"I want to share my journey and what makes our program unique and different!"

Hometown

Kalihi, Oahu

Departments

School of Teacher Education - Elementary; Special Education

Related Degrees

• BEd, Exceptional Students & Elementary Education

Why did you choose to pursue to pursue BEd, Exceptional Students & Elementary Education program?

I can remember being in elementary and struggling in school. I noticed everyone knew how to spell “big words” and I was trying to catch up. My letters were always mixed up and writing a few sentences took me forever. As time passed, my confidence in academics slowly dwindled, and I found myself constantly comparing myself to my peers. I brought up these concerns to my mom, and she got me tested for learning disabilities. At the age of 10, I was diagnosed with Dyslexia and Dysgraphia. However, I continued to struggle because there was a lack of resources and support my school offered me, but over time I grew as a learner and found others who could support me in my journey.

I chose the ESEE Program (Exceptional Students and Elementary Education) because it allowed me to learn different techniques to help a wide range of students in the general education setting and students who might be struggling similarly to me. This program has also taught me how to advocate and instill hope in my students. I am extremely grateful for all the learning opportunities, outstanding professors, and an amazing cohort that supports me through my journey. I am confident that one day, when I encounter a student in a similar situation to mine, I will be able to guide them in the right direction because the ESEE program has prepared me to become the teacher that I needed when I was in elementary.

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

The ESEE Program helped me grow as a teacher and a person. I want to share my journey and what makes our program unique and different! Not only are we dual-certified, but our classes and content have prepared me in numerous ways. We are constantly in field activity learning, focusing on project-based learning, and most importantly learning to cater to a diverse group of students to provide equal opportunities regardless of their disabilities and abilities. I have previously represented the program publicly by speaking at the State Capitol to put a perspective on why student teachers should get paid, attending conferences to speak about the program (Dive into Education), guest speaking at college classes, and writing about our cohort in the Hawaii CEC Newsletter that I run. If I am chosen to be Social Media Ambassador, I will continue to shine a light on the amazing opportunities and showcase the uniqueness of our program!

Anything else you’d like to share?

I was born and raised in Hawaii and I’ve been dorming for all 4 years of college! I am a first-generation student with immigrant Filipino parents and I am also pursuing both special education and elementary education. I have first-hand experience working with elementary and high school students who are in general education and students who are in special education (mild to severe disabilities). Lastly, I work on advocating for students in special education and find different projects to start to improve the system (e.g., Hawaii CEC Students Newsletter, Bill HB1291 to help special education students get scholarships, tutoring kids with reading difficulties)