Nicholas J. Criscone Educational Scholarship

As I stood behind the podium reading the names of the winners of the Region 3 Technology Student Association (TSA) Conference, I was beaming with pride as most of my chapter’s teams qualified for the state competition, especially since many were new to TSA. This year, I shared my passion for TSA with our school and grew the chapter by 200%. I spent many hours helping and mentoring new members, and the feeling of accomplishment I felt in others’ successes made all my hard work as the club president well worth it. Although my personal successes were not as gratifying as in other years, this year, I learned that the teaching and mentoring were far more satisfying than my own individual wins. I joined TSA during middle school when school was offered primarily remotely, and I was searching for more activities. I was not yet that interested in technology, but I learned about TSA competitions related to my interest in education, such as writing technology-themed children’s stories. On top of that, as someone who has always loved math and science, being in a STEM competition environment seemed like something right up my alley. I pushed myself to try new experiences and developed new skills and interests not only in technology-related subjects such as engineering, architecture, and woodworking, but also in leadership, teamwork, and problem-solving. I learned that technology is not just about computers and programming. Technology also involves critical thinking and implementing real solutions, and in education, the opportunities for those are limitless. This pride in others’ accomplishments is something I feel often. As I began to explore the field of education, I became a swim instructor and coach at my local community pool. When a student who is terrified of the water in the first lesson can swim confidently by the final class, I know I have made a difference. Not only do I enjoy teaching others to swim and inspiring our swim team members to push themselves to accomplish their goals, but also I value the relationships I have built with my swimmers, families, and colleagues. Through these relationships, I work to develop trust and a connection, which enable me to make a greater impact as a teacher and coach. The teacher-student connection helps me to adapt my lessons and coaching style to meet individual needs. Currently, I have a student for whom English is her second language. She struggled to understand the lessons, so I made flashcards with English and Spanish translations for common swim lesson phrases – this has made a difference in her swimming and has taught me that I must continue to be creative and innovative to meet the needs of each student. As I continue my exploration in education, I am excited to have a student-teacher internship for the first semester of my senior year. Through this internship, I hope to gain the skills and tools I need to be a better communicator and educator. I believe all students are unique, and I aspire to be a teacher who values individuals and adapts my teaching style to meet their needs and challenges. I have learned that through fostering and developing relationships, I am able to help others succeed. The modern-day classroom offers constantly evolving ways to do just that. New technologies, cooperative learning, flipped classrooms, and differentiated instruction are part of education’s cutting-edge present, and I cannot wait to learn more.