My name is Ashley Whitney and I am from Hilton, New York. I graduated from Hilton High School in 2010 with an advanced regents diploma. Currently, I am in my Junior year at SUNY Cortland and will be graduating in the spring of 2014 with a Bachelor of science in Childhood Education and with a concentration in social science. I currently just completed 78 hours in the classroom at Groton Elementary School. As a student, I have had several teachers who inspired me to want to change the lives of children and help them reach their fullest potential.

In my past I have always enjoyed working with young children. Previous experiences I have with them are that I have volunteered at a summer long camp working with four and five year olds. I have also volunteered at Strong Memorial Hospital in the pediatric unit. While there, I went to each patient’s room and played games with the children. Also, I taught skiing at a ski resort and participated in the facilities camps which had children of all ages. My senior year of High School, I shadowed in a Preschool classroom each week and helped the students complete their tasks and I read books to them. My first semester of college I attended SUNY Fredonia. Here, we got to go to a kindergarten classroom twice a week and be the teacher’s assistant. Throughout the semester I was able to teach two lessons to the class.  I would love to peruse a career in the education field as a teacher. I have always had a strong passion for children. My goal is to be certified in grades one through six and complete my masters degree back home in Rochester, New York which is where I am from.

The education of children is very important to me. Children are the future of our world and it is important that they are given all of the opportunities to be successful and use their creativity. I have always had a desire to work with children. I have always had the drive to change lives and teaching is the route I want to take to do so. As a future educator, I would love to teach in an inclusive education classroom and be able to inspire the minds of young children.