Makenzie Houston, Madeline Korfman Memorial Scholarship

Makenzie HoustonCongratulations to the Madeline Korfman Memorial Scholarship recipient, Makenzie Houston!

Question and Answer Session with Makenzie

What does receiving the award mean to you?

As a single mom of an active teenaged boy, returning to university has been financially strenuous and we have both had to make sacrifices in order to make it work. Receiving the financial assistance of the Madeline Korfman Memorial Scholarship was an incredible and unexpected relief that will allow for my son to continue pursuing his sports passions this fall while I complete the program with much less of a financial strain. Although my practicum placement came with a unique set of challenges, I genuinely loved every moment of it and it really solidified that I am on the right career path. I learned so much from not only every teacher I met but also my students. Without a consistent teacher in the room I was able to build such a close and trusting relationship with them and within our classroom in general.  I would not have traded my experience for the world and am so profoundly grateful that the OSE Awards Committee saw this as deserving of a scholarship as I already felt blessed to have experienced it.

What has your experience been like at the Okanagan School of Education (OSE)? Do you have a favourite memory?

OSE has provided us with so many unique and amazing learning experiences it is impossible to choose just one. I feel that so many educators and community members have come together to give us the best quality education possible. Not only have I gained practical and theoretical knowledge about teaching and learning, but I have also grown so much as a person and developed friendships and professional relationships that will last long past the completion of the program. An aspect of my experience at the OSE which has been very unique and special for me is that my Faculty Advisor has been both my middle school teacher and my son’s middle school teacher before this. Having her see me through so many stages of my life and return in the final stage of my education has been a sentimental experience.

Why did you decide to enter the field of education?

Having an upbringing that was challenging at times and becoming a single mother at the age of 16, my teachers and school staff were a major support system in my life and contributed greatly to my academic success. They motivated me to believe in myself when I didn’t feel it was possible. My goal as a teacher is to be that safe place and consistent support for my students. I believe that educators are given a remarkable gift to be a positive role model and influence in their students’ lives and having my students be excited to see me every morning during my practicum was the most rewarding feeling imaginable. In my future I plan to pursue my master’s degree in school psychology to further enhance my ability to positively influence the trajectory of the students who need the most support.

 

About the Madeline Korfman Memorial Scholarship

Scholarships totaling $2,000 have been endowed through a bequest by Madeline Betty Korfman to honour her love for teaching. Madeline Korfman taught school in southwestern Saskatchewan before relocating to the Okanagan in the mid-1990s.

One response to “Makenzie Houston, Madeline Korfman Memorial Scholarship”

  1. Very nicely written. I appreciate your candor and your willingness to accept obstacles in your experience as opportunities to learn and grow.

    Well done and congratulations. Your hard work and commitment to your learning and future are most admirable and show great strength of character.