This picture was taken during a significant time in my life. I was playing in my final year of junior hockey, out of Chase, BC. I had played and billeted here for three consecutive seasons, and these experiences have had a large contribution to shaping who I am today. Living away from home from 17-20 years old had a learning curve, but I am forever grateful for these learning opportunities. It helped me get to know myself and who I wanted to be. While in Chase, I had my first real school teaching moment when I volunteered for Haldane’s One-to-One Reading Program.
This next picture was taken along the Tonquin Valley trail in Jasper, Alberta. This has been a personal favourite hike of mine as I have done it multiple times, and I can’t wait to explore what the rest of Jasper has to offer. I spend most of my summers hiking, and carry a tradition of overnight hikes with some of my closest friends.
This next photo is of my parents. Without them, I wouldn’t be where I am today. My dad is a steelworker and spent my childhood coaching me in hockey while alternating years with my brother as our team safety trainer. He has shown us what hard work looks like and has instilled a strong work ethic in me and my brothers. He is the definition of a strong individual and continues to set the standard for perseverance everyday. My mom is a vice principal at a secondary school in our local school district. She has shown me how to pursue the career I’ve always wanted, and has supported me every step of the way throughout my educational journey. Following in her footsteps, and her mother’s footsteps, I’ve seen how rewarding a career in education can be. I’ve grown up admiring her accomplishments, and I’m looking forward to the challenge of achieving my own accomplishments.
This is a photo of me working in Edson, Alberta, and enjoying a visit from my pup, Ranger. My brother works as a supervisor in a well testing company, and I spent a summer working with him in order to gain some life experience. I was able to pay for some of my education with my earnings, but the real reward was that life experience one acquires from working in the oil and gas sector. I think after that summer it is safe to say I have a newfound respect for those workers, but I am also looking forward to a career where I can get my hands dirty in a different way.
This final picture holds a lot of significance with me in terms of my educational journey. While I started my university education at TRU, I took a summer course that convinced me to transfer to SFU. This was without a doubt the best move I could have made. I was able to study criminology with a focus on restorative justice. Restorative justice can be defined as “a system of criminal justice which focuses on the rehabilitation of offenders through reconciliation with victims and the community at large.” Focusing on education, rather than punishment, offered a unique lens into my education. This practice is deeply rooted in indigenous culture and ways of knowing. This is a talking stick my grandmother gave to me when I graduated with my BA from SFU. This talking stick is Bear, who represents strength, learned humility, and teaching, and was crafted by Jim Yelton in Squamish, BC, a member of the Coast Salish Nation. My grandmother, a former primary teacher at Dallas Elementary, would commute with me every week to Burnaby from Kamloops for twelve consecutive months in order for me to be able to pursue my education.