By Kaihli Mitts

Editor-In-Chief

Dwila Cox, formally known as Dwila Funk, is a clinical social worker at South. She has worked in the district for the past 25 years, and is one of the several staff members retiring after the current school year.

Cox worked in mental health for 10 years prior to working in the school system. And is still open to the idea of doing so after she leaves South.

“I’m not really sure what I’ll do after [I retire]. I’ll want to chill a little bit, get some projects done around the house, but I will be working again,” Cox says. “Whether I want to go into private practice or do contract work doing ongoing therapy with people, or I would love to do something with animals.”

Even before retirement, Cox has already picked up a new hobby helping out animals, and it seems to be succesful, even in its early stages. There’s only a matter of time before her small hobby begins to flourish.

“I make homemade Milkbones and sell them. They’re nice and healthy, my dogs sample them. I [sold] them last month at a pop-up shop. It was really fun, and I made a little money! I have another one at the end of this month too. This could be something kind of fun to do; something to serve the animals,” she says. 

Cox has two dogs of her own at home. With as much as she adores animals, you can only imagine how much love her pets get at home. Cox also adores her husband, the atmosphere of South, and God

“I love working with students. Being able to give them a safe place to talk, and hoping to make a difference in their lives where they can feel empowered and [feel like] the sky is the limit with their future,” Cox says. “Helping [students] move forward and have a safe place where they can vent and develop some skills to move on. I love that. I love to be a part of that.”

Cox hosts several support groups during the school week. Some are private, while others are public and open to any students at South who would like to attend, like the Breakfast Club. Group gives students a space to talk about what’s on their mind, while giving them the chance to help and listen to the stories of their peers as well. Group therapy is not only a lesson for the students involved, but gives Cox some things to remember moving forward in life as well.

“I’ve learned a lot from the students here, from everybody. I’ve grown as a clinician, [and] as a person in my time with everybody I’ve encountered,” says Cox. 

Little does she know, she’s helped the students here at South ten times more than they’ve helped her. She has made an impact on many, whether they stopped by her office one time in the past, or see her every week. 

“Never underestimate what you can do. You have more power inside of yourself than what you’d ever even think,” she says. “It’s important to have the courage to use your skills, use your talents, don’t think you don’t measure up because you do.”