Let’s start with the fact that I was an average student. Not gifted, a bit of a talker, did enough to make honor role. My parents were my role models. My dad was a veteran with a passion for science and technology he would often teach me different concepts of science by looking at the world around me. He was also a problem solver he often modeled the engineering design methods before it had a name. I would Always see him fixing things before their was YouTube to tell you how. My mother was an educator, she went back to college part time when I was in high school ( she modeled the growth mindset) she helped me discover that I was actually good in math and better in teaching it. I would tutor her with her math, she was so proud of my skills that one week when her professor was out, she snuck me in her college class to teach other college students (I was still in high school) they talked about my ability to simplify things and my ability to engage a class. It was then I realized I wanted to go into eduction.