I am a senior at New York University pursuing my bachelor’s degree in communications. Born and raised in Carrollton, Texas, I began working with students at a young age by being involved in after-school tutoring programs and community service organizations such as Bea’s Kids, Habitat for Humanity, and The Ronald McDonald House. After moving to New York City, I pursued a career path in public relations but realized that I lacked passion for the media business. When I discovered Generation Citizen was looking to expand their program to New York City, I was very excited to be a part of that growth and to get back in touch with my love for providing community service.
My involvement with Generation Citizen began in September 2010 as a college coordinator and Democracy Coach in NYC. I had not had any classroom teaching experience before my first day with Generation Citizen, so I was apprehensive and unsure of how well I could teach. I discovered that teaching is a lot harder and complex then it seems, and that I had a few challenges ahead of me in order to reach my students. However, with the help and guidance from the teachers I worked with, I discovered that I could help spark passion in the students I mentored and motivate them to implement changes in their own communities. Educating is not as simple as it seems, and requires great patience, passion, and drive. While it is indeed hard work, I have found nothing more rewarding than reaching out and connecting with youth by motivating them to make a difference.
Generation Citizen has not only allowed me to be a leader and role model to the students I teach, but also has helped me to realize that my own passion lies in education. I found that I acquired my own mentors through the GC staff and classroom teachers who I work with so closely. With the time I have spent volunteering for Generation Citizen, I had decided to pursue a career in education in school psychology or school counseling. In the future, I hope to harness the knowledge I have gained about education and teaching to continue to help students realize their full potential.