By accepting my application, the University of Texas San Antonio is not only fostering the academic development of a hardworking student, but also enriching education opportunities for African-American children. I currently work as a lead education specialist under a grant program called Texas ACE program. This after-school program allows me to influence and study the academic foundation and behavior of at risk children in the Houston school district. As a young African-American, I look past the discouraging education statistics for my culture, focusing instead on making a difference for one child at a time.
To reach a new level on understanding the development of children, I believe a Masters degree in School Psychology is the next step before ultimately pursuing a doctorate (or PhD) in child psychology. My interest for School Psychology began when I was in an educational psychology class my sophomore year of college. At this particular point in my college career, I loved working with children and was currently working at an after-school program in the Mid-Town Houston area. My professor mentioned to the class about the ability to work in a setting to help children academically as a teacher, emotionally as a counselor or crisis interventionist, socially like a social worker, and psychologically like a psychologist. As my professor mentioned each category of this profession, I grew more and more eager to acquire more information about the field. After class I approached my professor about the field that she mentioned and she believed that with my experiences in after-school programs and my academic ethic that I can be an impactful school psychologist. Ever since this day I have been involving myself in school settings and after-school programs to gain expertise in knowledge of the school system.
My experience encompasses teaching children aged 4-12 which ranges from working in the classroom as a STEM teacher to teaching life skills and enrichment classes to…