Rader helps students succeed
Staff writer
Eileen Rader was born in Quinter and grew up in WaKenney. She graduated from Trego Community High School, married and had two children, Les and Kayla.
The family moved to Lehigh in 1976. From 1976 to 1983, she stayed home and raised her family.
"I began working when Kayla was about seven years old," Eileen said.
In 1983 she began working as a clerk at the former Ben Franklin Store located on Main Street in Hillsboro. She worked there until 1990.
After leaving Ben Franklin, she worked in the flower shop at the former Hillsboro Sundries located on Main Street. Eileen worked full-time for six months.
In 1990, she began working for the Marion County Special Education Cooperative as a para-educator at Hillsboro High School. Her duties include assisting students in a variety of ways. She helps the students prepare for tests, complete assignments, keep on task, and take notes.
Eileen also accompanies the students to their classes and assists them in any way necessary.
On some occasions she assists her supervisors, René Matz and Karen Benda, by watching the class for short periods of time when they may need to step out of the classroom.
"There are some days when I ask myself, Why do I have to go?" Eileen said. "But there are rewards."
"When I see that students become successful in their tasks and they feel good about themselves, it makes me feel good," she said.
In 1997, she married Jerry Rader, a self-employed welder. They reside in Durham.
Along with her children, Les and Kayla, Eileen has four stepchildren, Debbie, Carol, Marie, and "Curly." She and her husband have 13 grandchildren.
This school year Eileen began working as a library aide after school in the Wiebe Media Center. Her duties include shelving returned books, carding items on the computer, assisting and monitoring students, and assisting Librarian Anita Boese in whatever needs to be done.
Eileen said her hobbies are cross-stitching, reading, and fishing.
She and her husband collect old tractors.
"We mostly collect John Deere tractors, but we have an International," she said. "We have restored one of them and hope to do more eventually."
