In the recent weeks, many people have taken to social media to show their support for the United States Public Education System by naming all the public schools they have attended and/or worked at with #ProductOfPublic. I am one of those people, and I am here today to talk about my public school experience, but not to only do that. I am going to explain why I am a proud product of the public education system in this country through four reasons why I have supported, am supporting, and will continue to support and fight for public education.

1. Springmore Elementary School, Shelby, NC

My first ever public school experience. I was home schooled for the first two years of my elementary education, but when my family moved I started public school at Springmore. My first ever public school teacher that I had the pleasure of learning from was one Mrs. Cynthia Hogston in second grade. I was even luckier when I had her again in third grade. She would always tell us stories about her life. She made my first large scale learning environment seem so personal and one-on-one. One thing she always told us students was, "You can say many things about me, but you can't say that I have bad fashion." I remember so much of those early days. Of my fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Bryson, promising that we would have a fishing day at her house, where she would personally provide food and drinks if the whole class passed the EOGs. Guess what? We got that fishing day. I remember my fifth grade teacher, Mrs. Hamilton, letting us have free time every Friday. We could bring in our own pillow and blanket, or use one of hers in the room, to read a book of our choosing throughout the classroom, instilling in me the love of reading I still posses today. I spent endless hours of fun and learning in Mrs. Lee's AIG (Academically and Intelligently Gifted) class for math team and mystery readers and science, reading books and solving problems and dissecting owl pellets. I first came to Boone with Springmore for my fifth grade "class trip" to App Ski Mountain. If I had not had these wonderful early experiences in the public school system, I most definitely would not be who I am or where I am today. These years and ladies were truly gifts in my life. GO BULLDOGS!

2. Crest Middle School, Shelby, NC

I can remember my first day of middle school like it was yesterday. I remember walking into Mrs. Cudd's honors math class and seeing a plastic stingray on the wall and smiley face decals on the windows. I remember numerous bubble sheets used for accelerated math and reading "The Tale of Despereaux" only for a mouse to show up in our classroom, the black hole of technology. I watched Obama campaigning for his first Presidential election in Mrs. Humpheries's sixth grade language arts class, and the jars of animal brains in Mrs. Greene's science class. I enjoyed playing March Madness extra credit in Mrs. Black's seventh grade math class, and that she taught us multiple ways to learn, not just the way she did it first. I learned some Swahili in Mrs. Hassey's Social Studies class and watched the snow fall outside Mrs. Barrett's Language Arts window as school closed early. We read old North Carolina ghost stories in Mrs. Blanton's eight grade Social Studies room and learn about the STD (Surface Transition Deep) of the ocean in Mr. Bridges science class. I became a credit ahead in math in Mr. Ledford's Algebra I math class, allowing me to further my education while still in primary school. In Mrs. Pletcher's class, if she heard you put someone down she would make you give them to put ups, or compliments, because she would not tolerate bullying. She also brought us cupcakes sometimes. Mrs. Cabaniss, my middle school chorus teacher, might have been a slight bit crazy, talking about riding her broomstick to work and throwing shoes at intercoms, but she taught me what it meant to live life with a passion for what you do and that education can be fun. GO DRAGONS!

3. Crest High School, Shelby,NC

High school, growing up I couldn't wait to get it over with and be out on my own, doing my own thing. But, I have come to realize that it was so much more than just school. Crest High prepared me for the world. Freshman year I was so nervous, but they do an amazing job of easing you into high school life through their Freshman Academy program, where all the freshman teacher are on the same hall. My favorite class that year was probably Mr. Melton's social studies class, not really because of the content, but because of the teacher. I enjoyed him so much that I signed up for a class senior year just because he was teaching it. I learned more in depth about Columbine and the first student killed there when her Brother's organization came and talked to Cleveland County Schools. I watched the Boston Marathon bomber get caught in my civics class in tenth grade. Obama was re-elected. I remember hearing about Sandy Hook when I returned from a chorus contest. I had an awesome psychology teacher, Mr. Daniel Thomas, who squirted kids in the face with a water bottle and taught me how my brain functioned while wearing funky shirts. Mrs. Wellmon, my US History teacher, laughed like the Wicked Witch but acted the exact opposite. For holidays she got us treats and made sure every one of her students got a present for Christmas. She was also pretty excited about history teachers that remade pop songs into pop history songs. I became a part of a family who mean more to me than words will ever be able to express, my chorus family, led by Mr. Michael Martinez, this weird guy who runs funny and likes to play soccer. He taught me to step outside my comfort zone and that it is sometimes okay to mess up because you can learn from it. I learned all the words to my alma mater. But probably the most impactful part of high school for me was Mrs. Jan Waller Rogers, or as she was most definitely affectionately known by her students as, Jan Sue.

I took five total classes with this woman, two whole years, half of high school, including an after school class. She was the advisor for not one, but two clubs I was in, one of which I was an officer for my senior year. This woman made learning personal. All of our projects had something for everyone one, whether you were gifted with literary, artistic, musical abilities, there was always an option. She worked with each student individually to let them know how they were doing and how they could improve. She made each student a goody bag on the day of the AP exam. She wrote each student in my AP Lit class, senior year, a note and threw us a celebration on the last day of class in which she presented these to us. I still have mine. She taught me that you can be professional and goofy at the same time and was the perfect balance of the two. Through Junior Civitan, one of the clubs, she taught me to care about my society and see the good in humanity. I knew, I know that she cared about each and every student that walks through her classroom door and that they have at least on person rooting for them. And for that I must say that I ardently love and admire her ("Pride and Prejudice" Mr. Darcy reference). GO CHARGERS!

4. My Mom

So not only did I grow up in the public education system, I grew up on the public education system. My mom began working at my elementary school as a teacher's assistant when I was in third or fourth grade. She still works there today, 11 years later. Had there been no public school system, there would have been no job for my mom. Had there been no job for my mom her and my dad's job of raising six children would have been extremely more difficult than it already was. Teacher's assistants have been referred to as over-glorified secretaries by people in the political world. Well I would like to see them come do any job in the public school system and still say that it is easy. I have great respect for teacher's and teacher assistant's everywhere because I have seen first hand how the job affects them and their families emotionally and financially.

I don't understand how some can look at the public school system, like the one I have described, and think that it is a pointless waste of time and say that nothing good could come out of it. They are just plain wrong.