Iris Farley C xxx-xx-2741

Essay #1: General Essay

Commitments/Goals
I have decided to pursue elementary and early education teaching. I work at Clarks Trading Post in
Lincoln, New Hampshire during the summer and fall. Being a ride operator and tour guide, I interact with
the public and, in particular, children. As a student in a pre-k through twelve school, I have been able to
read in kindergarten classrooms, aide in the second grade, and enjoy the company of students with
hearing disabilities. My interest was piqued when I was asked to babysit a little boy who has a hearing
impairment. I took sign language courses at the Community College of Vermont to further my
knowledge of his disability. Now I am able to communicate with both the hearing impaired and hearing
people I meet at my job and in my life. Sign language has been a passion of mine ever since. I intend to
pursue elementary education and further my education at Mount Ida College in Newton Massachusetts,
earning a bachelors degree and possibly extending to a masters later in life. In the future I will seek a
career in a school system.

Financial Need
Money is always an issue when it comes to college and choosing a career. I am the oldest of three
children. That being said, my family has always tried to treat us equally, and this applied to saving for
our college education. When we got tight on money, the savings began to shrink. My parents married
young and my mother got her associates right out of high school before giving birth to me. Now, both of
my parents are going back to college. My mother is pursuing a higher nursing degree and my dad is
pursuing a degree in computer sciences. My mother works a full-time job at Granite City Primary Care in
Barre, Vermont. My dad has a part time job at the Computer Barn in Barre, Vermont. My siblings and I
give each other rides to school and have seasonal jobs. With money being tight and my parents having
to plan for, not only their own education, but also my and my siblings future education, money
becomes a problem and a huge influence on which college I choose. I would greatly appreciate any
money given to me, so that I can make my decision not based on money but rather on academic needs.

Community Service
I believe community service is important in order to be a high-functioning member of society. I am an
active member of National Honor Society (NHS). NHS focuses on academics as well as bettering the
community, such as fundraisers for families in need such as canned food drives, coat drives, and a polar
plunge. I have participated in babysitting children during board meetings and other community events,
volunteered at the Groton Chicken Pie Supper by peeling vegetables, setting up tables, and serving food,
and worked at the Lumberjack Breakfast in Groton as a waitress. These experiences have opened my
eyes to the welcoming people that I live near as well as helped me make connections within my
community.
Uniqueness
By the time I was six, I had moved seven or eight times. I had been from Maine to Cape Cod to Alaska
with my family. Our home has a saying, Home is where the Coast Guard sends you. In between moves,
we stayed with my great grandmother in Groton, Vermont, and I attend school when I could. While in
Alaska, I made friends with some children from a native Inuit tribe. I spoke their language more than I
did English and enjoyed their culture. My dad finally retired from the Coast Guard at the beginning of my
first-grade year and we moved to a home on the Groton-Ryegate line. I was an extremely shy child. I
would be sick before I had to perform or do a presentation and some days I couldnt even go to school.
You may be asking yourself, What changed? I grew up. I realized that in order to be successful in life I
need to overcome this fear. With practice and great friends, slowly I accomplished my goal.
I joined basketball, soccer, and softball teams throughout my high school career. In high school, I joined
Speech and Debate, or as we call it here, Forensics. I now do impromptu speaking to large groups of
people without batting an eye. I have won first place four times and third place twice. I was also part of
the softball team that won the D4 State Championship and, although I was the manager due to an
injury, I take great pride in what we have accomplished. I have found comfort in the Blue Mountain
community, but by my junior year I wanted more for my education. I didnt take interest in Spanish and
our school didnt have the funding for another language teacher, so I began taking Sign Language classes
at the Community College of Vermont in Montpelier as a Dual Enrollment student. I have been asked to
teach some sign language courses to classrooms within elementary schools, such as Bradford
Elementary and Blue Mountain Union.
I strive for excellence in everything I do, whether it be academics, sports, or other activities. Although
money is tight, I intend to further my education and do my part to educate future generations.