For Rylee (Wilson) Varnell, going into education was probably second nature.
After all, she grew up watching her mother and father work as teachers and coaches. In fact, her mother, Staci Wilson, will serve as Sayre Lady Eagles’ head basketball coach in the 2023-2024 school year.
And being in Sayre was a natural choice for many reasons. Her little sister Kelby (Wilson) Brown graduated from Sayre High School, as did her husband, Taylor.
“I had grown up hearing my parents and grandparents urge us not to go into education,” Varnell laughed. “I knew they loved the job, though. Still, when I went to get my Bachelor’s, I majored in business. I thought that would be the route I would go down.”
But, to quote the ageless wisdom of the Beatles, life is what happens when you are busy making other plans.
“Well, my husband Taylor got drafted into Major League Baseball,” Varnell recounted. “When that happened, it was going to make it difficult for me to know where to take a job because he could be moved anywhere in the country really at any time. But both of our families are in this area. I knew there was a job opening in Sayre to teach math, which is my passion. So, everything kind of fell into place.”
The Varnells welcomed their first child, Ellie, as Varnell began her teaching career. Two years later, little brother Ezra joined the crew. Her husband retired from professional baseball, coaching in Sayre and Canute.
Life was busy.
“And then I decided to make it busier,” Varnell laughed. “We want to make a difference in our students’ lives, both Taylor and me. We have great examples from our own teachers and families in that. I felt the best way for me to do the most for the most students was to become a principal.”
While balancing two tiny babies and careers, Varnell returned to school through Southeastern Oklahoma State University.
Last week, she officially completed her goal, graduating with a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership.
“It is designed to be a two-year program, but because I could do it all online, I set my own pace,” Varnell explained. “I missed some things and sometimes had to do my own classes late at night, but I could finish in a year. I’m very excited and look forward to my future journeys in education.”
Varnell will be teaching in Canute next year.
