Four years ago, Opal Thomas was surrounded by teachers who impacted her life and inspired her to succeed, and now she has the opportunity to do the same for others.
Thomas recently graduated cum laude from Defiance College with a degree in Education as an Intervention Specialist and a minor in Autism Studies.
“This fall, she will be working as an elementary intervention specialist in a school in the area,” Thomas said. The school will be in Paulding, where she will teach second through fifth grades, according to her father, Rudy.
Opal knows she needs a little help with her learning disability: She was diagnosed with dyslexia at a young age and had difficulty reading.
She struggled with this issue early in her schooling but was helped by her third-grade teacher, Diana Stiverson.
“Growing up, I hated having dyslexia,” Opal says, “Some people treated me differently and acted as if I couldn’t do things or there were things I couldn’t do because of my dyslexia.”
Mr. Stiverson and several other teachers helped Opal build her confidence and overcome her challenges.
However, she had to face those obstacles again while attending college.
“I was told that I would fail university because of my dyslexia, or that I would end up in a career I would never be able to achieve,” Opal says.
Some were told they wouldn’t hire any teachers with learning disabilities, she said.
“That comment was made to me during my freshman year of college and it really hurt me because I started to believe it,” Opal said.
She even considered changing her career path, but one of her professors stepped in and helped her change her mind.
“One of my professors told me I’d be foolish to give up on my dream of becoming an interventionist just because I was told I couldn’t get through some minor things,” Opal said.
Not only did Opal graduate with honors, but she also received several job offers after graduation, her father said.
Opal plans to not only teach but also work for people with disabilities, which is something she encourages everyone to do.
“Just because someone has a disability doesn’t mean they can’t achieve their dreams or live a full life,” Opal says. “Let them try. Everyone has a different path to achieving their goals.”
She said disability is just a part of who we are as people and people with disabilities should always be encouraged and those around them should be their support group.
“If I had listened to those negative comments, I would not have been as accomplished as I am today and would not have earned my degree in a field that I love and am passionate about,” Opal said.
She also encouraged people with disabilities not to listen to naysayers and that only they themselves know what a person is capable of achieving.
“Achieve your goals and dreams,” she said.