The first day of school can bring a mix of emotions and nervous energy. What will it be like? Will I excel?

Wherever you are in life, we all struggle with these persistent questions. The confidence I gained from my academic journey helped eliminate my doubts so that I could believe in myself and embrace the path ahead.

Starting this fall, I will be a learning support teacher for grades K-2 in the Bethlehem Area School District, but my journey began back at East Stroudsburg University.

I chose ESU because it was far enough away from my home in Easton that I felt like I could live independently. At the same time, it was also close enough to home that I could go home on a weekend or have my family visit me. I was also impressed by the College of Education, which offers fantastic opportunities for field experience starting in the first year.

Although my first year of college didn’t go as planned due to the pandemic, it presented unique challenges and opportunities. While living at home and taking classes online, I embraced the chance to gain new skills to be successful.

When I finally arrived on campus for my sophomore year, I was filled with excitement and a strong eagerness to dive into various opportunities. Although I initially battled with extreme shyness, which made it challenging to connect with my peers, I consciously decided to push past my nerves and became a peer mentor. This decision opened the door to working with incredible individuals who significantly influenced my personal growth. This experience shaped my present self and paved the way for an inspiring journey over the next three years. I am truly grateful for the transformative impact it had on me.

As I began to step outside of my comfort zone and attend activities and events on campus, I started finding it easier to interact with others and create connections that ultimately led me to where I am today. One of the most significant connections I made was with the staff in the Student Activity Association. Their encouragement led me to run for a senator position in the Student Government Association. When I was elected to this position, I served on the academic affairs committee, allowing me to engage with my peers and work with the administration to find solutions to various problems.

As a student event designer, I found my true self. Initially hesitant, I gained confidence over time and successfully created meaningful events for the campus community. This role led to new leadership opportunities in various clubs and organizations.

The confidence I gained helped me pursue my dream of obtaining an early childhood & elementary education and special education degree. I am passionate about learning, helping others, and guiding younger generations to find their path. I respect everyone’s choices and believe in taking an open-minded approach.

During my time at ESU, I received a lot of support and had many opportunities to gain experience in my field. In my sophomore year, I was able to observe and assist students with their assignments. As a junior, the field experiences became more intensive. In the fall semester, I participated in the “pre-k block,” where I visited a Head Start classroom once a week for two weeks.

In the spring of junior year and the fall of senior year, I was placed in a K-5 learning support classroom. During these experiences, I taught lessons and collected data. These experiences helped me prepare for full-time student teaching and eventually having my own classroom.

During the spring of my senior year, I completed my student teaching experience. I spent seven weeks in a first grade general education classroom, and another seven weeks in a high school English learning support classroom. This was my first time teaching at a high school, and it presented me with many new challenges and opportunities. Overall, it was one of the best teaching experiences I’ve had.

Each of these opportunities allowed me to prepare and teach lessons. They taught me how to adapt a lesson to meet students’ interests and needs. I also learned about the individual education plan (IEP) process and had the opportunity to work with a student on a plan.

In my first year as a teacher, I want to empower my students to believe in their capabilities and potential. People often judge others based on superficial characteristics, such as appearance or even shyness. As an educator, I aim to eliminate that stigma and help students realize that they can achieve their dreams at any age and know that there is support available to help them reach their goals.