Tim Marks of Coeur d'Alene, ID

The CEAI National Educator of the Year 2007-2008

Have you ever had that a-ha moment of life? My a-ha time came in my high school years at Seattle Christian. I had grown up in a Christian home, and both of my parents were great examples for me, but my Christian walk still was more of a ritual than personal. It was during my senior year in high school that I really began to learn how to have a personal relationship with Christ. I saw the examples of Christ now in more than just my parents, but also in friends and teachers. This was especially true in Mr. Peterson, my Bible teacher and basketball coach. His interaction with the students showed how genuine he was in his own walk with Christ. He was pivotal to me in creating an atmosphere that helped guide and mold me into a philosophy that I now use in teaching my own students. That is to have every child feeling wanted, cared for, and seeing a Christian example while at school. That philosophy would become my mission in life. I went to Northwest University to learn how to accomplish my mission. While at Northwest, Dr. Blue helped train me in the science of teaching, while Coach Filan helped train me in the art of teaching. Between Seattle Christian and Northwest University, I felt ready for my mission.

I began teaching at a private school (Langley Christian) where I was able to start the school’s athletic program for the children. Two years later while a staff member at Chief Kanim Middle School, we were honored by the Department of Education as being one of the United States best schools by being awarded the Blue Ribbon Award for Education. Then, feeling led by God, my wife, Cindy, and I moved to North Idaho. In 1998 we were blessed to be offered jobs in the Coeur d’Alene School District as instructors. While teaching at Fernan Elementary, it has been my privilege to be a member of a staff that has won the Excellence in Education award seven times while I have taught there. In 2003, I had the unexpected honor of being chosen by the fifth grade graduating class to be the speaker at their graduation. No honor can be greater than being appreciated by the children in my mission. Then in 2005, again unexpectedly, I was chosen as an Outstanding Teacher and presented an award at a surprise assembly in October.

However, one of the most impacting teaching events happened to me during the 2004-2005 school year. My mission, my calling, and my responsibilities as a Christian educator would be tested greatly during the last half of that school year.
The phone rang at 7:00 a.m. to the question of, “Did you hear about the homicides?” There had been a triple homicide at one of my student’s home, and he and his sister were missing. My heart dropped when I heard that news. That shock and disbelief led me to ask some questions of myself as the boy’s teacher. Did he know I cared for him as a person? Did he feel valued by me? Did he learn about God through my actions? I believed I could answer yes to these questions, but it didn’t lesson the load of a heavy heart or now leading his classmates through a horrible tragedy. I had to make some decisions about how to lead the children in handling DJ’s disappearance. One of the first things I did was to only allow the students to discuss the situation with an adult, this eliminated rumors and gossip. We were also going to be hopeful, we kept DJ’s desk in the same place for the rest of the year, ready for his return. The children persevered through this well. I was amazed by their caring for each other and their missing friend. Two instances of their caring and comfort in the room happened in the first few weeks of the disappearance. One of my students had told his mom that there was no need to worry, “it was in God’s hands.” The other had to do with a boy who asked, “Can we pray for him (in the classroom)?” This question led to most of the class saying they prayed for DJ every night.

Meanwhile, the affect of the disappearance and murders had on myself were much more than I expected. This was not my son or daughter, but the caring and time given to the children makes it feel like you have lost one of your own. I began to lose my appetite, and sleeping through the night was rare. The situation seemed so surreal. There were the interviews by detectives, the FBI searching DJ’s desk for any clues, and watching this real life mystery be reported on FOX news. Later that summer DJ’s sister was miraculously found, but DJ had been abused and then murdered at a campsite in Montana by a vile and evil predator. As I sat in the funeral service saying goodbye to DJ, I remember thinking about the child that I truly believe has gone home to the Lord, my mission with him now was complete.

I believe God has called me for this mission, and it all began with that a-ha moment in high school. I believe that He wants every child to leave my class feeling wanted, cared for, and seeing an example of Him through me while at school. That is my mission, that is my calling, and that is what devoted teachers have trained me to do.

The deadline for 2008 nominations is February 15, 2008.
The application is available by clicking here, or by calling CEAI at (888) 798-1124.

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