Bainville History Teacher Receives State Honor
April Wills, fifth-grade teacher at Bainville Public School, is the winner of the Montana Statehood Centennial Bell Award honoring the Montana History Teacher of the Year at the fourth-sixth grade level for 2020-2021.
Chosen by a panel of Montana History experts, Wills is the 32nd annual winner of the award. Montana history teachers at the fourthswixth grade levels are chosen on uneven numbered years. Montana history teachers at the seventh-12th grade levels are chosen on even numbered years.
Wills will receive her prizes on Statehood Day, Nov. 8, during a ceremony at the state capitol in Helena. Sponsored by the Montana Television Network, the Montana History Foundation, Sons & Daughters of Montana Pioneers, the 1889 Coffee House in Helena, in cooperation with the Montana Historical Society, she will receive $4,500 which may be used for the purchase of Montana History materials, field trips, guest speakers and anything else that will enhance her teaching of Montana History. She will also receive a plaque.
She is a native of Columbus, graduated from Broadwater High School in Townsend, and received her elementary education degree from the University of Montana in Missoula. She earned her master’s degree in learning and technology from Western Governors University. She is a Montana Teacher Leader for the Montana Historical Society presenting Montana History to Montana History teachers across Montana.
Wills has taught Montana History at Bainville School since 2014. She is married to Travis with Oasis Petroleum and they have two sons, Haedyn, 12 and Hatchsure, 9.
Regarding her approach to teaching Montana History, April said: “I mesh traditional teaching practices with technology, and whenever possible I bring in trunks from the Montana Historical Society and state parks. We visit museums, cultural centers and have guest speakers that can expand our learning. One year, we studied the stars. Students entered a quiet, dark room flickering with stars, listened to the sounds of drumming, and gazed on planetary views. We learned about the ways that the Crow tribe used astronomy, and listened to oral star stories. Students were fascinated.”
In her nominating letter, Samantha Keefner, fellow teacher at Bainville School, said: “April has worked very hard to bring the history of our state into the classrooms of many other educators. Without April’s expert lead, I would have never known to utilize the many wonderful traveling trunks that the Montana Historical Society has available to schools with different focuses in Montana History. Her passion and excitement for Montana History is present in everything she does.”
In her letter of support, student Tally Berwick said, “My favorite part about the Montana History unit was getting to pick a famous person from Montana and making a movie about them. I chose Charlie Russell. It was really interesting learning about his life and the impact he had on Montana.”
