Education

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Elementary school

My first school was C. Ian McLaren Elementary School, where I attended from Kindergarten to Grade 8. Some of my favourite memories from Elementary school were:

• Painting the Cougar mural in our gymnasium

• Playing on the swings at recess

• Four square

• My Grade 3 teacher Miss Wiles

• Running fast in flag football

• Filling my pockets full of lady bugs while out on a nature walk to later have them escape and fill the school hallways

• Going to 4-H on the weekends

Here is some of my earliest work:

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High School

I attended Oilfields High School from Grade 9 to Grade 12 where I graduated with my High School Diploma in 2005. I participated in an array of sports during my time there from cross country running, to badminton, volleyball and my most favourite of all – basketball. I am thankful that my high school experience was such a positive and memorable time in my life. Oilfields being situated in a small town consisted of smaller class sizes so it was easy to get to know my peers and teachers. My teachers were hospitable, welcoming, caring, and hard-working – they would always go the extra mile to help their students learn and succeed. My parents both worked full time jobs to avail my brother and myself the opportunity to play on extra curricular sports teams. I am truly grateful for the experience that I had during my time at Oilfields.

‘Once a Driller always a Driller’

^{An excerpt from my Autobiographical Paper written in ECS 101 while attending the University of Regina:}

In my elementary and high school years of life I was actively involved in sports and in particular – basketball. I had the opportunity to play on a number of different teams during the athletic endeavours of my youth. My affinity for basketball was certainly influenced alongside my older brother’s. We grew up playing basketball and coaching at every turn that presented. My first encounter with coaching basketball was alongside my favourite high school gym teacher and coach, Mr. Wooldridge. Mr. Wooldridge was an amazing teacher. He would always go the extra mile to help his students to learn and grow academically, as athletes or individuals. One year, he encouraged me to join in and help him with coaching youth in a basketball camp called STARS basketball. I was nervous and a little bit shy, but learning alongside his mentorship helped me to develop my self confidence in teaching the youth the skills that I already harboured. Coaching in the basketball camps with Mr. Wooldridge and sharing my passion for the game of basketball with younger generations was the first thing that initially sparked my interest in the profession of teaching. I loved fostering the enthusiasm that was needed to teach young students, skills in basketball that they were actively trying to acquire and master. The work of teaching in the camps really made me feel as though I had helped the students gain confidence in their abilities in the same way that Mr. Wooldridge had done for me. I was inspired to become an educator because of the impact that teachers like Mr. Wooldridge had on my life.

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College

In 2005 I applied to Olds College and was accepted into the Animal Health Technology program. There, I studied for two years and graduated with my diploma as a registered Animal Health Technologist (also known as a Veterinary Technician) in 2007. I can still remember my mom jumping out of her garden and running over to give me a big hug after getting a call saying that I was accepted! Olds College was another incredible life and learning experience. My class consisted of 30 students all of which were very passionate, caring individuals. I was ready to learn how to nurse and care for animals of every shape, size and species. During my final month of the program I completed four different rotations at the WCVM in Saskatoon working alongside the Veterinary students.

While attending Olds College I competed in rodeo with my horse and I adopted two more pets – a pot belly pig named ‘Charlotte’ and a dog named ‘Summer’. College is also where I met my husband Lanny!

An excerpt from my Autobiographical Paper written in ECS 101 while attending the University of Regina:

Growing up, my family’s acreage was nestled in the foothills just outside of a small mountain town in Alberta, across the road from the Sheep River. It housed various critters that my dad and I filled it with. My life as a child was a dream in that sense. Who would not like to wake up and come home to horses, dogs, cats, rabbits, sheep, goats, ducks and chickens every day? I knew from an early age that I wanted to help take care of animals. My parents cultivated that dream of mine by allowing me the opportunity to grow up in such an environment as this. In 2005 after graduating from high school I embraced the opportunity to attend Olds College where I acquired my diploma as a Veterinary Technician. My days as a child were spent dressing up my kittens in place of dolls, catching salamanders from the duck pond, riding my horse and nursing our dogs and cats as they delivered their litters of kittens and puppies. I remember always wanting to learn and teach animal facts to my family. My dad and I would watch shows together about animals – I was fascinated watching and learning different facts about them. As a girl, I remember playing with my childhood best friend, having my horse anatomy book ready and willfully teaching her all the names of the different muscles and connecting tendons (which I’m sure she thought was the most fun!). From an early age, I was interested in learning and teaching others.

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University

Presently, I am pursuing a career as an Elementary School Teacher. I am working on obtaining my bachelor of education degree at the University of Regina. I was accepted into the Faculty of Education in March of 2020 and began my program as a first year student in September of 2020.

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