Rae Staben

This summer I was a teacher in training at the Living Arts and Science Center.  Working with the teachers opened my eyes to how important it is to enjoy what you do.  One teacher I worked with, Melinda Boyer, had been teaching her whole career, and loved all the kids and their artwork.  The people I met at LASC could see and appreciate all of the beauty around them, from the flowers growing by the pond to a colorful scribble drawn by a three-year-old.  The teachers there seemed so genuinely happy in all that they did, I think because they chose to do what makes them feel good. They are not art teachers because it pays well, but because they enjoy encouraging creativity through art instruction.  My goal is to find something that I feel just as passionate about as the LASC teachers feel about their jobs.  I have absolutely no clue what that is right now, but I want to figure it out so I can live my life the way I want to.  I would rather be happy in my career than in one that pays a fortune.  I know that I want to love what I do and make at least a small difference in the world, but beyond that I have no idea what the future holds for me.

 This year, just like everyone else, I want straight A’s, good test scores, and to succeed academically overall.  I also want to learn to balance my academic life with my other interests, so that I have more time to just enjoy myself.  This year, my goal is to keep up with my history reading, because last year I did not read the world history textbook at all.  Therefore, I learned nothing at all. 

Here is a picture of a person using a pottery wheel to throw pots.  This summer, I took a pottery class at Mudworks and learned how to wheel throw pottery, although I have a lot of room for improvement.       

 

I like www.epicurious.com because I love to cook and this website has many great recipes from Bon Appétit and Gourmet magazines.  I have found some of my favorite foods through these recipes.