Name:
Mrs. Key
School:
Lakeview Elementary School
Class:
3rd Grade
School Phone:
615-758-5619
My name is Rodina Emiliana Key and I was born on November 1st, 1985 in
Oradea, Bihor, Romania. At the age of seven years old, I started first grade
in Romania. I finished third grade there and on August 8, 1995, my family
moved to Akron, Ohio, USA. Two weeks after arriving from Romania I started
fourth grade at Young Elementary School in Akron. Although I didn’t know
any English when I started fourth grade, my teachers were very lenient and
understanding of my circumstance. With the help of my homeroom fourth grade
teacher, Mrs. Dodds, I finished fourth grade with straight A’s and my
English speaking ability increased immensely.
After living in Akron, Ohio for two years, my family decided to move to
Nashville, Tennessee. At the age of eleven, I enrolled in sixth
grade at Buena Vista Pidea Magnet School in downtown Nashville. I was
enrolled there for a semester after which my family moved to Hermitage,
Tennessee and I became a transfer student at Dodson Elementary School.
Although moving around highly impacted my education, I still managed to
remain on the Principal’s List.
In seventh grade, I started playing volleyball for the Dupont Tyler
Middle School in Hermitage, Tennessee. In eighth grade, I became the team
captain of the volleyball team. I also ran track and played flute in the
Dupont Tyler Beginning Band. I took Algebra and Introductory Physical
Science classes, which offered me high school credits. I ended my middle
school experience very successfully and with much excitement for the future.
During my four years at McGavock High School, I became highly involved
with school activities and community projects. During my freshman year, I
was a flautist in the McGavock High School Marching Band, an active member
of First Priority, a member of the First Romanian Baptist Church of
Donelson, a vocalist in the Church Praise and Worship Group and in the
Church Choir, a member of the Romanian Baptist Youth Association (RBYA), a
volunteer for the Outreach Program, and an actress in Breakthrough. My hard
work and dedication paid off at the end of my freshmen year with the honor
of receiving a Mathematics Award, many McGavock High School Band Awards, and
the first place in Charity Cup sponsored by RBYA. My sophomore year I
maintained my involvement in all activities practiced my freshman year and I
was offered the Mathematics Award, a Spanish Award, many McGavock High
School Awards, and second place in Charity Cup. On top of all my school and
community involvement throughout tenth grade, I also became an employee for
Kroger Co. and that is the company that I worked with throughout my entire
high school career. My junior year at McGavock was just as loaded as my
freshman and sophomore years, with the addition of my volunteer position for
the Second Harvest Food Bank. My junior year I received an English Award and
Band Awards.
Because of the excitement produced throughout my first three years of
high school as a result of my extracurricular activities, my senior year, I
decided to go all out and give back to my community and my school as much as
I possibly could. During my senior year of 2004, I was second chair flautist
in the Wind Ensemble and the McGavock Marching Band. I was also a member of:
First Priority, National Honor Society, FCCLA, Student Council, the First
Romanian Baptist Church of Donelson, Church Praise and Worship Group, Church
Choir, RBYA, and Eagle Scouts. My senior year, I also took AP English and AP
Calculus. I graduated with an Honors Diploma and I was placed forth in my
graduating class.
During the summer of 2004, I decided to enroll at Cumberland
University, sing in the Cumberland Cantores Celestis, become a member of
BCM, and major in Elementary Education. Later on that year, I got another
job at the Hermitage Branch Public Library. In the Spring of 2005, I was
honored with receiving the Geography Award presented to me by Dr. Pope from
Cumberland University. That same semester, I became an active member of STEA
and that association helped learn more about education and school related
activities. The fact that I enrolled at Cumberland University and became
part of the Cumberland family brought me to my next phase in life, and that
was: preparing for a career in education.
My main reason for wanting to become a teacher is related to my calling
to help students love to learn. As a result of the fact that I grew up and
completed my first three years of education in Romania, I was exposed to a
very harsh and frightening educational environment. My first three years of
school were very hard and I often dreaded going to school. I had the same
teacher for first, second, and third grade and she often crossed the
borderline between disciplining the students and physically abusing the
children. When I started fourth grade here in the States, I was very scared
of that first day at Young School because I didn’t know any English.
However, I was very surprised and happy with my teacher, Mrs. Dodds. She was
the nicest person that I have ever come in contact with. She helped me with
my academics during lunch, recess, and sometimes even after school. She
truly cared about me and she did everything in her power to help me overcome
the language barriers and cultural differences that I was struggling with.
Because of Mrs. Dodds, I realized that school can be fun and that
learning shouldn't occur under frightening conditions. She impacted my life
to such a high degree that it made me seek to help others just as much as
she has helped me. I would like to give everything back, to the schools here
in the U.S., that they have given me. I feel that my calling and my purpose
in life is to become a teacher. I want to teach students all concepts
necessary in order for them to succeed in life. I also want to help students
overcome any obstacles in their lives, which might keep them from realizing
their dreams.
In conclusion I want to state that I see my role as a teacher very
important to our future generation. I believe that all my students will
become successful because success isn’t necessarily becoming a millionaire.
I think success is achieved every time a person’s behavior is changed as a
result of his new understandings about life. The greatest successes I had
throughout my education program at Cumberland University is my realizations
of things I cannot change, my growing courage to change things which can be
changed, and my enlarged wisdom which helps me know the difference between
the two.
