Misha Collins

Misha Collins as angel Castiel on Supernatural (http://www.supernaturalwiki.com/images/f/fc/Castie (www.supernaturalwiki.com))

My friend had mentioned a television series called Supernatural that they really enjoyed. One day, I decided to finally check out the show and instantly I was hooked. As I watched the show more and more, I started looking up the actors. When I came across Misha Collins, who portrays the angel Castiel in Supernatural, my interest piqued. Though he`s an actor, I found that he demonstrates many attributes that a nanny would need to possess. He`s hardworking, an amazing father, dedicated, and loves life and the people in it. I discovered he started Random Acts, originally as a fund to help people in the Haiti earthquake, but expanded it to encourage doing random acts of kindness to make the world a better place.

As a live-in nanny, you have to shuttle the kids from place to place when needed. Most nannies also prepare meals for the children, may help them with their homework, or even do some housekeeping. Additionally, they put the kids to bed, get them to school and back, do whatever errands the parents may request, help teach children social skills, and may discipline them when necessary. According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook website, "Employment of childcare workers is projected to grow 14 percent from 2012 to 2022." Similar careers include being a preschool teacher, a kindergarten teacher, and a childcare center director. A college degree isn`t required to be a nanny, but is usually preferred. Most nannies get CPR certified and may get an Associate`s degree in Early Childhood Development or Early Childhood Education. A live-in nanny`s salary can range from $22,000-$80,000, but is usually a little under $30,000.

Misha Collins was a determined and hard worker from a young age. He graduated from Northfield Mount Hermon School in 1992, and in 1997, he earned a BA in Social Theory from the University of Chicago, where he graduated with honors, according to his International Movie Database (IMDb). After graduating in 1992, he worked as a producer for NPR, an intern for the White House, and dabbled in construction. He originally prepared for a career in politics; however, his mother was a professional story teller, and after his friends told him to try acting, he landed some minor roles and moved to LA. Collins' first on-screen role was as a guest in the TV series Legacy in 1998. His first big role was portraying the angel Castiel in Supernatural from 2008-present. He currently co-runs Random Acts, while continuing filming in the 10th season of Supernatural.

Misha Collins in Haiti with Random Acts (http://acollectivemind.files.wordpress.com/2013/08 (www.randomacts.org))

On December 3, 2009, Misha Collins used Twitter to ask his followers to come up with ideas for a stimulus project. The goal was to obtain US government money for non-profit initiatives. "When the Haiti earthquake happened, I registered with UNICEF to set up an account, and posted to Twitter for people to donate to it. In a matter of a couple of hours, $30,000 had been donated. That, to me, was eye-opening," said Misha, according to a USA Today interview. In mid-2010, the project became officially known as Random Acts. On August 21, 2010, Misha launched the site. According to the website Zap2It, he`s quoted saying, "I'm one of those people that thinks the world changes in smaller and in more mysterious ways than a lot of people like to think. A lot of traditional charities and organizations do things that on the surface seem like a good idea, but it doesn't change the way that people think about interacting with other people."

The classes that I`m presently taking and plan to take will help me to prepare for my role as a caretaker. I`m currently taking biology, which will help me understand better how the human body works. I also plan to take French all four years so I can be bilingual, which raises my chances of being hired. Additionally, I may take psychology, to better understand how the mind works and develops, and I`m going to take the Regional Occupational Program classes for Child Care Careers. I`m hoping to get into Waikato Institute of Technology so I can take a course in Early Childhood Development and get an Associate`s or Bachelor`s Degree. After graduating college, I plan to be a live-in nanny in New Zealand or, more likely, Australia. I hope I live like my Personal Career Hero, Misha Collins, did, and pass on my quirky sense of humor and zest for life to the children I`ll get to care for.