Accelerate Bridge Student Proposal

A path that led to this school, and the amazing experiences and opportunities I had and will continue to have throughout my last year here. Here is the place I’ve learn to lead in a classroom, develop my academic skills, and succeed in continuing my mission of helping others. I’ve grown into a woman with her own ideals and own convictions, which I just now realized has always been my goal in life. What I major in, what job I have, and who I marry will not confine my person to live a life where having one experience is

Then I met my husband and fell madly in love and we started a family, so of course school

My sophomore year at Central High School did not start out the best. I was recovering from an awful grade point average, awful for me at least, I was sitting the bench in a sport that I had lost interest in, and overall I just did not enjoy school anymore. I personally did not see the point in coming to school at all. It took some time, but I finally started to get my grades up, my season had ended for football, and I knew I was not going back. After everything was starting to go my way I started thinking, “What am I going to do next?”

Winter break was around the corner, and I had made each child a small plaque with their name on it. As all of the children gathered around to collect their plaques, one student said “I'm going to keep this forever.” That's when I realized, moments like that is why I do this. When I finished my degree at Cortland, I became a family life specialist at The Children's Home of Wyoming Conference. In this position, I taught, and provided care for underprivileged children, who had nowhere else to go. While there, I started a craft club, took children to the library, taught them life lessons, and took care of their general well- being. There are many stories to tell from the two years I spent there. Although some memories stick out more than others. I will never forget one of the little ones that I had a special bond with. She was having a very tough day at school one day, and would not settle down for any of the teachers or our staff. Other measures were going to be taken, when I asked if

This is a reflective essay concerning my READ 3423.01 with Dr. Reid in the fall of 2016. As I wrap up my first semester at Texas Women’s University I am awed and thankful. I am the first person in my family to attend University. Some find this surprising because I do come from a family that has done well professionally, but that was due to grit and personalities. The fact is, I was never even spoken to about attending college while I was growing up. I believe this is because no one before me had this experience to share or encourage. The truth is I tried my hardest to not be at school from middle school on, I just wasn’t engaged in the process. Of course, there were a few teachers I connected with, like the business and history teachers, but I hated the rules and structure of the environment. I amazedly graduated with my high school class, as my friends went away to Universities I took some classes at the community college. What I found was that when I got to pick my classes I flourished. Even the classes that others said were too hard to take during summer quarter, I excelled in those as well. As life unfolded I got married, moved out of state and had two daughters. When it was time for my daughters to attend school I was pretty apprehensive about the idea of it. I opened a preschool in a mother-in-law apartment we had on our property and decided they could learn there in a small community. That preschool led to homeschooling, and large educational co-ops. I lived in a

Initially after high school I decided to move across the country in order to find myself, my passions, and my career goals. I attended WW-P South in Princeton Junction where many of my friends chose TCNJ. I always loved TCNJ but I knew I wasn't academically ready to be part of the community just yet. I started at a private university in California which turned out to be an amazing experience but also a lesson learned that it was not for me. Everything was new and overwhelming and it was the first time being completely on my own. After completing my freshmen year, I moved to a community college to do better academically and work a little on the side. My passion for pursing a degree boosted during my second community college that I attended.

Professionally, I spent the past ten years working as a leader/consultant with non-profit and grassroots organizations. I enjoy opportunities to connect people with services. Collaborating with diverse coalitions towards common goals, offers me the chance to use my facilitation and team building skills. A majority of coalition members emigrated from other countries, including Asia, Africa and Haiti. Perhaps, this is where the seed evolved for international psychology. The art of leadership is deeply embedded having served on many local boards of daycare centers, older adult centers and churches. Fortunately, my recent leadership role involved working with staff, which 90% were under the age of 25. As a woman in her early fifties, I learned quite a bit about working with

Background After years of working in different types of careers with many different populations. The population that intrigued me the most was the at risk adolescent population. Even when trying different routes to different careers to become efficacious this desire to help the school aged and adolescent population kept reminding me of the purpose for my life. Although, I have taken a different educational fields to Educational Leadership I still feel that my background qualifies me for the Doctorate Educational Leadership program. I started at Lonestar Community College (2009), where I was able to work as a part time student mentor.

In the past 4-5 years my life consisted of school such as, curriculums and worksheets for my daughter’s homeschooling and my own school assignments, which took up just about all of my time. I would keep editing my daughter’s worksheets (which I designed myself) and I would keep rewriting my own assignments, until I felt they were perfect. Along with our school work, I also had a huge amount of doctor appointments, board of education meetings and court dates in regards to my autistic daughter’s education. Years ago, before my life was so disorganized, I used to hand out sandwiches and coffee to the homeless people in my community and help illiterate neighbors comprehend and fill out his or her applications and documents. When school, doctors

A passion has erupted and is spurting forth in all areas of my life. I believe that every person deserves the opportunity to prove themselves, they deserve to be given a chance and when it comes to children I feel even more strongly about this. A passion of mine is working with children. Bright grinning faces, and the sparkle in small innocent eyes can bring a smile to my face every time. Some children can be good, bad, and some are just tolerable to be around. Being around children brightens up my day. Fourth graders are just as sweet as the young kindergartners, I soon learned. Thanks mom, for the opportunity that made a difference in my life so I could be an impact to the kids at Union Elementary. I do miss everybody at Union already. I can't wait to come back and see everyone again.

During this time I was presented with an opportunity to go back to school, and I took it!

Although, high school is not where I discovered my passion for children. Post graduation, I was concerned because I honestly had no idea what I wanted to do in life. The following summer I got a job at a Childcare Network daycare center. That job sparked my passion that quickly grew into the career dreams I am pursuing now. Currently, I am still employed at the same daycare center. This August will mark my fourth year anniversary of employment . I am funding my education by doing what I love! I also babysit frequently for several parents I have met through the daycare. This past month I was offered a position of employment at 10 Fitness. I am currently working at Childcare Network in the mornings and 10 Fitness in the evenings. I was hesitant to work somewhere not revolving around children and it is definitely been an adjustment, but I have now realized that taking this job has and will continue to assist me is numerous

Up until I got into high school. I actually enjoyed school prior to my transition into high school. I was a B student and quite happy with a 3.0 GPA. At the time, I really did not give my education much thought. In other words, I did not think about my future then, and education had little value in the great scheme of life. However, I still enjoyed school, and had perfect attendance not missing a day unless it was absolutely a must. Unless I had a rare case of some unforeseen sickness as to keep from infecting others with some viscous illness I was suffering from at the time. It was not until I made the big move into that hierarchy of education that really changed my mind. This new experience of education was so different, so terrifying, so difficult, and overwhelming that I felt there was nothing else to do, but stop attending. I failed so miserably bad it cracked and crumbled the very foundation in which I spent the last nine years constructing. Without this foundation, I was nothing, I was stupid, and had nothing to offer.

My junior year, I began to consider other options for my future. In high school I loved working with others and giving back, and I was very involved with multiple organizations that benefitted the community. I worked as a student council representative, a peer leader for a group of freshman, and a member of the Tri-town council, an organization of volunteers that worked for the community.