My name is Katie Trinisewski, and I'm currently a junior at Moravian College in Bethlehem, PA. I'm studying elementary education and English literature and language. This past spring, I spent a semester at Shenandoah Conservatory in Virginia studying music therapy. Though I am still intrigued by and greatly supportive of this profession, I found that it wasn't for me - so I returned to Moravian this fall. I've been interested in teaching since I was in elementary school myself, and throughout high school I worked at day camps, helped with preschool programs, and volunteered in local elementary school classrooms.
Since I first began attending Moravian in 2007, I have been involved with The Learning Connection (TLC). TLC pairs a college student with a fourth or fifth grader from one of several nearby elementary schools. Each of these "mentees" is termed "at risk" in some way. Once a week, the mentor meets with his or her mentee at the student's elementary school. There are also monthly group events that bring all the mentors and mentees together. The mentor's job is to guide and encourage the elementary student by getting to know the student, showing an interest in the student's hobbies and activities, helping with academics, and merely talking and having fun! I was originally paired with a girl named Kim (see photo above); we had tons of fun working on homework, talking about favorite TV shows, exploring the Moravian campus, and even getting together outside of TLC events to go to the park or hang out with Kim's cat and dog! However, Kim has since moved on to seventh grade and thus "graduated" from TLC. I'm currently waiting for a new fourth or fifth grader to be matched with me, and I'm very excited to meet this new student!
In addition to TLC, I am also interested in music. I've taken flute lessons and played in either band, orchestra, or flute ensemble for years. Recently I've taken a break from flute to focus on learning to play the guitar, which I started studying my freshman year at Moravian College.
In my spare time, I enjoy participating in events at my church and meeting more people there. Of course, I also love just hanging out with my friends in downtown Bethlehem. Plus, this semester I'm volunteering at Head Start for one of my English classes. This has been a great learning experience for me, as well as a fun way to spend my Thursday mornings!
Random facts about Miss Trinisewski:
- I am an only child.
- I have an adorable cat named Scooter! (see photo to the right)
- My favorite vacation was visiting California several summers ago.
- I would love to be able to go to Greece someday.
- My favorite TV shows are "Gilmore Girls" and "Friends."
- In my spare time, I love to read and discover new singers/musicians.
- I'm a vegetarian.
- My favorite restaurants are Ruby Tuesday and Panera Bread.
- My hero is my high school orchestra teacher, whom I still see regularly. I would never be where I am today without her guidance, and she constantly teaches me something new (usually something not even about music)! Her impact on my life is something for which I am genuinely grateful.
