The challenge I had in my life was when I was little and I almost died at the age of three. I was in the hospital for a year but it was worth it. After this happened it was really hard to make friends when I was growing up. When I was in fourth grade, I had some friends I was close with, then they moved away. In my fifth and sixth grade year I had a lot of friends but it was really hard to tell them I was moving to Caldwell, Kansas. My seventh grade year was a challenge for me because I didn’t know the town or anyone here, but I made friends the first day and I was really nervous. On the first day, I hesitated to stay at school because I was nervous about the school, and who are the teachers were. As the day was progressing I was getting included in everything, but I was still distant. My eighth grade year I started making friends and being a basketball manager and the friends on that team made me feel like I was welcomed. As I was entering into high school I got involved in the school play, basketball as a manager, forensics and also scholars’ bowl. My freshman year was a challenge too, I did something I really do regret and I learned from my mistakes. My sophomore and junior year were my easiest years, but I still have struggles here and there. My senior year is when I take everything I did wrong and make the best year out of it. I learned from all my mistakes and and I am trying to make up for what I did, but people still bring it up to this day. I try to ignore it but people keep asking me questions about it. There was a choice I had to make and it was leaving my best friends all behind since I moved away. I keep in touch with some of them, but not all. Some of them I get to see everytime I go, I get to see them once every year but it is ok. I am writing about my challenging life story and I am comfortable with people understanding what I went through in my high school years. Some of the days were depressing but I got through by talking to people about it and I got really comfortable. When I tell people my story, they think it is amazing. You will not find that often, but I am a miracle baby and it saved me. Now thinking I am a senior, it is really close to to being a graduate. That means that I will be getting ready for college and leaving everyone behind me.
Career Report
Since my middle school and early high school years, I have wanted to work with children. Through different school and community programs, I have encountered children from different walks of life. These include church, camps, school activites, and babysitting. Whenever I am around children, I feel at my best. The reason I want to work with children is because it offers me an opportunity to make an impact and positive influence while they are still young. I am also passionate about helping children who are disadvantaged. Recently, I went to Africa to volunteer at an orphanage. Here in Caldwell, I have used every opportunity to work with children in the tutoring program. Outside the school, I have volunteered throughout the year in churches, and after school programs. After completing some research, I found out that I need to go to college for two years to get my associate’s degree in social work focusing on sociology. After earning my associates degree, Butler will allow me to transfer to a four-year college to further my education in psychology. The four major class requirements includes, General, Statistics, Research Method, and System and Theories. I will have to complete a minimum of 15 hour residency. Butler County Community College will cost about 12,000 annually. Wichita State University will cost anywhere between $6,544 and $15,502 annually. This year, I would like to apply for many grants and scholarships as I can to help me out with college tuition. The average annual pay in psychology is (72,580) in Kansas. Working in Sociology earns (45,900) annually in Kansas. An other option is to practice psychology in Africa. The school requirements are the same in Africa to work in the psychology and sociology field. I also have another option to work overseas in Africa and do mission work.
Job Shadow Report
Since my freshman year of High school, I realized that I wanted to be a Social Worker, because all I want to do is to help people get where they need to be in life with family. When I job shadowed at Sumner Mental Health and St. Francis in Wellington, I realized that they help youth with disabilities and life situations with family. When I was at St. Francis I got to go to all the different offices and they told me what they do and what is their favorite part of working there. When I was job shadowing I was asked questions from different people about why I want to be a social worker. I was honest about every answer and I was confident in what I was saying. After going there I thought to myself about what they were saying to me and it was sad about what they do but it is rewarding. After meeting everyone I realized that I can do that but it takes a lot of responsibility. If I want to reach my goal I will have to work harder than I usually do. After learning about the different professions in social work. I think it is my place to be in life and I feel at my best when i work children. The one that stood out me was the DCF department, because they assist people in solving personal and their family problems. They also encounter cases of abuse, unemployment and disability. They must advocate for their clients to improve their home and school situations. I took what every person said to me in consideration for what I will be doing in college and the papers I will be writing. I feel like being a social worker makes me feel at my best if I brighten up their days and mine as well. When I was there I was offered a job because they could count on me to assistant them.
2nd Job Shadow Report
For my second job shadow I went to shadow in winfield with a social worker named Zoe Bowling. She told me about what she does and what goes on in her profession. Zoe is a Reach Infant Toddler social worker. I felt at my best when I am there and ask as many questions are relevant. I asked her what were some of her strengths and weaknesses in her job, I also asked if the staff are on call and how was it handled. I got taught that they work with kids from newborn until they are 3 years old. Some of the kids have speech issues and and also some of them don’t communicate that well. The lady I job shadowed doesn’t work in the speech department but she has other people in the office who helps with speech and special education skills.I went with the social worker to each home and I sat behind her when she was working with the kids. Some of the kids were getting shy and frustrated because they were not understanding the concept. The part that stood out to me was if the child is not doing well in special skills and speech communication they send them to preschool to get more help. When I went with Zoe we went to the homes and she helped them with words and most of the kids knew what the pictures were showing. After that she would show them pictures of like fruit and they would say what they are. It made me smile because I felt at my best and I know they are trying inside.