Katie Jarrels
Class of 2009
Liberal Studies Major
 According to an old adage "time flies when you are having fun" - and Katie Jarrels is having so much fun, she doesn't want to leave Bridgewater College. Although she has just begun her junior year, it seems to Katie that she's just arrived. "Bridgewater has been so fun," she says, "that I would love to never graduate."
As a liberal studies major, Katie's goal is to become an elementary school teacher - preferably kindergarten through grade three - passing along the love of teaching that she is receiving from her BC professors. "Young children have an open mind," she says, "and are always wanting to learn and grow with a teacher's guidance."
As a teacher, Katie wants to emulate the example of her professors at Bridgewater who know their students by name and are willing to provide home phone numbers. "The professors are very approachable," says Katie, "easy to talk to and always wanting you to succeed."
Katie says the professors actively include the students in the lessons. One day her psychology class was learning how the brain stores information, with students representing the different parts. The active learning made it easier to remember the lesson. In Spanish, the students partner with each other to speak the language or engage in Spanish-related group games. Katie says the professor also taught about Hispanic culture in addition to the language.
Bridgewater's department of education is providing a strong foundation for Katie to build upon. Through numerous field experiences and student teaching, she is earning practical experience in the classroom. She also serves as a peer tutor at BC and is a member of Student Virginia Education Association.
Katie also put her love of children to practical use in service-learning by volunteering at Camp Kaleidoscope and at Harrisonburg Parks and Recreation. At Camp Kaleidoscope, she helped clean up a sand volleyball court, washed windows and dishes and organized closets. At Harrisonburg Parks and Recreation, she mulched the playgrounds and raked gravel for the Frisbee golf holes. "Helping these organizations helped me to realize what good these organizations provide for other people," says Katie. She added, "After helping, it made me feel like I really made a difference."
In a couple of years, look for Katie as the inspiring teacher in the classroom rather than the student.
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