A Portage Life in the Spotlight: Alice Dawson

A proper education is the backbone of any community, and Alice Dawson makes sure Portage High School teachers and students are getting the best support possible.

Dawson works as a secretary in Portage High School’s main office, a job that plays an unassumingly vital role in the school’s daily function.

“The bulk of the day is basically being there to support and assist,” Dawson said. “If the teachers come in and need something, I’m there for them. If the students need something, I’m there for them. I’m there supporting any and everybody who needs help.”

Dawson’s strengths in the workplace come from her own experiences. Her life has been full of ups and downs, but Dawson’s seventh grade cheerleading coach, Doris Jackson, instilled a life lesson that helped her face uncertainty head on.

“She imparted some wisdom in me that I will carry with me for the rest of my life: ‘You can be and do anything that you want to do if you set your mind to it.’” Dawson said.

Dawson took this advice to heart, and while it bloomed a special confidence within her, that seed of ambition had already been planted by her mother.

Dawson grew up in a single-parent household. Her mother did a wonderful job raising her while shouldering the duties of two parents, serving as a strong guardian and positive role model. Her mother made it a point to steer Dawson towards focusing on education above anything else.

“She made sure that school was number one on my radar, and I’m grateful to her for that. I had an opportunity to stay in a situation and follow the trend, or I could get out of that situation and make a new trend for my children and my grandchildren. I chose to do just that,” Dawson said.

Through prioritizing her education, Dawson was able to study her way through Indiana University’s doctoral program. However, what she looks back on most fondly from her younger years wasn’t her academic feats but her time in theatre.

“I did a lot of acting,” Dawson said, “I think it made me who I am. Before I got involved, I might have been an introvert, but it turned me into a total extrovert.”

All of Dawson’s life experiences, as a student, a scholar, and an actor, have left her stronger and more knowledgeable than before. She’s shared this knowledge with the students of Portage High School, and they’ve turned out better for it.

“When you listen, you’re able to talk to them. In doing that, I’m able to steer some of them in a certain direction.” said Dawson. “Some might want to pursue being in theatre, and I say, ‘Well, go do it. Who says you can’t just go do it?’ They go do it, and when they see me, they’ll say, ‘Coach D, I did it.’”

Dawson also leads students in extracurriculars. She started the PHS Steppaz four years ago, a stepping and dance team that performs at Portage High School sporting events and accepts students with no choreography experience.

“It’s an opportunity for any student that wants to do something different. Maybe they’re not as athletic as the athletes, but they still have something they want to do and give,” Dawson said.

Dawson has achieved much in her life, but with great achievements come occasional struggles. Dawson has used her own difficult moments to learn, teach, and become spiritually stronger. Few in Portage do more to strengthen the community than Dawson, and thanks to her faith and her strength, she’s continued to serve as a positive force for Portage High School.

“Take the Lord along with you everywhere you go,” said Dawson. “If you do that, you will come out all right every time.”