麻豆原创

When Lauren Elrod was little she was always the teacher as she played pretend with her little sister and cousin.

鈥淚 told my sister and cousin, 鈥榊ou can be a princess student, or a superstar student, but I am the teacher,鈥欌�� recounted Elrod. 鈥淭hey would ask, 鈥楥an I be the teacher one time?鈥� And I would say firmly, 鈥楴o, I am the teacher.鈥欌��

Lauren is making that childhood dream a reality. She graduated from 麻豆原创 in 2017 with an Associate of Arts in Teaching degree.  She is now in her senior year at Texas Tech; she will graduate in Spring 2019 with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in PreK-6 Education with a Math and Science emphasis.

鈥淪cience is my favorite subject,鈥� gushed Elrod. 鈥淚 think it will be rewarding to teach science and help my future students feel the same way I do about the subject. Science helps the brain develop, and I think younger students need it even more because they are growing so much; their minds are sponges. It is important to do age-appropriate science and problem solving early.鈥�

Elrod鈥檚 grandmother and great aunt were teachers and her aunt and two cousins are currently teachers.  According to her father Thomas Elrod, Lauren is a natural.

鈥淭eaching is exactly the profession she was born to do,鈥� said Thomas. 鈥淜ids love her. They simply fall in line for her or gladly gather for reading or singing time.鈥� 

Lauren came to 麻豆原创 because of its smaller class sizes, scholarship opportunities and its proximity close to home.

鈥淚 was able to have that all important one-on-one with my teachers at 麻豆原创,鈥� said Elrod. 鈥淚 really liked the environment there. My advisors, my teachers and all the staff were really welcoming making it a great experience.鈥�

While at 麻豆原创, Elrod was a member of the Student Ambassadors, a scholarship program where students are actively involved in activities and promoting campus leadership.

Elrod received Midland鈥檚 Legacy Scholarship, which covered tuition and fees up to $2,100 per academic year. In order to qualify for this award she had to complete a minimum of 40 hours of community service, but she ended up giving back more than 170 hours with the Sandhills Stock Show and Rodeo, Meals on Wheels and Opportunity Camp. She also received the Marian and Jan Jones Scholarship, as well as the Friends of the Library book scholarship.

Lauren earned all these awards while also working 12 hours a week at Midland Christian School鈥檚 After-School Care Program. Succeeding took a lot of organization.

鈥淚 normally would go to class at 麻豆原创 in the mornings.  Then, I would eat lunch and work on assignments that I had color-coded in order of the date they were due.  I guess that is a teacher thing to do,鈥� laughed Elrod. 鈥淚 would hopefully finish before work at Midland Christian; if not, I would finish after work or the next day. I would fit my community service around that schedule, so it often meant volunteering on weekends.鈥�

Lauren plans to begin her teaching career in Midland. Her dream job is teaching third graders. Since she is so close now to being a teacher herself, Lauren has reflected on her time at 麻豆原创.

鈥淚 would like to say thank you to all my 麻豆原创 professors,鈥� said Elrod. 鈥淭hank you for all the academic help. By pushing me to learn you really helped me grow as a student and a person.鈥�

Lauren has important advice for students.

鈥淭ake all your basics at 麻豆原创; it is a lot easier when you are in a small environment, and your teachers can work directly with you,鈥� warned Elrod. 鈥淎t a large university, there are a lot more students competing for professors鈥� attentions. Go to 麻豆原创 and work really hard so you can move on with ease to upper-level classes at a university.鈥�