Studying early childhood education with Ranee Conley at Southwestern Michigan College “put more fire in my passion,” Noemi Reyna-Adams, SMC ’21, said.

Her career goal today is becoming a professor in early childhood education.

Conley “100-percent influenced this decision,” said Reyna-Adams, who is a first-year GSRP (Great Start Readiness Program) teacher at Countryside Academy, Benton Harbor.

With 750 students in the school, “This is the first year they have GSRP. They even started with one GSRP classroom, but soon saw a need for a second before the school year even started.”

Her classroom has 18 students and two teachers.

“I like that we get to help them learn and get ready for kindergarten, all through play,” she said. “Our curriculum is focused on learning through play and child-led interests. It is the last year that we really focus on learning through play before they enter a Y5-12 school system.”

From Eau Claire to White Hall

Reyna-Adams graduated from Eau Claire High School in 2014.

“I actually attended SMC straight out of high school,” she said. “I went in with a transfer major for forensic pathology, but changed it to secondary education. I was familiar with the campus, the class systems and some teachers. I also saw that they had a more in-depth early childhood program than other colleges I was looking at.”

She lived in William M. White Hall for two years, working the front desk for almost the whole time.

“I did attend a few dances they had with some friends on campus,” she said. “I was not very social in college, but wish that I could have explored more of what SMC had to offer.”

Reyna-Adams returned to SMC in 2019 from Central Michigan University.

“I took a year break from CMU and moved back down to southwest Michigan,” she said. “I majored in secondary education English and special education” to teach high school.

“After I moved back down from Mount Pleasant, I got a job as an assistant toddler teacher at Immanuel Early Childhood Development Center in Bridgman. I spent about a year at the position and learned a lot, from how to work with children, the importance of working on skills such as social emotional development and literacy.”

After being promoted to toddler lead teacher, Reyna-Adams needed to get a CDA (child development associate) credential or an associate degree. She chose the degree.

“When I got promoted to toddler lead teacher, I attended the MIAEYC (Michigan Association for the Education of Young Children) Early Childhood Conference.”

At the three-day Grand Rapids workshops “I learned and got inspired by many presenters who have been in the field for years,” Reyna-Adams said. “I would say in all, I was influenced by the job, the director (Barb Ackermann) and the conference. They all went hand in hand to show the potential and importance in the career.”

While still a student, Reyna-Adams after Immanuel worked from 2020-2024 at KinderCare Learning Centers-The Eddy, the child care center at Whirlpool’s global headquarters in Benton Harbor.”

“I worked from toddler assistant, toddler lead teacher, preschool lead teacher, school-aged lead teacher and then program specialist with management,” she said. “I was able to do all my observation and clinical hours for my associate and my bachelor’s degrees there thanks to the director, Brooke Boone.”

Reyna-Adams obtained her bachelor’s degree through CMU-Online Global 365bet体育在线投注_365体育官网-365体育欢迎您. “I obtained a bachelor of science in education/teaching early childhood education B-K and special education. I did all my classes online while working at The Eddy-KinderCare Learning Centers.”

Reyna-Adams has registered for CMU’s Online Global 365bet体育在线投注_365体育官网-365体育欢迎您 for her master’s degree in education with a curriculum and instruction focus. She plans to start classes this fall.

She sees herself in Conley’s shoes

Reyna-Adams said of Conley, “After taking just one of her classes and connecting with her, I was able to see myself in her shoes. I have a passion for early childhood education. I have a passion for teaching adults the importance of our career and how we make such an impact on all young lives, even infants!

“What intrigued me the most with the classes was the textbooks that I have kept to be hands-on resources in my career, the use of real experiences in the classroom and open conversation in all the classrooms. There was always open communication. If we didn’t understand or if we needed help applying the learning to our specific work environments.

“I think also being a program specialist helped solidify this decision,” Reyna-Adams said. “As a program specialist at The Eddy, I worked with teachers on how to execute and understand the curriculum. Essentially, I was teaching them and helping to become teachers.”

In October 2023, she married her partner of 11 years. “We do not have any children, but are planning to have at least two. This is an ongoing debate on how many we will end up having.”

She is the only teacher in her family, and the first to earn a bachelor’s degree.

Away from school, “I recently got into sewing blankets,” she said. “I also do 1,000+-piece puzzles and diamond art. I am currently working on a blanket for our future baby, one for my mom and one for a friend.”