Michael Kurilovitch
For the past dozen years I have worked as a teaching assistant in the Niagara Falls City School District. I work with "inclusion" children — those identified with special needs but not entirely in need of a "special-ed" placement. Working one-on-one and in small groups, we sharpen their scholastic skills so that they are able to remain in a mainstream classroom and not fall further behind. It is a rewarding career, but one that I would like to explore in more depth, and that is why I am pursuing this scholarship opportunity. When I switched to teaching (after an 18-year career in journalism), my intention was to become a full-time classroom teacher (elementary). Unfortunately, several developments sidetracked that goal. Now I am hoping to finally complete my educational requirements and realize my long-time dream of teaching children.
My original career aspirations centered around journalism, and I thoroughly enjoyed my nearly two-decade run as a reporter with our local newspaper. Writing in-depth about problems ranging from child abuse to the problems inherent with poverty, to the injustices of the American court and legal system, I won numerous local, state and national awards for my work, including two prestigious Silver Gavel Awards from the American Bar Association. While my work afforded me some degree of satisfaction in terms of helping the underprivileged and the under-served, it was not until I began covering school issues that I truly realized my calling. I very much enjoyed going out into the schools and meeting young people and getting to see what drove them and inspired them; what bothered and frustrated them; what kept them going and kept them from succeeding. It was during this time that I began re-thinking what had once been a career aspiration, only to be dashed along the way — teaching.
I set out to do what I could with the limited educational background I possessed, and landed as a teaching assistant at G.J. Mann Elementary School. My intention was to complete my Bacehlor's and ultimately my Master's degrees and get my certification and my own classroom, but illness and other concerns sidetracked that goal. My wife was diagnosed with colon cancer and endured numerous surgeries and a protracted recovery…between my children and myself, we managed to see her through it, though, and recently she surpassed the five-year mark in her recovery. For that, we are eternally grateful. In that time, however, she has endured a couple of job layoffs, which has further contributed to the stress level in our household (in fact, she is currently facing yet another layoff).
Meanwhile, I was diagnosed with Type-2 diabetes (among other conditions) and continue to struggle with that affliction. Throughout all this, we have focused on keeping our two daughters on the straight-and-narrow and I am proud to report that one recently graduated *** Laude with her Bachelor's degree (in three years, no less!) and the other has started college and is enjoying thoroughly her pursuit of a career in the theatrical field. Of course, the monetary demands and the lingering threat of job loss due to the extremely uncertain economy hangs over us like another storm cloud, waiting to cast its wrath over our family.
It has been so long since I sat on the receiving side of a lecture, in a traditional classroom, that I doubt I could ever successfully return. Time constraints and the erosion of patience inevitable to aging have taken their toll on my ability to sit for extended periods, I am afraid. However, I have taken and enjoyed some online courses to further my training as a teaching assistant, and believe that would be an advantageous way for me to finally complete my education. Working on my own and at my own pace, I have excelled in character development and positive behavior courses designed to return respect and responsibility to our schools, while reducing the prevalence of bullying. I think you would find that the instructors of my on-line courses have enjoyed my participation and feedback and have considered me an excellent participant. That is why I believe I would be the perfect candidate for one of your scholarships. In fact, I have looked into numerous online colleges in the past, Ashford being at the top of my list, but had to quash those plans due to a lack of funding. That problem, of course, remains, and is the primary motivating factor for me to pursue this scholarship opportunity. It probably represents my best — and last — chance to ever complete my degree and get my own classroom. This is important to me because I desperately want to make a difference in the lives of young children, and while I feel I already do so (to some degree, anyway) in my current capacity, having my own classroom would offer a unique chance to maximize that impact on kids. I have lived through and experienced much in my life, be it a difficult childhood and the unexpected and premature death of my father, to the experience of having to go to work (nights) as a teen-ager to help my mother make ends meet, to the many unique experiences I enjoyed as an active, investigative reporter … I feel these experiences have all shaped me and given me unique perspective to offer to other children who may be enduring some of the same trials and tribulations I endured. Of course, I seek to better our children in one other important regard: their writing. My history gives me an extremely unique advantage in teaching children the importance of writing, and the enjoyment that can be achieved from doing it well. I must point out that I am currently trying to develop a series of books for children that explore the many genres of poetry and creative writing, while at the same time offering step-by-step guidance and instruction in the creative process. I think it is a desperately needed project, and one that could have an impact on nurturing and developing prospective writers. It truly is my passion, and I look forward to the chance to bring that enthusiasm to children, and in the process realize my lifelong goal.
In closing, I believe I am well-suited to this challenge and that my motivations are such that I would see this through to a successful, meaningful conclusion. I hope to get the chance to demonstrate to children — my own and otherwise — that education is important and essential and never-ending, and that it is never too late to pursue your dreams.
I would make a wonderful, caring teacher and believe that I would also serve as a unique role model of 21st century perseverance, going back for my degree at mid-life. I now look forward to the chance to share my enthusiasm with a new generation of children and to impart to them the message that "you can if you want to." Thank you.