I grew up in West Bloomfield, Michigan, with two older brothers and an incredible extended family, with whom I am very close. I am lucky enough to live close to most of my family (excluding a brother who lives in NYC, but visits are fun!). In my family, Sunday night family dinners, shared celebrations, and a significant amount of time spent together are the norm. My family have been so supportive as I have pursued an advanced degree, as education has always been promoted and revered in our family. That being said, I come from a long line of Wolverines (including my own undergraduate experience) so my choice of programs took a bit to get used to!
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One of my favorite things in life is to travel, and I have been fortunate to be able to experience a variety of cultures and lifestyles through travel. In fact, I have been to more countries than states (a fact I am proud of but also hope to rectify in the near future!). Favorite travels include studying abroad in Sevilla, Spain, visiting Ephesus and the Blue Mosque in Turkey, wandering the tiny streets and canals of Venice (pictured left), going on safari in Tanzania, and experiencing ten days in Israel with 40 strangers. Travel has indelibly impacted my perspective and my goals and approaches as an educator, as I aim to be culturally responsive and globally aware in my teaching and lesson design. Future travel goals include the Galapagos Islands, Greece, and Peru.
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In July of 2015, I adopted an 8-week old rescue puppy who I named Kona. Since then, Kona has been my best buddy, adventure partner, and training pal. Although I had a dog growing up and have always been passionate about animal rescue, Kona is my first dog of 'my own.' It has been a blast teaching him new tricks (thank you Fido of Ferndale), exploring downtown Birmingham together, and watching him bark at all of the dogs (and George Clooney) on TV. #adoptdon'tshop
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I have always loved to read (shocking for an English teacher... I know) and in sixth grade an English teacher changed my life by reading us the first three Harry Potter books. From that moment on, I was hooked, and many midnight release parties later, once all of the books and movies had been released on consumed voraciously, I got myself to Harry Potter World to experience the magic for myself! I continue to love the books and the stories and enjoy experiencing them again through my students who love them as much as I do and always want to discuss them.
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I have loved musicals, both seeing them and performing in them, for most of my life. From community theater to high school performances, to ultimately participating in a professional rock opera, theater and performance has always been part of my life. My senior year of high school, we performed "Into the Woods" and I played the role of Little Red Riding Hood (left). It was one of the best experiences of my life, and I continue to love and express my devotion to musical theater regularly. Favorite musicals: Aida, Hamilton, Les Miserables, Into the Woods, and Thoroughly Modern Millie.
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