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Birth
I am my parents' first child. I was born when they were in their late twenties. My dad had just graduated from Palmer College of Chiropractic and bought a business in a small town in Iowa, where I was born. My mom worked as his receptionist. Shortly after my birth, we moved into my childhood home, which was an acreage about seven miles north of town. -
Brother
I was almost two years old when my brother was born. Because we are very close in age and he is my only sibling, we were each others' primary playmate as children. Although we fought often, we reconciled our differences quickly, and we continue to be close today. -
School
Starting preschool was a big step for me. I had been waiting to go to school ever since I discovered its existence, and once I got there, I loved it. I had the same teacher in preschool and kindergarten, and I think my wonderful early school experiences definitely shaped my later attitudes toward school. I have always enjoyed school and this sentiment was one of the reasons I became a teacher. -
Girl Scouts
I joined Girl Scouts in kindergarten as a Daisy, and I continue to be a lifetime member today. I don't think my mother had any idea what a positive force this organization would be in my life when she signed me up twenty years ago, but I can safely say that I would not be the confident, helpful, industrious person I am today if I hadn't joined Girl Scouts. -
CIT
Growing up, I attended Girl Scout Camp Tanglefoot every summer. After eighth grade, I decided to join the Counselor-In-Training program, which was three weeks of training for two summers. Besides two friends, I met all of my current, lifelong friends in this program. In addition to making some of my best friends, I learned many things as a CIT, such as how to take initiative, the value of hard work, and how to be a confident young woman. -
Counselor
I worked as a summer camp counselor at Girl Scout Camp Tanglefoot for five summers (2007-2011), and I continued building the friendships and skills I developed as a CIT, specifically my leadership skills and overall confidence that I could accomplish anything I set my mind to. These great experiences working with children were also a determining factor in my decision to become a teacher. -
Graduation from High School
Graduating from high school was not a challenge for me, but a time of excitement and honor. I graduated as Valedictorian of my class, and in addition to achieving academically, I was quite successful in extracurricular activities, such as qualifying for state track, landing a lead role in the school play, and being chosen as president of both student council and National Honor Society. Thus, graduation was a time of celebration of all of my accomplishments at that point in my life. -
Parent Separation
My parents separated less than a month after my graduation from high school. My mother and brother moved four hours away. I stayed near my hometown and worked at camp that summer. Although I knew the separation was the best decision for all of us, it was a difficult and stressful time in my life. -
College
I attended the University of Iowa beginning in the fall of 2009, and I had many life experiences there that shaped me into the person I am today, such as studying abroad and completing my teacher education program. I also met one of my best friends on my first day of college, and even though she now lives hours away and I hardly get to see her, we remain close friends today. -
Study Abroad
I studied abroad in Ireland during the fall semester of 2011. This was quite a formative experience for me. Mostly, I learned that I could live independently and gave me confidence for later adult life. While abroad, I found my own housing, opened a foreign bank account, went through immigration, and planned and executed several trips around Europe. These experiences definitely increased my confidence and initiated my transition to adulthood. -
Teacher Education Program
In the second semester of my junior year of college I started my teacher education program. The decision to become a teacher and begin that training marked a significant turning point in my life as I finally chose my career. -
Cat
I adopted a cat, which ended up being a much bigger responsibility and part of my life than I originally imagined. First, he is a special needs cat, although I didn't know that when I adopted him. After many vet visits and countless problems, he does have a diagnosis and is receiving treatment. Thus, the the time, money, and effort I have put into caring for this cat has made him more like a child to me than a pet. He has become a very important part of my life. -
Graduation from College
I graduated from the University of Iowa summa cum laude with a bachelor's degree in English and a teaching certificate. At the time, I didn't know I would go back to school so soon, so I believed this graduation marked a successful end, at least for several years, of my formal education. -
First Teaching Position
I began my first teaching job halfway through the year as a high school English teacher. Working at this school district was challenging in a number of ways, but it forced me to become a better teacher very quickly. It is a high poverty district, so I dealt with a number of related issues, such as poor achievement, low motivation, numerous disturbing and disruptive behaviors, and a lack of resources. -
Parent Divorce
After a long, painful separation, my parents' divorce was finally official. This enabled me to move on and leave negative memories in the past. -
House
Shortly after starting my first teaching job, I bought a house. I was tired of living in an apartment, and I wanted to own my own property. Buying a house made me feel completely independent and marked my complete transition into adulthood. Owning a home is something I continue to enjoy and learn from every day. -
Second Teaching Position
After teaching in my first school district for 1.5 years, I was hired to replace a teacher in the school in which I student taught. I am now a junior high language arts teacher. This school district and age of students are a much better fit for me. Returning to the school in which I student taught was like coming home. -
Romantic Relationship
I met my boyfriend the day after Christmas last year, and he has completely changed my life in many positive ways. One of the best things is that he completely supports my goals, so although we don't get to spend as much time together as we would like, he understands that my focus right now is to teach both language arts during school and History Day after school and complete my master's degree. Overall, he keeps me positive and sane. -
Graduate School
Graduate school has been a great learning experience for me thus far both academically and personally. I enjoy delving deeper into educational issues with my peers in my classes, and taking these courses has challenged me to find a balance between the responsibilities in my life. -
Cohabitation
This summer I moved in with my boyfriend. We both agreed that we were ready for the next step and that we want to live with each other before deciding about marriage. So far things are going very well, and I am very happy with my decision to live with him.