Growing up in my home, I always felt very accepted and loved. I felt very positively about my family from an early age. I had very understanding parents who encouraged me every step of the way. I also have a large extended family, my immediate family, close friends, and some very memorable past educators who aided in my final decision to pursue an Education degree. 

At a young age, I always had a kind heart and loved to offer a helping hand whenever I saw the opportunity present itself. My elementary school teachers would tell my parents that I was never rude or mean to anyone; they said that I would go out of my way to make sure no one was ever left out. In high school, I grew an immense interest in Psychology. I believe it had to do with my favorite high school teacher, Mr. Mcclaren. He was my grade eleven and twelve Psychology professor. He influenced me with his extensive knowledge in his field; he had a great sense of humor, kept the kids engaged, and always offered assistance when needed. I believe Mr.Mclaren was the reason why I was first registered in the Psychology program at the UofR in fall 2020, as I always knew it was my passion to help others. Soon after my first year in the Psychology department, I started employment at a before and after-school program called Park Play, working with students aged K-5, and the satisfaction I felt was enough to make me want to switch degrees.

I attended elementary school at Henry Janzen, a public school in Regina’s north end, followed by my last four years of school at Winston Knoll Collegiate, where I graduated with honors all four years. There was an employee at Winston Knoll named Krista Sherman; she was considered an Indigenous advocate for our school. She set up  a special room known as the “Wellness Room”, which was dedicated to strictly Indigenous studies. Krista set up quite a few events for us to participate in, such as learning how smudges work, bringing in elders to discuss culture further in-depth, and many more memorable events. Even though I attended the public school system for twelve years, I still have a solid Catholic religious background. I am baptized; I also still practice my religion with my Nona every Sunday.  This widens my horizons and opens my mind up to all types of different religious beliefs. My mother’s strong Italian heritage mixed with my father’s Canadian heritage allows me to adapt to all kinds of different cultures and upbringings.

The most influential people in my life are my parents Shawn and Maria; they are my rock. They are my biggest fans in life, always offering advice, never abandoning me when I need them most, always very positive and genuinely caring people. When you hear the phrase “The apple does not fall far from the tree,” I hope I can live up to their expectations. On four different occasions, I have seen my parents help out several family members and friends in need when they were struggling in life. I currently have a friend living in our home who has been dealing with family hardships. We had multiple family members move into our home on three different occasions, where we all helped them compensate for anxiety and depression; this is exactly who I want to be. 

I will say that I agree that all these positive people in my life, such as family members, colleagues, and close friends, have assisted me with my goals in life as becoming an educator. Unfortunately, I had a very negative encounter with a teacher that I have a tough time forgetting. Math was always quite a struggle for me; I often became very frustrated when working on it. I did poorly on a unit test, and in front of a few classmates, the teacher said, “If this is the way you think Math works, you are going nowhere in life. Your parents do not care about you or your education.” This could not have been further from the truth. What he said has stuck with me for the past three years. I was able to turn this into a positive and will always think before I speak to someone who isn’t strong in a subject, and I have made it my goal never to say such hurtful things to a student as I remember how worthless it made me feel.  Growing up, I always hated making decisions, so it’s always been hard for me to imagine myself picking a career that I will stick with until I retire. Through all my experiences, both positive and negative, I can, for once in my life, be confident that I’m making the right choice. After being employed at my current job for a little over a year, I still find myself being excited to prepare crafts and new learning experiences for the kids I work with. I am so thankful for all the great opportunities I’ve been given in life thus far and am looking forward to continuing my learning for years to come.