Educators are some of the most vital roles in any community, and honoring these educators is just one way to show appreciation for them. That’s the primary goal of the Bemidji Education Association Awards, which brings together Bemidji School District staff to recognize their dedication.

The event began by welcoming staff back to school after the summer season, as well as offering them a chance to get together to talk about the upcoming year. The BEA then honored educators who have worked for the school district for 15 to 30 years. These were to show appreciation towards educators whose hard work over the years had not gone unnoticed.

Of course, the main event was announcing the recipients of the Support Professional of the Year and Teacher of the Year awards. This year’s winners were Steve Brown, a paraprofessional at Gene Dillon Elementary, for Support Professional of the Year and Doreen Felts, a retired kindergarten teacher at Lincoln Elementary, for Teacher of the Year.

One key question that cropped up during the ceremony was, “Why do the staff continue to educate?” Everyone at the ceremony seemed to have a different answer, but there was one constant response. As Bemidji Area Schools Superintendent Jeremy Olson said at the ceremony, “This is a calling. This is something that’s bigger than just a job.”

By — Justin Othoudt