My name is Mya Helgason and I am a second-year student in the Faculty of Education at the University of R
egina working towards a degree in elementary education and a Certificate in Inclusive Education. I am very excited to become a member of the teaching community as a Learning Resource Teacher, but my ultimate goal is to pursue a master’s degree in Educational Psychology. I strongly believe in teaching the “whole child” and a strong focus on mental health is a key component to helping our students achieve success.
My family is very important to me and one of my favourite things to do is spend time with them. I was raised in a family of educators. My mom, many of my aunties and uncles and three of my grandparents are teachers so, as you can imagine, education is highly valued in my family. Our supper table and campfire conversations often revolve around teaching and I can remember from a very young age being included in these conversations and feeling like my ideas and opinions mattered. From funny stories about things kids say to more serious topics like social justice, inclusiveness and education reform, there is always a passionate voice sharing their insights and love for what they do. Being a part of these conversations soon led to this passion becoming a part of who I was too. In my family, we were taught to be open-minded and that learning about other cultures and our history makes us better citizens. We have always been challenged to look at things from all sides, to stand up for what we believe in and to be a part of the change we want to see. These values that have been instilled in me make me want to carry on this family tradition of educators, and to be the same kind of accepting, passionate advocate for equality and change that my family members are.
Some of my interests include photography, travelling, writing and yoga and I love spending time outdoors, especially at our family cabin at Madge Lake. I own a photography business called “Moments by My” which has given me the opportunity to meet so many wonderful people and to gain experience in entrepreneurship. I also am currently publishing a children’s book about happiness and perspective which has been a really fun journey as well. Having a creative outlet is very important to me as it is a way that I relieve stress and express myself.
Last season, I was a member of the University of Regina Cougar Women’s Volleyball Team, and for as long as I can remember, athletics has been a huge part of my life. Sports have not only been a source of recreation and joy for me, but they have helped shape me into the person I am today and introduced me to some of my greatest role models and mentors. As a high-performance athlete, I have worked with many amazing people that have been so instrumental in my success. I have seen how the words and actions of caring individuals can impact someone’s life and how one adult’s belief in a child and unwavering support can be life-changing and I hope to carry this on in my coaching and teaching careers.
I look forward to the rest of my journey to becoming an educator and I am excited to be a part of such an amazing field that helps to shape the minds of young people.