“It wasn’t until college that I started getting interested in more of a helping profession. “So in high school, it was kind of trying things out,” she said. She quickly learned that might not be the best fit. Initially, Hawes thought she wanted to be a teacher and spent a day shadowing one of her soccer coaches who taught kindergarten. Even when I was a kid I loved working with kids,” Hawes said with a laugh. “I’ve always really enjoyed working with kids even when I was younger. When Hawes graduated from Columbia Falls High School in 2016, she wasn’t sure what she wanted to do as a career but she did know she wanted to work with youths having previous experience as a camp counselor and daycare worker. “We’re also licensed with the state of Montana - so making sure we’re up to par with licensing requirements, making sure kids' files are up to date.” A lot comes up with that,” Hawes said, explaining more of the work entailed. “I’m kind of in charge of all things kids in a way and taking care of house needs.

Once they graduate, the hope is that the teens will take flight into young adulthood as productive members of the community. Sparrow’s Nest aims to provide safe housing, support and resources for unaccompanied, homeless high school students in the Flathead Valley while they work toward graduation or completing the HiSET, a high school equivalency test. I tell people that’s kind of my job,” Hawes said, smiling. “One of my favorite parts about working here is that I’m just doing life with a bunch of teenagers. Hawes joined the Sparrow’s Nest in December as the new program manager. Katie Hawes is hoping to serve as a positive adult influence in the lives of the homeless teens who land at the Sparrow’s Nest of Northwest Montana.

Sparrow nest