Faculty Spotlight: Amanda Boutelle

Making a Difference One Brushstroke at a Time
By: Josie Evans, SRCS Advancement Communications Coordinator

It was a great way to start a new week. Amanda Boutelle arrived to her classroom to find a small note in child’s handwriting: “To mis. betall, form Maxwell. Thack you for alwase being the best art thecher ever.”

“It’s just so heartwarming to know you are making a difference,” said Boutelle smiling.

A veteran teacher, Boutelle made a big shift last year—leaving second grade to teach elementary art for PreK3 through fifth grade at Strong Rock Christian School. Her passion hasn’t gone unnoticed: she was recently named the 2025 SRCS Elementary Teacher of the Year.

One of her first lessons for students is simple but powerful: everyone is an artist.

“God was the ultimate creator,” she explained. “And if God is a creator, and you’re created in His image, then you’re a creator too.”

In her classroom, students explore paint, clay, weaving, watercolors, and more. Boutelle also teaches them to embrace mistakes as part of the process.

“There’s no such thing as perfection,” explained Boutelle. “So if they say ‘I need a new sheet of paper’, I say, ‘well, let’s look at it. You might need a new sheet of paper, but let’s go ahead and see if we can change that into something you do like’.”

Third-grader Braidey Standridge appreciates her teacher’s hands-on approach. “She doesn’t just say what to do. She leads us through the steps,” she said.

For Boutelle, the reward is clear. “Just seeing the kids light up or a sparkle in their eye, when they get to make something, it’s just heartwarming.”