Rita Wakefield didn’t take the straight road into teaching. In fact, when she graduated from Effingham High School and headed to Eastern Illinois University, her plan was medicine, not education. She earned her degree as a medical technologist and spent two decades working in labs like LabCorp, running blood tests and ensuring results that others’ health depended on. She loved the science, the precision, and the problem-solving. But when the industry shifted with buyouts and mergers, Rita made a bold choice. She went back to Eastern, earned her teaching degree, and eventually a master’s in Biology. It was a leap of faith into a new career—and she’s never looked back.

Her first teaching role was at Brownstown, where she spent twelve years before moving to Vandalia eight years ago. Today, she teaches Biology, Advanced Biology, and dual credit Medical Terminology, blending her scientific background with the classroom experience she once thought she’d never pursue. “I actually considered teaching when I was younger,” she admits, “but I didn’t have the confidence then. Coming back to it later, it just felt right.”

Dual credit has been at the heart of her Vandalia work. By partnering with Kaskaskia College, Rita gives her students a genuine head start. They leave her classroom not only with high school credit, but also with college hours already in hand. For first-generation students especially, she sees the impact. “It’s not just cost savings,” she says. “It’s confidence. They walk away knowing they can handle college-level work. That matters.”

In Fayette County, those early wins can be life-changing. Rita sees it in her students who take advanced classes by choice, knowing they’ll face more rigor but also more reward. “They don’t get here by accident,” she says. “They’ve chosen the harder road because they want to see what they’re capable of.” For some, those credits will ease the transition into a university. For others, they’ll provide flexibility later in life if they decide to shift from trades into management, or even change careers entirely.

Her love of science is infectious. She calls herself a “science nerd” without hesitation, the kind of teacher who reads research articles for fun and would rather watch a documentary than a movie. Growing up one of seven kids on a dairy farm, hard work was second nature, and that discipline has carried into her teaching. She believes science is not just a subject but a way of thinking—observing, questioning, and testing—that prepares students for whatever path they choose.

Rita is quick to credit Vandalia’s leadership for creating an environment where teachers can thrive. From consistent communication during crises to everyday support, she feels backed by administrators who value both staff and students. “It makes a difference,” she says. “We’ve got really good administrators here.” She also praises the guidance staff, noting how vital they are in helping students see the opportunities dual credit provides.

As retirement approaches—she plans to step away after the 2026–27 school year—Rita hopes the dual credit Biology program will continue. She’s even encouraged colleagues to pursue the credentials needed to keep it alive. “It’s too important to let go,” she says. “Every student, no matter where they’re headed, needs that one science class. Why not let it be here, with us, while we can give them both knowledge and confidence?”

For Vandalia, Rita Wakefield’s second act has been more than a career change. It’s been a gift—one that transformed her experience in labs into lessons that shape futures. And for the students who walk into her classroom each day, that gift may be the push that changes their lives, too.