Graduation Speech : Education With A Concentration On English As A Second Language

Throughout my life, I feel as though I have had many encounters with special education. Growing up, my grandmothers close friend had a daughter that had down syndrome. She was extremely sweet and loved company. Her parents had six other children who were grown and lived on their own. However, she lived at home with her parents her whole life. In elementary school, I do not remember many encounters with special education students. I do remember some kids being taken out of my class for part of the day, but that was my only experience during that time.

I became interested in missions when my family and I lived abroad in Laos, Singapore, and Costa Rica; we had adopted my youngest brother and were in the process of immigrating him back to the United States. I believe that I can use my majors, Spanish and music (piano pedagogy) in evangelism and in furthering Christ and His Kingdom.

As an incoming EOF (Educational Opportunity Found) freshmen attending Rutgers University this fall, I had the mindset that if I did well academically, the transition from high school to college would go by smoothly. Unfortunately, college isn 't that simple. The transition to college is much more complex than people perceive it to be, in my case, it’s the most difficult obstacle I’ve ever encountered. Therefore, my aspiration is to conquer this transitional period as quickly and fluently as possible. When I had to changeover from middle school to high school, I was terrified. I didn 't know what awaited me and how much different things were going to be. It turned out high school was exactly the same, with the exception of the grades being ninth through Twelfth. There was nothing to be worried about. On the other hand, that wouldn 't be the case in college.

I am writing to you today to tell you about an exciting opportunity I have through my school, Liberty Christian. My senior class will be going on a mission trip to COSTA RICA from Saturday, May 6, 2017 to Friday, May 12th. During this time, we will be working with the mission agency SCORE International in order to serve God by serving the Costa Rican people. We will have opportunities to serve and minister to the people we meet through various service opportunities, such as: children’s ministry, preaching, drama, and humanitarian aid distribution.

Usually high school students meet with the counselor and follow a determined set of coursework in order to graduate high school. However, if a student has been identified as a special needs student, the process of signing up for classes is not as simple as for other students. When trying to earn a high school diploma, special education students encounter difficulties not faced by their peers. The first step is for parents, school staff, and the student to meet and determine the best option for the student in order to receive a diploma. Determining the student’s path is called an IEP, individualized education plan. All special education students have an IEP that identifies the courses they will take in high school and the plans they will pursue after graduation. Students may choose from four paths: the traditional pathway, the career pathway, the occupational pathway, or the certificate of completion. The traditional pathway, which most advisors put the student on at first, allows the student the option of going to college. The next is the career pathway, which does not require a student to have an eligibility ruling for special education but still is another option if the student cannot obtain a high school diploma through the traditional path. Third, occupational pathway is a way to receive a diploma and not have to achieve as many credits or pass state test, but is still a difficult process. The last option for special education students is certificate of completion.

I hope this letters finds you well! In May I will complete my first year at Manhattan Christian College. My current major is family and counseling. Being here at MCC has strengthened my faith in so many ways. In high school I was able to participate in five mission trips throughout the United States. I have always had a passion to help people and in 2011 when I went on my first mission trip I had a yearning to go out of the country and help people. Although I was only a freshman in high school I didn’t put that dream on the back burner. I want to share with you a challenging ministry opportunity God has presented to me. During July 2016, I will be going to San Cristobal, Dominican Republic as an internship.

GN: I was going to ask you about that now. Would you be so kind address a few comments to your missionary activity if I can call it that you’re working in Ghana etc.?

We have spent some unbelievable time in Brazil, Nicaragua (X 5), Honduras (X 5), Africa, and Hungary. We are rolling to Mexico this June, and I am looking forward to serving in Haiti in the very near future. During these trips, my ministry focused on women and children. I have been called to be a carpenter, painter, roofer, journalist, photographer, teacher, evangelist, pharmacist, concrete mixer, story teller, clown, softball/soccer coach, and singer to name a few. God called me to be an ambassador for Christ, and He has never failed to be my provision. Any menial task that was my responsibility, He smiled as I enthusiastically performed my calling. From dodging scorpions and poisonous toads to running from a brood of chickens, I never had a dull moment on mission with God. My travels began in 1999, and the following pages are stories

I have looked into their eyes and felt their devastation. I have encountered their pain, their lack and their fear. Now, it is time to bring hope and the everlasting love of Christ in a greater way! I am excited to announce to you that God has called me to be a full-time missionary and I am answering the call!

This summer I have the honor and privilege to be able to advance God's kingdom with a mission trip to Costa Rica. I'll be going with a group of missionaries from Living Word Family Church to Siquirres Costa Rica. While there, we'll be doing street evangelism including ministering to the people and dramas for the public. The team I'm in is the Youth Team, and we'll be in Costa Rica from July 9th through the 16th.

When we open our hearts, minds, and spirit for God’s use we can see mission fields are all around us. I enjoy immensely the privilege of working and learning from these larger ministries My heart is the mission field of God’s choosing as He will always, lead me, protect me and provide for me where He sends me. I am on a new walk with God in unchartered territory and to be perfectly honest terrified. I do not know where this path will carry me other than closer to Him. I am hoping it will be on the campus of ETBU as I further my

I have now a greater understanding of what it means to be a world Christian. Not only that, but I have formed a new love, concern, and awareness for the outreach of the unengaged and unreached people of the world. The importance of reaching every man, woman, and child and presenting the gospel has been and is today the least important task on the church’s agenda. While my major is Pastoral Leadership I know Gods global purpose includes me at home or abroad. Right now I do not have a calling outside of America. Though I have learned that there are many opportunities for myself to reach out to foreign people groups and different cultures without leaving my own state.

About a month ago, I embarked on a mission trip to Chiang Mai, Thailand. My college, Southwest Baptist University, sends out several teams to various countries for different forms of work. My team was sent to Thailand to support a local orphanage, and to share the word of God with a village Hostel. This was my first overseas mission trip, and actually the first time that I had ever been out of the United States. To that point in my life, I had been on several mission trips in the United States. The opportunity to go overseas never presented itself, however. SBU finally gave me that opportunity. The trip to Thailand blessed me in more ways than I could count. I’m so excited to continue going

William Booth, a famous Salvation Army activist, once said, “I’ll fight” (Communications Bureau, 2007). He said, “I’ll fight while little children go hungry… I’ll fight while there remains one dark soul without the light of God” (Communications Bureau, 2007). He will fight, and so should you. There are endless things in Africa that are in need of help, and they cannot all be changed by one person. Being a missionary isn’t just about the things that will be seen, but about the places and people that need help. Preparation for this new life includes setting up resources, obtaining funding for your trips, and securing the location where a difference can be made. Young aspiring missionaries should know that although a nursing major will help

English class seemed to be the most dreadful to take within school. Writing essays for most of my grade in a class is not what I was looking forward too. When I entered college I knew that it would be one of many challenging classes I would have to take. Starting from the lowest English class to moving on up, the writing assignments became longer and more thought out. The time came when I got into this class that I knew more work was going to have to be put into essays and thus brought out what I had not seen before in my work progress.