Autobiographical Sketch
We had a good counselor my last two years in high school. She was one of the only people that
encouraged me to continue developing my craft since seeing how much joy, passion, and talent I had for
it. She was less of an authority figure with totalitarian principles and more of an older friend who was able
to meet me where I was emotionally and mentally. She gave me support and confidence to pass a
statistics class that was extremely difficult for me and after pulling through, I did pass it. She treated
everyone in my school kindly and equally, brought smiles to our faces even on difficult and sad days, and
made myself and my peers feel special enough that they knew they were special. At the same time, she
made sure we understood that we were not much different from one another, at least not on a
fundamental level, and we all had the ability to accomplish anything we set our minds to. Though I did not
end up pursuing the study of my craft, it had meant everything to me that she believed in me and
encouraged me, despite what others thought and said about me doing so. The second half of my high
school career was very difficult for me mentally and emotionally. She was an important anchor and
support system. I was glad she had taken the job as our guidance counselor when the previous
counselor, whom I did not prefer, left.
When contemplating and ruminating on what to study upon my return to college, I realized her
role in my life at that time was the role I wanted to take on for others as well. She was an inspiration for
my pursuing the field I am in now. I have always had a liking towards children but did not come to the
conclusion I could work with them in a professional way until it was clear to me that this has been one of
my passions since becoming an older sibling. From being an older sibling to four younger siblings, taking
on professional caretaking jobs, to beginning the study of early childhood pedagogy, my life events
directly brought me to select and prepare for a career working with children. Specifically, I am passionate
about working with children with disabilities from multilingual backgrounds, especially helping guide those
in the LGBTTQIA+ community, and activism for restorative youth justice. I am personally connected to
these minority youth populations and know that those from lower socioeconomic families are the most
likely to not have positive educational experiences and opportunities. What I seek to do with my work is to
be the chance I hope to see in the world. I want these children to have excellent educational experience
and an abundance of opportunities. I would like them to feel not that the world was not built or meant for
them, as they often do, but that this world welcomes them and all that they are. With my activism, daily
advocacy, and professional work, I want to be a support and encouragement for them. They must
understand and know that they are appreciated as they are, and I want to help create a clear path for
them in order for nothing to stand in the way of them achieving their dreams. Even when there is no one
who may believe in them, there will be at least one person, because I will believe in them. This sounds
idealistic, but I know that with persistent work, educational professionals can help children have access to
a better quality of life. My life events have helped prepare me for this work and I have the strength to carry
out this work because of the events that have unfolded in my life. It is my dream to work with children,
especially these niche groups of children. I would like to help them feel understood and related to. With
the proper education, I can help do that because I will have gone through similar or the same experiences
as them in my childhood.
I believe it is important that the right people work in the early childhood field for the right reasons.
Unfortunately, there are many instances where this is not the case, which is a terrible problem that
leading early childhood education research organizations like NAEYC are hopefully helping state and
federal governments eliminate. I am the right person for the field, because I would always treat children
with respect and kindness, and I would be in this field for the right reasons, because I would be working
on what is best for the children, not for program profit or the like. Children need authority figures who are
seen as older, responsible friends, not grow-ups they are afraid of. I am the former. They need someone
who recognizes their potential and believes in them. Due to my thorough attention to detail and energetic
sensitivity, I can see this potential not long after only beginning to interact with a child. I am naturally
observant, inquisitive, sensitive, and attentive, which allows me to respond appropriately and competently
to their emotions and needs. No matter what, I am always here for my siblings when they ever need me
for academic, emotional, or mental purposes, and this approach would be what I base my professional
approach from with my students.
