Dana Stiles is a Geometry teacher who has been teaching since 2009. She attended Niagara Falls University in Niagara Falls, New York, and considers Cabot her hometown compared to an Air Force nomadic lifestyle.
“Where I’m from is not an easy question to answer since I was an Air Force kid, but I claim my hometown as Las Vegas,” Stiles said. “I lived in Alaska twice, Florida, Colorado, Arkansas, and Nevada multiple times.”
Since she was always moving around growing up, Stiles attended 13 different schools before entering high school.
“Considering my parents’ occupation, and we moved around a lot, one of my favorite memories was recess in elementary school,” Stiles said.” I lived in Alaska during that time, and they would bring out sleds during recess, and that was the coolest to me when I was little.”
Stiles had many different interests in her teenage years and was able to experience many different things.
“I used to like hanging out with my friends, BMX riding, skateboarding, ice skating, and playing the violin in junior high,” Stiles said.
Stiles now enjoys living a calm, mellow life in Cabot, with her enjoying some of her hobbies, as well as, teaching.
“Yeah… Now that I’m grown up, I enjoy fitness classes, theme parties with my friends, and traveling,” Stiles said.
Growing up, Stiles didn’t always know what to pursue for her future career. She often thought about other careers before finally settling down with the one that spoke to her the most.
“In my sophomore year of nursing school, I decided to leave and find my calling,” Stiles said. “I tutored an 8-year-old in math, and I don’t know… something just clicked.”
After a brief teaching stint in the Midwest, Stiles moved to Cabot in 2014 to begin her career as a Panther.
“I started my first full year in 2011 at Jarman Middle School in Midwest City, Oklahoma,” Stiles said. “I taught 6th-grade math.”
Stiles was very passionate about her career and students, with her class producing smart thinkers and even better people.
“I love my job; it took me a second to find my calling, but I’m so happy that I did, and I adore all my students,” Stiles said.
Even though Stiles loved her job, she still had a family that she adored. Stiles had balanced her teaching career while rearing a family of four, but that proved not to be an issue for her.
“I have two amazing children, Alexa, who is 19, and Keegan, who is 12 ,” Stiles said. “Alexa is a sophomore at UCA, and Keegan is a 6th grader at Middle School South, and we are so proud of them both.”
Though Stiles was far from retirement, shy of just about 14 years, she already had some great ideas for what retirement might look like.
“I would probably try to stay busy by continuing to volunteer and be active in church,” Stiles said. “ I would also like to travel more and just try new things.“
Many students of Stiles like her class and think it is enjoyable. Sophomore Anna Coone expressed her thoughts on Mrs. Stiles’ class.
“The work is understandable and Mrs. Stiles is a great teacher,” Coone said. “I’m honestly going to miss it when school ends.”
While most students are excited for the school year to come to an end, most of Mrs. Stiles’ students were conflicted about leaving her class, like sophomore Hailey Christman.
“I am relieved to have the school year come to an end and finally be free from school, but I’m going to miss her class over the summer and next school year,” Christman said.
Overall, throughout the school year, Stiles has impacted many of her students and paved the way for them. Sophomore Madelyn Acuna believed that without Mrs. Stiles, she wouldn’t have been as successful in math.
“I never entirely understood math until this year, and that’s all thanks to Mrs Stiles and her teaching,” Acuna said.
