Joe Briggs Statement of Purpose My career began outside the classroom.

After college graduation, I worked as a timber buyer, however, it didnt take me long to realize this wasnt the career for me. Although I didnt work in the timber industry long, there were many lessons I learned that make me the strong erson I am today. I have been teaching middle school for nine years. I do not view my career as sim ly a !ob to ay my bills, it is so much more. I am an educator, a leader, and a life" long learner. My education didnt sto with my college degree, for as a teacher, Ive continued to e#tend my knowledge in and out of the classroom. As much as I en!oy teaching in the classroom, I now feel as though I could take my e# erience and knowledge gained to new heights. I believe I could be more beneficial in a leadershi role. I have ac$uired an abundance of knowledge sim ly in my classroom. Ive learned how to be the most effective teacher through my interaction with my students. %hroughout my trials and tribulations, Ive discovered what works and doesnt work. Being an administrator, I believe I could hel lead teachers to becoming their best through my e# erience and the knowledge I gain through the &ortheast 'eadershi Academy. %here is so much I ho e to learn( however, the one area I lan to research is education for African Americans and the best ractices for hel ing them meet their educational needs. African American students ty ically erform the lowest on &orth )arolina *nd of +rade %est. I ho e to discover ways to revent this statistic from recurring. %he African American numbers have vastly increased in our county, and I feel as though their contribution to our society is significant. It is crucial that we as educational leaders search for ways to end the discre ancies and close the ga between races in academics. I believe I have much to offer not only to &orth )arolina ,tate -niversity, but also my community. .ositive leaders are essential to the cohesiveness of any organization. /ne of my key strengths is my ability to work well with others. I have a great ra ort with not only my students, but also my coworkers. .ositive relationshi s are key to interactions among successful students and coworkers. Ive e# erienced both with the leaders in my school. Based on my own e# erience, Ive observed how

Joe Briggs teachers work much better under leaders whom they res ect and with whom give res ect. Because of my ability to listen to others, take constructive criticism, and interact in a ositive manner, with teachers, students and arents, I feel I would be an asset to the -niversity and be an effective leader in my community. I have in recent years taken on more of a leadershi role within my district. I am art of our 0istrict %echnology team, ,chool Im rovement team, Instructional 1acilitator team, Innovative 'eaders Academy, 2th +rade Math chair, %eam leader, and school based ,mart Board facilitator. *# anding myself outside the classroom has made me realize that I en!oy taking on a leadershi role and I have the necessary skills to be an effective leader. Although I have served in numerous leadershi ca acities, I understand that there is still a lethora of knowledge to be ac$uired. I ho e to obtain many key ob!ectives through the &ortheast 'eadershi Academy which will increase my effectiveness as an educational leader. Among these are3 learn ways to be the best advocate for students, mastery of knowledge and skills necessary for effective leadershi , and various ways to use assessment in the classroom which accurately characterize student achievement and develo best ractices to address the results. I look forward to bringing my e# eriences and leadershi ca abilities with me to the &ortheast 'eadershi Academy while gaining the knowledge and knowhow to become not only a great leader, but also the catalyst needed for educational reform in *astern &orth )arolina.