Hi, I’m Abby Gilner! I’m sixteen years old, and I’m a junior at Escanaba High School. After I graduate from the Escanaba Jr/Senior High School in 2027, I would like to go to college to pursue the career of teaching.

I realized that I wanted to be a teacher when I was in late middle school to early high school. I believe my dream of teaching comes from the amazing role models as teachers I’ve had over the years. My first (and favorite) teacher is my mom. Up until ninth grade, I was homeschooled. My mom was a kind, gentle teacher who would always listen to my sister and I and who loved spending one-on one-time with us.

When I started going to high school, I had awesome teachers who were really passionate about their subject matter and made sure to explain things well enough so that we would all understand it.

After high school, the college I would like to attend is Martin Luther College. Martin Luther College is a private, Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran college that trains its students to serve in the ministry as pastors and teachers. After their graduation, the pastors and teachers are then “called” to Lutheran churches and schools who have a vacancy that needs to be filled.

When I go to Martin Luther College, I want to study to become a secondary English and/or history teacher. I want to minor or double-major in elementary teaching, because I love little kids. I will also become more accessible to schools that need teachers.

When I’m at Martin Luther College, I want to become involved in the Martin Luther College Choir, concert band and maybe a musical. The Martin Luther College Choir is a traveling choir, and they visited my church once when I was in third grade. Us Sunday school kids got to sing along with them at the beginning of the service. After the service there was a potluck, and we got to talk to the college students and get to know them.

After that day, I wanted to go to Martin Luther College – mainly because it seemed fun and I wanted to be in the choir. When I was in middle school, my interests changed and I didn’t want to go to Martin Luther College anymore, but instead I wanted to be an author. However, by the time I entered high school, I wanted to be a teacher and go to Martin Luther College again.

I can’t wait to become a teacher someday and teach kids about God’s word, English and history!

Abby Gilner

16 years old

Eleventh grade at the Escanaba Jr/Sr High School