“We need to look for the good in everything,” advised Donna Evans. “Always put God first and look for his guidance in the decisions we make.”
Anyone who has had the pleasure of having Donna Evans as a teacher knows that she is extraordinarily kind and always relies on God for all the big decisions in her life. She is well known for being one of the best biology teachers in Mississippi, and she knows that she was called to be a teacher.
“I went to school at Southern Miss and got my teaching degree there. I started out in nursing, but my heart was never in it. I started out in nursing because my daddy wanted me to do that, but I was never at peace with it,” stated Donna. “God led me into teaching and put me where He wanted me to be. I was very blessed with a long and good career; even through all the ups and downs, God really blessed me and my career.”
Although most people know her from teaching at Quitman High School, she did not start off teaching in Quitman.
“I started out teaching in McComb, Mississippi. I taught at a private school over there, and then my husband and I moved to north Mississippi,” recalled Donna. “I taught in Holly Springs for a little while. Then, we moved to Mobile, and I taught in Mobile for a little while.”
Eventually, she took off a few years to take care of her family.
“I stayed home for a little while because Nicholas, my youngest son, had some issues when he was born,” said Donna. “I stayed out about three years with him.”
When she started teaching again, she was in Quitman. Teaching biology was already a huge responsibility since it is a state tested subject, but she was willing to take on even more responsibilities.
“I moved back home and stayed at Quitman for 28 years. I did some coaching and teaching,” remembered Donna. “I coached with Coach Morgan. I helped with basketball and was the head softball coach for several years, and I helped Coach Morgan with track. I got into tennis when my boys got into tennis, so I coached tennis for 19 years at Quitman.”
Over the years, she grew at her job through experience. Although she had different students each year, she loved each one of them and made sure to do everything she could to get them the information they needed. When she thinks of her teaching career and everyone she has ever taught or worked with, she can only think of one word to sum it up: blessed.
“Experience means a lot. I can look back at my younger years, and you know you just have to take a deep breath. Then, as far as the teaching part, it got to be easier and easier because we do the same thing over and over,” explained Donna. “Sometimes the kids would come in and say, ’How do you remember all that?’ I’d just tell them when you say the same thing up to six times a day for 20 something years, it just comes out. I loved being around the kids. Education, like anything else, has its ups and downs, but I can truly say through the years that I’ve been very blessed with a lot of good coworkers, good administrators, and good students--even the students you don’t think connect with you. I’ve seen so many through the years, and they’ll say thank you and they’re sorry. I think they mature over the years, and you have to always keep that in mind with students because they don’t always make the right decisions in the spur of the moment. I’ve been truly blessed and surrounded by a lot of good people.”
Although she has loved her job over the years, Donna also has a family that she really enjoys being able to spend time with. In fact, it is her desire to spend time with her family that helped her make the decision to retire after all these years.
“I have two children. They’re grown and living in Dallas. Ryan is married and has four children--two step children and two boys of his own,” said Donna. “I’m a happy grandparent, and that’s one reason why I retired. I can spend more time with my family.”
She also loves her fur babies and wants to do more with helping out with some of the animals in the area.
“I love animals. I have some dogs and cats, and I used to volunteer at the animal clinic. School got so hectic and busy that I backed off from that. I want to get back into that more now,” expressed Donna.
There is only one thing that Donna has always placed above her family and her career—God. She is a strong believer and very active in church.
“Church is very important to me. I go to the Evangel Temple in Meridian and have been there for five years now,” explained Donna. “I’ve been Baptist all my life. I grew up in the First Baptist Church, and when I came back to Quitman I went back to First Baptist Church. Then, my sister moved to Meridian and said she wanted to go visit Evangel Temple, so I decided to go with her. God just kept pulling me back up there, and I truly believe it is where He wants me to be and He led me up there. I’m on the greeting committee and involved in what is called Women’s Connect. I’m in several prayer groups, one on Tuesday morning and one on Saturday night.”
Now that she has retired, Donna plans to just relax and spend more time with her family and try to do more volunteering in both the community and her church. She has always tried to be a positive influence and inspiration to others daily, and she is sure to continue doing just that now that she is starting this new portion of her life.
