|
Baltimore...Bawlmer
That is where it all started, I am a born and raised "Balti-moron." I grew up right outside the city, and when I was in college moved to downtown Baltimore city. I say things like: "wudder" (water) and "worsh" (wash), and "downyoshun hon" (down the ocean hon) and eat steamed Maryland blue crabs (not to be confused or compared with any other crab) and corn on the cob smothered in oldbay. I also love and miss things like: Berger cookies, Pit Beef, UTZ Potato Chips, scrapple and the sight of National Bohemian beer cans strewn about.
|
Academics never seemed to come easy to me. In second grade I vividly remember coming home from catholic school in tears. I had received my first "F", and can say that I sure did not feel successful, smart, intelligent, or any of the above. I had continuously struggled with reading, and pretty much could not read as of second grade. For this reason my parents decided to take me out of catholic school, and enroll me in the local public school, Edmondson Heights Elementary School. Coming in as a non-reading third grader was not easy, however I distinctly recall being pulled out of class several times a week during reading time. I hated this, again I felt less then intelligent and continued to struggle with reading and the dreaded SPELLING TEST!
While I did not like being isolated, with the support of a resource specialist I do recall a small spark of hope/excitement for learning and even reading as I progressed through the fifth grade. This hope was short lived because these supports were not accessible to me in middle school, and the academic rigors along with teenage hormonal imbalance got the best of me.
For high school my parents thought it would be best for me to go to an all male private high school. To enter this school I needed to take a placement test. The results of this test must have been quite low, because I was accepted, however I would need to attend mandatory study hall everyday and participate in the school's remedial program. Again, I was not feeling so smart. During my four years of high school I had many highs and lows, both socially and academically. It seemed that I could be "smart", when I was grounded and needed to get my freedom back (and EVERYONE would point that out), but on my own time I always managed to miss assignments, not take complete notes, or do something that would not promote success. The one constant success I had in high school was always sports related. I played lacrosse, ran cross country and indoor track, swam, and was always on my bike. I even gained my first exposure to mountain biking.
Finally!!! I graduated high school and was even accepted to a local University. Again, I was accepted under the terms that I would participate in many remedial classes (really they have these in college?!?), which meant at least five years of college. All I could think of was, "when will I be a normal student?" During my first semester I ran cross country, and barely managed a decent GPA. During the second semester all bets were off without the discipline of a sports team. In order to save face and do something besides drop out of college, I decided to join the United States Marine Corps
While I did not like being isolated, with the support of a resource specialist I do recall a small spark of hope/excitement for learning and even reading as I progressed through the fifth grade. This hope was short lived because these supports were not accessible to me in middle school, and the academic rigors along with teenage hormonal imbalance got the best of me.
For high school my parents thought it would be best for me to go to an all male private high school. To enter this school I needed to take a placement test. The results of this test must have been quite low, because I was accepted, however I would need to attend mandatory study hall everyday and participate in the school's remedial program. Again, I was not feeling so smart. During my four years of high school I had many highs and lows, both socially and academically. It seemed that I could be "smart", when I was grounded and needed to get my freedom back (and EVERYONE would point that out), but on my own time I always managed to miss assignments, not take complete notes, or do something that would not promote success. The one constant success I had in high school was always sports related. I played lacrosse, ran cross country and indoor track, swam, and was always on my bike. I even gained my first exposure to mountain biking.
Finally!!! I graduated high school and was even accepted to a local University. Again, I was accepted under the terms that I would participate in many remedial classes (really they have these in college?!?), which meant at least five years of college. All I could think of was, "when will I be a normal student?" During my first semester I ran cross country, and barely managed a decent GPA. During the second semester all bets were off without the discipline of a sports team. In order to save face and do something besides drop out of college, I decided to join the United States Marine Corps
My Career in the United States Marine Corps started in 1999 on Parris Island in South Carolina. There are many highlights and accomplishments that occurred during my time in the Marine Corps, such as: completing SERE school, Mountain Warfare training school and completing Combat Engineer school to gain the MOS of 1371. The event that had the most influence on my life, was a deployment to Iraq in 2004.
In 2004 I was deployed with 4th Combat Engineer Battalion, 3rd platoon Charlie Company, out of Lynchburg Virginia. We were then attached to 2nd Battalion 24th Marines, an infantry battalion based out of Chicago. We began our deployment journey at Camp Pendleton, Ca where we completed sapper school along with other combat related training. Shortly after training we were relocated to Mahmudiya, in the North Babil Province of Iraq. Little did we know at the time, but we were making Marine Corps history as the first reserve infantry battalion of Operation Iraqi Freedom to operate independently.
This deployment was difficult for me as the area we were located in was known as the "triangle of death", and was plagued with Improvised Explosive Devices (IED), mortar fire, and rocket fire. Driving down the road in a convoy we could see large systematically place craters where IED's had been detonated. On most days of the week you could set your watch by the morning, noon and night mortar shelling, as well as daily convoys and patrols that were harassed by IED's that ranged from two 155mm artillery shells to two 250lbs bombs. This was difficult and even frustrating as there was sometimes minimal engagement paired with random explosions destroying roads, gear, and personnel. On November 24, 2004 my unarmored humvee was struck by an IED, two 155mm artillery shells. Thankfully our injuries were non-life threatening, and we all walked away.
Returning from Iraq was difficult and the first two years after returning challenged me in many ways. These challenges included daily "flashbacks" and nightmares, increased alertness, extreme fatigue, social isolation, increased aggression and many other not so healthy symptoms. While these two years were difficult I was able to learn a lot about my self.
Why share so much.....
I share these life events and information because without them I would not be where I am today. Today I am a Special Education teacher, a husband, a father, an athlete, and a student. I understand what it is like to learn differently or at a different pace then others. For many years of my life I was classified as a "bad" student because of these differences, and because educators either did not have the resources or were not allowed to implement resources to support individuals that learn differently.
My hope is to continue to positively influence the lives of all individuals around me especially the students that learn differently, while also educating, influencing and collaborating with the staff members and educators that might interact with them. By imparting knowledge and successful patterns into these students lives we can ensure that all students make the best decisions in choosing a career, choosing an education, supporting a family and supporting the community around them.
In 2004 I was deployed with 4th Combat Engineer Battalion, 3rd platoon Charlie Company, out of Lynchburg Virginia. We were then attached to 2nd Battalion 24th Marines, an infantry battalion based out of Chicago. We began our deployment journey at Camp Pendleton, Ca where we completed sapper school along with other combat related training. Shortly after training we were relocated to Mahmudiya, in the North Babil Province of Iraq. Little did we know at the time, but we were making Marine Corps history as the first reserve infantry battalion of Operation Iraqi Freedom to operate independently.
This deployment was difficult for me as the area we were located in was known as the "triangle of death", and was plagued with Improvised Explosive Devices (IED), mortar fire, and rocket fire. Driving down the road in a convoy we could see large systematically place craters where IED's had been detonated. On most days of the week you could set your watch by the morning, noon and night mortar shelling, as well as daily convoys and patrols that were harassed by IED's that ranged from two 155mm artillery shells to two 250lbs bombs. This was difficult and even frustrating as there was sometimes minimal engagement paired with random explosions destroying roads, gear, and personnel. On November 24, 2004 my unarmored humvee was struck by an IED, two 155mm artillery shells. Thankfully our injuries were non-life threatening, and we all walked away.
Returning from Iraq was difficult and the first two years after returning challenged me in many ways. These challenges included daily "flashbacks" and nightmares, increased alertness, extreme fatigue, social isolation, increased aggression and many other not so healthy symptoms. While these two years were difficult I was able to learn a lot about my self.
Why share so much.....
I share these life events and information because without them I would not be where I am today. Today I am a Special Education teacher, a husband, a father, an athlete, and a student. I understand what it is like to learn differently or at a different pace then others. For many years of my life I was classified as a "bad" student because of these differences, and because educators either did not have the resources or were not allowed to implement resources to support individuals that learn differently.
My hope is to continue to positively influence the lives of all individuals around me especially the students that learn differently, while also educating, influencing and collaborating with the staff members and educators that might interact with them. By imparting knowledge and successful patterns into these students lives we can ensure that all students make the best decisions in choosing a career, choosing an education, supporting a family and supporting the community around them.