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Hello to all Shubelopolis families and members of the Hiawatha community!
My name is Mr. Kemp, and I am delighted to be a part of the Hiawatha community this
year and to be a citizen of Shubelopolis. I will be teaching alongside Mr. Shubel as part of my
student internship program with Michigan State University. To get to know everyone a little
better, I’d like to share a little bit about myself. I am in my senior year at MSU studying
elementary education, specifically for grades third through sixth. For my major I am pursuing an
endorsement in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) as I am interested
and fascinated by all things relating to language. I grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan, along
with my three brothers, two of which are older, and one that is younger. I have an English
Springer Spaniel named Cooper whom I cherish, he is extremely energetic despite being eleven
years old. I spend my free time going on walks with Cooper, listening to music, or doing
anything outdoors.
I had a rather typical elementary school experience, but a somewhat atypical high school
experience. In my sophomore year of high school, I was diagnosed with severe obstructive sleep
apnea and I found CPAP treatment rather difficult. Due to this and other factors, it was difficult
for me to get up in the mornings before school. I was routinely late to school, regularly meeting
with my first- and second-hour teachers after dismissal to catch up on what I missed before
running to the gym for basketball practice or offseason conditioning. While some of my teachers
were understanding and compassionate, others were not as understanding and seemed to be
skeptical of my sleep apnea diagnosis. My high school teachers that did not treat me differently
due to my poor attendance had a significant impact on my life and on me ultimately choosing to
go into education. I started my postsecondary education at Grand Rapids Community College to
explore my interests and fulfill my general education requirements. After two years at GRCC, I
transferred to Grand Valley State University to study human biology. Upon learning that I was
not as interested in the medical field as I initially thought, I transferred to MSU to pursue a
degree in education. I have experienced some hiccups on my academic journey, but since moving
to East Lansing I have found abilities that I was unaware I possessed, to the point that I am set to
graduate in 2025 with honors. As a non-traditional college student, I identify as one of the
students that “fell through the cracks”. As an educator, I strive to make sure no student in my
class goes unnoticed and that every student receives the support and assistance necessary for
them to succeed academically.
Education is more than memorizing useful information to me. I view education as a
lifelong journey that extends beyond the classroom. I consider myself an educator, but I will
always be a student that is eager to learn first.
I look forward to meeting and learning with you all this year!Mr. Kemp