Knolls Vista educator wins Teacher of the Year award.

Second consecutive year a teacher from that school takes the honors

Bobi Spence has just added another line to her resume.

Next to 'nationally certified teacher for exceptional-needs students' and 'Fulbright Memorial Fund recipient', she can now add '2004 Moses Lake Teacher of the Year.'

Spence, a graduate of Heritage College in Toppenish and a special education teacher at Knolls Vista Elementary, received the award at an assembly at the school, her professional home for the past six years.

"She's an outstanding teacher," Mike Riggs, the school's principal said. "She demonstrates on a daily basis a dedication to the growth and learning of the students.

Spence has spent her entire career teaching special education children.

For her, these children are a very unique population, in need of a little extra nurturing.

"I have a soft spot for the underdog," she said. "And special needs' children are the underdogs of society."

She added, "I grew up in poverty. I came from where many of these children are. I saw many opportunities missed because of the label of poverty."

The kids under Spence's tutelage suffer from mild to severe conditions, such as behavioral disorders and physical disabilities. Each child has a particular set of needs, and a particular program to fit their needs, Spence said.

The creation of such a program is not entirely Spence's task alone, but a team effort. "Parents are a key element to these decisions," she said. "It's not appropriate for me to make decisions on my own.

Instead, she said, she tries to find the way to gather the support she needs, from school administrators, specialists on the field, parents and teachers.

Helping children who face serious challenges on a daily basis can become a challenging task in itself for Spence.

"Sometimes there are things that can't be fixed," she said. "We have to do the best we can to help the child." Sometimes, the parents need a bit of help, too.

"At times it's hard for the parents to understand that for the benefit of the child they have to move into a broader way of thinking," she said.

As an example, Spence gave the hypothetical case of a child who has difficulty reading.

"You are sure the child will learn and it does not happen," she said. "For some parents it is devastating, because it overshadows what the child can do in many areas."

In those situations, Spence said, the teacher becomes an advocate for the whole child, accentuating the youth's strengths.

"It can be tiresome," she said. "but it is what I chose to do and I continue to seek out these choices. The reason I am here is because I love the kids."

This is the ninth time the Wal-Mart-sponsored award is given, and the second consecutive year a teacher from that school wins it. Ron Hansen, who teaches fifth-grade students, won it in 2003.

Riggs said that there is not a secret for the academic triumphs of his school.

"The truth is we have outstanding teachers who go above and beyond their standards and expectations," he said. "What we do is give them the support to fulfill their mission."

Along with a plaque and a "Teacher of The Year" Wal-Mart vest, Spence was presented with a check for $1,000 which will go towards school activities for the children, she said.

"Knolls Vista won this," she said, "because of all the support and collaboration here."