1. I am Roseangela Dupree This is who I am proud to be! This presentation is a look at what my life is, and what I hope for it to become! This is who I am and how to came to be; a mother, a friend and a caring and compassionate person. Living in a world full of exceptional people with exceptional needs and doing all I can to complete this life that I love in a positive fashion.

2. Professional Background My work history would reflect that of a typical working mother, prior to gaining a higher education with Ashford I have worked many construction and asbestos/ hazardous material waist sites. I was a New York State Supervisor in various areas of these fields for 12 years. Once I decided to stop traveling for work; I returned to the common everyday life of factory and mill work. Some twenty two years ago I had owned and operated my own small diner located in Oswego N.Y. where I grew up and I loved every minute of being my own boss and getting the chance to meet members of my community that came in for their meals. I felt the social aspects of owning this business was right where I belonged. Since obtaining my bachelor’s degree in Social and criminal justice/ Early Childhood Development, my goals have changed. I no longer want to be a typical factory worker; I want to work with children that have exceptional needs and assist people of all ages with life skills and community involvement. Life has thrown a few curves in my direction that have indeed encouraged my thoughts on what my future goals will be. I began school with the intentions of becoming a juvenile probation officer and to work with the youth that needed a little guidance in this big world. These plans had changed however; when our youngest daughter was sexually assaulted by a teenage boy when she was only six years old. I am now wanting to work with children and young adults that I love spending so much time with. My goals now are in becoming an educational advocate and being able to work in areas of teaching members in our community to be the best they can be, no matter what their struggles are.

3. My Interests In my spare fun time; I love to paint, garden and be outdoors with our seven children, four dogs and the numerous horses that our daughter has rescued, saved, rehabbed and rehomed (upwards of 32 horses). I paint old carousel horses for children with indifferences and I have painted full room murals for each my children left here at home. I am an artist at heart! My interests in working with exceptional people with exceptional needs stems from raising three children of my own that have learning indifferences and physical needs such as our youngest daughter that is epileptic and struggles in many areas of life due to the damage this disease has caused her.

4. Public School Growing up I lived in a country setting and attended the local public schools through my senior year of high school. I was a self chosen secluded student from others. I was very shy and my best friend was a little girl named Karen; she was the only student at the time in our school that endured challenges of having Down syndrome. We are still very close today. One key moment for me that had a lasting impact on my life was graduating the 8 th grade and be able to attend the dance at the end of the year. My Social Studies teacher Mrs. Niaoti had over heard Karen and I talking when I said that I was not going to go to the dance because I did not have a dress and my mother had no intentions on getting me one. Karen and I were both devastated as we normally went to the dances together. The following day as I was getting on the bus to go home the day of the dance; Mrs. Niaoti stopped me and handed me a bag with two boxes in it; then instructed me not to open it until I got home. Upon getting home and opening the boxes; I found the most beautiful prom dress and matching shoes that I had ever seen with a card that read… “You only have one 8 th grade graduation and I can’t wait to see you there”. As my eyes filled with tears I prepared myself to go and enjoy the dance with my best friend. Mrs. Niaoti was by far the best teacher I ever had throughout school. I learned that good people make good friends and these are often hard things to find in life.

5. My future goals: As aforementioned my goals are to work with and for the families and the children in communities that are struggling in any way to achieve their goals. I feel that their accomplishments are helping me to work on my accomplishments. By earning my master’s degree; I feel that I am showing others that I am willing to work hard for something that I never thought I would achieve as a seventeen year old mother crossing the stage to get my hard earned diploma from high school, with my young son in my arms; a task that took me a little longer than others to achieve! I have learned a lot about laws and regulations that govern the schools through my time here with Ashford and my master’s degree will only enable me to utilize these skills in a more effective and appropriate manner with the families and community members that I choose to work with. I want my goals and challenges in life to also benefit the goals and challenges of the people that I care so deeply for in my life and in my line of work. I will now conclude this introduction with the three quotes that I live by and try to express to everyone that I encounter in life….

6. Quotes that symbolizes my belief about education “Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world “ ~ Nelson Mandela~ The best teachers are those who show you where to look, but don’t tell you what to see” ~ Alexandra K. Trenfor~ “ It does not matter how slowly you go as long as YOU DON”T STOP” ~ John Cotton Dana ~

7. From my family, to yours In closing my family and I wish the best to everyone that is working on bettering their education and the education of others. I look forward to learning with you and from you all!