I attended a private school from the kindergarten through the 8th grade. I remember asking my parents one day why they had paid so much money for me to attend St. Joseph School when I could have attended a public school free of charge. They told me that they did it because they wanted me to receive an excellent education as well as learn about moral issues. They wanted me to become an asset to society in every way possible. However, I must say, I was not always a hard-working student. I remember one incident especially for which I am not proud of. I had a science project to do in which I had, of course, procrastinated to complete. Science was my least favorite subject at the time (now, it's history) and the last thing I wanted to do was spend hours reading about something that I had no interest in what so ever, electricity. In fact, two days before the project was due, I went crying to my parents to help me. They reluctantly agreed, but actually ended up doing it for me. I remember sitting at the kitchen bar at 1:00am, writing down everything my father told me to write down. He and my mom took turns telling me how irresponsible I had been, while I sat there crying, continuing to write. It was definitely not a kodak moment.

When parents lecture to their children, they usually end up saying, "I know that this is going in one ear and out the other, but I'm going to say it anyway....." Actually, this was usually true for me. I admit, I was an ungrateful teenager, with an attitude to go with it. However, that night, when they were lecturing me about responsibility, I actually listened. That was a turning point for me. I started paying more attention in class and caring more about my education. While I still procrastinated for just about everything, I got the work done on my own. When it came time to enter high school, my parents asked me whether I wanted to attend the private school in Hagerstown, MD or the public school in our city. I appreciated them trusting me to make such an important decision. I decided that I would rather attend the public school. I had already received an excellent educational foundation and established my own moral standards, now it was time to learn more about different types of people. Coming from a class of 25, I hadn't been exposed to a very diverse population. My freshman class included about 300 people, which was terrifying. However, I soon became comfortable in that environment and met so many people. People of different religions, ethnic backgrounds, income levels, and interests that helped to shape my views on various topics. I must say, this was a learning experience in itself.

Both of my parents went to college. My mother has an associates degree in nursing. My father first earned a bachelor's degree in social work from Marshall University and later earned an associates degree in nursing. He and my mom are both RNs. Coming from a family in which both of my parents went to college, it was always assumed that I would go to college. I was never asked if I wanted to go to college. Instead, I was asked where I wanted to attend college, which was fine because that's what I wanted to do. I actually did not want to go to Marshall at first. My father talked me into coming to see the campus, which turned out to be a great decision. After touring the campus, I knew that this was where I wanted to go. I am so grateful that I did because the other college that I was considering does not have a communication disorders program, so who knows what I would have done. I would have been in a completely different major, changing the direction of my life.

Looking back, there have been so many people that helped to shape me into the person that I am today. I remember my third grade teacher, Mrs. Hampton. She was such a wonderful, enthusiastic teacher. She was so excited about fostering our young minds and we all loved her for it. She made me look forward to coming to school and want to learn. And who could forget Mr. Hicks, the 9th grade Honors English teacher. He was one of those teachers who constantly made you laugh, while at the same time taught you something new everyday. He made learning fun. There are so many other teachers and mentors that made a significant impact on my attitude towards education and learning, but the list would go on forever. Thinking back, there have also been many fellow students who have influenced my thinking. Since coming to college, I have been exposed to so many different perspectives on various issues. I've learned to keep an open mind and to always be open to change.

Perhaps the greatest influence on my thought and practices as a student has been the words of encouragement that I have received throughout my life. Throughout the 12 years of my education, my parents encouraged me in everything that I pursued. I can't tell you how may times they said, "Laura, we're so proud of you!" While I never told them, these words meant so much to me and still do. To this day, my dad will call just to tell me that he's proud of everything that I've accomplished and who I've become. I think I'll give them a call later and thank them. I don't think parents realize how much words of encouragement can affect a developing child. Knowing that someone believes in you makes all of the difference. Because of this, I know that I can accomplish anything I set out to achieve.