As the head of the English department, Dakota Schrimsher never really intended to go to school for teaching; she was leaning more towards law or writing. She accidentally enrolled in an educational psychology course to fulfill a requirement and found child development fascinating. This is her sixth year teaching, and her second year at Steilacoom High School. After she takes maternity leave, she and her husband will be relocating to Georgia this summer. She is excited to become a stay-at-home mom and possibly pursue her master’s degree in the future.

Schrimsher fell in love with Steilacoom for its tight-knit community and the opportunity she’s had to get to know her students well. In honor of this past Women’s History Month, she wants young women at SHS to know, “You have nothing to prove. You are in competition with no one. You don’t have to prove that you are likable or agreeable enough.” She describes her older sister Danielle as her role model and a strong female influence in her life, because growing up she never compromised who she was for the things she wanted. “For me, she embodies what it means to be unapologetically yourself.”

Sophomore Cade Fancher describes how she has impacted his life. “Mrs. Schrimsher is the most encouraging teacher I know. She creates a safe space for her students and is willing to do the most she can…She has helped me through so much and has gone as far as buying me necessities when I couldn’t. I will remember her in thirty years because of how much she has taught me.”