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Early Speech
My parents wanted to give their children every advantage in life. Part of this desire was understanding that early stimulation is vital to a child's development. My parents were in constant interaction with me from birth. The result was my ability to carry on full sentenced conversations by the time I was 1 year old. This early advantage gave me the first tools I needed to function in society. -
Library Trips
My family's library trips are some of my earliest memories. We frequented our small branch of the Fresno County Library at least twice a week. We began with picture books, but my passion for the libary is still thriving. I was elated, and thought it a great rite of passage, when at the age of six, I was given my very own library card. By the time I reached the age of twelve, I was beginning to run out of youth material to read and so moved to adult fiction. -
Choice to Homeschool
Living in a rural community with lowly sccored schools approximately 30 mins away, my parents opted to homeschool. I am continually gratefull that they did! This lifestyle choice gave me many learning tools both acedemic and societal. Though I was homeschool K-12 grades, I was placed in many social situations. This gave me the ability to comfortably converse with people of any age and background. Most importantly, I learned how cultivate a true desire for education. -
California 4-H
4-H was a fanstic resource for learning. I learned everything from art and photography to business in agriculture and consumer sciences. I was involved in organizing and participating in county and state wide competitions. I earned many awards, including first place in a state wide communications competition. At the age of eight years old, I was writting newspaper reports about my club for the Reedley Exponent. 4-H was a huge part of my literacy development. -
Awana Clubs
Awana is a youth organization which promotes biblical studies and memorization as well as community service and outreach. My time in the Awana clubs was spent earning the Timothy Award. The Timothy award is given upon successful memorization of over 500 bible verses. This club boosted my ability to retain information, establish learning patterns, and to navigate a strong scriptural understanding of my faith. -
Peru
When I was fifteen I took a trip to the Peruvian rainforest. While there, the foundation for my interest in becoming a teacher was set. The lodge we visited takes part in an Adopt-a-School program. After expressing an interest, we were allowed to visit a local school. The images of that experience have never left my heart. -
Junior College: Lost and Found
During my years at Junior College I played with several dfferent fields of interest. I declared majors in Pre Med, Engineering, Humanities: Native American Studies, ASL, and Biology before returning to my original passion of teaching English. I became involved with the STEM program at Reedley College. This placed me back in the elementary and high school classrooms to teach. I also got involved with the Upward Bound program. My experience was varied, but has given me a wide berth of knowledge. -
In-N-Out Burger University
For a year and a half I dropped out of college in favor of a full time management position at In-N-Out Burger. I see this as a marker in my literacy development because it was a shift from the learning life to the working life. My time spent at the In-N-Out Burger University gave me a strong understanding of commerce in the business world. Because the company stresses the importance of education, it was pivotal in my decision to return to college. -
English or Bust!
I have always taken serious English classes and considered them my "fun" elective classes. Upon my return to college, I realized that I should follow my passions. An English Professor at Willow International observed my dedication and helped to guide me to my declaration of English Education as my major. -
Current Growth
Today I am attending Fresno State University, studying literacy so that I may reach out to those of any culture, language, or background. I hope that I will be able to help others way my mentors have helped me. The gift of literacy is vital. My passion for people and for knowledge demands that I rise to the challenge of community by both continuing to learn, and by sharing what I know!
