Mother Theresa is credited with saying, "I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the water and create many ripples." This theory is one that I remind myself of every day when I teach. I graduated in 2011 from Central Connecticut State University with a BA in International Studies Western Europe and French/Marketing where I focused on Medieval Western European History, Political Science, French Language and Culture, and Marketing. After spending some time in the corporate world I decided to return to school where I earned an AA of Paralegal Studies and graduated with Honors. Upon graduation I decided to delve into the non profit world and moved to New Orleans, LA to volunteer full time as an AmeriCorps VISTA with a local rebuilding organization. I spent a lot of my time during my two years of being an AmeriCorps VISTA, working in the community educating families on the importance of safe, affordable, stable, healthy housing. I also began volunteering with a community mediation organization and trained to become a community mediator. Currently I am working on my Masters Degree in International Relations and Conflict Resolution/Peacekeeping and also teach English as a Second Language to children in China! I believe that education is a fundamental human right and do my absolute best to make it accessable and obtainable for all of my students. As an educator my goal is to guide my students in learning how to properly communicate in a non violent way, thus opening the door to growth and adventure. Today, we are not taught how to effectively communicate. My passion for positive change on a systemic level starts with teaching these communication skills, because these skills are the building blocks for a peaceful future. In addition to teaching children, I also love to work with individuals with special needs. Having a disability is not something that needs to hold somebody back from being able to learn and excel. I believe that every child deserves an equal opportunity and try my hardest to provide that by working one on one with both children and caregivers to discover the most effective style of communication and how they learn best. In my spare time I love to travel, spend time with my friends, garden, explore, and hang out with my meagle named Ace! I look forward to seeing you in the classroom!