In a sunlit classroom, the scent of crisp book pages mingles with the aroma of cardboard from nearly unpacked boxes. The empty desks wait patiently for the hungry minds of students to fill their seats. Towards the head of the classroom, a new face and name tag can be found. Settling her things into place, a fresh graduate admires the view of the beginning of her teaching profession.
“Before I knew it, my career began,” English teacher, Dakota Gorges, said.
As the new school year started, several new teachers joined the faculty, each bringing unique skills and fresh perspectives to the table. Gorges stands apart from the crowd as she tackles her ambition for literature, scoring her first ever teaching job at C. M. Russell High School.
“My major was decided by a fortune cookie,” Gorges said. “It read, ‘Stop searching forever. What you’re looking for is right in front of you.’ ”
During her high school senior year in Kalispell, a pivotal moment unfolded for young Gorges on a school field trip. It was during this trip that she opened that fortune cookie to find a quote that finalized her conflicting career path decisions. Surrounded by the teachers she admired and cared about, she interpreted the message to clarify that her future lay in education, just like the mentors who had guided her.
Before graduating from the University of Idaho, the search to jumpstart her future began, and the area in which she was exploring opportunities was no accident. Gorges said she was aiming for a career in Montana. Having grown up in Kalispell, she felt a longing to return to the area.
“I missed the Big Sky,” Gorges said.
She secured two interviews with the local high schools and received a call back from CMR on the same day, marking a promising start to her place in the educational community. Just two and a half weeks before the start of the school year, she began to settle into her new home and classroom.
“It can be challenging to be a teacher,” she said. “But those challenges are worth it in the end.”
Through all the ups and downs of managing a classroom, she said she feels inspired by her students and their clean slate that is still yet to be filled, and she is excited to begin her job as a mentor who guides young minds to the future.
“I love seeing the little light bulb appear on kids’ faces when they finally get it.”
