Right down the hill from where I lived was the start of my educational journey. It was the most colorful and inviting place for a little girl who loved to learn. I’ve wanted to be a teacher for as long as I can remember, inspired by the incredible passion and dedication of my own childhood teachers from Heritage Elementary School in De Pere Wisconsin. In addition to the outstanding teachers I had in school, another role model was much closer. My mother is a high school social studies teacher and has always encouraged me to be curious and passionate. For me, school was everywhere, and I loved it. My favorite game as a kid was playing school, and of course, I was always the teacher.
After Elementary school, my circle of friends was expanding and my love of learning kept growing. I loved the social aspect of school, always striving to create good relationships with my peers and teachers. Then, school changed much quicker than I could ever predict. It was March during my sixth grade year when I got sent home from school due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I felt a complicated mix of worry and excitement. I could not believe I could stay at home and do my school work in pajamas! At the same time, I had so much free time spent alone. I went from spending all day with my friends to being forced to not see them at all. I found it incredibly difficult to find energy to stay motivated. I began to realize that part of what made learning so enjoyable for me was all of the amazing people I was surrounded by. Every person has a unique way that best suits how they learn. For me and many of my classmates, online learning was not pointing me towards success. By the time regular school was back in session, I had gotten so used to being lazy that I lost some of my spark for my love for school. It wasn’t just me who felt it. My teachers did too. The switch back to in-person school was just as uncomfortable as the first switch to online learning. It seemed like I was relearning how to learn and my teachers were relearning how to teach. The following year, I finally started to feel my love for school coming back after meeting the most passionate teacher, Mrs. Weber. She was such a great English and social studies teacher and really made learning fun.She reignited my passion for being a teacher with her spunky energy. I vividly remember how colorful and warm her classroom felt. My favorite part of class is when she would read books out loud in her various accents. Mrs. Weber’s spirit was the little push I needed to pick up my feet and head back in the direction I was always meant to go. She was one of those teachers that I not only looked up to, but also a teacher I wish I could be like one day.
Once I got to high school, I was able to navigate my education more independently. I challenged myself with advanced courses, and always felt satisfied when I pushed through difficult moments. Highschool was when I discovered my passion for math. Though I initially hesitated to take on a math tutoring job, it proved to be the perfect fit. Nothing compared to the feeling of bringing moments of joy to a widely dreaded subject. My love for the field deepened during my senior year in AP Calculus. Despite the rigor, I looked forward to class every single day thanks to Mr. Belter. He taught with an infectious passion, and I had never experienced a teacher who invested so deeply in my personal success. I ended my high school journey on a high note, ready to dive deeper into my dream to be an educator.
When I was searching for colleges, I quickly fell in love with St. Norbert. It was close to home and felt like just the right size. I knew right away that I wanted to major in Secondary Education and Math. As I continue my studies and St. Norbert College, my motivation continues to stem from the amazing educators that helped me along the way. Every day here brings me one step closer to stepping into my own classroom, ready to give back the same support that shaped my journey.