At just 27, Stormie Knowlton of Vian balances many roles—devoted mother, dedicated paraprofessional, and lifelong Sequoyah County resident— all with a quiet determination to make a difference where it matters most.

Knowlton is the proud mom of three children: Frankie, 7; Maysen, 6; and Isaac, 4. When the school day winds down, home life is centered on togetherness. While she says she doesn’t have many hobbies, she wouldn’t trade her favorite pastimes for anything—playing board games with her children and cuddling up for movie nights.

Disney films are a household staple, especially the classics from the 1980s and 1990s. Favorites include The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, Aladdin, and Mulan— movies that now span generations and have become part of the family’s shared memories.

Sequoyah County isn’t just where Knowlton lives; it’s home in the deepest sense of the word. She grew up in Gore and says she couldn’t imagine raising her children anywhere else.

“This is home to me,” she said. “There’s no other place I’d want to raise my kids.”

That sense of roots and community carries into her work as a paraprofessional, a role she says she truly loves. More than assisting with academics, Knowlton sees her job as supporting the whole child.

As a paraprofessional, her daily duties include working one-on-one or in small groups with students, helping reinforce lessons, assisting teachers in the classroom, supporting students with special needs, monitoring behavior, offering emotional encouragement, and helping with routine tasks that keep the school day running smoothly. Often, it’s the “little things,” she said, that make the biggest difference— listening, offering reassurance, or helping a child navigate a tough moment.

“I get to make a difference in a child’s life for more than just schoolwork,” Knowlton said. “Those small things can have a huge impact.”

In a community built on connection, Stormie Knowlton represents the quiet strength found in classrooms and homes across Sequoyah County—raising her children, supporting local students, and investing daily in the place she has always called home.