2014. A year in review.

2014. What a year we laughed, we cried and took it like a champ. Well, at least I like to think we did. It's hard to remember all 365 days. But I'm going to pick my top 14 moments of 2014.

1. My Spartan race feels like it was so long ago, but it was in January. The week I was doing it I had the flu, but I went that weekend and did a 5-mile obstacle course went to school on Monday and continued going to rehearsals that week. I trained for this event and now I have two medals from it and it definitely was one of the hardest things I did in 2014 making it one of my 14 top moments. 
2. Valentine's Day was definitely a high point for me his year which is weird because its valentine's day, but that night we had an improv show. And we called it the forever alone show. That was fun but afterwards, my sister Macie, Michael, Hayden and I went to Taco Bell around 8 or 9 and we just talked until the manager told us we had to leave so they could close. It was extremely fun and I picked it as a top moment because I love my friends and this was just an example of the fact that we stick together and that none of us are truly alone. 
3. Speaking of improv, I was on our team and we were coached by Nick Haas who is a member of Blimprov in Fresno. But one time at practice he told my teacher asked about recruiting because I was a creative team player and saved  some of the games from crashing. I'm extremely proud of this compliment because I was terrified of improv my freshman year and it was nice to have someone notice my improvement. - Check out their Facebook page! Support local theatre! https://www.facebook.com/Blimprov
4. Being in Annie was super stressful. But the last day or whenever we all went to Denny's was super fun. We all had worked together to make a great show and now we were all friends. And everyone knew how to play the "Schultz" game. 
5. Magic Mountain was where we had our "grad nite" and I spent all night riding rollercoasters with my best friends. And even though our bus broke down on the way there and we had to ride a party bus home I had the time of my life and rode so many rides so needless to say this was a top moment. 
6. Graduating High School was obviously a top moment because I made it through 4 crappy years and was able to have a pretty good time powering through. 
7. I worked with the Kings Players Kid's Camp to put on the Jungle Book this summer and during one of the last nights the compliments I received just blew my mind. Many parents complimented me on my skill of being able to gain control and make sure things ran smoothly and many said that I needed to be paid more. But I loved working with those kids and knowing that I was good at it was just the icing on the cake.
8. Going to college is definitely a top moment because I was so proud of myself. It was really hard making that transition to a new home 12 hours away, but I did it and I cried I would say minimally. I'm proud of being able to do that giving it the potential to make this list.
9. 24 Hour Theatre was I project I did while I was at BYU. I auditioned and I worked with complete strangers rehearsing a new script for 12 hours and performed it that night. I had a lot of fun and I loved my director and the other girl I was working with. It made me remember why I love theatre people again and that's one of the many reasons it was picked as a top moment, 
10. Thanksgiving was really special this year because just when I thought I wasn't going to be able to see my family, my uncle bought me a ticket to fly to our family's Thanksgiving and I am so grateful for that because it definitely helped me power through the semester. And I really enjoy playing soccer with my family.
11. Our last day of class this fall semester there was a dance I went with a couple friends and I literally danced until I couldn't anymore. Let's just say my hair was curly and by the end of the night it was straight from sweat. (Gross I know, but I didn't care). I danced away my problems and I didn't care what others thought. 
12. Finals Week was a top moment for me because I finished all my finals that Monday. I woke up at 6 left my dorm by 7 took all four of my finals and was done by 12. The rest of the week so many people told me that I was their hero, but I was just glad to be done.
13. The day after I flew home I got to go to Hanford High's Footloose rehearsal and it was awesome I loved seeing new and old faces and how far along they were. They are awesome and I'm really excited for them. Remember to go see it at the end of January.  
14. A couple days ago I went to Denny's with my best friends and I've been waiting since I left for college, for the day when we could all hang out again. We talked for we talked for like seven hours and ate a lot of food.

Well, I'm sure I missed a couple but there are my 14 top moments of 2014. 

I was going to do 15 goals for 2015, but that's a lot so I will do 5. 

1. Stop caring about what others think. 
2. Stop worrying about things I can't control.
3. Have more fun and less time wasting.
4. Go to the library and the gym more. 
5. Stop being a hater. 

Well, soon we will be ringing in the New Year. Good luck!

Why I want to be a Theatre Teacher.

ever since I was in the 7th grade I never exactly what I wanted to be when I grew up. I knew I was supposed to be a teacher. (If you have read my personal statement on my previous post, you knew that). But that problem was I didn't really know what subject I wanted to teach. 

I remember being in middle school where my Dad taught 7th grade biology (and was my teacher) and helping grade papers, helping students and studying with science showdown team. Throughout doing all this, I was told that I was good at teaching and I knew that I enjoyed it and was good at it. So that has been my goal ever since. 

This is me in the 7th Grade Science Showdown

If I could formally thank West Hills College Lemoore this would be it because they pointed me in the right direction. I was asked if I wanted to attend a Future Teacher Conference put on by Team Teach at West Hills. And of course I said yes! 

Before I go on I would just like to thank Ms. Potter, she is the one that mentioned my name when they were looking for students to take to the conference. Ms. Potter truly cares about her students and pays attention to their lives and I've never met a student that didn't like her (and if I have then I have completely ignored their opinions because I know she is an amazing teacher). So thank you Ms. Potter for helping me with my life journey! 

So on Halloween of 2013 I attended the conference. At this Future Teacher conference, we were asked to go to groups and attend certain seminars. My friend Racheal and I attended and we found ourselves in a room with a handful of teacher that had gone on to do administration and I wasn't really paying attention because administration hadn't been a goal of mine. However Bobby Peters, the Director of Educational Services Hanford Joint Union High School District began talking and I don't tend to agree with many of his views on education but one thing that he said truly resonated with me. He began talking about he knew he wanted to be a teacher and he loved art; therefore he decided to become and art teacher. He soon came to realize that he couldn't teach something that he was naturally good at. He then decided that he was going to pick his worst subject which was english and he was going to teach that. He knew that by having to learn the subject he would be able to be a better teacher because he was able to relate to the struggles the students were having because him to had to learn just like the students. And at this moment I didn't relate it to myself, I just kept it as a good thought.

Mr. Preston and I at the Future Teacher Conference

My Mom has worked at a summer camp at West Hills for three years now, (don't quote me on that, I could be wrong), but she talked to Mr. Preston, the head of the camp and asked if I could apply even though I wasn't a college student just yet. The summer camp is based on the idea of helping young students in middle school to decide to go to college and it is run by college students aspiring to be teachers. And although I wasn't a college student I still given the chance to be interviewed. When I was interviewed by Mr. Preston I was asked what subject I wanted to teach and I said biology and/or theatre and he just looked at me really confused because those subjects don't entirely mesh.At this point in March 2014, I was struggling with the idea of wanting to teach theatre. But even though I didn't know exactly know what I wanted to teach I was told at the interview (because Mr. Preston believes that since this is an educational venue he tells you after the interview is over what you could do to have a stronger interview,) that he was most impressed with my experience with teaching. And I was hired and I was the youngest team member; that was pretty awesome. 

I then decided that I wanted to teach theatre. 

I remember struggling with this idea. I kept telling myself that you aren't good enough to teach this subject, you yourself have only been doing it for about 4 years. But I finally told myself that I was going to do it. I was going to teach theatre. I knew that because I wasn't naturally good at it and looking at my struggles and my growth between my freshman year and my senior I would be able to teach others because of my personal struggle in the field. 

Dwayne Tubbs, a great teacher and friend, gave me an opportunity to assistant direct, coach or whatever you want to call it. I was casted as Imogene in the show TBS Radio and because my role was a less demanding and we had a lot of freshmen he asked me to help out. I usually stuck to coaching just the freshmen because everyone else would blow me off. But I am so grateful for those freshmen that listened to me who gave me a chance to try it out. And thank you to Mr. Tubbs who commented about the change that he saw in the freshman after working with me. 

This is my favorite picture of Jared from Annie. 

Again I was given another opportunity to help during our high school's production of 'Annie', and my dear friend Jared was casted as Mr. Warbucks. This just happened to be his first theatre experience other than drama class and because I was in his in drama class we would practice all the time. I'd like to say I made Daddy Warbucks, but it was more like molded because Jared was awesome, just needed some refining. But I was able to see Jared transform from himself to a primary character in Annie. 

I would also work with Marissa and Eylssa during class all the time and I realized I loved doing this.So thank you Jared, Marissa and Elyssa for letting my push you around, you guys are awesome. 

I knew watching my high school theatre career ending I wasn't ready to give up theatre and I knew that I was doing what I knew I wanted to do. 

At the end of my high school career, I knew exactly where I was going and what I wanted to do. Back in my third period drama class I was told by Elyssa, Marissa and Mrs. Ankrum that they knew that I was going to be a great theatre teacher. And I am so thankful for them and all who believe in me because they helped me make that decision. 

5C West Hills Summer Camp

When I finished high school I went straight to work at West Hills and I was a teacher assistant so what I did was from like 8-12 the students went to different classes taught by teachers and then after lunch they were able to attend electives. Since I was a TA I was able to work in the "BOOM" class which was a theatre class and I loved it so much! I was an example for almost everything and I loved it. But then I also had the opportunity to teach Improv with an awesome group and the kids loved it. Being given the chance to teach theatre just reiterated that this was what I was meant to do. 

After that in July, I was another teacher assistant for a theatre camp for children put on by the Kings Players. I was basically a babysitter/stage manager/improv teacher. I thoroughly enjoyed working with these kids who were so excited to act in the Jungle Book production we were putting on. And I fell in love with teaching all over again, and it didn't hurt that all the parents complimented me on how I handled the kids. 

After a show when the kids put on the Jungle Book. 

All these experiences helped me to know what I wanted out of this life.

Now I am a theatre studies major at BYU anticipating the fall of 2015 when I can apply to the theatre ed. program. 

I could keep going talking about all the people who helped me make this choice, But I would just like to thank Bianca Ankrum, my very own drama teacher, who never gave up on me and pushed me to grow. I hope I can be a theatre teacher with her capacity to touch the lives of others through theatre. 

Till next time. 

Michaella Scholz