[nobe-l] finally decided, now I need a mentor

[Kathy]

Kayla,
  So many of your questions are state specific as far as licensing goes. Your best bet would be to meet with an advisor at your school in the education program. I do know that you could attend whichever university you choose and where you gain acceptance, but if you want to teach in the state where you are, there is some advantage to going to an in-state program because they will automatically be aware of licensing requirements. For instance, I attended college in Illinois but lived and ultimately have always taught in Indiana. I had to go through some extra steps to get Indiana Licensing when I began teaching.
  I am happy that you are finding your way, and I encourage you to be both committed to your goal and also open to adjusting that goal if it ends up being necessary. To explain, a young woman I know from Kansas who is blind was dead set on being an English teacher, but she just changed her focus to massage therapy and is happier than she ever was in her original career track. A calling is a calling, not just in education, so I wish you the best as you seek what you believe to be that calling as a teacher and also stay true to how your future plays out, whether that is in education or not.
  Be well, Kayla.
Kathy and Nacho