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First generation
college student Jennifer Findley says she wouldn’t change
anything that’s happened to her along her educational journey.
“If I could go back, I don’t think I would,” says Findley, 26.
“I would leave things exactly the way they were.”
A 2000 honor graduate of Murray County High School, Findley
initially enrolled in Dalton State that fall as a recipient of a
McDonald’s Scholarship, which she received during her five years
of employment with the company. In addition to this scholarship,
she has been the recipient of a Fincher-Loughridge Teacher
Scholarship.
Initially, she planned to major in nursing because of its
convenient two-year schedule, but when she realized that she
wasn’t passionate about entering the profession, she took some
time off and began working third shift as a creeler for Shaw
Industries.
“That job taught me the value of getting an education,” she
believes. “Those experiences brought me to where I am today.”
Today, Findley is a senior in Dalton State’s education program,
and has set ambitious goals for herself, including earning a
Ph.D. by age 35. Findley believes that everything in life has
happened for a reason, allowing her to finish her degree in her
first choice of careers, the field of education. |
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“I want to leave
my mark on the field of education,” she says. “I really love
curriculum planning, and I’d like to see what opportunities I
might have for working in that field. I hope to do research on
‘what works’ in the classroom.”
What works for her so far is teaching pretty much any age group,
but she admits a partiality for the fourth graders she has been
working with at Roan Street School this past fall. During spring
semester, Findley will continue to work with those students as a
student teacher in Holly Williams’ classroom.
She also finds time to continue her work at Shaw part-time as a
customer service representative, which she expects to continue
along the way as means of supplementing her income while she
pursues graduate degrees, beginning with a master’s in English
as a Second Language (ESOL).
“In my spare time, I like to read, and I also like to spend time
with my three nieces, who are eight, seven, and five years old,”
says Findley, who lives at home with her family. “My family has
been very supportive of my educational goals. They have set very
high expectations for me.”
Findley looks forward to next fall when she hopes to be employed
in an area elementary school. “It’s really important for me to
feel needed in my profession,” says Findley. “I don’t want to be
average in any way.”
This fall, Findley had the opportunity to visit and observe
public schools across the state when she participated in the
“16th Annual Bus Trip Across Georgia” trip for business leaders
and educators. Below is her reflection on that experience in her
own words:
Reflection of the 16th Annual Bus Trip Across Georgia
I recently had the opportunity to participate in the 16th Annual
Bus Trip Across Georgia. The theme of this year’s trip was
“Strengthening the Pipeline to Graduation.” Through each stop on
our trip, this theme was exemplified in the hard work of the
schools and the partnership between the schools and the local
communities. It was rewarding and motivating to see the pride
taken by both students and teachers as they worked together
towards a common goal: getting all students to graduation.
The trip began with a bang in Coweta County, Georgia at the
Central Educational Center (CEC). This publicly charter school
is a joint venture among local businesses, the local school
system and the local technical college in the area. High school
students are given the opportunity to attend this charter school
and receive credit from their base high school. These average to
above average high school students were not only learning
technical skills but they were also being given the opportunity
to apply those skills to real-life situations. It was obvious
through interaction with the students, that these students were
passionate about learning and were highly engaged in their
classroom instruction. This epitomized for me the notion that
instruction must be meaningful in order to be successful.
Our next stop, 12 for Life, on the trip was a truly unique
combination of traditional classroom instruction and real job
experience. The local high schools in Carroll County have
partnered up with Southwire Company to create an outstanding
opportunity for at risk high school students. Students are
chosen from the six local high schools to participate in a
program that enables them to gain work experience, earn actual
wages, and learn necessary life skills. The students selected
are not the average to above average students. These students
are truly at-risk of not graduating from high school. Many of
these students are the only income providers in their family,
many are teen parents, and many have been in and out of
correctional facilities. Southwire accepts these students and
gives them opportunities to succeed in life, both educationally
and in the workforce. This experience was truly remarkable and
showed proof that all students can be successful in life when
given the opportunities.
At the next stop, we had the opportunity to dine at the West
Georgia campus and enjoy stimulating conversation with high
school students from the other side of the spectrum from the
previous students we had met. These students were not being
challenged in their local high schools. However, like the other
high school students we had met, the students also needed
something more in order to reach their potential. These students
are currently participating in the Advanced Academy of Georgia,
a unique program that enables the students to complete their
junior and senior year of high school at the West Georgia campus
and with regular college classes. When these students graduate
from high school they also become a junior in college. We also
heard amazing stories of truly exceptional students who had
received high school diplomas and undergraduate degrees
simultaneously.
Our next day began at Marietta High School in Marietta County,
where we received an amazing welcome from the marching band, the
chorus and the school cheerleaders. This school was unique in
that they challenged all of their students to succeed. Programs
such as the International Baccalaureate challenged advanced or
highly motivated students while programs such as Credit Recovery
provided support to students needing it. This was just another
example of how a school had gone the extra mile to ensure the
success of all of its students.
Pickens Middle School, in Pickens County, was our next
destination. At this school, we were welcomed by the band and
the school cheerleaders and then divided into groups and given a
tour of classrooms. It would be an understatement to say I was
impressed with the two young ladies that were our tour guides.
When most students have started to become less engaged and
enthusiastic about school, these young seventh graders were a
remarkable example of how a great learning environment can
maintain positive attitudes toward school and learning. It was
obvious through my interactions with other students in the
school that this school creates an environment that places high
expectations on all students while still giving the necessary
support and guidance to reach those expectations. This stop on
our trip has inspired me to pursue the middle school
endorsement. I feel confident that I can create this type of
environment in my classroom and look forward to being given the
opportunity.
I was extremely excited for the final day of our trip because
the ages and grade levels were getting younger. The day began at
D. Scott Hudgins Early Education Center, a daycare center that
is a division of the Gwinnett Technical Center. This is a
functioning day care that accepts children ages 6 weeks to 5
years. In addition to this, the daycare exists as an on-campus
daycare where the Early Childhood Education majors gain their
field experience. The daycare center was amazing, equipped with
separate playground facilities for each age level, observation
rooms, and beautiful classrooms. Each classroom contained a
separate room, known as the messy room, where children could
experiment with different materials without fear of creating a
mess. No matter how young the age level was, each child was
supported on their path to literacy. This stop on our trip
reminded me of the reality that literacy does not begin as
students enter kindergarten; it starts the day they are born.
Just as our trip began with a bang, it ended with a bang. Our
last stop was East Jackson Elementary School in Jackson County.
At this school, I was amazed at the exemplary displays of
student work that decorated the walls of the classroom. The work
was creative and interesting and the standards were listed in
“kid-friendly” terms. Walking through the classrooms, it was
evident that this school placed a high priority on
collaboration; the teachers collaborated with one another and
the students worked with one another in groups as well as in
whole class settings. This stop was influential because it holds
as a key reminder of the importance of early childhood education
for a student on the path to graduation.
Overall, this trip was an amazing experience. Through this
experience, I was able to see the pride that local communities
take in their schools which is evident through their
partnerships with the local schools. I had the pleasure of
visiting exemplary schools where the students and the teachers
were passionate about learning. The teachers were also mindful
of their main goal as educators; giving all students the skills
and opportunities needed to walk down the stage on graduation
day. I want to take this opportunity to thank Dalton State
College Department of Education for allowing me this experience
that will follow me throughout my educational career.
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