Jennifer Grierson
Boulder Valley School District & Rise Nation Colorado
Boulder, CO USA
"It is important to prioritize so that you can be your best self!"
Career Roadmap
Jennifer's work combines: Education, Sports, and Teaching / Mentoring
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Here's the path I took:
High School
Arapahoe High School
Bachelor's Degree
Advertising
University of Georgia
Graduate Degree
Teacher Leadership
University of St. Thomas
Certification
Certified Personal Trainer (CPT)
National Academy of Sports Medicine
Vocational
Certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition
Cornell University
Here's the path I recommend for someone who wants to be an ELD/AVID Teacher & Fitness Instructor:
Bachelor's Degree: Advertising
Graduate Degree: Teacher Leadership
Certification: Certified Personal Trainer (CPT)
Vocational: Certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition
Learn more about different paths to this career
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life took a while to figure out
1.
I applied to many different alternative teacher programs until I was accepted.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Society in general:
Teachers don't make any money and it's a thankless job. It's very difficult to be a fitness instructor or a personal trainer if you do not come from a strong athletic background (which I did not).
How I responded:
I created meaningful experiences with people who actually had these jobs. I found teachers who were passionate about the career path that they chose and showed me what an incredibly important, rewarding job teaching really is. I found fitness instructors and personal trainers who never enjoyed physical activity and didn't feel like they had an athletic talent when they were younger. These people taught me that it wasn't about being "born with athletic talent," it's about following your passion.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
A big issue that I faced was managing my time and not over-doing it. I wanted to be able to fit everything in one day or one week and I would burn out. I learned quickly that it is important to prioritize so that you can be your best self!