Noyce Scholar Profile

Alaina Repetto
Undergraduate major or graduate field of study: B.S., Adolescence Education Earth Science
Subject area(s) and grade level teaching focus: Earth Science, grades 9-12
Category of scholarship/fellowship:
Noyce Scholar
Name of Noyce institution:
SUNY Cortland
Current academic or teaching status:
Junior
School and school district:
Grant Middle School, Syracuse City School District
Background:
I am 21 years old. I live with my parents, grandfather, and two younger brothers at home. Home is in Dutchess County. I graduated high school in May of 2007. I was originally a math education major, but decided to go into Earth Science during my sophomore year while I was taking physical geology as a general education course. I changed my major as soon as I could and have loved every minute of it since.
Why do you want to teach:
I want to teach because our education system needs educators who love what they teach and know a lot about their subject. I also want to make a difference within the schools by bringing in new and current ideas.
Describe a memorable teaching experience:
One memorable teaching experience I had was in a 7th grade science class. It was the first day of class, and my collaborating teacher, dressed as a student, literally ran into the classroom yelling, dropped her books on the ground, knocked over a glass beaker, wasn’t wearing goggles, and ran back out of the room. A minute later, she walked in as herself and held a discussion over all the things not to do in a lab and had us list all the dangerous things she just did while dressed as a student.
What does the Noyce program mean to you:
The Noyce program has meant not having to worry about making the next payment for my tuition and rent. It has also meant being able to help out a school in need once I graduate.