Shannon Fallis Helps Rebecca!

Wow, you guys are getting old!!! My first big accomplishment happened right after I finished High School. I invented Post It Notes. haha! That's for all of you Romey and Michelle fans out there!

Right after high school, I went to Salt Lake Community College and graduated with a degree in General Studies. During that time, I worked for Girl Scouts of Utah as an outreach program leader. I helped write programs and run activities for children attending "high risk" schools. During the summers, I would head up to Lilliwaup, Washington where I worked at Camp Robbinswold. I got to spend my time hiking, singing, sailing, canoeing, kayaking, riding horses, backpacking, swimming, and dying my hair bright orange! Where else but summer camp can you get away with such things? (and one time, at Girl Scout Camp....)


After my third summer as a Unit Leader at camp, I decided I needed a "real job." I was kind of interested in recreation management so I applied to work at local community centers. I was hired to work at the Jewish Community Center teaching preschool (ya think? Preschool, me?) Well, I just knew it would be a short lived job (I gave myself 6 months tops) and 5 years later I was still teaching and loving every minute of it. It's been fun to watch "my kids" grow up! My first class ever is now going into 5th grade.

During that time, I met a lot of cool families and started house sitting, babysitting, and nannying. One day, a woman approached me about babysitting her granddaughter (2yrs old) who was in Primary Children's Hospital due to a serious head injury during a family camping trip. I started helping relieve some family stress by hanging with Rebecca in her hospital room while her parents/grandparents took a much needed break.

When Rebecca got all better, I continued helping her family with babysitting and housesitting. During that time, Rebecca was diagnosed with PDD a brain disorder on the autism spectrum. Her family was very proactive in testing out all the therapies they could find to help Rebecca be successful. I was lucky to be a part of this, I was trained on the programs they were interested in and was able to help Rebecca with her therapy. I got to explore many different career options Speech Pathology, Occupational Therapy, ABA Therapy, etc. It was a great learning experience!

I had been teaching preschool and helping her family for a long time, and I decided it was time to go back to school. After a long time of trying to decide what to do, I enrolled at the Universtiy of Utah and was going to start taking classes to become a speech therapist. I had to decide what to do for employment so when Rebecca was required to have a full time aide help in her first grade classroom I jumped at the opportunity! I quit my job as a preschool teacher and moved from preschool at the JCC to first grade at The McGillis School. This past year, I was attending school in the evenings and working full time at the McGillis School. I loved every minute of working in a first grade classroom. I started thinking "should I change my major?" Yes, I did, 3 times actually! I went from speech to Occupational Therapy (I'd still love to do this, but the cadavier lab FREAKS me out!!!), and now I am going into Human Development seeking a child life specialist certification.

So, I have to go off for a minute and let you all know what child life is. A child life specialist is the person who is there to help the chidlren get out emotions, frustrations, thoughts, feelings, energy, etc while they are staying in the hospital. No, it's not a therapist. No, It's not a doctor or nurse. A child life specialist plays with children while they talk out their problems, etc. They are the activity people in the hospital. Ok, I just had to explain, cuz most people don't know what it is.

As many of you have learned with your own kids, children grow up. Now my life is taking another serious turn, and I am no longer going to be helping Rebecca. She has been doing so well lately, they are not going to need me anymore. I am super sad, but also very happy to know how much I have helped this child (and how much she has taught me!!!!) Since Rebecca didn't need me anymore, I got a job nannying for the summer. I have spent this summer hanging at the pool, playing lego's and building teepee's out of sheets and blankets (did you ever do that as a kid?) at the same time looking for a job. Since I am attending school full time, and I am soooo close to graduating, I have the worst school schedule ever! Finding a job that would work with my school schedule was difficult. But with the help of some great parents (of my kids) and friends, I got a job as a rehab aide at an elderly care center. So I am once again in for some big changes, but I am looking forward to the challenges that are soon to come.

It's been an experience growing up and getting old! haha! But i've loved every minute of it! I regret not keeping in contact with more people, but I look forward to seeing you all soon. Unfortunately, I am not able to attend the evening event, but I hope many of you will be there with your families. I am bringing Shaun's daughter, Victoria, because he will be working! Much love to you all!

Shannon Fallis

fallsha@aol.com