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Birth
Steven Craig Jex was born on May 22, 1993 in Roosevelt, UT. -
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Birth to 4
My family and I lived in Roosevelt, UT until I was 4. During this time my dad worked for my grandpa and was also a firefighter. I can remember one night as a little kids pulling up to a burning building and my dad coming up to the car to say hi to us all. Living in our Roosevelt home was my mother and father, my two older sister, and my little brother. -
Move to Vegas
My family moved in the summer of 1997 to Las Vegas, NV for my dad to take a job as a police officer for the city. -
Baptism
At 8 years old I was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I'll always remember this day gathered together with family as we celebrated my decision to be a member of this church. -
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Adolescent Years
Unfortunately I remember very little from my childhood. I have glimmers of memories that either happened or were imagined, and it is sad that I do not have very many. Two of the most memorable events from my childhood and adolescents involved my little brother. When I was 6 he fell off a cliff and was severely injured. When I was a sophomore in high school he broke his back in an ATV accident. Two majorly formative moments in my life. -
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Mission to Germany
From the summer of 2012 to the summer of 2014 I served an ecclesiastical mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Germany. I lived in Berlin, Koethen, Stadthagen, Hannover, and Chemnitz. I learned and became fluent in the German language, taught others about Jesus Christ, and became joyfully immersed in German culture and life. Two formative years that have shaped my whole adult life. -
Uncle Chance
On my mission in Germany, I was assigned a new missionary to train. Enter Chance Feild. After working together for 9 out of the 24 months that I lived in Germany, Chance and I have developed a deep and lasting brotherhood. He is one of my best friends, and he continues to make me laugh, teach me, and inspire me. -
The Love of My Life
After returning home from my mission to Germany I attended a congregation in our church set up for young single adults. At the end of the first social event for the group that I attended I met a group of young singles and introduced myself. One beautiful young women stood out among them all. In that moment it was as if a shroud of darkness had been lifted from my eyes, and in that moment I knew that I wanted to marry her. -
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Growing Love
After recovering from a surgery, this young woman invited me to spend time with her friend circle. After hanging out a few time, I finally built up the courage to formally ask her on a date. A month later we were a serious item. A month later I proposed marriage to her, and the rest is history. -
Wedding Day
After a few months of dating, and a 45 day engagement, my wife and I were married in the Las Vegas, NV Temple on January 2, 2015. No greater or happier moment had ever existed in my life. We were married and sealed for time and all eternity in the House of the Lord. I am so grateful that my wife chose to marry me. We have been joyfully married for almost 9 years now, and every day just keeps getting better. -
Little Tom
Thomas Jex, our first son, was born on July 23, 2016. He was the squirmiest, scrappiest baby that ever was born. A strength he's brought into everything he does in life, and we love him for it. -
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College Bound
In the spring of 2018 I decided, after having dropped out of college, to go back to college. I enrolled in Western Governors University pursuing a BS in Secondary Education Biological Life Sciences. I completed my degree and student teaching and obtained my first teaching licence a year and a half later in December 2019. -
Martin: President of the Funny Club
On June 9th, 2018 we welcomed our second son into the world, Martin Jex. Martin was a beautiful baby who arrived HUNGRY. He has kept that hunger for food and for learning all these years. He also hungers for attention and gets it with his many joke, comments, and goofy actions. We love him, and he always knows how to make us laugh. -
B.S. Secondary Education Biological Life Sciences
After pushing hard my first college degree. I obtained a bachelor's degree in just 18 months! -
First Day of the First Year of Teaching
I was so excited to begin teaching special education. I could see that special education filled a need that historically has been overlooked. The students are amazing, and I have loved working with them ever since. -
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First Teaching Job
After completing my student teaching at Plainview-Elgin-Millville High School, the principal offered by a position if I was interested as a high school special education teacher. Knowing I needed a job I jumped at the opportunity and challenge and said yes. I believed that my science background could help me be successful in working with these students. I fell in love with the job and decided to make a career out of working in special education. -
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MS Special Education
Because my original teaching licensure was in general education, I decided to go back to school to get a master's in special education. I did this through St Cloud State University. I learned on the job and in the university, and became a better special educator because of it. I was also the first family member in two generations to graduate college (B.S. from WGU) and the first family member to get a master's degree. -
Sir David the Kind and Gentle
On October 21, 2020 we welcomed Dave; our biggest, calmest, and most gentle child so far. David has always been easy going, patient, generous, loving, and obedient. He loves to play on his own, and idolizes his big brothers, especially Martin. David is also the secretary of the Funny Club. -
Grandma's Marathon
Health and fitness are important to me, and my extreme runner of a father-in-law convinced me to run a marathon with him. After pulling my calf muscle three miles in, I slowly limped through the finish line about 6 hours later. It was a hard challenge, but I overcame that challenge. -
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The year of Change and Adaptation
2023 was the biggest and most radically changing year of my life. So many ups and down, and twists and turns that have brought me to where I am today. I decided in the spring of 2023 to change schools, we had a baby that summer, in the fall I was offered a new job, and today I am starting a doctorate degree. I've got a lot going on! -
M.S Special Education
After writing a master's thesis on special education transition programing, working with my professors to submit my work in order to present this information to journals and conferences, I graduated with a master's in special education. -
Our Precious Little Girl
After many years and three wildly energetic boys, we finally welcomed our sweet little Carolyn on June 19, 2023. We love and adore her so much, and so do her brothers. She is sweet natured, and the perfect little baby. -
Special Education Coordinator
On advice from my educational mentor, I applied for a special education director job at Pine Island School District. Not knowing if I'd be offered the job, I was excited and amazed that I was offered the position as the new special education director. It has been a learning experience already, but I am glad I am attending Bethel so that I can learn to master the craft of being a special education director. -
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EDD of K-12 Administration
I strive to not only be the first person in 3 generations to go to college, but to set the example for my children and generations to come of lifelong learning. By the winter of 2026 or 2027 I hope to complete a doctorate degree at Bethel University. -
Special Education Director Licensure
Working and pushing hard, I hope to finish my director courses at Bethel and be approved for director licensure in MN by the winter of 2024. This will continue to help me master my new job. -
Baby number 5?
Call us crazy, but sometime in the next two to three years my wife and I do want to have one more child, especially since our youngest now has been so easy! We love all our children, and we find so much joy and fulfillment in our eternal roles as father and mother. -
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Special Education and the Future
I plan to stay in special education, learn and grow as a director of special education, and take my career further into advocating and improving special education for all the families that struggle in our communities in Minnesota. Who knows what that may look like. Perhaps it will be classroom teaching, maybe it will be in legislative advocacy. I know that I want to stay on this path and help these students and their families.