Throughout my years in school, I would watch in awe as my teachers stood in front of the class with a sense of confidence and ease. The older I became, the more I realized how much educators did in order to make sure that the students in their classrooms succeeded. Even when I was not at school, I sometimes got an inside perspective of the life of an educator from my aunt, who is a first grade teacher. I would hear all about the lessons that she planned and some of the experiences that she has had as an educator. As she spoke about her experiences, I could genuinely tell how much she enjoyed expanding the minds of her students. As I grew older, I recognized how much I enjoyed being with and helping children, whether it was one of my peers or the children whom I babysat. One of my favorite memories is of babysitting a child who was struggling with her history homework. I sat down with her, re-read the question aloud and walked her through the chapter in her book to find the answer. The moment she found the answer in the book her face lit up. That is one of the many reasons that I want to be an educator. I love seeing the excitement of a child who was once struggling when he or she finally reads a word that was challenging, or figures out the answer to a difficult mathematical question.
Since I can remember, I have dedicated my non-school time to working with children in different settings. My first real experience was in my early teen years when I started babysitting.
Most people are all grown up when they finally figure out what they want to do with their life. I was 4. I realized what I wanted to be when I attended my very first Rodeo. Even though it was so long ago I can remember that day like it was yesturday. That day got me on the path to my future.
It was late one day in June, and the sky was as blue and clear as sparkling wine. I sat back in my hammock reading the book Unbroken enjoying myself, and my uncle came up and asked me if I wanted to play poker with him, 5$ buy in. I jumped at the idea finished my page and went inside the house. Poker is a pretty big thing in my family and I’ve grown up playing and my uncle was one of the best, so spending time with him playing poker is always one of my favorite things to do. We proceed to set up the table, “Texas Holdem“ he says, Jacks to open”. Nothing weird, so we get the game going and the pots getting pretty big when all of the sudden he drops his cards. I stare the cards dead in the eye and see that i'm going to surpass him! He looks
Growing up with a father in the military, you move around a lot more than you would like to. I was born just east of St. Louis in a city called Shiloh in Illinois. When I was two years old my dad got the assignment to move to Hawaii. We spent seven great years in Hawaii, we had one of the greatest churches I have ever been to name New Hope. New Hope was a lot like Olivet's atmosphere, the people were always friendly and there always something to keep someone busy. I used to dance at church, I did hip-hop and interpretive dance, but you could never tell that from the way I look now.
Upon first entering college, I struggled deciding at such a young age what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Through babysitting and volunteering with pre-school aged children at my church and through a school program called STARS, it became evident to me I had a love for helping children. It fascinated me to see how they viewed the world around them and how quickly they learned new truths everyday. Nevertheless, I knew I would not get the full enjoyment interacting with children as a schoolteacher because the teacher to student ratio is so large. Classroom demands would make it much more difficult to devot individualized attention to each student, and I did not like that concept. So
Put the gun down! Put the gun down! Pow Pow Pow. The gun shots cracked into the air as loud as thunder. One after another. We live day by day not knowing our end. In the blink of an eye our lives can be changed forever. Its life, yet even in knowing this we never expect tragedy to find us. We never expect it to affect our lives and the people we know and love. I’m going to share with you the day tragedy found my life.
When I was 20 months old my partner in crime was born. Kensey Kaitlyn McKee was born March 7, 2002, and little did I know my life would be changed forever. I was not an only child anymore I now had a little sister who needed all the attention. Once Kensey was old enough to walk and talk that’s when we really started to have fun. We once got in trouble for wiping diaper rash cream all over our walls and mirrors, it was a disaster but I’m sure we were having the time of our lives. Another time we put our new kitten in a cooler in 100 degree weather for hours, and then finally one of us remembered where we had put her luckily the cat was just fine. We always had so much fun. I feel so bad for my parents at one point they had two toddler
In 2025, I will be twenty-nine years old and hopefully married. I will be married to my significant other of ten years Earnest Palmer III, who is a dentist. I would have been recently graduating with a bachelor’s in Culinary Arts and trying to plan to open my own restaurant, BubbaD’s Eateries. Knowing my big headed husband of mine, I probably had a baby then and trying to have another baby. Hopefully, by then Earnest will get rid of the idea naming our son, King. We will be living in the suburbs near New York City but working in the city. Being a woman with great memory, I probably wrote a memoir about my crazy life and trying to sell it to a publisher. If none of the publishers wants to publish my memoir, I will probably sell it the Lifetime
I was not always so outspoken and driven to get good grades. Freshman year I was timid, struggled with my grades, and had no idea what the future looked like. Now, I have found exactly what I want to do for the rest of my life and became much more confident then I was freshman year. Along the way I have even made a decision to switch schools. I have transformed a lot along the way from freshman and sophomore year at Portsmouth High School and finishing off at Rogers High School.
I was in the car with my family heading towards the lake to go fishing. The car ride was long and boring. Half through the car ride we stopped at a gas station so we could get some gas. After we got gas we went back on the road and I fell asleep through the other half of the car ride.
The saying goes, “there are moments in life that can either make or break us.” There was a critical time in my life where that quote really came into play. While other regular fourteen-year-olds were worrying about school, clothes, etc.; I was facing a much more pressing matter. Fighting between the line of life and death with cancer.
It was 8:30pm in my bedroom. I just got home from football practice like every other night.
For my memoir I shall look back onto my past and the life lesions I have learned. Through simple things I have found in my life and the trails I have endured. To the earliest memories I have, to a not so proud moment caused by anger and regret.
I have been in the Marine Corps for roughly three and a half years and throughout that time I have done many things. Most of the things that I have done were with Combat Logistics Battalion 26. For three years, I worked with that unit through work ups and a deployment and I have seen and done many unique things. However, nothing I did with CLB 26 felt fulfilling, but that all changed when I changed units to CLB 8.
In my 24 years of experience employed with the Department of Education I have found that working with children watching as they grow is inspiring as much as it is rewarding. Teaching helps one to sharpen their skills on all levels for the curriculum is forever changing. Being an educator has its challenging moments but its something I want to accomplish. To be successful at educating others I must continue to grow, increase and improve within.
My most significant experience in my life is unforgettable. I was there with my sisters, my mom, and my dad. It was the most horrifying event that I have ever witnessed. The daunting image in my head is still clear as day, as though it happened yesterday. This event did not affect only me, but also my family. The story that I am about to tell you may change the way you see things and it may not. All I can say is, it