Alyssa Hale of North Minneapolis graduated from Bemidji State University in May with a degree in elementary education and a minor in Indian studies. She spent the spring teaching in a fourth-grade classroom in Rosemount, where students start the day with 15 minutes of sharing.<\/p>\n
“The classroom is a place where students learn about each other and themselves,” Hale said. “For me, one of the biggest things I want to bring into the classroom is a sense of community.”<\/p>\n
She witnessed the power of community last fall when she worked at the American Indian Resource Center as a peer adviser for students making the transition to college.<\/p>\n
“Sometimes you just need to know that you belong and someone believes in you,” Hale said, adding that once students have that confidence they’re ready “to do great things.”<\/p>\n
While at Bemidji State, Hale realized that she, too, can do great things. Last spring, she received the David and Kathryn Sorenson Leadership Endowment Scholarship, a full-tuition award for her senior year.<\/p>\n
“I had to write an essay for it, and I remember thinking, ‘Oh, I’m not going to get this,’” said Hale, who was stunned to receive a letter of congratulations. “I felt so blessed, so grateful.”<\/p>\n
A keynote speaker at BSU’s second annual Scholarship Appreciation Breakfast in October, she told the audience that receiving the scholarship “made me believe in myself in a way I never had before.”<\/p>\n
Hale’s adviser, Dr. Janine Wahl, is not surprised by Hale’s success. “She has excellent communication skills, she’s determined and energetic – all necessary to be an effective teacher,” Wahl said.<\/p>\n
Although Hale says she has to work at being a leader, she’s been brave in her pursuit. As a member of the President’s Student Commission, she organized an art exhibit to give voice to fellow victims of sexual assault.<\/p>\n
She also writes poetry and won a competition on KAXE public radio. Impressed, the station invited her to record more of her poems.<\/p>\n
Hale also advocates for culturally relevant curriculum and greater awareness of Native American history, noting that she appreciated the Indian studies program at BSU.<\/p>\n
“A lot of people are ignorant about that part of history,” she said, “and it’s important to have an understanding.”<\/p>\n
Now that Hale has found her own voice, she intends to keep using it in the classroom and beyond. “Being a leader is about understanding that we’re all connected,” she said.<\/p>\n
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