Tina Steiner

I attribute my success to resilience and determination. I grew up like most of the students that I serve, so I learned to not think about the negative and focus on positive things. Maybe I can't do this, but I can try to do something else instead. I try to instill that in my students. I've just always been the type of person, sometimes to my detriment, who refused to take no for an answer and find other ways to do things. When I was told no, we couldn't do the alternative school, I was like, okay, let's see what I can do on my own. I was that little hyper girl who had something wrong with them, kind of like the kids I work with now, and I would never sit still, so now I turn that energy into something positive so I can do good things.

The best guidance I've received came from my fourth grade teacher Ms. Hester, Naylene Hester, who wasn't bothered about that little hyper girl and would give me things to do. My middle school principal, Mr. Gene Stokes, made a huge impact on me because every time I went to the office, he would ask me why I couldn't stay in a class, not what did I do. That question, focusing on understanding rather than punishment, really shaped how I approach my own students now. I also had several professors at ACC who I serve with now, and it's interesting that people from elementary school and middle school are still in my life at my age. They taught me the importance of seeing beyond the behavior to understand the person.

I think it's to never lose sight of your why. If you're entering this field, it's rewarding, but it's challenging. When the system feels overwhelming, you should remember that you're the helper that the kids are looking for. You need to protect your passion by seeking out who your people are early on. Don't be afraid to look for veteran teachers - I'm a veteran teacher and I've mentored several younger teachers on my campus. I'm open to what they have to say too, so collaboration is a huge thing. Surround yourself with community that pours into you.

The biggest challenge right now is that we're in a profession that many don't value. Schools are closing, teachers are retiring, and it's been rough. But I see a tremendous opportunity in my research on student recidivism in DAEP campuses. I'm hoping to show the need for a true alternative campus for these students. A lot of our students come to us and they like it, they love our DAEP campus because it's smaller classrooms and the teachers understand the struggle. The alternative campus for high school has a waiting list of 200 kids. If we can get them by 8th grade, perhaps they won't need to have a waiting list. There's a real need for this kind of support, and if I can show that through my research, maybe I can help create a true alternative campus that serves students before they reach high school.

My core values are connection, stewardship, and grace. We give a lot of grace in our work, especially last year when things were rough. I value serving my community - I truly do. I'm a fifth generation resident, not Native, but I've lived here the majority of my life, going to school here and raising my family here. Most people don't know the history, most people don't know how to find resources, and that's what drives me in my community work. I also value learning - I'm 51 and I'm still going to school because I love learning. And I value resilience and focusing on the positive, turning challenges into opportunities to do good things.