Samoset Elementary School

Ashley Little: I am a College student studying for my Bachelors in Elementary Education. In Fall 2010, I signed up for two Elementary classes, which actually were taught within Samoset Elementary School, from a college professor. While this was a new experience for me, I was not expecting to come out with such a positive and lasting impression. Through the semester course of 4 months, I development a genuine passion and admiration for the teachers of this school. I watched teachers from every grade level work around the clock, before hours and after hours just to provide a chance to the students that they would most likely never receive otherwise. The principal, Mr. Boyce, is the kind of principal that any and every school could only dream of having! It was obvious that his mission is to cross all boundaries to provide a fulfilling education, encouragement, confidence and sense of merit out of each day of school. Also, he was concerned for each of his students' home life as well. I have never seen of nor heard of such a school with so much committment and drive to relentlessly work with a student to see them succeed. The students who were reserved and even temperamental when first entering Samoset as a student, were happy and respectful to others, even after just a few weeks of school! The (elementary) students felt the difference that was being made in their lives, and so did I and the entire college class of mine.

This experience completely solidified my desire to become a teacher. I am more confident now than ever before that my passion is to teach at a school where I can make a greater difference in the students' education, and their lives than I may be able to do at a "typical" school. This means working at a school such as Samoset, which is a Title 1 school of students who are less financially fortunate as others. This would also mean contributing more of my time and working harder than a teacher of another school might need to, who may not be faced with some of the hurdles that teaching at Samoset may consist of. All of these characteristics and so many more are not setbacks to this school. They are the reason that educators should want to become educators, and the reason why students lives will be given the chance to forever be changed.