Q2, Western Security Bank, City Brew Coffee, and the Education Foundation for Billings Public Schools have teamed up for "One Class at a Time." The program recognizes teachers who go above and beyond to help their students.
Meet Travis Niemeyer, the principal at Beartooth Elementary who has always had a passion for helping kids.
"It goes all the way back to when I was these guys age," said Mr. Niemeyer. "I just loved babysitting and being with kids and that passion just never really left. It was just something I always wanted to do, so as soon as I went to college that was what I declared. I was going to be working with kids."
He's initiated many unique ideas at Beartooth, including giving teachers a much-needed pick-me-up.
"We were trying to figure out some way we can kind of do something for teachers and the kids start talking about what if we serve coffee and they wanted to do it every day. So we decided to serve coffee. At first we just would stand out here behind a table like this and put some Keurigs on there and serve coffee on a Friday, and then I finally built a little kiosk over there that we try to use. Nothing fancy but a couple of pallets and a little bit of work."
He also started the tradition of reading bedtime stories to the students during Christmas time via Facebook.
"That started over Covid, to be honest. We weren't seeing a lot of kids, or we were missing kids and things like that, so just to try to keep everybody connected I jumped on Facebook Live and started reading a book every night to kids online. It's just something I've continued to do through the last three or four years. We just kind of countdown from the beginning of December all the way until December 24th and I read a book every night.
For being an incredible and much-loved leader at Beartooth Elementary, Principal Niemeyer was presented with a $500 grant from the Education Foundation for Billings Public Schools, proudly sponsored by Western Security Bank and, not only did he get a $150 gift card from City Brew Coffee, City Brew is also going to help supply the school's coffee kiosk. Congratulations!
If you would like your teacher to be the next recipient, make a nomination HERE.
