About Me
My Story
I am graduating High School in June 2024.
Senior year is a time for big plans, and I was all set. I have an amazing group of friends, I played Varsity soccer, I participate in Young Life and I was planning to go into Emergency Services. I was in Fire Fighting training and loving every minute of it. I had dreams of being a First Responder and training K9 police dogs.
Then in September I was in soccer practice and we were doing routine header drills. I ended up with a serious concussion. Recovering from a concussion means time out and taking life a little slower so the brain can rest. Since my concussion is at the brain stem, I couldn't finish the soccer season and I had to take a break from helmets. That includes wearing my fire fighting helmet. This is where the change of plans starts to come in.
New plans literally hit me in the head. I took this as a sign and not an obstacle. I made a list of all my passions and I prayed for a new life path. I love to travel, I love to take pictures, I love to connect with people, I love to cook, I love to journal, I love outdoor adventure, and I love to be a part of planning and organizing. Plus I am dyslexic so I enjoy experience learning over classrooms and being hands on. Then I found something exciting.
It is unexpected. path, but I am taking a chance and going all in. I decided not to pursue Emergency Services right now and take a Gap Year instead.
Me Being Me Senior Year
The Gap Year Program: September 2024-April 2025
FIRST SEMESTER | 12 weeks
Guided Exploration with Global Learning
- Week 1: England - Business, History & Science
- Week 2: France - Impressionist Art & Community Challenges
- Week 3: Italy - Food & Agriculture
- Week 4: Switzerland - Banking & Tourism
- Week 5: Germany - Past, Present, Progress
- Week 6: Czech Republic - East European Arts, Culture, History
- Week 7: Australia - Technology, Permaculture & Nature
- Week 8: Australia - Aboriginal Culture & Conservation
- Week 9: Australia - Urban Exploration Through Art & Food
- Week 10: Thailand - Culture & Religions
- Week 11: Thailand - Coastal Ecology & Sustainability
- Week 12: Thailand - Animal Conservation & Non-Profit Management
What I am most excited about is the opportunity fo explore three continents with learning around experiences. The founder of this program is also a Dyslexic so he designed the program understanding different learning styles.. Each city we visit has a Global Perspective and an Action Theme. We get to do things like meet with business owners doing cutting edge research or using innovative technology, local area leaders to understand local issues, take authentic culinary cooking classes, work with non-profits, visit UNESCO Heritage Sites, participate in service projects for wildlife protection and environmental conservation, restoration, and sustainability projects. In each country we also have a Growth Mindset & Personal Development Theme that we will be reflecting on.
~ Winter Break ~
SECOND SEMESTER | 12 weeks
Cultural & Lanuguage Study
Barcelona, Spain
I will be living on campus and attending daily language classes. We will have organized activities too like volunteering, visiting local businesses, and participating in local cultural activities.
I will be earning 12 college credits for this International Study Gap Year Program through Southern New Hampshire University. I am so excited to be one of the 30 people accepted and I plan to keep updates of my adventures on Instagram. Since this was not my original plan, I am trying to make it happen. I will be working hard to fundraise and earn money for this trip. The first step was getting accepted and the next step is seeing how much I can raise to go.