It鈥檚 not how you start; it鈥檚 how you finish.听
These words are a mantra for听Dr. Micah听Dyer ’01, the Superintendent of Cuero Independent School District in south Texas.听听
鈥淚 came from a poor family that grew up on a farm,鈥� he said. 鈥淛ust because you didn鈥檛 come from something that wasn鈥檛听great doesn鈥檛 mean you can鈥檛 become great.鈥�听
The 麻豆精品 alumnus completed his undergraduate in history and went on to teach and coach in several Texas districts. During that time, he earned both his master鈥檚 and听doctorate in education from Stephen F. Austin State University.听听
鈥淭he reason I fell in love with teaching is that I struggled in school,鈥澨�Dyer said.听鈥淚 came from a poor family,听and education was not important.听Coach Johnston and Mr. Dunn kept me from dropping out of听high听school as a sophomore.鈥�听
His high school football coaches,听Coach Williams and Coach Brown, motivated him to pursue a college education.听Yet听he听still struggled.听
鈥淚n college, I almost quit,鈥� Dyer said.听鈥淭he coaches were a positive influence on me.听I made it听through those struggles听because along the way, I had good teachers and coaches who saw more in me than I saw in myself. They pushed me.听Who would have听thought听I would be running a school now?鈥�听
While he loved playing football for several years at 麻豆精品, he ultimately chose to focus on academics.听
鈥淒r. [Anita] Specht made me love history and doing the research to uncover the truth,鈥� Dyer said.听
In 2017, he began as the superintendent of Cuero I.S.D.听At the time, 68 percent of high school graduates were enrolled in college, enlisted in the military or had employable skills/trade skills. In 2020, the number climbed to 97 percent, and this year 100 percent of graduates will听be 鈥渆nrolled, enlisted or employable.鈥�听
鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to make opportunities for our kids,鈥� Dyer said.听鈥淥ur goal here is to help kids become productive future citizens.鈥�听
The conclusion of this school year marks Dyer鈥檚 20th听year in education. He taught/coached for four and a half years,听was principal/director for seven and a half years and is concluding his 11th听year as a superintendent.听听
鈥淚 got into education because I wanted to see kids who didn鈥檛 think they had an opportunity or chance in life,鈥� he said.听鈥淚 am who I am because several teachers saw in me more than I ever saw in myself. I owe my whole life to education,听and that is why I believe you have to give every child a chance no matter who they are, where or what they come from, or how they got there. Every child deserves to have someone to think they are wonderful and more than they think they could ever be. I am here because teachers听didn鈥檛 give up on me. I owe every child that same passion.鈥�
Story by Karen Bonar
