Eighth grade writing teacher Rita Medders didn’t always dream of being a teacher.
“When I graduated high school, I had no plans,” Medders said. “I graduated and spent the first semester out of high school at home with my grandparents, taking care of them.”
She could not have imagined then that she wouldn’t just be one of Wall Middle School’s most beloved teachers (she received a “Teacher of the Week” award in 2023), but she’d also be working her way toward earning an upper level degree in behavioral sciences.
Medders announced that she has been working toward becoming a licensed professional counselor during 5th grade orientation that took place August 12. She is currently preparing to graduate with her masters degree in behavioral sciences and is working under middle school counselor Kysha Tanner. Medders will graduate in May.
“I feel like there are a lot of young students who feel like they do not have anybody that they can talk to,” Medders said. “And I can relate to that. Because I did not have anyone to talk to growing up.”
As a child, Medders lived with her elderly grandparents. Her first concern was always taking care of them.
“At five years old, I felt like I had become a caretaker for my grandparents, and I wasn’t able to be a kid,” Medders said. “It wasn’t until I was older that I felt like I just needed to talk about life and feeling bad or feeling good, and even then I didn’t have anyone to talk to about it.”
After high school, Medders was questioning some of her life decisions and soon realized she was in need of guidance. It was then that she decided to open up and reached out for support.
“It was meeting my counselor and going through therapy that helped me realize that I could do more,” Medders said. “I grew and became stronger and wiser – not perfect by any means – because even after that I still made mistakes. But I took some necessary steps to better my life and stand up for myself. I think that is when I started the journey of wanting to help others.”
Despite gaining some direction, Medders was still undecided on what she wanted to do with her life. She struggled to see a different path for herself.
“I just didn’t think that (going to college) was something I could do, it wasn’t an option,” she said. “And really, I didn’t know what I wanted to do.”
Despite her doubts, Medders decided to pursue a college education, and she studied to become a teacher.
“Immediately, I was great at connecting with kids,” she said. “And it was about 10 years into teaching and visiting with the school counselor that I realized that what I really wanted to be was a counselor.”
Medders co-workers agree that she has an obvious talent for counseling. Tanner, who is supervising Medders as she completes hours required for graduation, is one of these people.
“I think she’s a little bit of a natural,” Tanner said. “Which I think most counselors that go into that field are. They realize they kind of have that calling.”
As Medders prepares to graduate, though her path has not been clear from the beginning, she knows she is exactly where she’s supposed to be.
“My goal is to have my own practice – my own place – and I’ll get to do the things that I’ve always wanted to do,” Medders said. “Not just for myself, but for my family.”
