Help Ariel Become a Music Educator
Donation protected
Ahoy there mateys!
My name is Ariel Pottinger, and I am so excited to announce that I will be returning back to school to complete my Bachelor's degree! I am hoping to raise $25,000 to pay the money owed to my previous institution, so they can release my transcripts to my new school. Without which, I cannot attend. It would mean the world to me if 25,000 people can donate at least $1 to help support me on this journey.
I am currently a mentor at a teen technology program called YOUmedia Miami. I have been working there for three years and the experience has been nothing short of amazing. I teach workshops in digital music production, film scoring, and creative writing. The teens that I mentor come from diverse backgrounds, often underprivileged, with a variety of personalities, talents and needs.
With these teens, I’ve coordinated community projects that uses the arts and media to promote positivity and non-violence in the city of Miami Gardens. I've also organized a community concert to raise funds for Harmonies of Hope, a local organization who is invested in our city's youth. It’s a perfect training ground for someone who wants to pursue a career in teaching, which I do.
My passion for education began years ago, when I was only five years old. I always knew that I would be a teacher. Like all other five year old little girls, I enjoyed playing dress up and walking around the house in my mother’s old heels, doing whatever my imagination would allow, granted it wouldn’t get me into trouble. One of which, was playing school. For me, playtime consisted of lining all of my stuffed animals and toys neatly in a row, placing a torn piece of paper and a broken crayon next to each toy, and beginning my lesson on whatever subject I felt like discussing for the day.
One of my favorite subjects to “teach” was music. I didn’t know too much about music at the time, but I knew how much I loved listening to it.I remember going into the kitchen and asking my mother for some spoons, pots and pans because I needed it to teach my music class. She didn’t object, instead she chuckled a bit, stepped away from cooking, and excitedly helped me locate the right pots and pans I needed to facilitate my lesson. While my older brother and sisters were all at school, I was at home making a bunch of noise, but to my five year old ears, it was the most beautiful music I’d ever heard.
Once I’d started grade school, I joined the school orchestra playing violin, and the choral ensemble.
When I entered middle school, I began teaching myself how to play piano.
I didn’t own one, so I only had access to the one inside our school choir room. I remember staying late after school and practicing piano for hours, until the school janitors came to clean up. I was always very shy and quiet as a kid, but becoming involved in the music programs in school, greatly boosted my confidence, not only in myself, but in other subject areas. By the time I reached my senior year in high school, I had participated in various clubs, made the honor roll, had a standout role in the school musical, and of course I was president of the school choir. It became evident to me that music was the career path that I should pursue.
In 2011, I graduated with my Associates in Arts degree in Music Education. And in the fall of the same year, I transferred and enrolled into the Bachelor of Music Education program at a local private university which meant tuition was going to be quite high. When I graduated with my associates degree, I had a 3.8 grade point average, and I was certain that I was going to get a scholarship, but when I didn’t, I was crushed. From the time that I had enrolled, until I stopped attending the school, I spent every day after classes in the financial aid office trying to find a solution to pay the remaining balance that I owed the school, but to no avail. Loans weren’t an option because my parents didn’t meet the credit requirement. I started a payment plan, but even the minimum monthly payments were too much for me to handle. After a while, they wouldn’t let me register for classes, so I had no choice but to withdraw from the school.
Growing up, my family was very poor, but education was everything in our home. And when it seemed as though my chances for that would be lost, I felt like a complete and utter failure. Nevertheless, I have been blessed to have such supportive friends and family, even when I was down, they never let me stay there. Always encouraging me, and reminding me to not lose sight of my purpose.
I have been blessed to have such wonderful teachers who saw my potential enough to invest in me, and my passion is to pay that forward to another student seeking the same.
Being a teacher is such an important position in the community, one that I have great pride and respect for. I know the influence that teachers have, and the lives that have been changed as a result of experiencing great teachers.This is why I know I can’t stop. I do this for my family, for the youth that I mentor. For my community. To inspire them to pursue their dreams; vigorously.
It hasn’t always been an easy road. It’s been a journey filled with many challenges. In September 2014, I was hit by a car crossing the street on my way home from work. I flew over the car that hit me , and landed on the median. I suffered lateral plateau and tibial fractures, contusions to my left rib, facial lacerations (road rash), two sprained ankles, tears in my ACLand MCL in my left knee. I was in physical therapy for two months.
And though my knee doesn't quite function the same, I thank God, because it could’ve been much worse. After the accident, things started to come into perspective. No matter what may come my way, I have to remain determined to reach my goals. I’m still here, I’ve still got time to make things happen. And now, I refuse to let anything stop me from pursuing my dreams. Not this time around.
Everything in life happens for a reason, the good, bad, the indifferent. And often times we may not be sure why, but one thing I’m sure of is that you can always keep going, long after you think you can’t. Whether or not I’m able to raise all of the money, or complete my degree. I’m going to continue to use music to inspire and educate others. Whether it’s teaching in a classroom, or in the community, "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”(Nelson Mandela)
And I intend to do just that.
To have your support would mean so much more to me than you know!
Sincerest Thanks,
Ariel
Links:
http://educatorinnovator.org/miami-teens-sharethelove-with-nonviolence-campaign-and-concert/
http://whereisthelovemiami.tumblr.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Bih9XnYuZY
www.facebook.com/youmediamiami
My name is Ariel Pottinger, and I am so excited to announce that I will be returning back to school to complete my Bachelor's degree! I am hoping to raise $25,000 to pay the money owed to my previous institution, so they can release my transcripts to my new school. Without which, I cannot attend. It would mean the world to me if 25,000 people can donate at least $1 to help support me on this journey.
I am currently a mentor at a teen technology program called YOUmedia Miami. I have been working there for three years and the experience has been nothing short of amazing. I teach workshops in digital music production, film scoring, and creative writing. The teens that I mentor come from diverse backgrounds, often underprivileged, with a variety of personalities, talents and needs.
With these teens, I’ve coordinated community projects that uses the arts and media to promote positivity and non-violence in the city of Miami Gardens. I've also organized a community concert to raise funds for Harmonies of Hope, a local organization who is invested in our city's youth. It’s a perfect training ground for someone who wants to pursue a career in teaching, which I do.
My passion for education began years ago, when I was only five years old. I always knew that I would be a teacher. Like all other five year old little girls, I enjoyed playing dress up and walking around the house in my mother’s old heels, doing whatever my imagination would allow, granted it wouldn’t get me into trouble. One of which, was playing school. For me, playtime consisted of lining all of my stuffed animals and toys neatly in a row, placing a torn piece of paper and a broken crayon next to each toy, and beginning my lesson on whatever subject I felt like discussing for the day. One of my favorite subjects to “teach” was music. I didn’t know too much about music at the time, but I knew how much I loved listening to it.I remember going into the kitchen and asking my mother for some spoons, pots and pans because I needed it to teach my music class. She didn’t object, instead she chuckled a bit, stepped away from cooking, and excitedly helped me locate the right pots and pans I needed to facilitate my lesson. While my older brother and sisters were all at school, I was at home making a bunch of noise, but to my five year old ears, it was the most beautiful music I’d ever heard. Once I’d started grade school, I joined the school orchestra playing violin, and the choral ensemble.When I entered middle school, I began teaching myself how to play piano.
I didn’t own one, so I only had access to the one inside our school choir room. I remember staying late after school and practicing piano for hours, until the school janitors came to clean up. I was always very shy and quiet as a kid, but becoming involved in the music programs in school, greatly boosted my confidence, not only in myself, but in other subject areas. By the time I reached my senior year in high school, I had participated in various clubs, made the honor roll, had a standout role in the school musical, and of course I was president of the school choir. It became evident to me that music was the career path that I should pursue. In 2011, I graduated with my Associates in Arts degree in Music Education. And in the fall of the same year, I transferred and enrolled into the Bachelor of Music Education program at a local private university which meant tuition was going to be quite high. When I graduated with my associates degree, I had a 3.8 grade point average, and I was certain that I was going to get a scholarship, but when I didn’t, I was crushed. From the time that I had enrolled, until I stopped attending the school, I spent every day after classes in the financial aid office trying to find a solution to pay the remaining balance that I owed the school, but to no avail. Loans weren’t an option because my parents didn’t meet the credit requirement. I started a payment plan, but even the minimum monthly payments were too much for me to handle. After a while, they wouldn’t let me register for classes, so I had no choice but to withdraw from the school. Growing up, my family was very poor, but education was everything in our home. And when it seemed as though my chances for that would be lost, I felt like a complete and utter failure. Nevertheless, I have been blessed to have such supportive friends and family, even when I was down, they never let me stay there. Always encouraging me, and reminding me to not lose sight of my purpose. I have been blessed to have such wonderful teachers who saw my potential enough to invest in me, and my passion is to pay that forward to another student seeking the same. Being a teacher is such an important position in the community, one that I have great pride and respect for. I know the influence that teachers have, and the lives that have been changed as a result of experiencing great teachers.This is why I know I can’t stop. I do this for my family, for the youth that I mentor. For my community. To inspire them to pursue their dreams; vigorously.It hasn’t always been an easy road. It’s been a journey filled with many challenges. In September 2014, I was hit by a car crossing the street on my way home from work. I flew over the car that hit me , and landed on the median. I suffered lateral plateau and tibial fractures, contusions to my left rib, facial lacerations (road rash), two sprained ankles, tears in my ACLand MCL in my left knee. I was in physical therapy for two months.
And though my knee doesn't quite function the same, I thank God, because it could’ve been much worse. After the accident, things started to come into perspective. No matter what may come my way, I have to remain determined to reach my goals. I’m still here, I’ve still got time to make things happen. And now, I refuse to let anything stop me from pursuing my dreams. Not this time around.
Everything in life happens for a reason, the good, bad, the indifferent. And often times we may not be sure why, but one thing I’m sure of is that you can always keep going, long after you think you can’t. Whether or not I’m able to raise all of the money, or complete my degree. I’m going to continue to use music to inspire and educate others. Whether it’s teaching in a classroom, or in the community, "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”(Nelson Mandela)
And I intend to do just that.
To have your support would mean so much more to me than you know!
Sincerest Thanks,
Ariel
Links:
http://educatorinnovator.org/miami-teens-sharethelove-with-nonviolence-campaign-and-concert/
http://whereisthelovemiami.tumblr.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Bih9XnYuZY
www.facebook.com/youmediamiami
Organizer
Ariel Pottinger
Organizer
Miami, FL