Thank you for being such a vital part of our team, Peyton. We look forward to sharing more about you so others can get to know you better!
Peyton, To start our tutor spotlight on you, please Tell us a bit about your backstory and what lead you down your current life path.
I’m a pre-medicine student, turned entrepreneur. I spent most of my education learning about the human body and loved every part of it. However, rather than forging straight into medical school, I decided to take a break and consider all my options. I spent a few years studying chiropractic care before ultimately deciding to spend my time and energy tutoring students and running our small business (a fun fact about me is that outside of tutoring, my wife and I own a small deodorant business). I fell in love with teaching during college and spent 3 years peer teaching before doing some tutoring work on the side. I’m very excited to now be able to focus on my two greatest passions: education and health.
What is one thing you are most proud of achieving in your life, peyton?
I’m proud of my accomplishments academically all the way through college, but most proud of my preparation and results on my MCAT exam. Rather than taking a specific MCAT course, I decided to implement my own study techniques and spent two intense months preparing for the exam. Prior to studying, I scored in the 42nd percentile. But after those two months, I scored in the 92nd percentile on my official MCAT test. Even though I decided not to pursue a career in medicine, I’m proud of what I was able to accomplish through my hard work and dedication.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?
My wife. Nobody has encouraged me like she has. She has always told me to act without reservation and is always reminding me of the skills and talents that I have. When it comes to the important decisions in life, I often question whether or not I make the right choice. An example of one of these decisions is when I decided to leave my full-time job to focus on our small business. When I made the decision to move on from my other job, I was hesitant. My wife, however, encouraged me to pursue what I am most passionate about and reassured me that I made the decision for all the right reasons. Even now, she is the person that keeps me going in the proper direction and I owe her much credit for that.
Share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started teaching/tutoring, Peyton.
The story that I love the most is of one of my fellow college classmates. A year after graduating, she came to me asking for some advice on taking the MCAT. I decided to help her develop a plan and meet with her once a week to guide her through the process. Prior to studying, she scored a mark well below average and had very little confidence in herself. She did not believe she would make it to medical school. I tutored her over the course of 3 months before she took her official exam. I didn’t hear from her for several months, but when I followed up with her, she told me that she had improved her score by 14 points and had just been accepted to her first medical school! I love this story because of the transformation that she showed, not only with her score, but also her confidence.
What do you enjoy most about teaching/tutoring?
Learning can be challenging, demanding, and downright frustrating. My favorite part is seeing my students get to a point where they want to give up and then push through. I love watching my students develop persistence in their work and patience with themselves. Even more than seeing them succeed, it’s these moments of perseverance that I am most proud of. As I do my best to encourage them by modeling these behaviors, I, myself, am often inspired by their determination.
What do you like to do in your free time?
Most of my free time these days is spent with my 4-month-old, Kahleo. Watching him learn and develop is definitely my favorite thing to do right now. When I’m not with him, I’m probably outside, exercising, or spending time with friends (when possible). I also enjoy writing, reading, or playing games that are mentally challenging. I really don’t get bored easily, I can make whatever I’m doing enjoyable.
Tell about an amazing trip you took. Where did you go and what did you enjoy most?
The summer before my senior year of college, I went to Colorado with two of my friends. We somehow packed all of our clothes, hiking gear, food, and a tent for the three of us into my small car. We spent the week surviving off what we had brought, without buying food, taking showers, or using public restrooms. Half of the week we spent in bear country, so we hardly slept at all. It was a challenging week, but also an incredibly rewarding one. We saw some of the most beautiful places in the country and bonded over the hardships and the laughs. I can’t wait to do it again!
If you were granted three wishes, what would they be and why?
First wish: the ability to fly. Imagine how cool it would be to see the most beautiful places on Earth without anything attached to you. In my opinion, it’s the best form of transportation and would remove the need for automobiles, boats, or aircrafts. It also would help me overcome my fear of heights!
Second wish: to speak any language. I would love to be able to communicate with any person, no matter where they lived or what language they spoke. Imagine how much more you could learn simply by being able to speak with people that are different from you.
Third wish: that food wasn’t necessary to survive. This may seem like an odd wish, but I see several benefits. One, it would take a lot less time out of my day, especially the cooking part. Two, it would remove the need for large farms and plantations that destroy the environment. And three, you wouldn’t have to constantly worry about what you are putting into your body to stay healthy. Of course, you’d still be able to eat, it just wouldn’t be necessary!
The road to success is difficult and requires tremendous dedication. What advice would you give to a young person who aspires to follow in your footsteps and emulate your success?
Never stop asking why. Without asking why, you’ll never truly understand the purpose of what you are doing. The students that I work with that don’t have the skillset to ask why are the same ones that don’t have a purpose in what they are doing. And I’ve noticed that it is these students that are more likely to give up than the students who have identified a purpose. If I hadn’t stop to ask why, I probably would have ended up in a profession that I didn’t enjoy, doing what someone else thought I should do. Thankfully, I learned that by asking why I can be confident in making those decisions for myself and now I love what I do.
What are you most passionate about, Peyton? Can you share a story?
My first and foremost passion is health. I’m passionate about all aspects of health, but the two areas that I have focused on the most are physical and environmental health. Thanks to my background in medicine and biology, I have a good understand of both the human body and the planet. That’s why our small business focuses so much on caring for the body naturally and choosing sustainable options that have a low impact on Earth. Currently, we are leading a Go Green Initiative that will eliminate all the plastic that our company uses. Our goal is to inspire others to take better care of themselves and the planet and I want to encourage you to do the same!
as the focus of our tutor spotlight, you are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good for the greatest number of people, what would that be?
I believe that the most important resource a person can have is a quality education. Education creates opportunity and opportunity allows for change. Therefore, I would love to inspire a movement that creates strong educational systems for both children and adults all around the world. I believe that knowledge has the power to make the positive differences that we want to see. Knowledge allows us to understand how things work and also understand the consequences of our decisions and actions. In turn, it allows us all to make the best possible decisions for ourselves, others, and our planet.
Please share your favorite Life Lesson quote. How is it relevant to your life?
“A river cuts through a rock, not because of its power, but because of its persistence.” – Jim Watkins
I’ve looked back on this quote a few times in my life when I felt like giving up. These were seasons where I didn’t know if I’d be able to take another step forward or even pick myself back up again. In those moments, I realized how small I was and that I didn’t have the power to change everything all at once. But, at the same time, I also realized that if I kept pressing forward and continued to fight, I would someday accomplish the goals that I had set. To me, it was empowering to realize all that I could do if I simply kept with it and tried once more.
Thanks, Peyton, for allowing us to spotlight you! We are so lucky to have you on the team!
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