Words by Jenny Lynn Davis | Images by Ryan McGill

When Daniel Evans was just 10 years old, he unexpectedly lost his father, and his world was turned upside down. Reality hit him like a ton of bricks at a younger age than it should have, and he began to understand the importance of kids having a consistent system of support from adults in their lives. He saw the strides his mother made to ensure her three sons were cared for. He saw how his uncle Steve stepped up into a fatherly role and guided the three boys through the ups and downs of their young lives. He was keenly aware that, without those adults as pillars of strength for him and his brothers, they would not have excelled in the ways they did. That firsthand knowledge is also what inspired Daniel to pursue a career in education.

"When I decided to be an educator, I knew in my heart that I wanted to be that consistent support source, not only for my own children, but for other kids that aren't getting that at home," he says.

The 2009 Curry High School graduate received his bachelor’s degree in education from The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and began his teaching career at Sumiton Christian School in 2015. From there, he went on to Dora High School for three years and to Meek Elementary School for a year. The 2021-2022 school year saw Daniel's completion of his Master of Social Science degree from The University of West Alabama (UWA), and the beginning of his current positions at Meek High School of English teacher for 7th through 9th grade and offensive coordinator for the football team.

In the classroom and on the field, Daniel finds that his students are often the ones teaching him. Though not always intentionally, the young minds frequently show him the areas in which he needs to grow: patience, grace, humility, the list goes on.

"Teaching and coaching will humble you to no end," Daniel laughs before taking on a much more serious tone. "I might've had a stressful morning, but there could be a kid that didn't eat dinner last night or breakfast this morning because of their family's financial situation. If they have bad things going on in their lives outside of school, then come to school and are met with anger and persistent stress from the adults there, then it's a total loss. There is no reaching them."

"My students help keep me grounded and aware of the world outside my own personal life, and while I meet them with realism, I also meet them with positivity because I know that will go much further," he adds. "My educational philosophy is 'relationship first'. Yes, the content we teach in class is incredibly important, but when you build a good, solid foundation of mutual respect with your students and let them know they are seen and heard, they are more ready and willing to be active learners."

Daniel finds a sense of purpose in his work when his students have positive responses to his methods of teaching and relationship. He finds gratification when they thank him for presenting a lesson in a way that they easily understood, or when they tell him that, in his classroom, they feel appreciated and like they belong.

"The pre-teen and teen years are hard enough, and I feel like it is my role as a coach and a teacher to do what I can to help my students get through them," Daniel says. "If for just a 50-to-90-minute class period, I can offer my classroom as both a healthy learning environment as well as a sort of oasis from what's bringing them worry or stress in their lives, then I have succeeded as a teacher." 78