Suprising Realization

Hey everyone! Sorry for being MIA since spring semester ended! I have been enjoying the sunshine and trying to improve as a future Physical educator! One of the best things I did as school was out was shadow a Physical education teacher for the whole day. However, I shadowed in the biggest city school in Rochester. I spent the day at East High School in all different types of PE classes. It may not seem like a big deal but I am a suburban girl. This was totally out of my comfort zone and I wasn't sure if I would like it. But you never know until you try!

I arrived early in the morning and meet all of the PE teachers and got right into it. I shadowed Jarrod that day. He had to enter some grades in and said, "this list is of all the names of kids who are incarcerated." Right then and there I knew this was going to be an interesting day. Feeling a bit nervous we headed into the first gym class. The classes are not coed so there was either all girls or all boys. The first class was all boys and were all either juniors or seniors. The first thing I observed was that the ethnicity's consisted of  African Americans and Hispanics. This was a lot different then my high school because most everyone was white. Jarrod started to tell me some of the kids backgrounds and pointed out gang members, drug dealers and kids with bad home lives. 

Now I live 15 minutes from Rochester and I see and hear stories on the news everyday about the multiple murders and shootings in the city. I would be lying if I said I wasn't intimidated by the environment I was in. However, when I started to observe and interact with these kids I found how caring and respectful they were. That's something you don't really see in suburban schools. Kids I went to school with are snotty and disrespectful to teachers. Jarrod said something that will stick with me forever, "once you earn their respect they will do anything for you. Just showing you care about them and what they go through everyday will earn their respect." It clicked. It is my goal as an educator to inspire the youth whether it be through PE or just being that one person who appreciates them for who THEY are. That's the original reason I was inspired to become a Physical Education teacher in the first place. My 5th grade PE teachers showed me how to be passionate and enthusiastic about gym class everyday. I looked up to them. That's what these kids at East were like. They were happy to be in school and exercising in gym.

The rest of the day seemed like a dream to me. I felt like this is where I should be...somewhere I NEED to be. Those kids inspired me. I want to make a difference in their lives. I got to observe my first adapted PE class and absolutely loved it. We played Just Dance on Wii and those kids have better moves than me! Finished the day off with an all girls class and played mat ball. When I left that day I thought about all I had learned. I always thought that I would rather work in a cookie cutter suburban school because its what I'm used to. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that I enjoyed an urban city school more. In fact, I felt like that was where I fit in. I hope that I can get placed at East for student teaching in spring 2014. I know it will be challenging but if you really want something you have to reach for it. Thank you East High for inspiring me!             

Best and Worst Moments

Here is my Prezi presentation I made of My Best and Worst Moments. I talk about playing soccer at Finger Lakes Community College. Check out the link below!

                           Best and Worst Moments

Bittersweet Feeling

Today was the last day at St. Mary's. I must say I was very sad for it to end. However, I think back to my first visit and how uncomfortable and timid I felt. Looking back on my journey, I can see that I have become much more confident when it comes to teaching. Each week I wanted to challenge myself and try new things. The experience I was able to have at St. Mary's was very special because it proved to me even more why I want to be a Physical Educator. I really enjoyed walking in every other Wednesday and seeing all of the kids sitting there eager to see what we had in store. That's what makes teaching so rewarding to me. I love that kids want to play and be active! The students at St. Mary's were great kids and not to mention, great movers! So for me I did have a bittersweet feeling when it was all done. I feel like I have grown from this and I plan on getting even better in 255.

This week we got to play some parachute games. I mean, who doesn't love playing with the parachute? It was a blast sitting under the "mushroom" and having dance-offs and sending the balls into the air. Later my group had the cafeteria group which consisted of fifth graders. We got to go down to the cafeteria and go play with Legos, blocks, and paper dolls. Then we headed upstairs to the gym to play a game with the older kids. We played basketball however, they had to have a certain number of passes before they could play. I decided to be the referee to keep the game under control. I think that the kids had a lot of fun. Then we got to have a free time so I played soccer with a couple of the boys and girls. Come to find out that they are incredibly skilled soccer players! Then we ended with Sharks and Minos and did the St. Mary's cheer. Then it was all over!

My experience at St. Mary's will be something I will remember. I will look back on the college girl who was a little scared in the beginning and was able to break out of her shell! PED 201 has really been awesome and it has made my first semester at SUNY Cortland one to remember. I really would like to thank my group members you guys have been my main supporters through all of this. Also a BIG thanks to our wonderful TA, Steph. You have been so incredibly helpful and made this class more comfortable and have helped all of us grow as future educators. Also, thanks to Professor Yang, I hope to have the enthusiasm and passion you have for PE one day in my near future. Lastly, thanks to all my classmates! Crazy to think that this semester has come to an end already but it certainly is one we will all remember. 

                                       THAT'S A WRAP!  
                                               Lab 6 Write-Up

Ithaca Slide Jam

I always see kids at Cortland on longboards zooming down hills and flying by me. However, I had never really thought about the sport until I came across the Ithaca Slide Jam. I spotted a bunch of skaters at the top of this insanely steep street. Of course I had to check it out and see what it was all about. Once I got to the street I was immediately in awe. I saw all of these people gliding down the street at extreme speed and doing these gnarly slides at the bottom. After watching them for around ten minutes I had to get my iPhone out to snap some pictures. I was amazed at how much balance and complicated body movements had to be performed to stay planted on their boards. I also noticed a piece of equipment that all of them were wearing. They are called slide gloves  and after researching what they were I found that they are used for control and safety. They have a large hard part on the palm and fingers so it protects them from the pavement. 

After watching this event for about an hour I was amazed at how talented these people were. The amount of practice and time they must have spent to be able to make it down was incredible. I also was impressed with how they accepted anyone to participate. There were younger kids, older people, and girls. Everyone had a different skating style and skills but they all cheered each other on and showed respect. I am a strong believer in outdoor activities and today proved to me even more why I love outdoor sports. It brings us together so we can experience our passions with others and celebrate the sports we love. Although I have never longboarded before, I was excited to witness and learn more about their passion. I certainly have more respect for them as athletes and wanted to share my experience. Below is a  video of the pictures I shot. Check it out below!

Also check out the YouTube video below of what the sliding looks like. It is crazy!

Easter Fun At St. Mary's

This week was the first time we had been back to St.Mary's in around three weeks! The kids seemed eager to see what we had in store. This week was an Easter theme since the Easter holiday had just recently passed. My group had the gym group and special projects. The locomotive skills we had to focus on were kicking and dribbling. My group partner, Brandon and I worked on making "Easter baskets" for two hours. We wanted to make a prop that would really catch the kids eye so they were willing to play and be involved. I taught the first game which was focusing on the kicking skill. It was called "Basket-Ball" and we set up all of our homemade baskets, (which were made of boxes, construction paper, Easter cutouts, cottontails, Easter basket grass and a ton of tape!) The purpose was to help the Easter bunny get all of the Easter eggs (soccer balls) into his Easter basket. The kids loved it and loved the idea of kicking into a basket. I was able to work one on one with a lot of the children because we modified it quite a bit. We told them to kick with the inside of their foot, kick with their laces, and kick with their weaker foot. Overall, I think that "Basket-Ball" was a hit with the kids and it was a success! 

 

The next game we did was "Monster In The Forest". We spread out cones (trees) and jump-ropes (snakes) as obstacles. the goal was to dribble their basketballs (eggs) across the forest without the monster stealing their eggs. We modified it by having them use their weaker hand, dribble going backwards, shuffle, and passing the ball with partners. This game worked perfectly for teaching dribbling because we could give that one on one attention that some kids needed.

After spending time in the gym playing tag, we headed downstairs to play heads-up- seven-up in the cafeteria. Then we headed outside to play in the playground. I was instantly tagged "it" and ran around with the kids for about fifteen minutes. Then we went back inside to the gym for some free time. I played various games including "Snake". I would spin in circles with a jump-rope dragging on the ground and the kids would have to jump over it. It was really fun because they got to know me and wanted to keep playing! Now it was time for the closing activity. My group decided to end it with an Easter egg hunt but it wasn't a classic egg hunt with candy inside. As physical educators we are constantly looking for new ways to keep the kids active. We had about forty eggs placed under forty cones. Each egg had a different exercise or motor skill written on them. For example, some said five star jumps, gallop for ten seconds, ten jumping jacks and so on. they had to pick up an egg and do whatever the egg had on it. Then they had to put the egg in the Easter basket when they were done. This was a great activity because it kept them moving and they seemed to have a great time.

Overall, I thought St.Mary's was a success for all groups. Everyone seemed to have fun and also seemed a lot more confident. Can't wait for next week because it's SUPERHERO day at St.Mary's!    
Lab 5 

Being Active While Playing Video Games?!

When most people think of video games they think of sitting on the couch for hours with a controller in hand, staring at a television screen. However, after spending Wednesdays lab in the SUNY Cortland Exergame lab, we all learned that gaming can be connected with physical activity. As Physical educators we are constantly trying to figure out new ways to stay active through the use of technology. Children today play more video games then ever before so it is important to show them how to involve fitness with gaming. 

When we all arrived in the lab there were mats that looked like DDR mats but soon realized that it was for iDance. We all jumped on a dance mat and started following the arrows on the projector screen. I instantly started to sweat because of how hard it is to keep up with the song! After about an half hour of playing iDance, I wanted to try some other games. I had never played Wii Sports so I tried baseball and then tennis. To be honest, I enjoy the Xbox Kinect more because you are more active and you dont use a controller. Wii is used with a controller and senses how hard you flick your wrist. Kinect senses body movements. For example, if you are playing baseball you have to pretend that you are holding a bat and swing with power. 

There also was an Xbox system where you could play NBA 2K but the controllers were hooked up to a step-up machine. I thought this was a great idea because you are still involved in a game but to work  the controller you have to be moving. You could also play games like Fifa, Madden, and NHL. There also was a peddle bike that you had to peddle in order to keep the race car moving. The faster you peddled the faster the car would go. Overall, my experience in the Exergame lab was an eye opener and I really learned a lot about how gaming and fitness can be connected.

After playing with all of the technology we were introduced to many games that could be used with the Pre-K kids. Most of the games were used to be interactive and help them with memorization of numbers and colors. One game that I thought was really cool and seemed like it would be perfect for the Pre-K children was Animal Hyper Dash. It had a Giraffe that could fit over the little animal figurines. The giraffe would make an animal sound and the kids had to find the animal and put the giraffe over it. It was a great way to help kids with their animal sounds and types of animals. I thought of a game that would be fun for the kids and still have everyone involved. One person could go and then the kids who are waiting their turn would have to do different fitness exercises depending on the animal. So if tiger was called out then they would have to do mountain climbers. After one game is done then they would give the giraffe to the next person. This teaches them sharing and taking your turn. Also it it keeps everyone involved in the game and they are active. Overall, I thought that Hyper Dash is the perfect way to help the Pre-K with their memorization while keeping them involved interactively and physically.     

Gym Class Hereos Make an Apperance at Park Center!

This week in lab we had to perform a live performance of our songs. Our stage was set up Poolside which probably the busiest areas in Park. All of the groups did great and didn't crack under pressure! When it was time for the Gym Class Heroes to rock Park Center, we delivered. We came in crazy obnoxious outfits, and were ready to "spit our reflexin' rhymes". Check out our live performance of "I'm Learning and Reflexing"

More Fun at St.Mary's!

This week was awesome at St.Mary's! It was a great learning experience because originally we were assigned special projects and we had to change to PRE-K when we go there. At first I was a little nervous for the change but I was excited to challenge myself. Today's motor skill to be assessed was overhand throw and catching. We played a Sesame Street themed game where the kids had to throw the different balls into Oscar the grouches trashcan. I was very surprised at how well they they did with the overhand throw. I also think they had a great time with the game and enjoyed using their imaginations. 

After that we joined the PRE-K kids outside at the playground. I instantly was "it" in tag and started playing freeze tag and hide and go seek with all of the kids. Then I hung out with a bunch of the kids and they showed me how they could climb, hang and swing. I had some great conversations with them about what kinds of bugs they liked the most and their favorite foods. I found it very easy to talk and play with all of them because they were so interested in playing with us. 

After playing outside, we went inside and they had a quick snack. we met them in the gym and played different types of tag using different motor skills like jumping, skipping, hopping, galloping, and speed walking. Then we played follow the leader and did a bunch of silly things like bear crawling, dancing, lunging, and hopping like bunnies. Overall, I really enjoyed spending my afternoon with the PRE-K children!

While I was nervous in the beginning I think that my group worked really well together and came up with some great activities to do to keep them active. They had a lot of fun and it seemed to be successful!       

Lab 4 WRITE-UP

I'm Reflexing and I Know It!

They Gym Class Heroes may not be the next big popstars however, we do know how to make a hit song teaching everyone about infant reflexes! We made a parody to LMFAO's popular hit, "I'm Sexy and I Know It". We read chapter seven on infant reflexes and wrote brilliant lyrics to educate all out fellow PE rockstars all about some pretty awesome reflexes. Check out the Gym Class Heroes music video with our fabulous song! Enjoy!

I'm Elmo and I KNOW IT!

My little sister, Emily, is in a Jazzercise class every Friday. She recently showed me one of her dances to a very cute song. It is a parody one of LMFAO's popular songs. Elmo sings his version of the song called, "I'm Elmo and I know it". Here is a clip of Emily preforming her Jazzerize moves to the song! Check it out!

Aloha from St. Mary's!

This week at St. Mary's it was a Hawaiian theme because all of us Cortland students have spring break fever! My group showed up in some pretty awesome Hawaiian shirts and look pretty "rad" in our outfits. Once we arrived in the gym I noticed that a lot of kids were not there after school. We got right into observing the motor skills that were assigned this week, (horizontal jump, leap, and slide). I was very impressed with their skills and they seemed very advanced for kindergarten and first graders. This week we were with the preschoolers and it was a HUGE difference from the fifth graders. 

We went into the Preschool room and we played with blocks, colored, legos and played with dinosaurs. There was only about ten kids there after school.We sang songs and read a Hawaiian themed book about a colorful fish named Humu. After that we went into the gym and did a fun obstacle course with the kids. I told them a story about having to go on a mission like Dora and Diego to save the animals. They seemed to really enjoy going through the obstacle course and using their imaginations. 

Before I knew it, it was already time to go. I thought that my group did an excellent job this week and I really enjoyed teaching the Preschoolers. They were great listeners and seemed to really enjoy all of our activities. I am noticing that every time I go to St. Mary's I am feeling more comfortable and confidant each time. Can't wait until next time!
Lab 3 Write Up

Is Dodgeball good for PE?

From the movie, "Dodgeball:A True Underdog Story"

A huge controversy in the PE world is if dodgeball is good for Physical Education. Dodgeball is one of the many games that are on the dreaded "Hall of Shame" PE games. Personally, this was one of my favorite games to play in gym class and at summer camps. I was always athletic and a good mover. However, what about the kids that aren't? Dodgeball hits all the major aspects of PE including all of the affective, cognitive and psycomotor behaviors. For example, it improves running, endurance, accuracy, dodging, catching, throwing and teamwork and strategy. But, what about the dangers? Their are so many dangers associated with dodgeball because we are dealing with kids who have bad aim and pelt the balls at their friends. In some cases there are modifications such  as "Doctor, Dotor!", "Trench ball" and "Ghost in the graveyard". However, all of those games have similar concepts like traditional dodgeball. Another big "no no" with these games is that kids are eliminated and aren't active the whole time. Instead, you could set targets up and still be in a team setting and the goal is to hit the target. Nobody is eliminated and everyone is working on the same motor development skills.

Red Rover

Some games that I noticed on the "Hall of Shame" were some of my favorite activities to be involved in a kid. However, now they are viewed as shameful because they don't meet the NASPE National Standards and NYS Learning Standards. For example, various tag  games are not aloud because children are eliminated. This breaks NASPE standard 3, " Participates regularly in physical activity." A modification of some tag games are if they are tagged then they are the new tagger or if they are tagged they must do ten jumping jacks to keep playing. I noticed that "Red Rover" was on the list and I remember playing this game waiting for the bus. The obvious danger is that the goal is the run as fast as you can and break through the wall. The wall is a chain of people holding hands. The dangers are broken arms and close-lining people. This game should NEVER be played because it breaks NYS Learning standard 2, " Students will acquire the knowledge and ability necessary to create and maintain a safe and healthy environment." Other games that are included is "Simon Says", "SPUD", "Musical Chairs", "Duck Duck Goose!", and "Dodgeball", all earned a spot on the "Hall of Shame" because they break the number one rule in Physical Education. There should be NO elimination in PE.

The standards for NYS Learning include, "Personal health and Fitness", "A safe and healthy environment" and "Resource movement". For NASPE National standards, their overall goal "is to develop physically educated individuals who have the knowledge, skills and confidence to enjoy a lifetime of healthful physical activity." If Physical Educators do not follow these standards then they are putting their students at risk, both physically and socially. As educators, it is our job to help improve the students physically and socially. No matter how much we (and some of the students), enjoy the "Hall of Shame" games they should not be played for the safety of our students.

How I use Technology To Stay Fit For 2012!

Celebrating the New Year always get people thinking about what their New Year's resolutions will be, however, most people don't stick with it. I wanted to set a goal for 2012 and stick with it. Being a future Physical Educator, I think it is important to stay healthy and fit to be a role model for my students. My New Year resolution is to train for my first half marathon.I have always been a big runner and I really wanted to challenge myself. Recently, technology has really played a big part in improving our health and fitness. I needed to find a program online to follow each day, I use the Hal Higdon Training Program. Their are thousands of Apps and websites dedicated to health and physical activity. Personally, my favorite App on my iPhone is Nike+GPS. It tracks all your runs, pace, time and it even maps out your runs. For more information you can visit the Nike+ Website. I made a short 2:00 minute video showing how I use technology and entered it into "The Healthy New Year Video Challenge". Check out my video below!

Will you be my Valentine?

This week at St. Mary's our theme was Valentines because the holiday was coming up! It was the first time we were assigned groups and we got to prepare games and teach them to our group. It was very exciting to arrive at the school and see the kids get excited when we came in. I felt really comfortable and confident in myself and my group. We got right into the games and had to observe the gym group and evaluate two children. They played a Valentine's themed version of "temple tag" and they let the kids focus on the three skills we had to evaluate that week. Running, skipping and galloping. We evaluated Jill and Jack and both were kindergarteners. We evaluated their running and noticed that their elbows were not bent. Then we evaluated their gallop and noticed that their arms were not bent and at wait level. Lastly, we evaluated their hop and noticed that their leg was not bent. Other then that, I thought that their motor behaviors seemed very advanced for their age.

After we spent time in the gym, my group joined the older kids in the cafeteria and got involved with the different activities they were playing. I sat with a bunch of girls and boys and we played with Legos and they talked to me about school and how their day was. Then we went upstairs to the gym and we taught our first lesson. However, it didn't go as planned. We played Great wall and it went pretty well and then we played handball. Although, we didn't play all of the games we wanted to it still worked really well. I thought that all the older kids seemed really advanced with their motor behaviors and I was very impressed.

Overall, our second lab went really well and I learned a lot about effective ways of teaching and I learned how to evaluate motor behaviors. I can't wait to teach the preschoolers in a week, it should be very fun!

Lab 2 Write-Up

Are we the next Katy Perry?

Our group decided to get in touch with our inner pop star personality and preform Katy Perry's hit song, "Firework"! Now we may not be the next big thing but hey, I think that we rocked out with our fancy dance moves and (almost) perfect lip syncing! Check it out below!

Virtus: Child abuse

Sister Harriet was able to come to our class last week to explain what child abuse and sexual abuse was and what are the warning signs. I thought that it was very insightful and I learned a lot of important information that will help me now and in the future. We watched two short videos on child sexual abuse and it included viewpoints from victims and the perpetrators. It was very disturbing to listen to how the registered sex offenders lured children in and chose their victims. It also seemed as though they had no remorse and one even said that he would do it again if he could. It deeply saddened me to listen to the victims talk about what they had to go through. Many of them said that they felt trapped and felt like not even their parents would believed them. The sex offenders said that they would manipulate the children into believing that they were at fault or that they chose to do it. The video also described ways of spotting a pedophile or abuser. Some signs include noticing if an adult always want to hang out or be around a child or shows an interest in childlike activities. Also, if they seem very touchy with a child or gives them gifts. All of these signs should raise a red flag and you should contact child services immediately to remain anonymous.

Recently, Penn State University has been going through the biggest scandals in PSU history. Jerry Sandusky, a former assistant coach, was accused of 42 counts of molestation with young boys. All dating from 1994 until about 2009. Sandusky founded The Second Mile in 1977 and was a charity developed to help troubled young boys. Recently, multiple victims had come forward saying that he had molested them in the locker room showered. However, the legendary coach, Joe Paterno, allegedly knew what was going on and told administration. Unfortunately, nothing ever went through and the event never was looked into. After the victims came forward, Penn State is under a lot of heat from the media for not doing anything about this event. Joe Pateno was fired for not following up and bringing this situation further and Sanduskey was fired as well. It is still an ongoing case.

Overall, I think that learning about child abuse and sexual abuse signs are very important for us to learn because we might be able to prevent it from happening or putting a stop to it. I think the Penn State scandal is the perfect example of how not to handle the situation. They had a chance to stop what was going on and they turned their shoulder. I think that this should teach everyone a valid lesson about child sexual abuse and to take the signs seriously.          

   

St. Mary's Lab 1

My second time at St. Mary's defiantly felt a lot more comfortable then the first time. I found myself learning some names and even some of the kids could remember my name. I also felt like the kids were getting more comfortable with of us being there. They seemed excited to play the games and get involved with whatever activity we were playing. I thought the TA's did a really nice job with teaching the kids fun tag games and playing with the parachute. However, one thing I observed was that the kids seemed very rowdy and weren't always listening. But the TA's adapted very well to how the children were acting and didn't get discouraged. One thing I noticed was that the kids were all involved, whether it be in games, jump roping, hula hooping, playing with doll houses, or team sports. I noticed that the older kids played a lot of organized sports like soccer, handball and football. The younger kids played tag, house, hula hoop and jump roping. I thought that their skills varied but I they all seemed above average. Overall, my second time at St. Mary's was very exciting and seeing the TA's teach really got me excited to teach in two weeks! 

                     Lab 1 Write-Up

Why PE activity impacts affective growth

Physical education is extremely important for children to become familiar with because not only does it teach them fitness and skills it also teaches them how to interact with their peers. However it also helps children with learning to move and learning through movement. Both are extremely important for kids to learn. Learning-to-move is all about acquiring increased movement skills and "enhancing physical fitness through increased physical activity." Learning-through-movement is showing how physical education can positively influence both cognitive and affective development of children. Learning to move and learning through movements overall goal is to make the student physically educated. A physically educated person is defined as physically fit, the person has learned skills that can be preformed through physical activity, the person has a healthy lifestyle and they understand the benefits of physical activity. All of these guidelines help with developmental physical education and also help with long-term goals. For example, it helps with movement skill acquisition, physical activity and fitness enhancement, cognitive learning and affective growth. Which brings me to my next point. Why does physical activity impact affective growth? Affective growth is defined as "increases the ability of children to act, interact, and react effectively with other people as well as with themselves." It is often referred to as the "social-emotional development" and is incredibly important for kids. Every child grows up in a different environment, social class, different family situations and cultures. It is important for children to know that whatever goal or dream they have can be achieved but they have to have a sense of self and affective growth. the way they interact and play really helps children discover who they are as an individual and how to interact with their peers. Affective learning can really help a child enhance their self-esteem and good socialization. This just shows why learning through physical education is so important for children because it teaches them everything from movement skills to affective growth. It is so important for the youth to understand how to be social and confident and live healthy lifestyles. Through physical education, all of this can be achieved!            

First day at St. Mary's!

On Wednesday we went to St. Marys for the first time. We got there and there were kids of all ages running around. It's a great environment, there is a large gym, a playroom for the Pre-K kids and a cafeteria for snack and other activities like Legos, games and coloring. I was able to play in the gym with the older kids first. I saw a group of girls sitting down on the bleachers so i wanted to get them involved. I started having  hula-hooping contests and games and a bunch of girls started to join in and get involved! After hula-hooping I decided to play Simon says! There was a large group of girls and even a couple of boys joining in on the game! It was really awesome to see everyone getting active and having fun! Next I went to the Pre-K room and I played house, memory and even some art. I went to the cafeteria after that and colored with the older kids. Overall, my first experience was very exciting and enjoyable. I look forward to getting to know the children more and teaching them through physical education!  

First Blog!

This is my fist blog to activate my account! I am very excited to blog about my experience in the classroom and at St. Mary's. I have always read blogs and really enjoyed reading about peoples experiences or opinions on different subjects. So this blog is the perfect chance to blog about something that I am passionate about! My break was very relaxing! One highlight of my break was reading to my little sisters second grade class. They were so interested and enthusiastic and not to mention, they asked great questions! I also ran a lot because my goal is to run the Buffalo half marathon in May because it raises money for breast cancer research at Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Hospice Foundation of WNY, services at Roswell Park Cancer Institute and Neurofibromatosis. Over break I tried to stay active and improve myself as a teacher and live a healthy lifestyle! All in all, I am very excited about this class and the hands on learning I will experience at St. Mary's!