I was born and bred in a small town called Hull, which is about 30 minutes south of Boston, Massachusetts.  Like many other Boston folks, I pronounced my "r's" as "aah", such as in "paaahty (party)" or "caaahd (card)" or "Maaahk (Mark)."  It was the way of life, in addition to using words such as "supper, tonic, wicked...." and the list could go on.  Hull was and still is a beautiful beach town where I learned to love the simple things in life.....for instance, my first bike was from the bottom of the Boston Bay, I enjoyed cutting up jelly fish for fun, and became adept at taping windows to prepare for the hurricanes.  If it were not for the love and support I witnessed and received growing up, I would not be the successful person that I am today.  Thanks to my family and friends, I have learned how to "make good decisions and have fun"--as Hartley Paul would say. 

As for my schooling, I am a public school girl all the way.  From age 5 until age 21 I entrusted my education in the hands of the United States government.  I think that part of the reason why I became a teacher is because of the challenges I observed as a student in the public school system.  Overall, it was a positive experience and taught me how to understand my abilities in addition to taking responsibility for my own learning.
 

...

...