Heidi Grotefend LeBlanc – Special Education & Early Intervention, Class of 2000

Heidi Grotefend LeBlanc

December, 2000 – Special Education & Early Intervention

                My name is Heidi Grotefend LeBlanc, I’m currently a Junior  majoring in Special Education – Early Intervention. I will be certified to teach special children ranging in age from birth to five years old. I should graduate in December of 2000 with a Bachelors Degree.

                When I first came to USL in the Fall of 1996, I majored in Nursing; however, during my second semester my feelings changed about being a nurse.  I wanted to become a nurse because I wanted to work with children and babies.  As I sat through my first nursing class, I realized that I wanted to work with children on a different level. I wanted to teach children who needed extra attention and had greater needs than other children. In high school, I had tutored a girl who had learning disabilities; and I loved it. It was so rewarding when I could see that I was really helping her understand her math or English homework. It was also exciting when she would come to me with a big smile to tell me that she had done well on the test for which we had spent hours preparing. We are still good friends today and talk often about our college experiences. She is one of the reasons I chose to go into education. She helped me to realize that I could make a difference.

                Now, I am beginning another semester with new and challenging classes. I am excited to start because I am getting closer to my degree and to teaching. Along with being a full-time student, I also work in the Department of Health and Physical Education located in Bourgeois Hall on campus. It is a work study job, so I am able to study if time allows. One of the professors for whom I work is Dr. Dugas. I was privileged to work with him on the Book of Letters by helping him sort, copy and type the letters. I must admit it was very interesting to read the letters that were sent. It gave me an idea of what USL was like before I attended. I could feel the pride that graduates have for USL as I read each story about their personal experiences.

My husband, Jared LeBlanc, will also be graduating soon from USL in Health and Physical Education with a minor in Social Studies. He would like to coach either baseball or basketball. It gets tough with us both being in school, but because we’re both education majors, we are able to help one another with classes and even take some together. Our options are still open about where we want to teach after graduation, but we both plan to continue our education and go to graduate school. The time that we don’t spend on school is fully dedicated to our six-month-old son, Grant Michael LeBlanc.

Thanks for allowing me to share my letter.

Sincerely,

Heidi G. LeBlanc