TANZANIA TRAVELS I took a trip to Tanzania in May 2012. There I had the privilege of teaching students in Sekei Secondary School in Arusha, Tanzania. While there I learned a lot about teaching with few to little resources. I managed a classroom of 30-40 students. I taught them math, chemistry, and assisted with English. The whole experience was unforgettable and I plan to go back soon to put in water filters and sanitation systems such as toilets into the schools.
MANAGING COMMUNITIES I was a Resident Assistant, (RA), for 2.5 years at Grand Valley State University. Working as an RA taught me how to work with students of all backgrounds, beliefs and abilities. I was able to make lasting relationships with all members of my floor, unite the students together at GVSU, and create memories that would last. My first year and a half I worked with upperclassmen in apartment-style suites. The final year I worked in the honors college with underclassmen, (mainly freshmen). Both living experiences were very beneficial to my development as a teacher. I learned how to make informative and interesting bulletin boards, maintain control on my floor, create relationships with my residents, and develop a sense of community. I continue to visit with these students and it is amazing to see many of them still continuing their relationships with one another that were created while I was their RA.
LAKE SHANNON LEGACY In the summer I have been fortunate enough to water ski with my fellow neighbors and create water ski shows. I have been participating with the show ski team for 12 years now and have improved drastically. For three years I instructed water skiing for the beginner skiers on the lake, teaching them everything from basic skills to advanced skills. Last summer I managed the water ski show, planning a script, organizing ski lines, and even acting as one of the main characters in the plot. The position taught me how to work well with my fellow adults who were leading the team, how to organize a large group of people, to coach effectively, and to unite members of the community in a joint endeavor.
SUMMER CAMP COUNSELOR I worked as a summer camp counselor for the 2011 summer. While at camp I managed a cabin of 20 girls for two 2-week sessions. The first group of girls ranged from ages 12-14, the second group aged from 7-9 years old. During the day I instructed children of all ages to water ski. I planned evening activities for the cabin daily, managed the things each girl was doing during the day, and created strong relationships with my campers and fellow counselors. Working there I became CPR, Lifeguard, and First Aide certified. I learned how to work with children of all abilities, how to coach successfully, and how to keep a positive attitude when things did not go according to plan.
TEACHING AT GVSU For 2 years I worked as a Service Learning Assistant, (SLA), teacher. With SLA I managed a classroom of 20 students who were struggling with college algebra. For each course I led two hour long support discussions where students were able to ask questions, received beneficial worksheets, and reviewed the material they learned in the classroom during that week. Teaching SLA helped me improve my ability to diversify lessons, how to sum up what was covered in lectures, and how to effectively manage a group of college students.
WORKING WITH AUTISM I worked as a caregiver for a severely autistic 12 year old boy for 6 months. My duties included everything from teaching him speech, to working on hand-eye coordination with puzzles, to taking him on outings so he could better interact with others, to administering medication, to caring for his hygiene and dietary needs. Working with him taught me the amazing capabilities of all children, regardless of their disabilities. While he was limited in many of the things he could do, there were many things he was especially good at. I hope to help my future students see that they are all capable of much more too.
ROAD TRIP! In May 2013 I took a road trip out west with a group of 5 friends. The trip lasted one month and we traveled 7,000 miles visiting 14 states total. During the trip we learned a lot about the land, how to successfully camp, and built amazing relationships. We did everything including hiking, biking, kayaking, paddle boarding, climbing, fishing, horseback riding. All parts of the trip were memorable and I plan to continue my travels out west for years to come.
WATER SKIING WITH GVSU While at GVSU I was on the water ski team. Our team was very successful. We made it to the Regional meet each year and to the National competition my junior and senior years of college. Collegiate water skiing consists of three events: slalom, trick, and jump. Slalom consists of turning around six bouys with points for number of bouys at faster speeds and shorter rope lengths. Jump includes riding over a five foot ramp at speeds of up to 32 mph for distance. Trick involves a 20 second period where the skier does the maximum amount of tricks. My favorite event was jumping. I was able to consistently take first through fourth place in the competitions. Each year I qualified for the All Star competition, which included the top ten skiers in the nation. For three of the years I served as financial adviser for the team. My duties included managing funding from the school, determining costs for the tournaments, and finding fundraising endeavors.
INTRAMURAL CAPTAIN During college I involved myself in many things. On of my favorite pass times involved playing intramural sports. Not only did participating on these teams teams give me an outlet for my competitive edge in my personality, but they helped me create strong relationships with my fellow GVSU students, allowed me to teach and learn new sports, and gave me a way to stay active. I was captain of a variety of teams including soccer, hockey, kickball, football, badminton, volleyball, basketball, and bowling. Over the four years at GVSU I won 7 championships and was well known among the intramural staff for my attendance not only playing, but watching as well.
FAMILY BONDS My family is the most important group of people to me. My family is always there for me. They have taught me to follow my passions, to do my best, and to remain committed. I value my family as much as I value my faith and hope to continue my family's legacy by living out the family motto: The family that plays together, stays together.
LOVE TO LAUGH One of my favorite things is laughter. I love to be entertained as well as to entertain. In all aspects of my life, whether they be difficulties or simply enjoyable experiences, I have found humor to be my glue holding my life together. I continually use humor in my every day life and plan to bring it to my future classroom because a happy student is a successful student!