LEAH O’LEARYSenior Exit Presentation 2012

(I took this photo)

Who Am I? The Basics.

Leah Marie O’Leary 18 years old From Clio, Michigan Lived half my life in

South & North Carolina

Live with parents and younger brother in Clio.

Lover of music, travel and foreign language.

Skills Strength in foreign languages: 私は日本語を話すことができる – Reading,

Writing & Speaking in Japanese 6 years of studying French Reading and writing in Korean Nearly 7 years of playing Flute and

Piccolo Academic and creative writing

Academic & Extracurricular Accomplishments

Maintained 3.9 GPA all four years of high school. Ranked 2nd in my class.

AP Classes such as English Composition and Literature (College Credit Earned)

ACT Score 27 Vice President of National Honor

Society Section leader and participant in

marching and concert band for 4 years. Flute and Piccolo. Photo

Accepted to Eastern Michigan University; awarded Emerald Scholarship, Pell Grant and EFOS Scholarship.

Missed 1 month of school, and worked independently, raising all grades to A’s --including Trigonometry, French and AP Lit-- on my own.

Volunteer Work &Community Service

Work exchange program in Ireland for 2 weeks. June 2011. Housework, painting and maintenance work.

Work exchange in Japan for 1 month. September 2011. Worked as English teacher and aid to homeschooled Japanese students: Kindergarten, 1st Grade and 4th grade. Led toddler classes at community center, and edited/translated city newsletter in English.

Tutor for students grades 5-8 at Carter Middle School for 2 years.

Taught private flute lessons. NHS community service activities such

as blood drive recruiting, Sharing Tree donations and fundraising.

Taught French to elementary students afterschool through International Club

Ireland- June 2011

Japan- September 2011

Working as a teacher and living in Kashiba, Japan

Japan and My Life

Future Career Pathway: Human Services

Future Career: English Teacher and TESOL Teacher

My hope is to become an English teacher in Japan teaching English as a second language.

Short-Term Goals

By June 2012- Graduate from Clio High School as either Valedictorian or Salutatorian.

By September 2012- Enroll at Eastern Michigan University.

In college: Major in Education and English. Minor in Japanese.

By June 2012-the year: Get a part-time job during the summer and during the school year.

Long-Term Goals

By 2016: Finish four years of college. Earn Bachelor’s Degree and Teacher Certification from EMU.

By 2016: Having minored (or possibly majored) in Japanese, master the language and become fluent.

Following graduation: Earn a job as an English teacher full-time in Japan.

After college: Eventually settle down there and live in Japan permanently.

Throughout my life: Travel extensively through other work and teaching organizations around Asia, namely to South Korea and China.

How I’m Getting There

Hard work and sheer determination! Scholarships to pay for college Part-time or full-time job during college to pay

additional expenses Maintaining my GPA in order to keep up scholarship

opportunities and earn my degree as soon as possible.

Research appropriate teaching organizations such as JET in order to secure my future job as a foreign English teacher.

Practicing and studying various languages; Japanese being my primary second language, but also perfecting my Korean and French skills.

Any Questions?

Thank You For Your Time!