A Journey

Time is a funny thing you know.
It's odd how fast it goes by when you reflect on it;
And how slow it goes when you're living in the moment.

It's been two years since I started my journey to becoming a History Teacher.  Shoot, if anyone would have told me three years ago that I would be going to college to become a teacher, I would have told them they were crazy.  But look at me now; two years of college, and I still have this deep burning desire to make a difference in the lives of the students that I will one day teach. 

Two years ago I started on a journey that would open my eyes.  I took an internship with Mr. Jeff Sprunger, an 8th Grade US History teacher at Tippecanoe Valley Middle School.  I would go over to the Middle School about two hours a day, for every single day of the week my entire senior year of high school.  At the start of the whole thing, I was uncertain.  Hell, when I signed up to do the internship I was uncertain.  It was only because of my friend Landin Madsen that I actually signed up to take it - and that was because when I asked him if he thought I should take it, he told me, "You never know unless you try."  So I signed up to take the internship.  None of it would have been possible had it not been for my internship teacher/supervisor Mr. Darren Parker. 

Had Mr. Sprunger not sent me to go and work with a student one-on-one with his late homework assignments, I would not be the person who I am today.  Working with that student made me believe that I can make a difference in others lives.  I soon was working with multiple students, getting to know them, and falling in love with the idea of becoming a teacher.  Sure there were some days that I hated it, but doesn't every job have those days. 

Two years ago from this very day - May 23, 2014 - I went on a field trip with the 8th graders that I had been working with that whole year.  We went to the Science & Industry Museum, the Lincoln Park Zoo, Cloud Gate, and the Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois.  That day was life changing for me.  That was when I realized that teaching is what I want to do for the rest of my life.  I remember when I was in middle school, and how hard life was for me - I want to make a difference in the lives of students so that I can help prevent what happened to me, happening to them.  I also want to teach them history because history is one of the most amazing subjects in the world! 

The people who I wanna recognize for helping me see what I want to do with my life are the following because they made the difference in my life, made the internship possible, or supported me all the way:
Landin Madsen, Eric Wright, Isaac Randall, Jeff Shriver, Lisa Paxton, Dawn Gagnon, Leonard Gagnon, Darren Parker, Jeff Sprunger, Nancy Rhoades, Larry Rhoades, Tom Craig, Mandy Walters, Bret Walters, Tyler McDonald, and Juan Baca.

To all of you thank you!  I could not be who I am today without you.

I know that things can change in the next few years - a lot has changed in the past two - but as of right now, I can't see myself doing anything else with my life.

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