Scholarship Recipients
Grace Bosland
2022 Recipient
Attending University of Central Florida
Education Major
Katherine Skinner
2019 Recipient
Attending University of Central Florida
Elementary Education Major
Update:
I am teaching 4th grade at Roy Allen Elementary. I love 4th grade! I was a mid year hire in 3rd grade at Roy Allen right after graduation (actually, it was unofficially 2 weeks before graduation and I took over my very first classroom wearing a visitor’s sticker and took my first day off for my graduation day!). This year, I was so grateful to stay at Roy Allen and also grateful to have some of my 3rd grade students in my new 4th grade class. Writing essays is an important focus in 4th grade. While at UCF going through the GKT requirements; it took me many, many tearful attempts and to pass. But I passed one on the very first attempt, and that was the writing portion. 💛 I am genuinely, and personally interested in Florida history. Guess what the Social Studies focus is in 4th grade?! In the background of my classroom photo you see the cursive alphabet and lemon themed inspirational posters. Now, in addition to those you would also find a Florida history timeline three fourths of the way finished as we track the historical progress of our learning wrapping around the walls of our classroom. One of my favorite parts of this school year have been watching how interested the kids have become. They will ask, “Ms. Skinner can we work on the timeline today?!”. In connection to writing, our first ‘big kid 4th grade essay’ was answering the question ‘Why did Spain settle St. Augustine?’. Unfortunately we were unable to take the field trip this year. However, two additional favorite parts of my first year stemmed from it. One being that one of my students mom took him to see the area. I received an email from her saying how her son was able to explain the area as they toured and thanked me for making learning interesting for him. Then, he comes to class and shows us photos of his trip. Another favorite part was the student says “You weren’t kidding Ms. Skinner- the fort is really made of crushed shells and had dents from cannon balls. I saw them!” And another commented, “ How cool is it that Pedro Menendez was actually there around that area of the photo”. My excitement had me unprofessionally saying yass, yessss, yes, you get it... you get the coolness! (And their essays turned out wonderful 😊) All in all, I am teaching 4th grade at Roy Allen and I love it. I enjoy teaching writing, and I enjoy teaching writing through fostering new interests with my students!
Heather Vath
2019 Recipient
Attending Eastern Florida State College
Elementary Education Major
Update:
I have been having a blast in third grade! We have been making solar ovens, watching butterflies transform through metamorphosis, studying the layers of soil by way of pudding cups, and the phases of the moon through Oreos!
My students have also enjoyed learning how to write and address a friendly letter. At the end of the year, we take a field trip to the post office and learn what happens to their letter after they mail it.
Some of my students' favorite in-class activities are writing spelling words with playdoh and playing science and spelling baseball.
Holly Robbins
2018 Recipient
Attending University of Central Florida
Elementary Education Major
Kristina Davis
2017 Recipient
Attending University of Central Florida
Elementary Education Major
Update:
I would just like to start out by saying thank you again for this scholarship! I would not be where I am today, without the help of this scholarship both financially and inspirationally! It feels like forever ago, I was just stepping foot into college as a young aspiring teacher! To give a little update on where I am today, I am a Third Grade teacher at Apollo Elementary School in Titusville, Florida. I went on from EFSC to the University of Central Florida and graduated in December of 2019 with my Bachelor’s in Elementary Education, Cum Laude. I started right after that teaching at Apollo in January of 2020 and have been here ever since! This has been a crazy first year and a half as a teacher in this pandemic but I truly believe that this year will not be like the years that will follow! Next year, I am moving down to second grade and I could not be more excited! I work with the most amazing fellow teachers and administrators at Apollo, who continuously inspire me everyday! My students are awesome and help me grow as well as an educator! My plan is to start my Master’s in Educational Leadership to become an Assistant Principal and I can begin my program once I have three years of teaching experience! I love being a teacher and in the field of education because of how much of an impact we have on these students who are our future generations! My goal is to show them that at least one person believes in them and is rooting for them in everything they do! Thank you again for reaching out! Here is a photo from when I began teaching at Apollo in January of 2020!
Taylor Spence
2017 Recipient
Attending University of Central Florida
Elementary Education Major
Update:
I am currently in my third year of teaching elementary school students! I taught 5th grade for two years at Quest Elementary School and this year I was fortunate enough to open the brand-new elementary school! I now teach third grade at the beautiful Viera Elementary School! I am honored to be a past recipient of the "Be a Little More Matt" scholarship and I strive to be more and more like him in my classroom. I work hard to build relationships, create fun engaging lessons, and be a mentor for all my students. Teaching has changed this year, but nothing can stop the passion I feel for my students!
John LaSala
2016 Recipient
Attending Valencia College East
Eau Gallie High School Graduate
Update:
I went on to attend the University of Central Florida in early 2017. I recently graduated from there in December of 2020 with a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science. I did a software engineering internship with Expedia (virtually) during the summer of 2020, and started working for Expedia full time in January of this year. Since my job was in Seattle, Washington, I also moved there with my girlfriend and our two cats :). (Longest drive ever!)
