My husband Daniel and I have been married for over two years, and we settled in Rexburg shortly after we got married. During our time there, I began working at White Pine Charter School and loved every minute of it. I have my degree in Educational studies - a degree for people who want to work with kids and be in schools but do NOT want to be teachers. My job as a Secretary and then Administrative Assistant at White Pine Charter School was exactly what I wanted to do and where I wanted to be after graduating!
In practice, however, the job was not as easy as I thought it would be. It was the complete opposite! I jumped straight in and tried my best to get into the flow. It turns out, a really BIG part of my job was making the flow. I did my best to remember student names, build relationships with teachers and parents, and integrate myself into the culture at White Pine. The first few weeks were really hard, and it felt like the weight of the world was on my shoulders. I pressed forward, doing my best to be there for the students and being friendly to everyone who came by. Things slowly got better, and I was able to build confidence in my skills and my job, while learning a lot about myself and growing alongside the students.
Oftentimes, we find that the difficult or stressful things in our life do not become easier or suddenly stop being hard. Instead, we find ourselves growing and meeting the challenges of our everyday lives, and we are able to do more and tolerate more. I would not say my job has become any easier, but I have been able to learn and grow, developing my skill sets to better meet the needs of the school and the students. Everything becomes more fun and enjoyable as we make the flow and persist in it.
My time at White Pine has been full of lots of fun memories and experiences. I have loved building relationships with the students and the families that come here. Seeing these wonderful kids learn and grow is incredibly rewarding. In only two short years, I have seen so much growth and change within our community, and I am proud to have worked so closely with these brilliant students who have so much energy and excitement. More than anything, I am going to miss these sweet kids. They really make the job all worth it!
While living here, it has been incredibly hard to find work for my husband, Daniel. Daniel wants to work in film and videography and has much experience in it. We will be going to Utah, exploring jobs that help us work toward our goals and meet his skill sets. Our ultimate goal is to settle somewhere to begin our family, and have a more stable income. We will be working in Wyoming over the summer, staying there and going on many outdoor adventures (if you go white water rafting near Jackson Hole this summer, odds are the souvenir photos were taken by my husband). We are excited for this opportunity and moving closer to where we want to be as a couple and as a family.
I am truly going to miss my time at White Pine. I have built so many great relationships with the students, teachers, and parents, and it will be so sad to leave them all. I appreciate all the kindness and friendship everyone has shown to me. I know these students are going to continue to learn, grow, and pursue great things. Thank you for welcoming me into the community and helping me grow!
Thank you,
Rebecca Gray
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