Dina Tadena is retiring after working at the Bluffton Middle School as a math teacher for the past 22 years. She previously taught at the Apollo Career Center High School and has a combined total of 34 years at area schools. The total number of students she taught? What would you guess? 

The Icon asked, what has the teacher learned during her career? "I though middle school would be like a cake walk. But it was a big adjustment. Once I did adjust, [middle school students] are so fun. Because they're still at an age where it's cool to volunteer and learn," she replied; "They kept me on my toes, but they are fun and it was a good change for me."

Proof that middle school teaching suited Tadena was being named Northwest Region Teacher of the Year at the Ohio Middle Level Association (OMLA) state conference in 2014.

How many students learned math with Tadena? Her rough estimate is 3,300.

Bluffton Schools gave Tadena a retirement party on Monday, May 23 in the Pirate Deck (middle school library).