My name is Alcides Rubens de Almeida e Silva Neto, but most people call me “Neto”. The picture on the left is of my family and I. My father Junior, my mother Neia, my son Nicholas, and my wife Tabitha.

 I was born in Brazil, and came to the United States during my senior year in High School, back in 1996.  After graduating High School in Spiro, OK, I went to CASC in Poteau for two years.  I got my associates in science (mathematics). I got married to Tabitha in 1999, and moved to Tahlequah to attend Northeastern State University.  After one year of school we moved back to Heavener where I worked on a farm, then at the human resources office at OK Foods.

After working a few years I decided to continue my education and joined the US Army National Guard in 2002.  I went back to school and after one semester I was activated during Operation Iraqi Freedom.  I was in Iraq for one year with the 120^th Engineer Battalion.

Once I came back from war, I finished my degree in Mathematics in Education.  I went to teach math at Gore High School.  In 2007 I got hired at Poteau Public Schools to work in the English Language Learners (ELL) program.  Currently, I teach ELL, math and coach football and soccer.

This year, on June 6, my wife and I had a beautiful son.  His name is Nicholas Jordan.  I’m so blessed to have him and the position at Poteau Public Schools.