Morning finds Darleta Wagner moving between kindergarten and pre-K rooms, a familiar rhythm for someone who’s learned to change gears fast. Whether she’s helping a child zip a coat, guiding a classroom activity, or cheering from the sideline later that night, she’s doing what she loves most—being there for kids.

“You might be the best part of their day — so I try to be that,” she says with an easy smile. “And that’s enough reason to give them your best.”

Now in her fourth year as a paraprofessional and her eighth as the district’s 8th-grade girls’ basketball coach, Darleta’s dual roles speak to her versatility. “I’ve always been kind of a utility player,” she laughs. “Wherever they need me, that’s where I’ll be.”

A native of Mount Carmel, Darleta grew up surrounded by a community that valued teamwork and tenacity. She carried that spirit onto the court at Olney Central College, where she played basketball before an injury redirected her plans. Later offered a spot at Eastern Illinois University, she chose instead to focus on recovery and family—choices that, in hindsight, she sees as stepping stones to her current life. “It was tough at the time,” she says. “But now I see it was leading me here. I still get to be around the game—and around kids who are learning about teamwork and effort the same way I did.”

Her experience as both an athlete and a mentor fuels her teaching style. In the classroom, that coach’s mindset takes a softer form. She moves easily between groups, sensing when a child needs extra reassurance or a little push to stay on task. “Some days it’s about academics,” she says. “Other days, it’s about emotions. You have to read the room.” She sees every interaction as a chance to lift a child’s confidence—through a word of encouragement, a quiet check-in, or simply a smile that says, You matter here.

Her guiding philosophy—good humans first—has become something of a personal motto. “It’s simple,” she says. “If we can help kids be kind, thoughtful people, everything else follows.” That phrase echoes through her work, whether she’s calming a kindergartner or coaching a high-stakes game. “I tell my players that it’s never just about the score,” she adds. “It’s about how you carry yourself when you’re winning—or when you’re not.”

That belief shapes how she interacts with both her athletes and her students. She celebrates small victories: a first successful free throw, a kind gesture between classmates, a moment when a shy student speaks up. “Those are wins,” she says. “Those are the things that last.” She’s especially proud of her players who have gone on to join high school teams or who stop by years later just to visit. “That’s when you know you made a difference,” she says. “When they come back.”

Rooted in Newton through her husband’s family, Darleta feels a deep sense of connection to the Jasper County community. “People here care about each other,” she says. “They show up for games, for fundraisers, for kids they don’t even know. That’s what makes this place special.” Her own children have come through the district, strengthening her belief that education and athletics share the same foundation: commitment, patience, and care.

When the school day ends, the rhythm continues—practice whistles, sneakers on wood, laughter echoing off the gym walls. The lessons blend: patience, teamwork, respect. Each drill, each timeout, and each classroom moment becomes part of a larger picture of service. “Good humans first,” she says again, smiling as the gym quiets down. “The rest takes care of itself.”