WELCOME TO BENZIE
COUNTY CENTRAL SCHOOL FEATURED FRIDAY ALUMNI. Today, we would like to recognize
2013 graduate, Michaela Williams. Michaela was kind enough to share this
with us.
“I grew up in Lake Ann and, therefore,
attended Lake Ann Elementary from kindergarten through fifth grade. It
was there, in the second grade, I decided that I wanted to become a teacher.
I was quite shy in sixth grade, being surrounded by sixth graders from the
entire district. However, in middle school, I met the most wonderful
friend group. I partially credit them for where I am today (seriously,
surround yourself with lifelong friends of various strengths and abilities, who
care about you, and want you to succeed!).
In high school, softball took up much of my
focus. I was on varsity for four years and a captain for three. I
also was credited with All Conference and All District awards for pitching.
During school hours, I was the secretary of NHS and I participated in Teacher
Academy. In Teacher Academy, I was able to go to each elementary school
throughout my two years (except I did not make it to Betsie Valley). In
high school, I also began working at JoMo’s Ice Cream Shop in Honor, where I
have been working for the past 8 summers. I always tell my boss that I
will be there for the rest of my life because I am going to be a teacher with
summers free (little do they know, I am not joking!).
After graduating Benzie Central in 2013, I
journeyed down to Mt. Pleasant to attend Central Michigan University.
There, I met my best friend (my roommate!) and we lived together for the next
four years. Going to a “big” school after attending Benzie was a bit of a
change for me. I was used to knowing every single person in the school
and I had always felt comfortable going to any of my high school teachers for
help (or just to chat). My first year at CMU, it seemed huge
and it was easy to feel small. My professors seemed intimidating and I
had classes in lecture halls. However, I stuck with it and ended up
loving it! I have professors that I am still in contact with, I was able
to take American Sign Language classes (a goal of mine since about fifth
grade), and I found my niche in Kappa Delta Pi. Kappa Delta Pi is an
honor society specifically for teachers. I was able to be the treasurer
of the organization for two years and I made friends that have lasted much
longer than that.
CMU also gave me the ability to travel abroad.
Small-town-Michaela, who had never
been on a plane, packed a carry-on and flew to Ireland to pre-student teach.
It is, easily, one of my favorite experiences to date. I lived with a
family and another CMU student and we would walk to school, help out in
classrooms all day, then walk to the train station, take the train to a random
stop, and hike the bluffs all evening! (Also, if you were wondering, it
is indeed super
green there!) Coincidentally, one of my middle/high school best friends
was also over in Europe with the University of Michigan at the same time and
our trips ended within a day of each other. Naturally, we planned to
extend our trips and travel together. We discovered that Barcelona, Spain
was a bit too city and big for us, but still beautiful, that Santorini, Greece
was ten times more gorgeous than any picture makes it look (also, if you go to
Greece: ride the donkeys!). In addition, that Venice, Italy is the
perfect location for two girls who love to walk, talk, drink coffee, and eat
pasta (we also slept under a table in the Venice airport…that’s another story).
In the fall of 2017, I finished my college
career by student teaching at Betsie Valley. I love that I went full
circle in my education. I started school at Benzie, and I finished school
at Benzie! I had an incredible student teaching experience. I
student taught in the fifth grade with a great group of students. After
graduating in December, I began to make Benzie my own home. I moved into
my own (adorably quirky) apartment and I accepted a long-term sub position in
first grade at Betsie Valley for the remainder of the year. I loved
staying at the Valley. Its staff is one of a kind and they taught me much
more than four years of college did (no offense to college, I’m just trying to
put into perspective how
much I learned in the course of a year). I spent the spring learning
to teach first graders and that
was a much bigger adventure than anything I did in Europe! My students
were a very special group and will forever hold a place in my heart.
You can now find me scooping ice cream,
coaching middle school and summer league softball teams, playing (and losing)
euchre with my friends, cuddling babies in the infant room at church, on a ball
field playing slow pitch softball, “Pinteresting” teacher things, or doing
anything else that makes me happy.
My best advice to anyone reading this is that you
get to create your own life. Make decisions that get you to where you
want to be, take opportunities that presented to you, use failures to grow and
learn from, and most importantly, embrace where you are from. Benzie has
a lot to offer, you just have to put forth the effort to access it!
P.S. If anyone has any teacher tips, please
send any and all of them my way!”
Michaela, we are in fact #OneBENZIE proud of
all of your accomplishments. Continued success and happiness to you!
You know how Mrs. Crossman feels….like, love and share!
You are wonderful.
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