Being a teacher was probably the last thing on my mind during my high school years, but during the summer I was always employed as a camp counselor, which I loved immensely. It wasn't until I was out of high school and traveling around as an AmeriCorps member, experiencing worlds that I had known nothing about during my 17 years in small town, NC. I learned so much about other people and places through working with them to rebuild after disasters or by tutoring their kids. I learned so much about the way history has shaped our land and our people. I wanted to share everything I learned with others. I kept thinking to myself that if kids back home could see everything I had (not very much at the wise old age of 18) in Texas and Colorado and South Dakota, if they could see people working together to get something done, to improve a community, then they might collectively pick up their heads from the desks (which is where mine was firmly planted) and start paying attention to life. I just know that there's nothing else that I could even imagine doing than sharing the world with kids, trying to help them empathize with someone they've never met halfway across the world or who died a long time ago for a half-forgotten cause. I hope everyone has at least a little bit of this sentiment in their hearts. The world could use a little more empathy.
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Also, my sister is an elementary school teacher and she's my bestfriend and my inspiration. I want to be just like her because her students light up when she walks into the room and they truly love her. She's wonderful!
