Skye Garner

Mrs. Nardelli

Virginia Teachers for Tomorrow 2

April 2023

Many people know from a young age what they want to be when they grow up,
set on this career for the rest of their educational path. This has not been the case for
me; it has not been a simple journey of analyzing my best qualities and interests.
However, I do recall from a young age always being fascinated by my teachers, seeing
them as the greatest role models and fully attentive of what they wanted from their
students. When thinking of a career when I was older, I seemed to always gravitate
towards teaching, despite wanting to admit it.
Regardless of my mind always wandering to a teaching career, outside
influences always caused me to push this thought away. The financial aspect of the job
was a big reason, as well as always being told I could “do more” than simply becoming
a teacher. I always took opposition to teaching very seriously and personally, knowing it
was highly mistaken to regard such an impactful profession in this manner. Because of
pressure to consider other career fields, I researched jobs relating to business and
social work. Even if I stopped considering a career in education, I wanted a job where I
could interact with people and help others.
Although the field of business does not usually come off in this way, many
business professionals have a great amount of social interaction. For example, the field
of marketing, in relation to the study of business, allows the professional to
communicate ideas, evaluate data, and see the impact of specific marketing strategies
on a diverse array of demographics. Marketing is by no means as hands-on as
teaching, but I have fallen in love with it quicker than I ever could have imagined. I took
Marketing my junior year of high school, going into it knowing absolutely nothing about
what it entailed. I began to be fascinated with the impact marketing has on everyday life
and the involvement it has in almost every career field. I have been very involved in
DECA, an international marketing association for students, for two years now.
Competitions and having leadership positions in DECA has allowed me to solidify my
decision to be a marketing major at the College of Charleston in the fall. I believe going
into this field will widen the opportunities in my future and still give me a chance to make
an impact on others from a business standpoint.
My internship in Virginia Teachers for Tomorrow last year led me to be conflicted
between studying education versus studying marketing. I fell in love with the kids and
seeing the light bulb moments go off in small group learning. I truly do think I will pursue
something with teaching later on in life as a second career. This program has taught me
the foundation of what being a teacher really means and the overall impact education
has on a child’s formative years.
At the end of VTfT I, I knew I no longer wanted to study education in college, but
I decided to take VTfT II nevertheless. The skills that I have been able to gain from my
internship, the chance of immersive, experiential learning, is something that I believe
will be highly advantageous in any career path I decide to take. I have improved my
communication skills with others, learned to take initiative, not care about judgment from
others, and truly be able to be myself in and outside of the classroom setting. I am
incredibly grateful for the Virginia Teachers for Tomorrow program, the amazing
teachers that make it happen, and everything I have been able to learn about myself in
the last two years. I truly do not think I would be the same person I am today without
this program.