Are we already at the end of the semester? After a remarkable and eye opening journey I’ve had the opportunity to embark on, it brings me joy that I’ve been able to learn the importance of education, and sadness that I won’t be able to be seated with the same fine cadets that I was able to embark on this journey with! As a leader, partner, and student, expeditionary learning consistently drove me to be the best version of me. Educational standards are only increasing and the need to prepare young students for academic hurdles to come is ever expanding. To bring anything less than my best for my classmates and the students of Mrs. Holton’s 9th grade class would have been a disservice to everyone involved. Major Hodde set the bar high and my dear partner Mr. Marchant was always there to hold me accountable in times of challenge. My greatest takeaway will be the civic responsibility I have taken on to be an inspiration to the youth of this country. As I saw the passion and eagerness within the eyes of the students I was blessed to interact with, my breath was taken away at the idea that it was me that they were feeding off of! Passion for education is contagious and if I am able to walk in and show students that as someone closely removed from the situation they are in I care about their success, they are more likely to apply themselves to succeed! One of the beautiful aspects of Fieldwork 411 is that Covid-19 didn’t change a thing about the class. As hard as it tried, education is a constant, thus a class based upon it wasn’t going to budge! Consistent class meetings, sending assignments to our collaboration teacher, and documenting our journey were all elements that remained the same while we continued to thrive at home. Regarding course reading material, I always felt that I understood the readings best when we had the opportunity to apply what we’d read shortly there after. An article that stook out to me was one we read early in the semester addressing that no two students learn in the same manner. It is the life experiences of students that shape how they receive instruction and learn, so a teacher that is aware of this is going to thrive. This is why Casey and I took it upon ourselves to set up a curriculum with a multitude of teaching strategies to include visual, audio, and class discussion. This contributes to the shepherd mentality that I know posses regarding education. I see each student as a sheep who are there to absorb knowledge and progress on their journey of becoming equipped citizens of the real world. If I leave one behind, I’ve failed, so I now take it upon myself to do everything I can do to place students I interact with in a position to succeed. Before class I had not always had this perspective, and that is one of the larger lessons I’d attribute to my time spent within Fieldwork 411.