Nikki Chopra

I work with younger students attending Amherst College public schools, providing music lessons and assistance in preparing for recitals when necessary. In our sessions, we dive right into reading music, refining the quality of their playing, and grasping the nuances of instrument tone. Given that students learn most effectively through examples, I prioritize demonstrations to illustrate the techniques and concepts I aim to show.

During my winter break, I was trained to become a certified EMT through Amherst College. Because we only had 4 weeks instead of 2-3 months, this was an intensive program that was around 6-9 hours a day. In March I will be fully certified as an EMT and work on campus as an EMT for Amherst College in a program called ACEMS (Amherst College Emergency Medical Services).

This program was where I was able to get the experience to learn different skills that benefited main the medical field and be able to first hand see what it was like to work in a hospital. In the morning I had classes where I learned new skills like blood pressure, glucose levels, splinting, etc and spent two-three days a week in the emergency department. I was able to learn many different things and interact with a lot of people, and shadow doctors. I was also able to learn about a topic I found interesting (sickle cell disease) and come up with a potential solution to break down barriers in communities with less access to medical care.

In my role as a tutor at Chicago Public Schools, I worked with students ranging from 4th to 8th grade, each with unique learning styles and academic needs. The nature of this position demanded critical thinking to make sure each individuals needs were met. I made sure to alter my teaching methods for each individual's strengths and areas of improvement in order to achieve academic success.

Over the summer, I worked with people with disabilities and did many activities that were hands on. I had experience prior to this because I was on the board of Best Buddies at my school for three years. Best Buddies was a club to bridge the divide between people with and without disabilities. Because I had experience, I was able to recognize and was familiar with the people in afterschool matters.