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Making History!!! 
Who Are We? 

Now that you know our story, you may want to know a little about us as individuals.  First of all we are all fifth year students in the Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia.  This is our third year in classes together and needless to say we are very comfortable together.  Besides learning social studies methods, technology integration and making history, we also laugh endlessly.  Let's begin by introducing our fearless leader and inspiration Dr. Cheryl Mason and move on from there. 

Cheryl Mason is an Assistant Professor of Social Studies Education at the Curry School. She works with both elementary and secondary preservice social studies teachers. Cheryl finished her Ph.D. in social studies education from North Carolina State University in May, 1998. The focus of her research is identifying effective ways to use computers in social studies classrooms. Cheryl works closely with students and faculty in the Curry Center for Technology and Teacher Education and the Virginia Center for Digital History. Teaching this course collaboratively has been fascinating for her, as we have learned a great deal about using collaborative technologies in teacher education. 

Cheryl Mason 
 
 My name is Thomas Hong, and I am a candidate for a Masters in Teaching at the University of Virginia.  I was born in South Korea, grew up in New York, and am currently in between being a Virginian and a Texan.  I am trying to enjoy my last year here at the University which I will miss dearly.  I love to play basketball and recently softball.  I love the New York Knicks, the New York Yankees, and the New York Giants.  Teaching is a calling of mine from the good Lord.  I am redeemed by Christ and am enjoying life with Him. 
              Thomas Hong 
 
Hello.  I'm a fifth year history and government major in the education school.  I am really interested in working with a diverse group of students next year, hopefully in D.C. or Atlanta. I'm half Irish, half Vietnamese.  I have two older sisters and one younger brother.  I love cheese!!!! Because I love cheese, I have to work out a lot, which I also enjoy). I love playing sports like swimming, tennis, track, basketball,  I play the violin and piano and I was born in Concord, Mass. (fitting for a  
history major, huh). 
Cindy Mulcahy             
 
 My name is Chris Kim, and I'm a fifth year BA/MT student.  Like many of us, I'm at a crossroads in my life:  I'm unsure of whether I will pursue teaching after I graduate and if so, where I would go?   I've thought about moving out to the Pacific Northwest, specifically in the Seattle region. However, I've also had some thoughts about continuing my education at a seminary.  So many decisions, so many applications. 
I seriously need some guidance. 

 I             Chris Kim 
 
My name is Sarah Richardson, and I'm a 5th year in the BA/MT program at UVA.  I majored in government and minored in history, and will be getting a broad-field certification to teach any area in social studies, grades 6-12.  I did my student teaching last semester at Charlottesville High School, working with 9th and 10th grade world history students and 11th grade American history students.  Student teaching was a very challenging experience -- I don't think I've ever learned as much in any other 4-month period of my life.  It cemented my belief that I want to be a teacher and that I am dedicated to educating young people and helping them appreciate learning (especially in social studies) as much as I do. 

 Sarah Richardson 
    I have spent the great majority of my life moving from place to place.  Even as a small child, I loved the excitement of change.     I was born on January 25, 1976 in Fredricksburg, Virginia.  My father, a materials engineer, quickly landed a job in Charlottesville, Virginia at what was then called the Science and Technology Center.  At the age of 2, I was a native of Charlottesville, a town in which I would spend most of my life.  But by the age of ten was lucky enough to move to Yokota Air Force Base in a suburb of Tokyo, Japan.  (To visit my old haunts in Japan, check out Yokota High School's web page) 
    I was I could explain how the experience of this exotic culture affected my identity and outlook on the world.  While living in Japan, I traveled to South Korea, China, Hong Kong, the Philippines, and Okinawa.  By the age of fourteen I had seen people of all ages starving on dirty streets, the blood of the students demonstrating for democracy still on Tianemen Square in Beijing, and the death of Emperor Hirohito.  I truly believe that these experiences heightened my interest in history, and my desire to share those experiences with others. 
    I also spent sixteen months living in Germany until the age of 15, becoming friends with the most awesome people in the world.  While living in Frankfurt I was fortunate enough to be a member of the World Football League Frankfurt Galaxy pep band.  I still miss the friends I made there and wish there was a way to find them again.  Maybe someday...  That's the hardest thing about traveling: saying goodbye to best friends and knowing that you will probably never see them again.  I have been able to keep in close contact with only 2 friends from my days overseas.  These are the people who know me better than anyone else.  My parents actually had the opportunity to go back to Frankfurt, Germany to see what had happened since Americans left their posts on the military bases.  My high school in Frankfurt was gone.  The restaurants and hang-outs where I would go with friends had been turned into a parking lot.  It was as if a piece of my history had been completely wiped away. 
    After moving back to Charlottesville, trying to adjust to life back in the United States was hard.  After being used to a military life of travel, becoming a civilian again was a culture shock.  It was difficult for me to make friends.  Eventually, however, my wander-lust took over again, and after I graduated from high school, I started college at Clemson University in South Carolina and then transferred to the University of Virginia in the fall of 1995.  At UVA I joined "the most wretched hive of scum and villainy" AKA The Virginia Pep Band.  And for once in over 4 years, I felt that I had found my place again.  I've managed to complete the requirements for my BA in History and am currently finishing my last semester in the Curry School of Education.  I hope to teach history in my old high school on Yokota Air Base, Japan.  I am currently scheduled for an interview with the principal there.  We shall see...  My friends accuse me of living too much in the past, but the past is such a large part of who I am.  I suppose that's true of everyone. 
 
              Jen Crider 
 
 I am graduating in May from UVA and the Curry School, and I am looking forward to teaching.  I have been inspired and awed by great teachers in my life, and I hope I can carry on the tradition.  I love to sing and dance, and most of my students think I am crazy when I do these things in front of the classroom, that I celebrate "joi de vive".  I also get pretty crazily excited about history, something my students would also tell you. But I firmly believe that understanding the past can only help us thrive in the future.  While I might take some time off from teaching to pursue my world-famous opera career, I will always return to teaching because it is something I feel very strongly about. 
 
 
 
I will now be the last introduction, my name is Lynn DeMong and I too cannot wait to teach.  I have spent my whole life in Charlottesville, and I am very excited to find a job in Atlanta.  It is time for me to get to the city.  I am very energetic and athletic.  I love food in almost every form, especially when I don't have to cook.  More than anything I am extremely social, and I love friends.  I expect that high school teaching will constantly provide challenges for me both personally and professionally as well as keep me active and young.  
 
 
 
Now that you know the class, we want to thank many of our pseudo- class members, Brooke Graham, Philip Molebash, Darcy Sanderson, Michelle Wiss, Kara Dawson, Glen Bull, Gina Bull, Dean Breneman, Richard DeMong...