For Misty Philpot, the greatest victories in life don’t come from luck—they come from hard work, persistence, and the willingness to push through challenges.

It’s a lesson she has lived by, and it’s a lesson she has passed down to her children.

“I’ve always told my kids, whatever you choose to do, you go full speed. You work hard. You don’t give up.”

And they listened.

Her daughter Saige is a cheer captain, leading Vandalia’s competitive cheer squad with strength and grace. Her son Max just won a state championship in wrestling, an achievement that sent waves of pride through their entire community. And her oldest daughter, Gracie, is playing softball at Kaskaskia College, balancing athletics and academics with the same discipline her mom instilled in her.

But for Misty, their achievements are about more than trophies and titles—they are about character, commitment, and carrying the right mindset into everything they do.

Misty didn’t always call Vandalia home. She grew up in Patoka, a small town just down the road. She started working in Vandalia as a waitress at Ponderosa, spending eight years working her way through school and connecting with the people of the town.

“I worked my way through college at SIU Edwardsville, knowing I wanted to be a teacher,” she said.

Eventually, she met her husband, a Vandalia native, and the decision to settle down and raise their family here felt right.

“Vandalia is the kind of place that wraps its arms around you,” she said. “When Max won state, I felt like half the town was either there or watching. Even people who don’t follow wrestling wanted to be part of it, because they knew his story.”

That small-town support is something she treasures—not just for her kids, but for herself as well.

“I wasn’t born in Vandalia, but I feel like I have a Vandal heart now,” she said.

Misty’s journey in education has been anything but static.

She started out as a pre-K teacher, spending three years helping Vandalia’s youngest learners build strong foundations. From there, she transitioned to teaching third grade for 12 years, loving every minute of it.

“I was with those kids seven, eight hours a day—sometimes more than their parents were,” she said. “It was such a privilege to have that connection.”

But then, COVID hit, and everything changed.

During the pandemic, Vandalia needed a remote learning coordinator, someone to help students and teachers navigate online education. Misty stepped up, taking on the role even though it was uncharted territory.

“I had to figure everything out on the fly,” she said. “It wasn’t easy, but we made it work.”

When the school reopened, a new opportunity presented itself: the elementary technology position.

Misty took the leap, becoming the technology teacher for K-4 students, a role she now absolutely loves.

“I was worried at first—worried that I wouldn’t have the same connection with kids as I did in a homeroom setting,” she admitted. “But now, I get to work with all of them. I have more relationships now than I ever did before.”

Her journey through education—from teaching in a classroom to leading technology integration—has been shaped by resilience, adaptability, and an unwavering love for helping kids succeed.

And that same resilience and adaptability are exactly what she sees in her daughter, Saige.