M
y name is Dana Thompson and I have officially taught at St. Luke’s for twelve years. However, I was a diligent parent volunteer for seven years prior as my two children attended St. Luke’s. I earned a Master’s Degree from the University of South Alabama and taught five years in the public school system. I teach the Science and BioMed Lab at St. Luke’s Lower Campus and I LOVE learning with my students. Children are born on FIRE for learning. My job is to keep that fire lit: stoke, rekindle, feed with various “flammable materials” inspiring students to be lifelong learners.

I am married to a wonderful tall bald dude, John, who keeps my world spinning with his infinite love, loyalty, wit and wisdom. He is an independent financial advisor, Thompson Wealth Management and Life Planning. We are very proud of our children that are grown and flown: Elizabeth, 22, and John, 20. Elizabeth attended Pensacola State University on a volleyball scholarship and works for State Farm Insurance. John attended the University of South Alabama and works for A and W Lighting. We have one snobby cat, Leo, that we rescued from St. Luke’s Church attic 9 years ago.

Even though some things about me are not frequently shared, they have equipped me with lasting life lessons. I was a fashion model for several years. Life lesson: Beauty is WAY more than skin deep and a picture is NOT a true representation of reality. I am a published author, A, B…Seek! Life lesson: A goal will only be achieved by realizing that PERFECT does not exist – but UNIQUE does – so JUST DO IT. I owned a photography business for several years. Life lesson: Timeless memories are captured when an image reflects pleasant experiences being seen and felt… ALL people are beautiful when they are just being themselves. I eat most plates of food clockwise. Life lesson: People just do weird things, don’t judge.

I choose to teach at St. Luke’s because of the genuine family environment and the freedom to teach each student on a personal level. Learning is an ongoing process and requires adaptability, open mindedness, and group effort working toward a common goal. St. Luke’s provides a teaching environment conducive to opportunities for true learning and showcases that we learn every minute of every day …and have the most to learn from each other. The teachers and experiences my own children had at St. Luke’s were so beautifully diverse: academics, athletics, arts, tradition… As a parent, I am so grateful that their formative years were engaged in such a nurturing yet challenging educational environment. Go Wildcats!