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I am born
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I learn to read
I taught myself to read at age 4. Before beginning kindergarten, I was reading every book I could get my hands on, including Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House series. -
First day of kindergarten
I began kindergarten at NRCS, Corsica, SD. In nine years, I will graduate with these same four people that I am beginning kindergarten with today; Erica Blom, Steven Hup, Marilyn Langstraat, and Curtis Spaans. Mrs. Rus will be my teacher for kindergarten, first, and second grade. -
Eye surgeries
This summer I had both eyes operated on, one in June and one in July. While my eyes were recuperating and I was waiting for new glasses, I could not read. Knowing how important reading was to me, Mom sent for books on tape from the state library for the blind. I spent hours listening patiently. The first time I returned to the eye doctor, he asked if I wanted a pair of the ugliest glasses I had ever seen before. I had one question: Can I read with them? I didn't care what I looked like.... -
A new teacher
This fall I go to a new classroom, and receive a new teacher. Mrs. Blom teaches me how to write in cursive in third grade, and all my assignments in third, fourth, and fifth grade are completed in cursive handwriting. Mrs. Blom encourages us to read in our spare time, and I continue to spend every free minute, both at home and at school, with my nose in a book. -
Another change
I began 6th grade this fall with Mr. Koedam. I found sixth, seventh, and eighth grade very easy. I continued to read, and had the reputation of having read every book on the shelves of our library, some multiple times. I was not a hermit; I went through the usual drama of middle school with my friends. There were not many of us girls in school, so we had to stick together. -
Graduated from 8th grade at NRCS
I graduated from eighth grade with four other students. Erica Blom, Steven Hup, Marilyn Langstraat, and Curtis Spaans have been my classmates for nine years, and now we all went our separate ways. Kerry Koedam graduated from kindergarten at the same time. -
I turn 14
At age 14 I could begin driving. I also began my high school at-home curriculum. I followed the Christian Liberty curriculum that my oler brother was following. At first the assignments were not a challenge, and I moved rapidly through them. As I continued, I began to lose interest, and by the end of high school, I did not care about doing my best. I only wanted to be finished. -
I finish high school
I finished the final assignment for my homeschool curriculum the day after Christmas, 2008. This was an entire semester before the rest of my class graduated from high school. -
I decide to go back to school
This month I made up my mind that I wanted to go back to school. I wanted to become a teacher. I chose Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell, SD, so I could live at home and save money while attending school. -
My first day of college
My first day on campus at DWU! I remember being a nervous freshman, not knowing where to go or what to do. I had no clue of what was expected of me or what a college classroom was really like. Soon, however, everything became routine. -
Named to dean's list at DWU with perfect 4.0 GPA
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Writing award
Won first place in the essay division of the Agnes Hyde writing competition at DWU