Statement of Purpose

Tonight I had to write my "statement of purpose" to complete my part of the application to grad school at Alabama... Here's what came out. We'll see what the Lord does or does not do with it... :)

Oh, and if you find any errors, typos, or mistakes - please don't tell me. I've already submitted it and can no longer edit or revise. I would just rather not know. Thanks!

Jamey Benton – Statement of Purpose

I always knew I wanted to be a teacher. I loved school from the very beginning and idolized the beautiful women who impacted my life on a daily basis throughout my elementary career. In my spare time, I would force my little sister to sit in a row with my dolls for “class” in my bedroom. I transferred to the Alabama School of Mathematics and Science for eleventh and twelfth grade, and it was the first time that my life was completely void of children. My longing for that missing element served as confirmation for my path toward a Department of Education.

I did everything right. I got accepted to the University of Montevallo and was awarded a good scholarship. I excelled in my classes. I impressed my cooperating teachers during practicums and student teaching. I got an excellent score on the Praxis and secured a teaching job before I ever even graduated. I was always supposed to be a teacher, but perhaps that’s not all I was supposed to be.

My life and the lives of my family members were changed significantly on April 24, 2006 when that same little sister who once sat under my “teaching” was admitted to Children’s Hospital and diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). Though her diagnosis was somewhat favorable because of its status as the most common and the most thoroughly researched type of leukemia, she was facing at least two and a half years of chemotherapy treatment. During that time, I was on the outside looking in and falling in love with Children’s Hospital.

Student teaching and my first classroom kept me heavily occupied, and as the older sister who had already moved away from home, I was spared from the worst scenes of her battle. I accompanied her to Clinic Eight for treatment whenever possible. Unfortunately, those opportunities seemed to come few and far between. Even still, through my visits with her and due in part to the fundraiser that I organized to benefit some of the cancer patients at Children’s during the Christmas season in 2007, I observed some incredible servants who had positively impacted my sister’s life. They were called Child Life Specialists.

For almost four years, I have dreamed of becoming a Child Life Specialist at Children’s Hospital in Birmingham, Alabama. As I walked through the halls of that hospital on the most recent Christmas Eve, working alongside these helpful hospital employees and the families of former patients to deliver Christmas dinner to those missing their homes and families during the holiday, I decided to apply to make my dream a reality.

As I researched master’s degrees in Child Life on the website for the Child Life Council, I discovered that one of the only graduate programs in this field is located in my home state. I must confess that I am an Auburn fan and found it ironic that my hopes for a career in this area could lead me to the University of Alabama. However, I know that a good education at a well-respected university and preparation for the career that I feel called to do is much more valuable than an athletic rivalry.

I believe that I possess many strengths that will enable me to be a valuable addition to the Department of Human Development and Family Studies, and these abilities will ultimately help me to be an excellent Child Life Specialist. As a student, I am dedicated and self-motivated for success. I have always valued learning and I believe that I will appreciate it even more now after gaining some maturity and work experience that have shown me that education is not only about a good GPA. It truly is preparation for the future. I enjoy writing and seeking to improve myself and my talents. I only wish that my undergraduate background at Montevallo had exposed me to the experience of doing more research.

I am an excellent candidate for a career in Child Life because I love children of all ages and enjoy supporting them and building relationships with them. I believe that my experience as a teacher has taught me a lot about professionalism and responsibility and that I will be even more effective in the lives of kids in a one-on-one or small group environment as opposed to the large group dynamic of a classroom.

I know without a doubt that I was supposed to become a teacher. The fact that I had never heard of Child Life until my senior year of college was not a mistake. However, I hope that I will also be awarded the opportunity to utilize my strengths in the academic pursuit and career of Child Life.