Ms. Alana Butikofer, from Idaho Falls, Idaho, has been teaching for 27 years and attended Rocky Mountain Middle School when it was Bonneville Jr. High! Ms. Butikofer teaches Theatre Arts and Choir at RMMS having organized the first Musical Theater program at Rocky Mountain Middle School 16 years ago. She always wanted to teach from a very young age. She used to dress her dolls and stuffed animals up and play pretend school with them. Her favorite part about teaching is watching her students progress in whatever they are learning about or skills they are working on and making connections with students. Knowing that she has made a difference in a student's life is important to her! In addition to her love of music and attending live plays, concerts and musical performances, she also enjoys gardening, cooking, crocheting, camping, horseback riding and driving horse-drawn carts. She spends a great deal of time singing and performing, and she directs a ladies’ singing group, the Idaho Falls A Cappella Chorus, but her all-time favorite thing to do is to spend time with her family, especially her 5 grandchildren. Without a doubt, her greatest accomplishment is being a single mother of three successful and talented children! Quote she lives by? There is no shortcut to success. Work hard and then play hard!