MONTROSE, Colo. (KREX) — The mission of the Montrose County School District is to graduate all kids who enter into their schools with the skills and knowledge required for a successful life after graduation. Our February Golden Apple winner always upholds that mission statement. Let’s meet Ashley Pelham at Black Canyon High School, where the motto is ‘Schooling Outside the Lines.’
Black Canyon High School is an accredited alternative high school. It provides opportunities for students to learn in a non-traditional setting. It gets students on the path to graduation and to finding success after high school. It’s teachers like Mrs. Pelham that make that happen. One focus of the school is on the importance of building relationships. Mrs. Pelham explains, “Because Black Canyon is an alternative school, we serve at-risk students. Relationship building is really our main objective regardless of what you teach here. If you teach social studies, if it’s math, if it’s science, if it’s English. Relationship building is numero uno, it’s number one, it’s the most important for us in this building.”
Mrs. Pelham teaches English, but also social and emotional learning. The basis of social emotional wellness is self regulation, self awareness, responsible decision making, relationship skills, and understanding why we behave the way we do and how it affects other people. She knows everything she teaches won’t stick, but there is one thing she’s certain stays with her students. “What they will remember is that Mrs. Pelham believed in them, and that when they see Mrs. P. at City Market in 20 years they’re going to be proud of the people they are and they’re going to want to tell me all about everything they’ve accomplished and I cannot wait for that day.”
Mrs. Pelham’s positive energy knows no bounds, which is one reason why students gravitate to her. She truly believes in her students and wants to help them find success. we asked her if she could tell her students one thing, what would it be. She said, “If I could tell anything to my students it would be that you need to believe in yourself as much as Mrs. Pelham believes in you because you have every ability within yourself to work hard, you have the ability to wake up in a good mood, you have the ability to change the mind set from ‘I can’t do this’ to ‘this is hard, I can’t do it yet.’”
Those are inspiring words whether your a high school student or not. Mrs. Pelham’s last words of advice are “always be grateful and choose kindness.”