My friends and family would describe me as someone who is loyal, dependable, organized, and always prepared. I am very punctual. Those who know me would also describe me as someone who serves as a mediator when arguments and conflicts arise. They also would tell you that I am a natural when working with children.
When it comes to work and working with others, I provide stability and can maintain organization. I have the ability to handle details and to work hard, which makes me the backbone of many teams or organizations. I really believe that work comes before play, even if I must work overtime to complete the job.
What are my goals and objectives in life?
My short-term objective in life right now is to graduate from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and obtain a teaching position, so I can utilize my existing knowledge and future training in a team-oriented profession. My goals while here at UWP are to earn my Bachelor�s degree in both education and criminal justice, while continuing to contribute in the best way I can to the mission and goals of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. I also want to continue taking part in the different activities UWP offers because I know they will enhance my learning and growth.
My long-term goals are many, and by setting my goals high I keep my aspirations strong. For example, earning my Bachelor�s degree was a goal of mine after finishing my Associate�s degree at Madison Area Technical College. Now I am almost there in completing this goal, and this is due to keeping my aspirations high.
I consider myself to be a life-long learner, and I plan on being in the education field for the rest of my life. Therefore, my first long-term goal is to work towards a Master�s degree after obtaining my first teaching job. After serving the community for a number of years as a teacher in the classroom, I hope to become a school principal. I hope to retire some day as a principal and share my experiences at the university level as an instructor.
My philosophical goal in life is to serve others, and I believe teaching is one of the best fields to be in when it comes to serving others. Serving children shows my love for this world. I hope my contributions make this world a better place. I also hope the children I teach will help contribute in making this world a better place.
What is my educational background?
I grew up and attended school in a small town in south-central Wisconsin. I graduated from Montello High School in 1999. After high school I moved to DeForest, so that I could attend school at Madison Area Technical College. In 2001, I earned my Associate�s degree in Police Science from MATC. While at MATC I also earned my Emergency Medical Technician diploma, after which I became a certified EMT with the Dells-Delton EMS Commission. Other certifications I obtained while at MATC were my Child Care Lead Teacher certification and my Wisconsin Law Enforcement Standards Board Certification as a police officer.
After attending MATC and taking a short break from school I decided to get my Bachelor�s degree because I knew I wanted to be a teacher. I also wanted to continue my education in the criminal justice field; therefore I decided to major in both education and criminal justice at UWP. Now I find myself a student-teacher and a senior at UWP, and I know my true calling is to teach. After I finish my student-teaching this spring semester, I hope to become an elementary school teacher.
What are my job experiences?
Once I graduated from high school, I started to work for Pepsi as a merchandiser while attending college at MATC. I felt this job to be unrewarding, and I intuitively knew that I wanted to work with children. Therefore, I went to work for the YMCA of Dane County as a school age childcare teacher. It was during this time working for the YMCA that I confirmed my belief that I wanted to be a teacher.
While working for the YMCA, I worked part-time as an EMT for the Dells-Delton EMS Commission and as a police officer in the Village of Fall River. I have also worked as a law enforcement officer for the Wisconsin Dells Police Department and the Marquette County Sheriff Office.
It was after working for the Marquette County Sheriff Office I made the decision to go back to college at UWP to become a teacher. Between working for Marquette County and attending UWP, I worked as an instructional aide for the Montello School District and as a volunteer high school assistant wrestling coach.
While at UWP, I continued to work for the YMCA of Dane County during the summers as a day camp teacher. I have also worked with children as an on-site supervisor for the Dubuque Community YMCA in their after-school program and as a resident assistant for the UWP Student Housing Office, all while attending college at UWP. During the fall semester of 2005, I was a teaching assistant for the Introduction to College Life course at UW-Platteville and as a Student Housing Advocate for a Rape-free Environment. I was also an ESTEEM Health Peer Educator for the UWP Student Health Services and the editor of The Scoop, a monthly publication on health and diversity issues.
Why did I decide to become a teacher?
In addition to my intuitive feeling that I wanted to teach children, the one major factor that made me decide to become a teacher was observing other teachers who loved their career. The teachers who impacted me include some of my elementary and high school teachers, as well as my mother who is an educator. I saw how rewarding being a teacher was to them, and I wanted the same satisfaction in life.
Another factor that helped persuade me to become a teacher was the time I spent as an instructional aide for the Montello School District. This position allowed me to work alongside some of my former teachers. This was one of my life�s more memorable experiences. As an instructional aide, I got to work with children of all ages, from kindergarten to high school. While in this position, I worked with Title I students and students with exceptional needs. I also was able to be a high school assistant wrestling coach for a season. During this experience, I learned as much from the students as they did from me.
Who are the most inspirational people in my life?
My mother and older sister are the two most inspirational people in my life. Without them I could not accomplish all my goals. My mother and sister have both fought the fight against breast cancer and have shown me what in life you can accomplish by having the inspiration to keep living and the perseverance to keep fighting for what you believe in. My mother is always there to tell me to keep believing in myself. My sister on the other hand is my best friend and a source of consistent support.
My favorite quote I live my life by:
Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there.
-Will Rogers