SBJ Scholarship

Hi there, I am Olivia McCool from Westville, Oklahoma! Now that I have graduated High School I am enrolled and set to attend Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Throughout high school, I was an active member of the FFA, Class Officers, and National Honor Society. Being active in organizations like these taught me a true love for networking and experiencing true citizenship in the community. While I am going to have to leave behind these organizations I love, the skills I learned will stay close. The early mornings, late nights, and long days were challenges at the time, but there is not a day that goes past that I forget the relationships I've built and the changes that were made. I began my work experience in the summer of 2023, when I applied for the youth development professional position in the Boys and Girls Club of Adair County. This job set the building blocks of my passion for teaching and helping the youth. From helping tutor to just talking about the problems they were having. I learned there is so much joy that can come from believing in a child. Working for this organization for the last 3 years, I watched each student grow and change. This helped me in making my decision on the next step in life. At university, I plan to study Early Childhood education. Knowing I will be around like-minded people in my classes, I plan to make a group of friends who will help me to continue my work of helping the community. Little minds are moldable, and our goal as educators should be to build them up and help them understand their worth and intelligence. Being a young child in a poverty-stricken town can seem like a disadvantage, but with the help of teachers and supporting adults, students are given opportunities to rise from the occasion. Once obtaining my degree, I intend to return to my hometown of Westville to teach a Pre-kindergarten class. This will be a difficult task to complete, but if I keep my mind set on the end goal of inspiring a young person to achieve their goals, it should be as easy as going to work for the Boys and Girls Club. I want to wake up each day and choose to work in an environment where students feel welcome. Working with the families individually can help the community feel more together, and able to grow and raise eachother up daily.