“Take a breath” has been the best advice I have received from my best friend, Ali Stewart. No matter what life throws at you, you can get through it as long as you keep breathing.
Current City: York, PA
Hometown: Red Lion, PA
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
My greatest achievement is being a first-generation college student with a Bachelor of Arts in English with Secondary Certification, a Master of Education and Instructional Technology Specialist K-12, and I’ve just started a Master of Arts in English. As a teacher, education is very important to me so I can be the best I can be for my students in the classroom.
How did York College help you get to where you are today?
YCP’s M.Ed. ITS K-12 program really helped incorporate technology in the classroom. I was finishing the program right as the pandemic started, so being involved in an educational technology program at the time when everything was shifting to online learning was really beneficial. Also, YCP opened a lot of opportunities for me, both personally and professionally.
What was your favorite class/professor at York College and how did it/they impact you?
Dr. DeSantis was definitely my favorite professor. He was the best to work with through project direction changes and the entirety of my research study process. It really felt like he got to know me as a person throughout my time at YCP and was always available for questions. He also encouraged me to try to get my research study published in an academic journal, which I was able to successfully do. Getting published was something I never knew if I would ever be able to do, but with his guidance, it happened.
What do you enjoy the most about your chosen career?
What I enjoy most about my career are the relationships I can build with students and the impact it has on them. Teaching high school, it has been amazing to see students grow from awkward freshmen to confident seniors who are ready to take on the world and have grown into who they are. This year has been extra special as my seniors are gearing up to go to college in the fall and being part of their journey to college has been so rewarding.
View all of the 2022 Spartans of the Year award recipients.