*Not to be confused with last week’s Campus Celebrity, Kasey Braden!
Name: Kayla Braden
Hometown: Clearwater, FL
Year: Junior
Major: Elementary Education
Relationship Status: Single
Her Campus: (HC): Let’s jump right into it. What are your current involvements on campus?
Kayla Braden (KB): I am currently the Activities Chairman of my chapter, Alpha Omicron Pi, which includes planning homecoming, intramurals, and organizing the campus involvement for my chapter. I also serve on the 67th Student Senate, holding the College of Education seat. Within the Panhellenic realm, I serve as one of the eight returning Recruitment Counselors for the 2015 Panhellenic Recruitment. In addition to those I am the Vice President of Revenue for Relay for Life.
HC: So you’re heavily involved in Relay for Life. Tell us a little bit about that.
KB: I have been involved ever since my junior year in high school. Organization holds a close place in my heart because I have known many people who have been affected by cancer, including family members, friends, and sorority sisters. It has taught me the definition of hard work and given me leadership skills and friends that I will cherish forever.
HC: What’s it like being an elementary education major?
KB: I believe being an elementary education major is different than what people think. Every time I tell someone that my major is elementary education they respond “how cute,” or “wow, you are so lucky, I bet that is so easy.” When people tell me that, I respond that it is a lot harder than people think. We have many classes that we take each semester on top of student teaching each semester. Even though it is a lot work and very time consuming, I wouldn’t change my major for the world. I love each and every second I spend with my students and knowing that I could have a lasting impact on each and every one of them is priceless.
HC: When did you become interested in teaching?
KB: I cannot pinpoint the exact moment when I knew that I wanted to become a teacher, but looking back on it now I probably knew when I was very young. My mother is a teacher and she is also my number one inspiration when it comes to teaching, she is everything I aspire to be and more. I grew up always hanging around at the school, and my sister and I would always play “school” at home. We have a line of teachers within my family, so I think half of it is because teaching is in our blood, as ridiculous as that sounds!
HC: Where do you hope to be five years from now?
KB: Five years from now I hope to be teaching in a low-socioeconomic school, whether that be through Teach for America, or just another teaching job that I land. I believe that all teachers can make a difference, but I would really like to be that teacher that makes a difference for that student that does not have much at home.
HC: Do you currently have a job?
KB: Yes! I currently work at the Fitness and Movement Clinic, which is the “other gym,” located in the Health and Wellness Center. I am also the Special Events Coordinator at the Sue McCollum Community Center for their PlayCamp this summer!
HC: What’s your favorite retail store?
KB: Francesca’s!!! By far! My sister and I go there all too often, we call ourselves their groupies.
HC: Favorite dessert?
KB: Carrot Cake Cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory!
HC: What do you like to do in your free time?
KB: I really enjoy playing basketball in my free time and reading Nicholas Sparks books (I am such a hopeless romantic).
HC: Give us a fun fact about yourself.
KB: Fun fact: I went to Jamaica this spring break for the Greek Life Alternative Spring Break program. It was the most amazing experience that I have had thus far in college. The children that I taught have changed my life forever. I think about it everyday since I went, and I can’t wait until I can go back again. If anyone has the chance to go next year, I highly recommend it!
HC: Finally, do you have any quotes you live by?
KB: Yes, I really love history and the time period that involved Civil Rights, so naturally, my quote is from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”