The college student named student laureate at the University of Illinois, Urbana, heaped praise on her high school alma mater, Hinsdale South in Darien, Ill., for providing her with the inspiration that led her to focus her teaching career on special education, The Doings reports.
Amanda Rowland (her photo)
Amanda M Rowland of Burr Ridge told the paper she had always wanted to be a teacher but didn’t realize her strong interest in educating students with special needs until she took an adapted physical education class at Hinsdale South for kids with disabilities. “You can opt to be part of it,” she was quoted as saying. “You socialize with them and partner with them in class.
“One of the girls I had been working with passed away. It just really got to me. She was in a wheelchair and never used verbal speech, but at her funeral you saw how she affected so many people and all the things people had learned from her. It convinced me that everyone deserves a great education because you never know what they are capable of doing.”
Each year, the Lincoln Academy of Illinois names one student from every college and university in the state as a student laureate, as this press release from the Illinois Government News Network explains. The academy recognizes the students during an annual Student Laureate Convocation at the Old State Capitol State Historic Site in Springfield. This year’s convocation was on Saturday, Nov 2.
“These students have exhibited a personal commitment to excel as seen by their remarkable academic accomplishments,” Gov Pat Quinn said in the release. “They serve as role models to all Illinois students. With hard-working and dedicated young leaders such as these, Illinois and the rest of the nation can look forward to a bright future.”
The award is based on more than academics, of course, Ms Rowland said she has been “big into alternative spring break” while she’s been at college. She spent the summer in Ecuador one year on a service trip, saying, “We designed a summer enrichment camp for the kids in the village.” She’s also a member of “Velocity,” a dance team at the U of I started by engineers, and expects to graduate this spring.
