Art Professor Dianna Yost is nominated for the Edwardsville Citizen of the Year award

Diana Yost is one of five candidates for the Intelligencer's "Citizen of the Year" honor. She is an adjunct art professor at Lewis and Clark Community College and is a Walt Disney World travel agent.

“I knew as soon as I graduated, I wanted to work in education, I wanted to keep working at the college level — so I’ve been teaching college for almost 15 years now — so I love working with students, I love teaching,” Yost said. “I think for me, I’ve always been like a lifelong learner. I just love learning. I was in college a long time, I kept going back to get more degrees, because I just love learning so much.”

Yost credits her desire to support her community as the reason behind the recognition.

“When my own children got into elementary school, I immediately signed up for PTO. I knew right away I wanted to help out,” she said. “I wanted to be in the schools, and it’s just so much fun being in the elementary schools, and it’s interesting because I teach college — I teach adults, I don’t teach children — but when I’m in these elementary schools, it’s so much fun being around the littles and seeing everything from their perspective.”

“I’ve been volunteering at both Leclaire and Columbus elementary schools, K through 5, and it’s been so much fun working with the little kids, too.”

You can read the full article and vote for the person you believe deserves the honor by visiting theintelligencer.com.