Jenna Gruber, Bisk Foundation Scholarship Winner, Special Fall 2011, Part A Session
The University of Scranton, in partnership with Bisk Education, Inc., proudly recognizes Jenna Gruber – a music instructor from Downington, Pennsylvania – as winner of the Bisk Foundation Scholarship for the Special Fall 2011, Part A session. The scholarship supports the professional development of outstanding teachers who are making a difference in the lives of their students.
Currently enrolled in the Master of Science in Educational Administration, Gruber feels fortunate to be able to share her passion for music and education with her students and their families. She believes strongly that “Although there are many opportunities to impact others within a professional setting, I believe that people can make a difference through any kind of service in which they choose to invest themselves.”
With music as her inspiration, Gruber excels at reaching her students not just in the classroom but in their lives as well. “I believe that the most influential teachers are those who not only invest in their students’ education but also in their students’ lives, which is what I strive to accomplish.”
She cites one example in which a student of hers struggled with sustaining her concentration and motivation to work to her full potential. “Recognizing her struggles,” Gruber shares, “I strived to encourage her, meeting one-on-one to review work and praising her for the persistence she continued to demonstrate. After the course had ended, I received an email from both her father and her, thanking me for the extra time I had invested to meet her where she was at and encourage her to grow, not only in her approach to education but also in her communication with others.”
Messages like this one helped Gruber to understand more clearly that she does indeed make a difference in her students’ lives, helping her to remain inspired to “continually pour myself into the lives of my students,” she says.
Gruber also has had a positive impact in other areas, such as when she served as an instructor for a pitched percussion section in a local marching band. It was the first time the students had had a private instructor. “They were not used to authority and the rigidity of a practice schedule,” she shares, continuing, “I set goals and worked with them for hours, perfecting the musical parts they were to perform. To their surprise, the other sections of the band commended them for their increased proficiency, which was a complete transformation from the band’s previous views of ‘the pit.’”
At the end of the marching season, Gruber’s section expressed to her how much they valued the time she had invested in teaching them the proper techniques and practice skills needed to build their confidence and allow them to perform to the best of the their abilities.
Gruber’s passion for education can be summed up in her own words, “Success should not be measured by the achievements made in a lifetime but the ways that others have been affected in the process. I see that through educating, instructing and volunteering, I have been able to have a positive impact on those around me.”
Together with The University of Scranton, Bisk Education is proud to salute Jenna Gruber – a true everyday hero who is making a difference through the gift of education!
