Personal Childhod Web

Personal Childhood Web

Grandmother: Bertha

      •          Description: Matriarch of our family, loving and caring but yet honest and strong

•          Childhood influence: My grandmother made all of her grandchildren feel special but because we lived with her she did extra things for us. She took time to make sure we had a home cooked meal every morning; she made sure I had everything I needed. She rewarded us often especially when it came to school. Her advice that continues to follow me is, "Never start something that you will not finish." Everything that I have started, I have finished, no matter how hard or long.

•          My favorite memory is, as a 5th and 6th grader, I was on honor roll for the entire school year, both years and at the end of my 6th grade year, she had my own phone line installed.

•          Description: Caring, hardworking, faithful, smart and strict

Mother: Katherine

     •          Childhood Influence: My mother was a hard worker. I admired her wisdom, tenacity and her faith in God. She received her GED after her third child and while I was in high school, self taught herself chemistry type formulas for a job she wanted. She received the job and worked with doctors in making drug testing kits. My mother was real and very blunt. Her advice and life skills still follow me today. Never sell yourself short: even if you feel you do not have the proper credentials for a job, apply anyway...you never know what could happen.

•          One of my favorite memories: While in high school, I had a new hairdo that I could redo. Every night, my mother curled my hair until I was able to redo the style myself. She did not let go to school and be the center of everyone's jokes.

Towana A: Sunday school Teacher

      •          Description: Family friend, my personal motivator and confidant

•          Childhood Influence: Towana was my Sunday school teacher from age 8- 18. She was always positive, no matter what choices I made as a child or teenager. She was just a phone call away and never ceased to encourage me. Her influence has helped me to be a positive light to those around me.

•          One of my favorite memories was my senior year in High School; I ran for our local queen pageant and didn't place. When I attended church the next day she crowned me as the church queen...I was on cloud nine that day.

Childhood Friend 7^th grade- current: Michele

      •          Description: Basketball team mate, admired because she was smart, both parents were college graduates and she had a plan for life after graduation.

•          Childhood Influence: She helped me to organize my dreams and believe that I could actually attend and graduate from college. Today I still write down my dreams and really believe in them.

•          One of my favorite memories is our bus ride to the state capital and our conversation was all around college and she asked me if school was hard for me now, I told her no. She then told me that college wouldn't be hard for me either.

Childhood Friend 5^th- Current: Renee

      •          Description: Similar family issues, passionate reader and learner

•          Childhood Influence: Renee did not have the best family situation but she was always ready and willing to learn. Her influence in my life now is that no matter how hard life is you can still accomplish your goals.

•          My favorite memories with Renee are since our 11th birthday, we have been meeting at the same pizza place to celebrate.

Driving Reading

As a Kindergarten teacher, one of our expectations was for our students to leave Kindergarten, reading. As a result of this goal and push one of my Kindergarten students won a district award in our Drive to Success reading program. During this push, our parents showed so much support for their children and were excited as they observed the growth of their child over the course of the school year.