Alancia Oliver

My name is Alancia. I am a senior at Mount Saint Mary's College, working on my third college degree, a BA in English to become a seconday teacher. At 23 years old, now more than ever, I am striving to make life not only better for myself but for my son who is five years old. Since my high school years, I have been given the responsibilty of being a parent. It is not an easy task but it opened my eyes to see that life is more than just me. Life is all about doing what I was designed by God to do. WhenI joined my local church, Beulah Baptist in Poughkeepsie, where I currently reside, I had to take membership classes. In the second class, I read a book Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren. Since then the mission statement of my life is to live a purpose driven life. My purpose in life is to use my gifts to help others to live a life that adapts to change, embraces love and longs to serve. One strong gift, I possess is the gift of teaching.

Why I do what I do, as far as teaching is concern is because it is evidence of how I am living a life motivated purpose. Currently, I am an assistant daycare director, substitute teacher, mother, teen bible study teacher and a youth advocator in training at a women's shelter. With all of these, I impact and change the lives of both children and adults because of my passion to educate. The analogy I use to demonstrate the importance of knowledge is: life is like a room. The room can be clean. The room can be dirty. Others can be in the room with whom there maybe healthy or unhealthy relationships. The room has a number of doorways. The key that unlocks the door is knowledge and wisdom opens the door and support keeps the door open. As a teacher, my purpose to educate, impart wisdom and provide support to others, so others can have what is needed to live a meaningful life.