Matt Van Blaricom

Iron County Adult Education

"I learned to look for what matters to me most. Once I have decided upon a goal, I pursue it with a vigor and drive that is unrelenting."

Career Roadmap

Matt's work combines: Numbers, Education, and Teaching / Mentoring

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Teacher

I help students to gain knowledge and learn a growth mindset.

Bachelor's Degree: Elementary Education and Teaching

I've taken a lot of twists and turns

1.
Decided at 8 years old to not commit suicide. Swore to myself my children would not endure abuse.
2.
Got a GED at 16 after being expelled from school followed by dropping out.
3.
Earned my culinary arts credentials.
4.
Earned my security credentials.
5.
Earned my paralegal studies diploma.
6.
Graduated Magna Cum Laude with my Bachelors in Elementary Education and a mathematics emphasis.
7.
Secured my job as a teacher.

THE NOISE
Messages from Teachers:
You will never finish high school. You'll end up in jail.
How I responded:
I learned to look for what matters to me most. Once I have decided upon a goal, I pursue it with a vigor and drive that is unrelenting.

Experiences and challenges that shaped me

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I am a severe dyslexic.
I come from poor. We were not dirt poor, as we lived in houses with carpet, but we were food insecure and money was a constant focus of fear for us.
I was never in a gang. I was, however, a victim many times in school settings of violence. This victimization lead to my eventual expulsion from high school.
I went to college without any clue what to expect and praying it was nothing like high school.

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