Running head: THIS IS ME 1

This Is Me
Jessica Gallegos
College of Southern Idaho
Shane Brown
[EDUC 201 C01W]
(Online)
Spring 2017

This is me
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My story is like any other. I grew up in a small town in Idaho with a population of about

5,617. I grew up doing 4-H and always had a love for animals. I lived in town until fourth grade

then moved to the country for about three years, but seven years ago I was moved into the

middle of town. I thought it was the worst thing ever, but it turned out to be not so bad. I got the

chance to make new friends and have more opportunities to get a job, and spend more time with

my relatives. I have one older sister, an older brother, and a younger brother. I also live with my

parents and two dogs. My name is Jessica Gallegos and this is who I am. I have experience,

inspiration, perseverance, and goals to get me to where I need to go.

Education
I have moved around the small town that I live in about four times and each time meant a

new school. When I was in pre-school I attended St. Nicholas Catholic School. My teacher was

Mrs. Hieb. She was the best teacher I ever had and even to this day we are still good friends. For

the next two years, I was transferred to Memorial Elementary School for Kindergarten I had Mrs.

Gregerson and first grade I had Mrs. Berg, after they shut it down and merged with Big Valley all

the kids transferred. The school then changed its name from Big Valley to Rupert Elementary. I

was there for second and third grade. My second-grade teacher was Mrs. Webb and my third-

grade teacher was Mrs.Grant. When we moved out to 600 north and I transferred to Acequia

Elementary where the school was so small they only had two teachers for each grade. I ended up

having Ms. Mathews for fourth and fifth grade. This is also where I first volunteered in the

special education room. I left to East Minico the year they finished the new school. I attended

East Minico from sixth-grade to eight-grade. I volunteered about five times through jr. high in

the special education room. Those kids made me super happy and their friendship was beyond

comparable. After that I went to Minico High School from ninth to twelfth grade where I

graduated. I again wanted to be a part of those kids lives, so I took a few classes of peer tutoring
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so I could be in there. A lot of the kids that were in there I taught when I was in middle school. I

loved that they remembered me and we still had that special bond. I am now attending my

second semester of college at CSI with a major in special education.

Work History
Working is a huge part of my life. I started working at the age of 15. I was the youngest

on the crew. My first job was at Burgers Etc. in Rupert. This job taught me the meaning of team

work. In this job if one person did not pull their weight, then orders werent filled correctly and

customers were not happy. I left this job to work at Papa Murphys Take and Bake Pizza in

Burley. I made many friends at this job. I got to work with my brother and my best-friend. After

working there for about five months I became a shift supervisor. I learned responsibility and the

importance of being on time and professional. I oversaw inventory, placing orders, and making

sure my crew and customers were happy as clams. After working there, I took about a year off

and just focused on school and dancing, but I ended up scoring a job at a new restaurant opening

called the Taco Shop I was a cook and a cashier. I learned a lot about running a business. I

learned why portions are so important and how they only order enough food for the amount we

would sell. I then got a second job that I had with this one as a waitress at El Nayar, a Mexican

restaurant in Rupert where I was accepted as part of their family and they even taught me to

speak Spanish. I then got my last job at MC Fitness, a fitness center. I jumped at the chance to

get out of the food business. Working here I am in charge of advertisement making sure

memberships are paid and people are safely working out. Each job I have had has given me a

piece of knowledge I need to not only be a better teacher, but a better person.
Extra-curricular
Being a part of something bigger and better is the greatest feeling ever. During high

school so many opportunities become available. In high school, I participated in the Spartan

Dance Force all four years. We traveled from Idaho to Utah to California even to Tennessee to
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compete in national competitions and performed in college football half time shows. Along with

that I was a peer tutor in the special education room. I loved those kids. They were always so

happy and made my day better as soon as I walked in the door. I also participated in the Lunch

Buddy program and my little buddy was a 1st grader from Acequia Elementary School. She was

the cutest and most family-oriented child I ever met. She wouldnt start eating until her sister sat

down and she wouldnt go play outside unless her sister was ready to go outside. She loved her

older sister more than I could have even imagined. This little girl taught me more about loving

and caring than I could have learned anywhere else. I also took pride in my part time tutoring

services. I wouldnt charge kids to tutor them. I would just do it. The subjects I tutored in were

history, type of science, and algebra. I started doing this when I kept having teachers ask me if I

would come in a little early from lunch, or stay late after school to help a student who is failing

the class and needs help. I said yes, a couple times and each time I helped a student and saw

them improve, it made me so happy. I loved watching students change and better their education.

All in all, I loved the extra-curricular activities I participated in, in high school. The peer tutoring

really gave me that push I needed to lock into a major, and I couldnt have picked a better one.
Teach
From the time, we can talk to the time when we finally must make a choice we are asked

What do you want to be when you grow up? I would always answer with the most interesting

jobs like a doctor or a dentist, maybe even a marine veterinarian, but I never really had the right

answer until I said I wanted to be a special education teacher. I first realized I wanted to teach my

senior year. I was sitting with my exceptional child and we were going over math and watching

her get so excited that she completed the assignment. I just want to be a part of that feeling of

accomplishment the student feels. I decided to become a teacher when I tutored a lot of my

friends, and the look of relief when they understand a topic made me feel really good about
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helping someone better themselves. Even to this day I have kids I helped tell me if it wasn't for

me I never would have graduated on time, and that makes me feel really good. Before I made the

final choice, I turned to my love of animals and started taking animal science classes in high

school, then I found a more specific love and that was for marine animals. I love the thought of

still having so much to discover under the water. I still wish I would have stuck with it, but I feel

like I can make more of a difference in this field. Then maybe I can inspire a student whether

general or special to become a marine veterinarian and maybe they will be the best vet in history,

and if I was to become a vet then that students would have never discovered that miraculous

discovery. I anticipate the love from my students. Special needs students have more love in their

hearts than any student I have ever met. Being able to push them to do their best and them

remembering me as someone who really helped them get past it all is all I could really ask for.
Goals
Having goals is a great way to keep the eye on the prize. Goals in college are important to

keep you on track and give you something to look forward to. There are two types of goals your

short term and long term goals. Among my short-term goals are to finish my freshman year of

college. Spring semester is where I always experience procrastination, so this year I just need to

find the motivation to continue. Then I plan on working hard over the summer to earn money to

pay for my sophomore year. I plan on tutoring some kids that will be attending summer school,

and to help them get caught up. I plan on getting a second job, and maintain my current job. It is

important for short term goals to be short and sweet something you can easily reach to keep you

motivated and not so stressed out. If your short-term goals are too hard too hard and long then

you will get discouraged, or feel like you are never accomplishing anything. Long term goals are

more goals for the future. These goals should take months or even years to accomplish. My long-

term goals are to be a special education teacher at Minico High School. I intend to reach this goal
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by staying in college and participating in the dual certificate program that the College of

Southern Idaho (CSI) offers through Idaho State University (ISU). While I am attending CSI, I

plan on being a substitute teacher after I get my associates degree, so I can get exposed to the

teaching life style and get a feel for how I want to set up my teaching style. It is important that

your goals are realistic, and achievable in your area. Goals can be related to finances, schooling,

weight loss, or anything else you feel needs accomplished. I love having goals. Goals keep me

occupied and gives me something to look forward to. Something to give me a little brighter of a

light when the tunnel gets dark.

Each individual person has a plan they created for their life. Whether it is science or

education, having a plan is the first step to success. The second step is knowing who you are and

why you want to do what you want to do. Being passionate about who you are is very important.

Having experience in your field is a great way to find out whether you really like it or not. Goals

are important in every aspect of life. My story consists of all of these aspects, and without them I

dont think I could have made the biggest decision of my life. My life has been sculpted around

the saying: how will this affect my future. Due to this saying I have tried to only do this that will

benefit me not hurt me. This is who I am, and I love my decision in life.