I believe the passion to teach is something you were born with.

As long as I can remember I have wanted to teach! As a child going through the educational system myself I always loved school and looked forward to the day when I would be standing in front of my own classroom.  I could not wait to feel the satisfaction at the end of the day knowing I had made a difference in the life of my young students.  I come from a long line of teachers.  My mom is a teacher; several of my aunts, uncles, and cousins are currently teachers, and my great-grandmother was a teacher.  The passion of teaching is in my background and in my genes. 



My desire to teach was fueled by the numerous times I was given the opportunity to be a teacher’s helper as well as to teach children myself.   For several years I helped teach the children’s program at Peniel Holiness Camp.  Those ten days every summer were the best!   Not only did I love the teaching part but the relationships I developed with the kids were great.  I cannot help but think what it will be like to develop a teacher- student relationship over a 180 day period.   Over the years, teaching opportunities presented themselves.  I became involved in the children’s ministry at my church, where I have had the privilege to teach children 2 years-old through the 5^th grade.  The best part about this experience is the feedback I receive from the kids.  There is no better feeling than to see the kids connect and learn something from the effort you have invested in your time and work into a lesson. 

My passion had just begun to grow.  When I was crowned the 2009-2010 Pennsylvania Alternate Maple Sweetheart I was given the opening to go into the public schools and educate the students about pure PA maple syrup.  Through numerous presentations at different area schools and at different grade levels opened my eyes to the life inside each classroom as each classrooms was different.  This experienced unlocked my passion for the younger elementary students.   After spending hours in high schools and elementary schools I discovered I felt a pull towards elementary students.  Something about their innocent and sweet spirit and their desire to learn and how they looked up to their teachers appealed to me.

I am presently leading the Cloverbuds Program within the 4-H Program of one of the local 4H Clubs.  The children range in age of 5 years-old to 8 years-old.  My journey to make my dream a reality has started at Edinboro University where I am pursuing a degree in Early childhood Education.   I know the impact education has played in my growth as a person and I am looking forward to having that same impact on a student’s life.