A Heart of Gold

At the start of the day on Friday, Feb. 28, the students at Myhre Elementary School in Bismarck have all gathered in their gymnasium to honor someone who is very special to them. Joan Hall, an instructional aide at Myrhe for the past 25 years, is being honored as a finalist for the title of 2025-26 North Dakota United Education Support Professional of the Year. 

First, a number of students took turns reading from congratulator notes they had written for Hall. “Ms. Joan always puts a smile on my face during recess,” one student said, adding, “She is very helpful in keeping us safe and solving problems.” Another shared, “Ms. Joan is kind and caring. She’s very nice. I’m glad she won this award. Congratulations, Ms. Joan.”

After the students spoke, one of Hall’s co-workers, friends and the parent of one of the students she works with at Myrhe, Harlan Stewart, read from the nomination letter he sent on her behalf. “Joan Hall is an exceptional person in every sense,” he said. “She works with students who can be challenging — even my own child at times — and does so with remarkable patience and grace. She connects with students on their level, taking the time to understand them. Her voice carries authority, yet remains gentle and kind, creating an environment where students feel supported.”

Hall is one of three finalists for this year’s award, and she received a certificate acknowledging her achievement plus other gifts at her ceremony from ND United President Nick Archuleta. “Everybody that's been in education knows that these schools don't run without Education Support Professionals, and you have the best right here at your school,” Archuleta said. “Back when I was becoming a teacher, I was student teaching and the guy that was my mentor teacher sat me down, and he said, ‘Alright, ask me any question that you want to.’ And I said, ‘What didn't I learn in college?’ And he said, ‘Make friends with the Education Support Professionals; they’ll make you seem a lot smarter than you really are.’ And that’s true. Ms. Joan is the epitome of that, and you’re very lucky to have her. And we’re very happy here at North Dakota United to help her on her way and acknowledge her as being a finalist for the Education Support Professional of the Year in North Dakota.”

Hall finished the ceremony by thanking everyone who attended, including Myrhe administrators, teachers and staff, Bismarck Superintendent Jeff Fastnacht, school board members and, most importantly, the students. “I just want to say thank you so much,” Hall said. “I am honored to be nominated. I love my job, and I love all of you.”

Afterward, Hall told us in an interview how much she appreciates everything, and she shared the reason that she’s excited to show up for work each day for the past 25 years. “It's definitely the kids!” she said. “I mean, they're just full of love and need consistency, and, you know, nurturing that they may not get at home. I love kids, to begin with, and so that's why I'm here. It's the kids. It really is.”

Myrhe Principal Kimberly Harman spoke on camera afterward about the tremendous impact she regularly sees Hall have with everyone at the school. “No one deserves it more than Ms. Joan,” Herman said. “She is absolutely just amazing with the kids. And it's not even (just) the kids she works with, it's everyone around her. She just has a heart of gold. … Even with the staff, her colleagues, everyone just loves being around her.”

In some additional comments that Stewart wrote about Hall in his nomination for her, he said that Hall has that intangible quality about her that people know she is someone who will listen to them, in good times or bad, and always gives her support. 

“Joan's care for others is truly remarkable,” he said. “I've seen her offer a comforting hug or a listening ear to fellow staff members during tough moments, whether related to work or personal struggles. She draws from her own experiences to lend support wherever she can.”

Hall said she receives that same level of support from her colleagues, in return, and that being selected as a finalist for ESP of the Year has made her feel more confident and appreciated for the great work she does, every day. 

“It's a huge, huge confidence boost,” Hall said. “I mean, when there are rough days, you wonder, ‘Am I doing the right thing? ... Have I forgotten this or that?’ Or, you know, ‘Am I doing the right thing for this student or that student?’ And to have this nomination, it just gives me tons of confidence. And, you know, (it) just kind of reassures me that, yeah, I am doing the right thing.”