Maria Redding brings more than her lesson plans and daily responsibilities into the kindergarten and first-grade special education classroom each morning. She brings compassion, resilience, and a sense that she is exactly where she is meant to be. As a new paraprofessional at Benton, Maria supports a classroom of nine children, some verbal, some nonverbal, and one little boy who is visually impaired and requires one-on-one guidance. “I prayed about going into this room,” she admitted, reflecting on the moment she learned where she would be assigned. “I asked God to use me, and I feel like He answered.”

Maria didn’t come to this role by a straight path. A graduate of Sesser-Valier High School in 2008, she initially planned to study radiology. She had always dreamed of becoming a teacher, but the health field seemed like a quicker way to earn money. Life shifted after she married her husband, Michael, in 2011 and welcomed their first child the next year. By 2015, she was enrolled at Western Governors University to pursue education, though family needs led her to pause her studies.

Despite the interruptions, Maria continued to find ways to serve children. She worked as a paraprofessional in Sesser before the birth of her youngest, Emmy, made her step back once again. Later, she returned to the classroom as a long-term substitute in Christopher, where she worked with junior high students in special education. One boy in particular left a mark on her, as she witnessed the challenges of his home life and gave her whole heart to supporting him. “I kind of give my heart to whatever I’m doing,” Maria said. “I’m drawn to kids who need someone in their corner, and they’re drawn to me.”

Alongside her time in schools, Maria and her family found themselves the unexpected owners of a lavender farm just outside of Valier. She and her husband purchased the farmhouse and 17 acres in 2023, moving in with their four children and her mother-in-law. The property, known as Farmhouse Harvest Lavender Farm, came with an operating gift shop and recipes for teas and products. Maria embraced it as a blessing, a seasonal business that allowed her to be with her children and continue working with youth at her church, First Baptist Sesser, where she teaches a group called Sprouts for kindergarten through fifth graders. Still, her heart continued to pull her toward education.

This fall, with her youngest starting kindergarten, Maria accepted a position at Benton as a special education aide. Working alongside teacher Brooke McCann and fellow aides, she spends her mornings at a table with three young boys, guiding them through activities, practicing letters and sounds, and sometimes simply walking with a vision-impaired child who needs movement to stay focused. She and her colleagues share responsibilities, stepping in wherever a child needs support. “It’s lots of hands-on work,” she explained. “We help each other, and we help all the kids.”

The challenges are real—students with unique needs often require multiple aides. Yet Maria sees bright spots every day. She has already noticed how one child responds better when integrated with peers in regular classrooms, and she shares those observations with her teacher. The team collaborates constantly, adjusting approaches and celebrating progress. For Maria, even small breakthroughs affirm her decision to be here.

She is also back in school herself, continuing her coursework toward becoming a licensed special education teacher. The dream she once set aside is now her focus. “Someday I could be the teacher with aides in my classroom,” she said with a smile. It is a vision fueled by both her experience and her faith, grounded in the belief that her life’s twists and turns have prepared her for this moment.

Maria is candid about what she has seen in education. Having worked in multiple districts, she praises Benton for its responsiveness and support. “I’ve watched a teacher message the administration about something a student needed, and they responded right away. I’ve never witnessed that before,” she said. To her, that kind of care speaks volumes about the district’s commitment to children.

At home, Maria and Michael are raising four children—Reese, 13; Abby, 11; Naomi, 7; and Emmy, 5—while managing their lavender farm and balancing the busy life of a family of six. Yet even with so many demands, Maria radiates joy in her work. She has found her place at Benton, where her compassion, strength, and dedication to students make a difference every day.

“I love working for Benton School District,” she said simply. And for the children who find her hand guiding theirs, her presence in the classroom feels like exactly the gift they need.