Meeker senior Kylie Way has always wanted to be a teacher.
As a little girl, she would play pretend and was always teaching friends and family alike.
“I love to boss them around. And I am not a very bossy person at all,” she joked.
Her love for teaching is more than that, though. As a little girl in elementary school, she struggled with reading and needed extra help. Luckily, she had amazing teachers that helped her with school and become the person she is today.
“Whenever I was younger, I was like, ‘I want to be just like them.’ And so I always knew I wanted to help people the way they helped me,” she said. “I just have that passion there.”
She believes that elementary teachers are just as important as college professors because that’s where everything starts and that’s where students grow the most. They’re learning who they are as a person and about feelings and how to communicate with one another. It’s an important few years, she said.
“I want to be that safe spot for all of those kids who want to come and talk to me, or if they just need a shoulder to cry on or if they’re having a rough day. Or if they just need a hug. I want to be that person for them and to let them know that it’s going to be okay,” she said.
She also hopes to teach at a smaller school, like Meeker. Way is open to the possibility of someday teaching there as well.
Way’s heart lies in literacy, something she says is encouraged by Mrs. Shannon Pruitt, her STUCO advisor. She goes to the elementary school twice a week to help with Pre-K and fifth grade.
It started with just Kylie, but now the whole Student Council participates in literacy events. She said this passion led her to want to pursue a degree in Early Childhood Education when she graduates, and Pruitt has helped her in that.
Working with children comes with its chaos. Way said between working at the elementary school and at a daycare, she knows quite a few who also recognize her. One such kid likes to call her “Baby Colter’s teacher,” once getting his entire kindergarten class to yell it.
She also has a small cousin who sometimes comes out to feed the bull at her house. He never calls her by her name, instead stating every time he sees her that he feeds her bull, which is then repeated by some of the kids.
“I’ll walk through the hallways and, like, that’s what they say to me. It’s some kids I have no clue who they are or anything and so I honestly get a good laugh out of them quite often. Just some of the random things that they say to me,” she said.
When she’s not helping out at the elementary school, Kylie is still quite busy.
She’s Student Council president, National Honor Society president, and taking concurrent classes through Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU).
She’s also in a leadership class. Way said that’s where she spends most of her time, admitting she’s not one for sports. However, she loves putting on events and planning fundraisers.
Her selfless leadership is what sets her apart from others, according to Mrs. Pruitt.
“Kylie stands out for her compassion, reliability, and natural ability to connect with others. She leads with humility and grace, always putting others first and striving to make a positive difference in her school and community,” she said. “Kylie’s servant-hearted leadership and strong work ethic have earned her the respect of both her peers and teachers. She consistently leads by example — not for recognition, but because she truly cares.”
Way admits that high school has gone by fast and that she took it for granted during her junior year. She said she sometimes wishes she could go back in time and do the last few years over again, just so she could take the time to actually look forward to everything. Because now that the second semester is just around the corner, it’s time to focus.
“I’m about to have to put on my big girl pants, then go off to college and make big decisions on my own. I’m kind of nervous,” she said. “But I’m excited at the same time. It’s a good nervous… I’m ready to move forward.”
Mrs. Pruitt also has high hopes for Way as she attends SWOSU in the fall -- Kylie’s already been accepted, and because of her concurrent classes, she could graduate in three years.
“As she pursues a career in early education, Kylie’s patience, empathy, and nurturing spirit will no doubt make her an outstanding teacher. Her heart for service and dedication to others ensure that her impact will continue far beyond the walls of her school,” she said.
Editor’s Note: This is the sixth in the Senior Spotlight series that will feature graduating seniors from all of the high schools in The Lincoln County News’ coverage area.