For DonorsFor Applicants
user profile avatar

Caitlyn Wiley

845

Bold Points

1x

Finalist

Bio

My life's goal is to help make education a valuable and enjoyable experience for all students. By getting my bachelors in Early Childhood Education and possibly a masters in Educational Psychology, I will be able to make that goal a reality and improve the world of Education.

Education

University of Arizona

Bachelor's degree program
2023 - 2027
  • Majors:
    • Education, Other

Horizon High School

High School
2019 - 2023

Miscellaneous

  • Desired degree level:

    Bachelor's degree program

  • Graduate schools of interest:

  • Transfer schools of interest:

  • Majors of interest:

    • Education, General
    • Education, Other
  • Not planning to go to medical school
  • Career

    • Dream career field:

      Education

    • Dream career goals:

      Educational Researcher

    • Tutor

      University of Arizona, SALT Center
      2024 – Present10 months
    • Preschool Teacher

      Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center, Early Childhood Center
      2023 – Present1 year
    • Data Assistant

      La Casa de Cristo Lutheran Church
      2022 – 2022
    • Drink Maker

      Koko Boba
      2022 – 2022

    Sports

    Swimming

    Club
    2017 – 2017

    Awards

    • 3rd Place

    Rock Climbing

    Club
    2017 – 20192 years

    Arts

    • Paradise Valley District High School Honor Band

      Music
      2022 – 2023
    • Horizon Marching Band

      Music
      Pride 2019, A Moment Captured 2021
      2019 – 2022
    • Paradise Valley District Parade Band

      Music
      2022 – 2022
    • Horizon Indoor Percussion

      Music
      Escape the Norm 2021
      2021 – 2021
    • Horizon Winter Guard

      Dance
      Desperado 2022, A Withered Heart 2023
      2021 – 2022

    Public services

    • Volunteering

      Marriedpeople — MPKids Nursery Care
      2019 – Present
    • Volunteering

      Royal Family Kids Camp — Junior Aunt (Counselor)
      2022 – 2022
    • Volunteering

      Boys and Girls Club — LIT (Leader in Training)
      2018 – 2019

    Future Interests

    Advocacy

    Volunteering

    Philanthropy

    Marjorie Moriole Early Childhood Education Scholarship
    I will teach students in a way that is creative and excites them to learn by appealing to the natural curiosity of a child. I decided to become a teacher because I love learning. Learning academic skills along with artistic and social skills has shaped me into the well-rounded person I am today. School played an important role in developing that yearning for knowledge. Now, as I walk into my new role as an educator I believe I can give my students the light that is curiosity. Curiosity, the want to learn, understand, and process the world, is the key to a successful academic journey and overall life. Curiosity gives students motivation to reach their goals, persistence to push through hard times, confidence to surpass their expectations and create real change in the world. Prompting curiosity and a love for learning to specifically young children can set them up for a successful life. Teaching in a way that relates the subject topics to the child’s world increases interest in education, especially in the long term. A child’s world is almost a parallel universe to an adult, some things are the same and others are very different. Teaching children from an adult world can be only somewhat effective but teaching them from a child’s world can be life-changing. I plan on teaching the child’s world by exploring and researching child development, creating lesson plans to match that development, and understanding my class personally by learning their specific interests. Every class learns differently and a successful lesson in one class may be a total disaster in another and it is my job to find those differences. I plan on executing this plan by having my classroom by it being child-led lead and teacher-guided. I will ask the questions that help them find their answers and ask their questions. This way I can By having my classroom be tailored to each group of children, my students can effectively learn in a way they understand and enjoy and create better personal connections with me and their classmates. Curiosity-focused teaching also allows for appropriate accommodations for all students. When talking about accommodations in school, learning disabilities, and neurodivergence often come to mind however accessibility can help all children whether they possess those traits or not. For example, there are many learning styles visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. By offering information in all of those styles and focusing on the ones that are most effective in my class I can make learning more accessible. For example, I could put a picture of the water cycle on the board then explain, ask questions, and answer questions verbally then have the children create their own models or drawings of the cycle. Accessible learning helps children be successful in the short term but it also fuels their innate curiosity instead of snuffing it out. Some children may need more accommodations than others and that is perfectly normal. Those children deserve an education just like anyone else, the school and I must find ways to help them reach their potential. Throughout my college journey, I am and will be educating myself on how to teach accessibly to all of my students. I believe I can be a teacher that prompts curiosity in my classroom so all my students can shine that light throughout their lives and become the exceptional people they were born to be.