Local teacher beats cancer and obtains Master’s Degree

Adults over the age of 25 represent around 40 percent of enrollment in U.S. higher education today. That’s nearly eight million learners and 73 percent of those adults consider themselves lifelong learners. This is true for educator Amanda Davis who recently celebrated the completion of her Master’s Degree in Education and was thrilled to finally commemorate the event.

“It took me 10 years to finally meet this personal goal that I have literally had since I was a little girl,” Davis said. “I remember as a very young child telling myself that a Master’s Degree is what I wanted. The last 10 years have included three degree plan changes, fighting esophageal cancer which resulted in me being medically separated from the Air Force, birthing my miracle baby girl, finding my true passion of becoming a teacher, and navigating a new career after not knowing if any of it would be possible. But God!”

Davis credits the Lord for putting the right people in her path so she would finish her education even after receiving an ugly cancer diagnosis while she was in the military and undergoing aggressive treatment to finally be in remission.

Davis then went on to teach 2nd grade at Marshall Elementary for two years and now she is at Carlton Landing teaching 1st and 2nd grade.

“I have almost finished my Certified Academic Language Practitioners (CALP) certification. This allows me to provide explicit, systematic, sequential Multisensory Structured Language instruction which builds a high degree of accuracy, knowledge, and independence for students with written-language disorders, including dyslexia. So not only did I complete my Master’s I also worked on this in order to assist children with reading difficulties. Literacy is where my heart is and watching a child grasp the rules and concepts is structured language makes every day teaching so worthwhile.

“Teaching was what I was meant to do but at first I disregarded it because I had a huge battle to fight. However, God knew what He was doing because once the cancer was in remission He put another educator, Mandi Pitts, in my life and she became God’s vessel to once again tell me that teaching was what I was meant to do.”

“Throughout the years I often doubted myself but God would speak through my amazing husband, Ryan, who encouraged me through the tears and frustration. He supported me through the long hours it took to do homework and never complained or made me feel bad for being so consumed in my schooling.”

“God has also given me friends like Elizabeth Junell Creekbaum, who tells me she is proud of me and all that I have accomplished. I definitely need these amazing people in my life because I give so much to teaching but still find myself wondering if I am doing a good job. However, God always finds ways to show me that I am making a difference through those He has put in my life and the little faces I share my days with in the classroom.”

“I say all this to say that it is not about a ceremony but the bumpy, winding, gravel road it took to get here. It makes me proud of myself and if you know me at all, it takes a lot for me to be proud of my accomplishments. I’m not one for the limelight or public recognition but I wanted to share this because it is something to be proud of and to encourage others that it’s never too late to reach for your goals and work toward your dreams. Yes, it takes effort, hard work and determination but it is so worth it! Just go for it!”