S.C. teacher overcomes homelessness, shares lesson with others
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - After being homeless for six months in 2012, Dashia Wider now teaches social studies to middle schoolers.
“I was beneath the rock. You know how some people say they hit rock bottom, but I was beneath the rock,” Wider said.
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When Wider’s ex-husband tried to kill her in 2012, she left her home in Florida with only two bags of clothes, two pairs of shoes and her car. Her world turned upside down. She was now alone and homeless.
“I never thought I would be in that position at all. Homelessness is basically you just lost, mentally, physically, emotionally. I had a moment, I asked God, ‘God just take my last breath away from me because I just don’t want to be here anymore. I just don’t want to be here anymore. But the next day God woke me up and the next day, he woke me up again.”
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Wider continued to get up, not letting the struggles of her past determine her future. After living in her car for nearly six months, Wider’s friend in South Carolina offered her a helping hand.
“She had a place for me, she paid it up for six months, she had the lights on, cable on, just laid me a foundation, a second start.”
It was the fresh start Wider needed. In August of 2012, Wider began her career with Richland County School District 1, where she worked various roles. During her time at Southeast Middle School, she met Dolores Goodwin, a godsend when she needed it most.
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“One day we had a storm, it was raining real hard, I didn’t have much because all I had was two pairs of cheap flip flop shoes and two bags of clothes. I was trying to clean up, dry myself off and Ms. Goodwin came in and she talked to me and she gave me some encouraging words, some spiritual words, some spiritual food that I needed at that time and she took the shoes off my feet and put them on my feet. I asked her ‘What are you going to do? You don’t have no shoes.’”
“I said ‘I always keep an old pair of slides under my desk, I’ll put those on and walk on them the rest of the day,’” Goodwin replied.
Goodwin’s gift of kindness, in the form of shoes, was only the start of their unbreakable bond.
In 2023, Wider ed Richland One’s Project R.I.S.E program, which helps aspiring teachers earn their certification. In January of 2024, Wider became a certified teacher. She now teaches 6th and 7th grade social studies at Alcorn Middle School.
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“When my children enter my classroom, they’re going to get love, they’re going to get teaching, whatever I need to do they will receive it in a healthy environment,” Wider said.
There are few more proud of Wider than her dear friend, Ms. Goodwin.
“I am so proud of Dashia. She’s teaching her kids to know, don’t let nothing hold you back, just keep striving. I want Dashia to reach for the stars because I know the sky’s the limit. Dashia will always, always have a special place in my heart, I love her,” Wider said.
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Despite all of the trials Wider faced, she persevered, because God kept waking her up and Wider kept getting up.
“Today, where I’m standing, it’s nothing but God’s grace of mercy. His hands are upon me. I know that for a fact,” Wider said.
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