UNLV in the Community

Transcript

I’d like you to meet Carl who’s earning his masters in early childhood special education. He didn’t know what he wanted to study when he first started at college, but UNLV provided the support and opportunities he needed to discover his path. Now he’s teaching special education and giving back to the Las Vegas community. So Carl, tell us your story.

Thank you, Alex, for that introduction. It took me until my sophomore year of college for me to truly find my passion, teaching. Coming from a lineage of teachers, I never thought the teacher bug would get to me. I always knew I wanted to help, but I didn’t know how. UNLV supplied me with ample opportunities to find the best fit for me. With caring advisors, professors, and an influential talk with my mom, I set my eyes on studying early childhood education. UNLV places a big emphasis on inclusion, and that aligns perfectly with the world of early childhood education. I learned about UNLV’s Project F.O.C.U.S. group and how they help college age students with intellectual disabilities learn job skills and be ready for independent living, and that’s where I knew it was the perfect match for me as I intertwined that program with my study as I’m currently working on my master’s in Early Childhood Special Education. At UNLV, I had the opportunity to teach general education at the preschool here on campus and apply what I learned from academics. I discovered the importance of flexibility, empathy, and understanding that not all children learn in the same way. I was able to transfer those skills into a full-time special education pre-K teacher job here in our Clark County school district. I’m very proud of the fact that UNLV sent me on the path of making a difference in my community and I was recently honored as a 2022 Early Childhood Educator of the Year. I love what I do and it gives me great feeling knowing that what I do matters to the children, their families, and that I’m making a difference. Back to you, Alex.

Congratulations on being named the 2022 Early Childhood Educator of the Year. Carl, it must be gratifying to know that the work you’re doing is appreciated in the community. Keep up the great work.