Practice Post

My name is Caitlyn Barton. I was born in Marion, AL and have lived there my whole life. I grew up on a farm. Complete with cows, chickens, horses, and even some peacocks. I attended and graduated high school from Southern Academy. My graduating class consisted of 17, yes only 17, students including myself.I played volleyball, basketball, and softball throughout high school. Volleyball is by far my favorite of the three. I am happy that I still get to play volleyball at South in intramural games. I was lucky enough to do well on my ACT and receive a scholarship from the University of South Alabama. My cousin went here and seemed to love it so I decided to try it out. I started school at South in the fall of 2012. I went through rush the week before school started and became a Chi Omega. This has been one of the best decisions I have made. Not only have I met my best friends but I have so many leadership and philanthropic opportunities. I am on the Executive Board for 2014 and I am also the T-shirt and Social Media chair for Chi Omega. South offers so much to it's students and I am so glad I made the choice to spend my four years of undergrad here.

I am the youngest of only two children at 19 years old. I have a one sister, Kasey, who is 22. She is a recently licensed RN who starts her first job in Tuscaloosa on January 20th. Our parents have been married for 24 years. My father works at the local Co-op and my mother is a 5th grade teacher. She has been teaching for 25 years. Along the way she has taught Kindergarten, 1st grade, 2nd grade, and 5th grade. I have many women in my family who are educators and I am very excited to follow in their footsteps. I am very close to my grandparents and I am thankful for how close they have always been. They live only a small cow field away from my house. They have owned and operated a used car lot for the past 47 years. This month they are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary!

Since I was a child I have watched my mother, aunts, and cousins teach. They are all wonderful educators and are full of passion. My senior year of high school I was listening to my mom talk about one of her students while on the way to a volleyball game. I had been trying to figure out what it was I wanted to do with my life. I had never even considered a career in education. That day it hit me like a brick wall. I knew exactly what I wanted to do. And it was to teach.

My favorite thing to do is to paint, draw, craft or anything art wise. Whenever I can find free time, you will find me trying to make something or paint it. I hope to get better at that but I just love it as a hobby.