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'This Is My Place:' South Grad's Work Earns Statewide Recognition

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Posted on February 4, 2022

Thomas Becnel

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After earning a bachelor鈥檚 degree in education at the University of South Alabama, Darlene Lewis became a kindergarten teacher at Holloway Elementary School.

While teaching in Mobile, she earned a master鈥檚 degree from South in school counseling and began working as a counselor at Craighead Elementary School. Now she鈥檚 a professional counselor at Blount High School, where some of the students look familiar.

鈥淚鈥檓 seeing kids that I taught in kindergarten, during my early days of teaching, and now they鈥檙e students here,鈥� Lewis said. 鈥淭hat鈥榮 very rewarding. They stay attached to you. They know you. They want to be around you and they still need your help.

鈥淥ne of my kids was singing in the chorus room one day. He鈥檚 super talented. And I was like, 鈥業 had no idea that鈥檇 be you one day.鈥欌��

While working at Pillans Middle School and Scarborough Middle School, she and two other counselors completed requirements to have their work recognized as a Program of Distinction by the Alabama School Counselor Association. They were the first Mobile public schools to earn this distinction, presented by the American School Counselor Association.

鈥淚t鈥檚 important, as professional school counselors, to know that everything you鈥檙e doing has meaning behind it, that everything you鈥檙e doing helps students grow,鈥� she said.

Dr. Amy Upton, an assistant professor in the department of school counseling at South, was impressed with the Program of Distinction effort in Mobile. She鈥檚 known Lewis since she was a graduate student.

鈥淪ince then, she鈥檚 really done some amazing stuff,鈥� Upton said. 鈥淓very time I think she鈥檚 found a place, she seems to reach higher and get there with energy, focus and a smile on her face. She is determined, she is positive, she is strategic. She loves the work she does and never shies away from that next challenge.鈥�

Prichard Proud

Lewis, 35, grew up in Prichard, north of Mobile. Her father worked two and three jobs to make ends meet. Her mother was a stay-at-home mom.

Sometimes her home life was uncertain, often relying on family and friends for support, but nothing affected her love of learning.

鈥淪chool was my safe haven, my safe place,鈥� Lewis said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 where I excelled. I鈥檝e never been out of school, really. This is my place.鈥�

She attended Vigor High School, where she made good grades. She couldn鈥檛 afford many extracurricular activities, but was active in the Junior ROTC and became commander of the Color Guard during her senior year. Yet she wasn鈥檛 on track to further her education.

鈥淲hen I left high school,鈥� she said, 鈥淚 was one of those students who didn鈥檛 understand the ins and outs of applying to college and looking at scholarships or grant money.鈥�

With advice from her aunt, Lewis began studying hairstyling at Bishop State Community College. One of her advisers, Katina Simpson-White, urged her to take general education courses as well. Again, she made good grades, but this time she had goals in mind.

She earned an associate degree in sociology and then a bachelor鈥檚 degree in elementary education at the University of South Alabama.

鈥淏efore I even transitioned, I had a plan,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 knew what courses I was going to take and when I was going to graduate. I didn鈥檛 have much of a campus life. I worked as a certified pharmacy technician at Rite Aid and as a paraprofessional for Mobile County Public Schools.鈥�

At South, she did enjoy classroom discussions with students from all walks of life. It made things more interesting. Part of her education.

After graduation, Lewis taught kindergarten for five years at Holloway Elementary, where she enjoyed family connections at the school.

鈥淢y aunt, Deborah Adams, one of the women who raised me, was the cafeteria manager at Holloway,鈥� she said. 鈥淪o teaching there was like being at home with momma.鈥�

It was her grandfather 鈥� Joe Lewis, a Mobile jazz musician 鈥� who encouraged her to return to South and get her master鈥檚 degree. She did, earning a degree in school counseling in 2015. She worked at middle schools before moving up to Blount High School.

Lewis doesn鈥檛 care for the old-fashioned title of 鈥済uidance counselor.鈥� Today, school counselors help students prepare academically, as well as socially and emotionally. Her goal is to anticipate the challenges and problems facing her teenagers.

鈥淵ou want to be proactive in what you do,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 why it鈥檚 so important to come in every day with a plan.鈥�

Family and Community

Last year, Lewis married Jeremy Stradford, a biology teacher at Williamson High School. They were introduced by one of their colleagues. 

He鈥檚 interested in golf and bicycling, while she prefers reading and staying at their home in Midtown. She does enjoy swimming, a sport she picked up while mentoring the Marlins Swim Team at the Dearborn YMCA.

In the community, Lewis is a member of the Junior League of Mobile. She鈥檚 active in her church, the Gulf Coast Christian Center. In her spare time, she鈥檚 a Mary Kay beauty consultant.

A few years ago, she did some local modeling. In 2008, she was a member of the royal court for the Mobile Area Mardi Gras Association.

鈥淚t was fun 鈥� and hectic,鈥� she said. 鈥淔ive days of running from here to there, with all the different outfits.鈥�

Lewis may have moved to Mobile, but she remains proud of her roots in Prichard. She wants to make sure all of her students know about the opportunities available to them. School work is one way to give back to her community.

Even at Blount, she remains loyal to her alma mater, Vigor, which is a longtime rival. 

鈥淚鈥檓 here, but I鈥檓 hesitant about wearing purple,鈥� she said, laughing. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a rival thing. But I鈥檒l definitely wear a leopard print.鈥�

She supports the Prichard community, no matter the school. At her church, mentors are called 鈥渄estiny helpers鈥� 鈥� people who you get where you鈥檙e supposed to be. At her high school, she strives to be professional as well as compassionate.

鈥淚鈥檓 definitely a hugger,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou know, 鈥榃hat do you need? How can I help you? What can we do to fix this?鈥� But I鈥檓 by the book, too.鈥�

Lewis hasn鈥檛 planned her school career in Mobile, but already she has worked at the elementary, middle and high school levels. One day she might be interested in becoming a supervisor or taking a position in school administration.

鈥淚鈥檝e never had a path in mind, but I鈥檝e always been offered jobs,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou know, 鈥楥ome to our school. We hear good things about you.鈥� So I鈥檝e been blessed in that.鈥�

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