| |
As the first member of her immediate family
to go to college, Amber Kresl is well aware of the value of
education, so much so that she plans to enter the field of
teaching.
“I’ve always aspired to go to college” says Kresl, 22, who is
enrolled in the College’s Early Childhood Education program.
“At one point I thought I’d like to be a physical therapist
because I’ve always wanted to help people. But then I heard
about the education program at Dalton State, and I was excited
about the idea of being a teacher. I hope to teach kindergarten
one day.”
Kresl has attended Dalton State since the fall of 2003, soon
after she graduated from Southeast High School where she was a
member of the marching band and the Psychology Club, played
varsity tennis, and served on Student Council.
She grew up in her grandparents’ home with other members of her
extended, close-knit family. While she has one uncle who
attended UGA, Kresl is the first of her other relatives to seek
a bachelor’s degree. |
 |
“When I decided to go to college, I knew that I liked Dalton
State because it was small and I could get a good education
here,” she recalls. “I didn’t want to jump into something and be
all by myself. Many of my friends at other colleges are in
classes with more than 300 people. I see what they’ve
experienced and have said ‘No way.’”
Kresl says that she’s been very pleased with her decision to
come to school in her hometown. “I love the friendly atmoshpere.
I encourage people all the time to come to Dalton State.”
Part of enjoying college life is being involved in activities,
Kresl believes, and she has managed to become involved through
her on-campus jobs. Since she came to Dalton State, she has
worked as a student aide for the Student Activities Office and
the newly-refurbished Fitness Center and as an Orientation
Leader (SOAR).
In addition to the 19 hours she averages per week on campus,
Kresl also manages to work around 20 hours per week at Logan’s
Roadhouse.
“Since high school, I’ve always managed to work around 40 hours
a week,” she says. She met her husband of nearly three years,
Caleb Kresl, at Red Lobster, where she was employed. And for
two-and-a-half years she worked at Rue 21, a time during which
she took a year-long break from school and briefly considered a
career in retail.
“I traveled for the company and opened up new stores for them
all over the southeastern part of the states: Maryland, North
and South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee,” says Kresl,
noting that she returned to school because her heart was in the
classroom.
This fall, as a student officially enrolled in the Early
Childhood Education program, Kresl is taking six classes on a
block schedule and is spending two full days per week in area
elementary schools to observe how classrooms in the real world
work.
“We have been studying classroom management, and it is a great
way to learn by observing the teachers on site. We observed
everything they do for children during the first few weeks, and
the teacher at my site was doing everything exactly like our
professor said. It makes it all more real than just reading
about it in the textbook.”
She plans to teach locally for a few years after she graduates,
but Kresl and her husband, who is pursuing a degree in business,
hope to have some big adventures in the next few years.
“After a few years, we’d like to travel around the states,” she
says. “Alaska is an option. I have a professor who was once a
principal in Alaska who said that their school systems are
really good and very interesting. I think it might be fun to do
something a little different for a while.”
|
|
