Excellent Educator: Harmony Learning Center's Scott Helland
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – This week's Excellent Educator award goes to Scott Helland, an administrator who goes above and beyond to connect with those who aren't your typical students.
"They're definitely here because they want to be here," Helland said. "I don't have to be a salesman. Everybody is here because they know education can make a difference in theirs and their family's lives."
At Harmony Learning Center in Maplewood, Helland helps adults achieve their dreams of getting their GED to go to college, or learning English so they can get a better job.
"We've had folks here who've been rocket scientists in their old country but are delivering pizzas here because their English skills need to improve. We have people earning GEDs and ended up pregnant in life or ended up not finding value in education later in life, but when they come to me as an adult it's easy because all you have is give them an opportunity because they are beating down the door to get it," Helland said.
One of Helland's former students is now his employee.
"I had never had a high school diploma so it was time to do so. As 33 year-old I went on ahead and did it and went onto Crowne College, and now work here," Marguerite Williams said.
Williams said Helland is as attentive of an educator as he is a boss.
"He understands everything. So if you're having a bad day and your kids are having a bad day and you got to go, he gets it," she said.
And celebrating others' success is something Helland gets, too.
"It's very joyful to see folks achieving and chasing their dreams and achieving them," he said.
Helland is also known for meeting students' needs outside of the classroom.
If they're having a hard time getting to class he'll help them find transportation. On another occasion, he helped a student who loved baseball get on a local team.