I was born in Lincolnwood, Ill where I attended Rutledge Hall Elementary School, Lincoln Hall Middle School and Niles West High School. During my time at Niles West, I played varsity soccer, basketball and volleyball. My attentiveness to my education and athletics during this period of time granted me the opportunity to play volleyball for Carthage College; a liberal arts institution located in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Although I only played one year of volleyball at the institution, my time at Carthage enlightened me the passion I have towards reading, writing, and education. While working to get my undergrad in English and Secondary Education, I spent a great deal of time volunteering at various educational institutions in the Kenosha area. I worked as a pre-school aid at Chavez Learning Center where I taught children from low income households. I also utilized my time to aid the science department at Harborside Academy, interacting directly with 6th and 7th grade students as they investigated botanics. These experiences, in alignment with my student teaching placements within Kenosha, exposed me to the imperative nature that a quality education has a child's future. I hope I can administer this very same ideal into my classroom here at Fairview South Middle School.
During my personal time I engage in a very active lifestyle. I participate in adult leagues for basketball and volleyball and exercise almost daily. Additionally, I take great pride in my Ukrainian culture. Throughout my childhood years, I was avidly involved with Ukrainian scouting and Ukrainian dancing for over a decade. I also attended the St. Nicholas Ukrainian School of Chicago for 12 years, which gifted my siblings and I with the ability to speak, read and write the Ukrainian language fluently. Although my siblings and I were sometimes reluctant towards our cultural education, my parents always expressed the importance of cultural identity. I believe integrating both cultural identity and family values within the classroom environment provides a comprehensive and intuitive learning experience for students.