a total disaster instead of just a struggle.”
Savannah wrote that her life would have been “20 times harder” without Bartlett, “and I’m sure my friends would agree with me.”
The essay also touted Bartlett’s sense of humor. “He lets my friends and I call him Broccoli, for Pete’s sake,” Savannah wrote. “He has a way to make you laugh at just about anything and always has something hysterical to say.”
As is standard for School Champion of the Month assemblies, Bartlett didn’t know he was to be honored until the assembly’s host dropped hints as to who the honoree was.
The first hint – that the winner hailed from Post Falls – gave it away, Bartlett said.
“I don’t think there’s very many teachers here who live in Post Falls or grew up in Post Falls,” Bartlett said.
Bartlett’s wife, Kaye, teaches first grade at Borah Elementary School. Kaye said in a Numerica news release that her husband cooks most of the meals at the house and is an avid reader who reads all the books that his students recommend as well as the local newspapers.
“He enjoys working with his ‘kids’ and absolutely loves Homework House,” Kaye Bartlett said in the news release.
Wrote Savannah: “He was there to help last year, he is still there to help this year, and I bet you he will always be there to help.”
Savannah received $25 for the winning essay, along with two passes to Silverwood Theme Park. She’ll also be entered into a drawing for a free iPod. Bartlett received a $45 gift certificate to Outback Steakhouse, a gift bag, a recognition plaque, and two passes to Silverwood. Lakes Middle School will receive $100, to be used how Bartlett sees fit.
The School Champion of the Month is chosen every month through May. Students can nominate their favorite employee from any North Idaho school. Nominations consist of a written essay explaining why the employee deserves recognition. Forms are available at any school office or online at www.numericacu.com.