Springfield, Mo – Many people are selfish or careless when it comes to interactions with those around them. They’re quick to become so absorbed in their personal struggles and dilemmas, that they fail to realize that it changes how they act and treat others. It takes a lot of patience and consideration to be aware of how you act when you have stuff going on, and even more to still remain kind and understanding to those around you.

Dakota Miles, 18, grew up with a single mom and a younger sister. His father has hardly been in his life, his reason being that he has a wife and plenty of other kids to take care of. Due to this, he was raised by women, and says that it has changed him for the good. He claims that it has made him more patient and laidback as well as changing the way he views women for the better.

According to Miles, his uncle has been a father figure to him all these years. When asked who his hero is, he quickly responded, “Uncle Allen. He has shown me how to act like a man and treat women right.” He went on to explain that he has always been there for him when he needed advice. Miles claims that he hopes to be like his uncle when he’s older.

Miles has proven to those around him that he is considerate of others even when he has stuff going on in his life. When mad or upset, he chooses to sleep if he can, to distance himself from others. His reasoning for this he “would rather not say something that [he] might regret.”

He would rather isolate himself to prevent the potential of treating the people around him poorly due to a sour mood. Additionally, if something comes up and he has to cancel on plans, he goes out of his way to “try to reschedule with them.”

Outside of his personal life, Miles shows remarkable motivation to achieve his goals. As a senior, he has thorough plans and back-up plans as to what he is going to do after high school. His first plan is to join the carpenter’s union and begin his career in construction. Even if plans were to change, he would handle them well because in stressful situations, he tries to think of “the easiest way to fix the problem at hand.” It helps that instead of drowning himself in stresses, he takes time to himself to relax and allow himself to gather his thoughts, often through video games or reading.

Despite all of this going on, he still makes time for his loved ones. Whether it be his family or friends, he ensures that he spends time with them. His favorite thing to do is go camping because “it’s time where you just get to hang out with friends and have fun.” He went on to explain that it gives him a decent period of time to focus on family and strengthen his relationships.

Lawrence: If you could choose one person to be your hero, who would it be?

Miles: Uncle Allen because he has shown how to act like a man and treat women right. He has always been there in place of my father.

Lawrence: What do you do when you’re upset or mad?

Miles: Sleep. It keeps me from being rude and hateful to people. I have no problem speaking my mind when I am upset, but I find that I would rather not say something that I may regret.

Lawrence: What do you enjoy doing with family and friends?

Miles: Besides playing video games, one of my favorite things is to go camping because it’s time where you just get to hang out with friends and have fun.

Lawrence: What’s your motto to living your life?

Miles: If you can’t laugh at yourself, what can you laugh at?

Lawrence: If you could change one thing with the world, what would it be?

Miles: I would increase everyone’s intellectual capacity so that hopefully they could figure out how to fix the world themselves.