Go to Person

On the campus of California High School I try to create strong relationships with teachers, so in the future if I need a letter of rec. or just someone to talk to, that is not a friend or family member, I have one. It is all a matter of having respect and wanting to be respected. Going to class and not participating or just causing a ruckus is pointless. As students, we are at school seven hours a day, five days a week, for about nine months. Making a bad name for yourself on campus doesn't help you in any way. No one wants to be at school, so might as well make the most of it and have some teachers like you. It sounds like a totally lame thing to say but in the real life, out of this little bubble, life is all about connections. You will meet hundreds of people that have a higher position than you and you may need to build some bridges just so you're on their good side. The teachers that I reach out to are the ones that see potential in me and show consideration for their students. 

    

    Elizabeth. Myers, the sports medicine teacher and the athletic trainer on campus, is my mentor,  I respect her as a teacher and she respects me as a student. The position that she holds as an athletic trainer is what I want to be when I'm older. Because we have a similar interest in anatomy and sports medicine, it is easy to talk to her about the things I am going to learn in my internship. She already knows a majority what I am so eager to learn. When I share experiences, since she knows what I'm talking about it will be easier. Her advice will be taken more seriously and hopefully she has some experiences she can share with me. 

 

   I've known Ms. Myers for about a year and a half after she took over the sports medics class. I was in her class last year and this year in advanced sports medicine. We get along pretty well and I value her advice in any situation. In her class, I try to go the extra mile to really understand the material and participate as much as I can. After school I volunteer my time on the sidelines at sports games to experience the actual job of an athletic trainer. Luckily for me I enjoy sports so it isn't that painful. In the iQuest class when we were assigned to find a mentor on campus, Ms. Myers was the first person that came to my mind. I thought to myself, why not have an actual athletic trainer talk to me about the path I want to go down as a physical therapist and athletic trainer. When I talked to her about it she was kind of confused but once I explained it to her she understood and was more than welcome to help. Hopefully over the course of this year having her as a mentor will give me more insight on the career of an athletic trainer. I get the best of both worlds; physical therapy internship with an athletic trainer mentor and sports med class with hours on the side lines. I hope our relationship grows so I can use her as a reference when I interview for my first real job. Even as a high school student it is never a bad idea to create relationships with your teacher, you never know when you are going to need a helping hand in the future.