Many people don’t know that I first entered college with ambitions of becoming a physical therapist. It was there that I discovered my passion for helping others and my true love of learning. Upon this realization, I made a change in schools and focused on becoming a physical education teacher.

What I didn’t realize about myself at the time is how passionate about learning I would be.

I quickly learned one of the joys of teaching children is witnessing moments when they truly comprehend what is being shared with them. It may seem little, but seeing those ah-ha moments is inspiring. This drove me to learn as much as I could about how students learn and the teaching profession because I wanted to make a tremendous impact in the lives of all children.

While I had always been strong in school academically, I found myself immersed in my studies and loving every minute of it. Not only was I gaining valuable knowledge, I was truly enjoying all that I was reading, hearing and researching – it was energizing! I loved learning about teaching, students and the unique gifts that each child brings into this world so much that I pursued and attained both my masters and doctorate as well.

If you are truly passionate about something, you will want to learn more and do more. Your passion becomes your motivation to learn more, and the knowledge you gain can bloom into
amazing things, such as landing your dream career.

In the words of Alfred Mercier, “What we learn with pleasure we never forget.”

Written by Dr. Sue Savaglio-Jarvis, Superintendent of the Kenosha Unified School District, the third largest in the state of Wisconsin and the largest employer in Kenosha County.