Local Teacher Honored

Colorado is recognizing a Montezuma County educator as the state’s top teach. Montezuma-Cortez High School theater teacher, Nicholaus Sander, is the Colorado Theater Teacher of the Year. You’re watching the “Local News Network”, brought to you by Big O Tires and Blondie’s Trophy Room. I’m Connor Shreve. Sander has enjoyed his students’ response to the award.

It’s actually been really fun to hear from students who have graduated and former people that I’ve worked with in Durango and in Cortez, and also my students here. “So well deserved, and we’re so proud of you”, and all of that is really exciting. And it’s just really fun to hear from people I haven’t heard from in a while.

He’s been in Denver enjoying the award from the Colorado Thespians at the State Theater Conference.

And it included workshops and stuff like that, but then the luncheon was where they gave the Teacher of the Year Awards. And so, that was where they put together a video. They came down a few weeks ahead of time and did an interview of me, and then they put together a video, and that’s what they played at the luncheon. And they presented me with my award.

After being nominated last spring by a fellow teacher, he assumed the award had gone to another educator.

Angela Gabardi actually, from the middle school, was the one who started the nomination process. And she started that off, and then she reached out to some community members who were involved in our productions. And so, as far as I know there were a handful of them who also sent in nominations. And so that’s how I got on their radar.

He says he is proud to be able to showcase the area.

It was very exciting. It’s very exciting to be recognized on a state level. I’m honored to be recognized by my peers and by the community members. And it’s cool to be recognized by the state too, as I feel like so often we go up there and the Denver schools all know each other, but they don’t, they’re like, “Where’s Cortez?” And so, to kind of put Cortez on the map was really an honor too.

Sander is the embodiment of a local. A Durango native who planned on teaching English before this theater position opened up 14 years ago. A role he’s embraced and appreciated ever since.

I love the community here. I love the support that they provide. There definitely is a love of the arts here. I’ve had some patrons and sponsors over the years who have stuck with the program through for as long as I’ve been here, coming and seeing shows every year. In our musicals, we incorporate the community. We invite the community to be involved, and so we have a lot of families who get involved year after year. And so, I really enjoy that part of it.

His troop is presenting “Beauty and the Beast”, weekends starting November 7th. Learn more about this story and others online at montezumalocal.news. Thanks for watching this edition of the “Local News Network”, I’m Connor Shreve.