My name is Kathleen Bowers and I am a Golden Apple Scholar Special Education major at Northern Illinois University. Golden Apple is a program designed recruit elite education majors and provide them training and funding to become innovative student-oriented educators. Within the program, scholars are granted the opportunity of four summer institutes enriched with seminars and onsite experience in classrooms. This is my fourth summer in the program; the first summer onsite classroom I worked with was 3rd grade at Shoop Elementary; the second summer onsite classroom I worked in a 4/5th grade classroom at Hyde Park Day School; the third summer onsite classroom I worked in was a early childhood classroom at Charleston Community Day Care Center. In addition to Golden Apple I was involved in a peer facilitation program at Yorkville Grade School and a volunteer tutor at Unity Community Center. I have also been fortunate enough to be selected as a Educate US recipeint. Through Educate US, I was able to teach in Houston, Texas. When I am not in the classroom, I enjoy being active both outdoors and in the community.