Personal Introduction
My road to teacher licensure has been a long one, with delays and changes of path, but the end is in sight and I am so excited for what is to come!
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I've been a coach/instructor for the band program for Anson County schools since 2013, and the logistics coordinator for that program since 2011. In 2018, I began substitute teaching at Anson High School when I had free time in my week (I am the owner/operator of a small business - a professional portrait photographer - that opened in 2009). I wanted to give more of my time to a community of students who I truly valued, who I saw had great potential to be amazing future adults in our society. I loved the students that I worked with, and it was these experiences that led me to decide to return to higher education and finally complete my bachelor's degree, so that I could close my business and commit myself full time to public education in a Title 1 school system - where good teachers are hard to come by, and licensed ones even harder.
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I am presently dual-enrolled here at South Piedmont Community College, as well as at Appalachian State University where I am a senior. I am almost finished with this new journey and will be student teaching in a few short months. Once graduated and licensed, I plan to teach CTE courses in the concentration areas of business and technology (such as Adobe Academy and photography/digital design). Something I have loved about higher education is its ability to push your mind into thinking in different ways, and to be open to different views and ways of doing things. When we are able to consider multiple perspectives, we can grow in so many ways - from becoming better decision-makers to being more compassionate and empathetic, and just being a more well-rounded human overall.
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This is not my first experience with South Piedmont Community college, and my prior time here is what led me to return for my present needs. I completed the Medical Assisting Program in 2012 when I was looking for something to fall back on should my business fail. While I excelled in the program, it wasn't really what I was looking for in life. Little did I know at the time, that my seasonal coaching job with high school band students would eventually push me to my final career landing place.
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I do not presently have much free time in my schedule as I am juggling many plates at once, but when I do have a free moment my husband and I are active volunteers with Carolina Border Collie Rescue, a nonprofit breed-specific dog rescue here in North Carolina. We also love the water, both lake and beach, and like to spend free time on Oak Island at our family home. We love Jeep rides, kayaking sections of the Pee Dee River, and have also recently taken back up the art of tent camping. I find that when you have things that allow you to unplug during your free time, you are able to de-stress and restart your mind, allowing you to come back to your school/work refreshed and able to operate at a more productive level. Otherwise, your free time is wasted and serves no purpose but to use up hours of the day.
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I think what makes me stand out as a student are my excellent communication skills, professionalism, and ability to keep myself organized and on track with all of my coursework. I aim to never miss a deadline, and do this by keeping a physical planner with all due dates and assignments - this is a must as I typically juggle 24 credit hours between two institutions. I often think that much of this work ethic can be attributed to my mother, who was also a teacher. She always told me that to give late or sub-par work was disrespectful to the teacher who had worked so diligently to create the lesson, and this has stuck with me even into adulthood.