"Whether it is about the process of applying or what my day-to-day looks like, what I post can make a large difference in student's anxiety and address some of their concerns."

Hometown

Wailuku, Maui

Department

School of Teacher Education - Secondary

Related Degrees

• BEd, Secondary Education

Why did you choose to pursue to pursue the BEd, Secondary Education program?

Since I was in high school, I have always been drawn to the education profession. I enjoy helping others and feel as if there is so much teachers can do to support their students and community. Truly, there is no way to describe the fantastic work educators do for their students as they provide them with well-needed life experiences, encourage them to follow their dreams and aspirations, and even make class fun and easy to understand.

I specifically chose to go into the Kahalewaiho’ona’auao Secondary Program because I appreciated the values they wanted to instill in teacher candidates. While their focus still encapsulates the importance of following state common core standards, they also incorporate Hawai’i into their teachings. They consider the ‘āina (land), community, and individual self as important roles for learning. In the secondary program, we are not only learning about how to include these aspects in our lessons but also doing it ourselves by venturing out into our community. The program truly emphasizes perspective and trying to understand what our students go through.

Furthermore, I specifically went into English because I want to provide an outlet for students to enhance their writing skills to better support themselves and their community. On numerous occasions, students have come out of school to believe that they are “bad” writers, feeling like they cannot make a difference. However, the reality is that they were not given the proper support to cultivate their writing skills. In my time as an English teacher, I hope to contribute a mindset that will teach students that writing skills are something that develops over time, that every process is different, that there is never one “correct” way, and that their words can make an impact on others. Writing is truly something that is meant to be continuously learned about and developed with others.

Why did you want to be a Social Media Ambassador for your program?

I would like to be a Social Media Ambassador for my program because I feel that I can put students at ease. There are many aspects of the program that students may be confused or curious about. Thus, what I post can provide insight for numerous students. Whether it is about the process of applying or what my day-to-day looks like, what I post can make a large difference in student’s anxiety and address some of their concerns.

Anything else you’d like to share?

– First-generation student
– I sell crochet creations on Etsy (@avilocrochet; https://avilocrochet.etsy.com)
– Student teacher, but I also have teaching experience from being a color guard instructor at my alum high school
– Leadership and tutoring experience from working at UH Mānoa’s Writing Center.
– I currently have a part-time job that requires me to provide writing feedback from students’ lab reports
– My peers and I will be participating and presenting at this year’s 14th International Conference on Education and Justice