Katelyn Cruthirds is an Elementary Education major who is also pursuing a minor in American Sign Language. The Thomasville, N.C., native will graduate in the spring of 2027.
Why Did you Choose UNCG?
I was touring a few campuses in state that I was interested in, and this was the only one that stuck out to me as being so inclusive. You could tell that the faculty really cared about the students. As a bonus, it is close to home so I could stay near family.
What is your favorite place on campus?
The library in the School of Education (Teaching Resources Center).
What activities and organizations are you involved in on campus?
SNCAE (Student North Carolina Association of Educators) and the Spartan Leadership Challenge.
What experience at UNCG has had the most significant impact on you?
The Spartan Leadership Challenge because it helped me realize what it meant to be a leader.
What has been your favorite class and why?
Child development, because I think it was very interesting to learn about, plus it’s important to know when becoming a teacher.
What are your career goals?
My career goals are to become a second grade teacher and help as many students as I can.
What made you want to choose a career in This Field?
When I was little I had trouble learning to read. This is because I had trouble, and honestly still have trouble, with sounding out words I don’t know. Instead of sounding them out, I would just remember the way my teacher told me it was said. On top of this issue, I have trouble with reading comprehension. My stepmom told my kindergarten teacher that I was struggling, but she never listened and said I was fine. I was moved on to first grade, since I did well in every other subject, and because of this I had to be held back to do first grade twice. I’m grateful this happened because I needed the extra year to catch up to my peers in reading. But if I had gotten the help I needed from the start, I wouldn’t have needed to be held back. Because of this, I decided I wanted to help other kids who struggle with learning to read before it’s too late, but I wasn’t sure how. In high school I took a class called early childhood education. In this class I was given the opportunity to be a teacher’s assistant in an elementary classroom. For this class I had to teach small group lessons and whole group lessons. The first year I did it, I met this little girl who was in first grade and didn’t even know the alphabet. In her, I saw myself – behind my peers because I wasn’t given the extra help I needed. Throughout that semester I worked with her and by the end of the semester she got to the point of almost knowing the whole alphabet and the sound each letter made. As I worked with her, I realized I loved teaching and I wanted to help more students like her. Students like me.
What advice would you give a student considering UNCG and the School of Education?
Make sure to stay organized and on top of work.
How Has the Spartan Education Scholars Program Impacted Your Experience at UNCG?
Being in a Spartan Education Scholar has helped me get out of my shell because I have been required to do community service. That really helped me connect with the community.
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