Since 2010, Monica Thompson has shared the joy of creativity with elementary students in Missoula, Montana. Over the years, she has taught in a wide range of settings, from traveling to five schools a week with her car serving as her supply closet, to establishing a permanent home base filled with color, curiosity, and care. No matter the setting, her mission remains constant: to bring joy and delight to her students through the power of art. She strives to create a space where every child feels inspired to be creative, to solve problems with imagination, and to express themselves authentically. She was honored to have been chosen as the Montana Art Educator of the Year, and the Pacific Region Elementary Art Educator of the year for 2026. In addition to her work as an educator, she is also a practicing artist whose work was recently featured in The New York Times. Her dual passions for teaching and creating continue to inform and enrich one another every day.