She enjoyed college as older student

Stacy Clopton Yates
Age: 42
Occupation: Public relations coordinator, Amarillo Public Library

How has your education played a role in your life today?
I have been very privileged to do work I love, in fields for which I have great passion. Whether I was working in news, public radio or for the library, my education has always been critical because it taught me how to think. No matter what you study - philosophy or math or plumbing - education should teach you how to find information and how to evaluate it.

What was your greatest educational challenge and how did you overcome it?
School was pretty easy for me as young child, so I didn't develop good study practices. As I grew older and the work grew more difficult, I realized it's much harder to pick up good habits as an adult.

What is the value of your education?
Immeasurable! While it's certainly true that earning degrees has helped in my professional life, I firmly believe that education has a value completely beyond the marketplace. It expands our world and exposes us to new ideas, and that improves our quality of life no matter how we earn a living.

When did you make education a priority?
I had a family and a full-time job when I went back to school. That was hard - I had to give up certain activities to do my schoolwork - but it was also great fun and I enjoyed being in school as an older student.

What made you realize the importance of education in your life?
I'm fortunate. My mom was a teacher and she taught me how to read before I started school. She also taught me to ask questions and consider new ideas. She and my dad always made school a priority. I know I was incredibly blessed to grow up in a family with that kind of attitude toward education.