Autobiography

 

When I was 4 years old, I would sneak away from home, and my mother would always find me at the school.  I begged and pleaded for her to let me start until finally she gave in.  She approached the school, and I was allowed to start kindergarten at the age of 4, and that was the start of my love of school.  From the minute I stepped foot into that kindergarten classroom, and throughout my entire primary school education, I enjoyed every minute of it.  I took advantage of staying late to help out my teachers. I joined band, forensics, played volleyball, helped manage the basketball teams, took part of the Little Buddy/Big Buddy program and was a Girl Scout for my entire primary school career. 

            And even with a very active extra-curricular schedule, I still graduated Salutatorian of my High School class.  I felt very proud of my accomplishments, and decided to go to college at the University of Wisconsin - Whitewater, and major in Broadfield Science.  While at the University of Wisconsin - Whitewater, I continued to enjoy multiple activities.  I was a Disc Jockey for the college radio station, I was an active member of the UW-W Forensics Team and was even the President of the UW-W Forensics team my last year there. My Collegiate Forensics accomplishments included placing 4th  in the State, as well as a National award winner, and are part of my greatest memories.  I even participated in intra-mural sports in volleyball and softball.

            While taking a break from college, I worked for Cottingham & Butler/SISCO in Dubuque, Iowa.  While there I quickly moved up the corporate ladder from a dental claims representative, to a supervisor, and then to a Manager.  Throughout the time of being a supervisor and a manager, I was commissioned to encourage my employees to better production, while also keeping morale high, and cutting back on the budget.  It was a great experience at multitasking in management, and also in person to person interactions.  I also had to help train new employees, as well as new supervisors for their positions.  I continued to participate in outside activities including being a volunteer EMT for the local rescue squad.  I also kept in contact with my College Forensics coach, and participated as a judge for College and High school level Forensics matches.   Being a judge helped hone skills such as positive critique and encouragement to help the students become better orators.  And being a judge, helped keep me in that loop of education, and I thoroughly looked forward to going to those matches. 

            However, I was never satisfied, I wanted my life to mean more, to touch more people, and to feel I have made a difference.  So I returned to college in the fall of 2008 to complete my Bachelor’s in Science, and to return to the place I loved so much growing up, to become a teacher.  And although I am now a mother of two beautiful little girls, I have also continued to participate in multiple activities outside of college.  One of which was a Girl Scout Troup Leader for the 4th through 6th grade girls.  What an opportunity that was, to interact with these young brilliant minds, to show them new experiences, like learning the parts of a horse, and then following through with taking them on a trail ride at Shenandoah Riding Stables.  The joy they got when they earned prizes for participating in selling Girl Scout cookies, and earning money for their troop to attend different functions was priceless.   That is the reason I want to be a teacher, to see the light in their eyes shine when it all clicks in place, and to know I helped put that light there. 
                And even now, as I sit down with my daughters and help them with their homework, or we sit and talk about the constellations in the sky, or why the grass turns brown in the fall, and I see the excitement in their eyes, I know I am headed in the right direction.  Teaching is what matters, and teaching is what I want to d
o. 

 

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