Melissa Freer
Class of 2003
“Making a difference” could be Melissa Freer’s personal motto. A 2003 graduate of the Texas Academy of Leadership in the Humanities, Freer is practices what she espouses through an innovative education internship in San Antonio. Freer credits this opportunity to the training she received at TALH.
“Originally, I had planned to major in business,” Freer explained. “Volunteering at Fehl Elementary convinced me that my future was in education. I loved working with the students during my weekly service project, so education seemed natural.”
As a student at Austin College in Sherman, Freer found yet another benefit of her years at the Academy. “As a TALH student I discovered such a bigger world than I knew in my hometown high school. My success at TALH gave me the confidence to try new things.” Freer’s “new thing” was Japanese, a language that intrigued her and lead her to Dr. Carmen Tafoller, a mentor-alumnae of Austin College. “Dr. Tafoller was on campus as part of an Austin College’s Make It in the Real World Program. She is the director of the Camino School in San Antonio for gifted and talented elementary students. She gave me the opportunity to incorporate my academic interests with my goal of teaching. I created my own scholarship – the Japan Summer Institute Scholarship. How cool is that!”
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As part of her work with the Camino School, Freer created the “Passport to Japan” program. As part of the curriculum, students create their own passport and “fly to Japan” to study the culture and heritage and learn Japanese words and writing.
Freer will spend summer 2004 in San Antonio as a teacher at the Camino School’s Mini University. Under her guidance, 20 six through eighth graders will examine the university experience through selecting a university, developing resumes and application essays, and prioritizing extra-curricular activities. “Knowing what makes a successful college application is another skill I learned at TALH,” Freer adds. “It is not enough just to have good grades. Universities look at involvement and that is where TALH is a plus. I had opportunities there I would never have in a regular high school – real service and leadership that made the difference in my application.”
Freer hopes to share the benefits she had at the Texas Academy of Leadership in the Humanities with younger generations of students. She believes that education is the surest way to success and believes that the people and organizational skills she mastered at TALH will serve her well in the future.
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