Unk Personal Statement

“Whap!” A spiraling red dodge ball crashes into my face and suddenly I am awake. The outcries from the eighth-grade girls around me pull me back into the packed room full of 200 middle schoolers. As I look around I realize there is no place I would rather spend my Friday mornings than volunteering with somewhat smelly middle schoolers as a Campus Life leader. Here, I discovered my passion for working with middle school students. They helped me discover that I wanted to change my major from Elementary Education to Middle School Education. Here at UNK, I am a part of SEAN and participate in student directed one acts. These activities are a fun break from studying and I plan on continuing with these activities throughout my years here at UNK. In high school, I
I have been an assistant teacher, Vacation Bible School leader, and Acolyte leader. These positions have included teaching a small group of children from the age of three to ten about Jesus and being an altar helper or Acolyte. I have learned compassion working with these children that you cannot get anywhere else. Also at my church, I have gone on four mission trips. On these trips, I have done everything from making beds at a homeless shelter to setting up a firework tent during a thunderstorm. Through mission trips I have been given a servant’s heart and a love for serving.
I am hoping these experiences help me become a better middle school educator. Already in my career at UNK I have learned a lot about caring for my future students. Dr. Ziebarth-Bovill has taught me many ways to show my students the nurturing love of a good educator. I cannot wait to take more teaching classes to show my middle school students they have a caring adult who is passionate about their success. I have already experienced this feeling of pride in others’ success working with group of middle school girls who I watched them grow into beautiful freshmen