My name is Ashley Graham.  I am twenty one years old and a senior at Illinois State University.  I am going to graduate on May 13th, 2006 with a bachelors of science in elementary education, cum laude.  I will also have middle school endorsements in language arts, science, and social sciences.

I am a native to Barrington, IL, which is a northwest suburb of Chicago.  I live with my mother and my eighteen year old sister.  She is currently a freshman at Western Illinois University.  My father resides in Minnesota.  After graduating from Lake Zurich High School in 2002, I moved to Normal, IL to start my education.  I knew from day one that education was for me.  I have always loved working with children.  It brings me great joy to see them growing and learning. Children inspire me and give me energy, which make me realize I have chosen the right career.  I was fortunate enough to just finish my year long internship with the Pekin Professional Development School through Illinois State University.  I taught a class of twenty four third graders.

In my free time I love to read, watch movies, and spend time with friends and family.  I love to stay active and enjoy the beautiful outdoors.  I love playing sports like volleyball and softball.  I also love to watch baseball, and I am a huge Cubs fan.  Hopefully this will be their year.  I also enjoy camping and hiking.  I already have a camping trip planned for this coming summer.

I have learned so much over my four years at Illinois State University.  I am really looking forward to putting all of my knowledge to use in the classroom.  I am confident and excited about having my own classroom.  I was fortunate enough to have many positive experiences with teachers throughout my educational career.  I can’t wait to start bringing those experiences to my students.