The Great Falls Public Schools Foundation hosted 'Excellence in Education' event on Wednesday, April 22, 2026.
Justin Robicheau reports - watch the video below:
The event recognized 34 students as distinguished scholars and 68 faculty members as distinguished educators.
Faculty selected top graduating students from C.M. Russell High School, Great Falls High School, and Paris Gibson Education Center as distinguished scholars. The students then selected two faculty members who had a positive impact on their lives.
"It's nice seeing my peers also be here with me, seeing how we've grown together. All the faculty. It's nice recognizing them for what they've done for us. It's nice seeing them also be acknowledged. For how much they've helped us," C.M. Russell High School senior Kye Wise said.
Kye Wise chose North Middle School seventh-grade social studies teacher Brian Dues as a distinguished educator. Wise said Dues is one of the best teachers he has ever had.
"After Covid, it was really difficult to sort of adjust to middle school, especially since we were in that transition to our final year of elementary school was broken apart. Mr. Dues made it really nice and easy. He was a great teacher. He made learning fun, and he made it more of a community than just a learning environment," Wise said.
Dues said being selected by Wise is an honor and that Wise was one of his favorite students to teach.
"It feels amazing. Feels, really humbling to get selected with all the great teachers that I work with. Being picked by Kye just makes it so special for you and makes you real happy," Dues said.
"He was, just so smart, so engaged. Just made it fun to come to class every day to teach kids like Kye," Dues said.
The foundation also honored its two BNSF Teachers of the Year at the event. Great Falls High School math teacher Neil Kynett was among the recipients.
"To be selected from the group of teachers that we had here today was, surprising, to say the least, and very humbling and, very heartfelt," Kynett said.
Chief Joseph librarian Tara Murillo was the other winner for Teacher of the Year. She was nominated by former student Rillie Robinson, a senior at Great Falls High School.
"It felt really good to be able to see you again. And I was very, very honored that you won," Robinson said.
