KALISPELL — A special education teacher at West Valley School in Kalispell has been recognized for going the extra mile in her classroom.
Megan Malia, who teaches life skills special education, received a $500 grant as the May winner of the One Class at a Time award, sponsored by KPAX and Noller Automotive Supercenter.
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Malia has been teaching special education for more than a dozen years and plans to use the grant money to continue cooking classes by purchasing groceries and aprons for her students.
"I started buying a lot of the groceries myself, and we had to stop it. It just was a lot of time and a lot of money. And so the kids were very excited that we got to continue doing that," Malia said.
During a recent class, Malia taught her students how to make pancakes in a kitchen setting, guiding them through measuring ingredients, pouring batter, and flipping pancakes.
"I think it's actually like really fun, like she does a lot of fun stuff, and she's a really nice teacher," said Isaiah Moody, a student in Malia's class.
In addition to her classroom duties, Malia volunteers with Special Olympics.
"It's kind of exhausting, but it's definitely worth it-- the kids love it. And every year I'm like, 'I don't know why I do this.' And every year it's so worth it, so I'll probably just keep doing it," Malia said.
Malia's passion for special education began during her high school years.
"I volunteered in high school in a Special Ed setting, and I really enjoyed that — I loved it. And I decided that's what I wanted to do," Malia said.
Her teaching philosophy centers on building confidence and independence in her students.
"I love seeing the kids grow, and I love seeing them be proud of themselves and then gain a little bit of independence through what we work on," Malia said.
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