Keri Sohlman Memorial Scholarship

“Ok class, it’s time to choose your independent reading book for the week”, said Ms. Mazzone. “Oh great, the worst part of my week is here again”, I thought to myself, and started to sweat. Everyone got up and went to the red and yellow book bins. Because I’m in the fourth grade but on a first grade reading level, I had to choose from the green one. It was so humiliating. Everyone knew what the green bin means. Even worse than my reading was my spelling, my spelling was at a kindergarten level. Because of my atrocious spelling, I would get pulled into the hallway to use text to speech for assignments and tests. Everyone in the classroom could hear everything I was saying and hear my frustration. Me: (to text to speech): Severus Snape (text to speech writes) Venomous Snake Me: (loud enough for everyone to hear) SEVERUS SNAPE!!!!!!!! (text to speech writes) Venomous Snake Me: NOOOOOOOO!!!!!! Ms. Mazzone, I need help!!!!! I could feel the tears forming in my eyes. “Why am I the stupid one? Why did I have to get stuck having dyslexia?” From pre-k three all through elementary school, every day was agony. The frustrating thing was that I actually loved listening to books and watching educational videos, and I loved to learn. My roadblock, my dyslexia, was giving me severe anxiety and causing me to melt down in school. I felt like I was trapped and I could not escape. I had no self-esteem, felt dumb, and doubted I would graduate from middle school. Fast forward to March of 2020, a turning point in my story. While others struggled during this time, I excelled academically and it was because of my favorite teacher, my mother. While I was sitting in on google classroom meetings, my mother, a high school teacher, was teaching her classes in the room next to mine. I was in awe listening to her lessons and the bond that she had with her students. While her class was working on independent assignments or during her lunch break, she would hear me struggling. Once she saw exactly what I was having a hard time with she would spend the rest of her day working independently with me. We spent hours studying for tests, working on written assignments, reading books, and working on coping skills for me to use during class time. Because of my mom, I found my voice participating in class discussions, discovered that using notecards was the best way for me to study, and no longer cared about taking longer than everyone to finish assignments. I enjoyed class more now that I wasn’t comparing myself to others. I now felt a confident and it was all because of my mother. She has so much patience for not only me, but her students as well. When middle school began in September, I was ready! I achieved the honor roll during my two years of middle school and all four years of high school. I even was inducted into the National Honor Society. I am so proud in all that I accomplished. I envision myself as a secondary special education history teacher. Because of my struggles with dyslexia, I feel that I will be able to encourage and inspire students who are just like me. I will make sure that they know anything is possible, even making it to the National Honor Society and graduating high school with honors. I would love to give them the strength and confidence that my mom gave not only me, but her students as well.

One good teacher can flip someone’s whole world upside down. Growing up, I always wanted to be a teacher because I loved the idea of teaching students and changing so many people’s lives. As I grew older, I realized just how perfect the job would be for me. I find myself constantly teaching my peers how to do certain math problems or learn new things with music. People come to me when they need help, and it’s incredibly rewarding to help others and see them progress from just one small suggestion. My interest in education goes far beyond academics. I believe that education is not about filling students with information, but about helping students build confidence and discover their own potential. In my various leadership roles, people come to me for guidance, and I have begun to realize that they don’t always need an answer, but rather someone to listen to them or remind them that they are capable, and that I will always be there for them. Seeing them take this encouragement and run with it has shown me how easy it is to help people develop and how much I love the education field. There is no better way to positively impact both the emotional and academic growth of so many people. In the future, I want to contribute to student education by creating an environment where students feel safe and supported, and are always encouraged to ask questions and make mistakes. Another very important part of creating a comfortable classroom environment is understanding how students' mental health can affect their ability to learn and succeed. When students become anxious or overwhelmed, they often shut down and isolate themselves, which makes them unable to learn or grow. From my own experience navigating various focus problems, I’ve seen how meaningful a supportive teacher can be. I want my classroom to be a safe space for students to feel comfortable sharing this information in order to get the education they deserve. One very big thing that I plan on using in my classroom is music. Along with education, I am also majoring in music. I have grown up with music being a very big part of my life, and I have seen firsthand how impactful music can be to learning and expressing emotions. Listening to music has been shown to decrease levels of stress and anxiety, which creates an overall relaxed learning environment. Music is also very good for helping with focus and staying engaged. Music helps students stay attentive, on task, and take in new information. I plan on attending Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ. I have been accepted into a 5-year master's program in secondary English education. Along with that, I am planning on majoring in music to get a BA and minoring in Spanish. My dream is to teach students in seventh to eleventh grade. These programs will provide me with the tools and perspective that I need to create a successful and supportive learning environment. I understand that people have many passions, and I hope to show students that they can do anything that they put their minds to. Through this career path, I hope to become an educator who inspires students to grow both inside and outside the classroom.

Throughout elementary school, people always asked what I wanted to be when I grew up. I could never answer, I was never good at anything such as drawing or being funny. I had no idea until 4th grade, when Mrs. Mazzone taught me. Her way of teaching inspired me as well as her empathy for her students. I didn't have to act a certain way or stand out in order for her to treat everyone the same. She was so kind and inspiring to me and everyone. At the end of the year, I hugged her and told her that I wanted to be a teacher just like her. I want the kids I teach to feel the same way as I did with my teacher. Teaching became a passion and I began to adore kids with all my heart, with their creativity and different way of thinking. When I entered high school, I learned about Tomorrow's Teachers program and became interested in it. I got accepted and had the experience of assisting a teacher in my district and I chose 1st grade the elementary school that I went to. I was able to observe how the teacher acted around her kids and how each child learned differently. I took notes on how a teacher should act for my future and was soon inspired by the way she disciplined the classroom, how she was able to balance multiple things at once, manage the classroom, how much fun she was able to have with her kids, and remember every single one of her students' interests. Being in the classroom for so long, the students started to get comfortable and able to tell me things about their life and interests. I smiled every time I entered the classroom everyday and it shows that my life changed being around them. I learned so many things throughout the year that I will keep in my memory forever for my future students. I began to learn just how much teachers and our schools sacrifice for the well-being of their students and everyone around them. I want no one to feel the way I did when I was in elementary school. As a child who worked slowly and had different interests from the rest, not a lot of people wanted to be friends with me. Every child is someone that deserves to be loved and cared for by their teacher and friends. I will work hard so that every child in my classroom as well in my school can have a huge smile on their face and have comfort in me. I plan to become a teacher and get a degree in elementary education at the Bergen community for 2 years and then Montclair State University for 2 more years. I am Ms. Godoy to My students who will inspire my students in the future.

Music has been a persistent force in my life, shaping me and driving me toward my career. With a sibling who has Down syndrome, I saw how music bridged communication gaps, facilitated emotional expression and created strong bonds. Music was our language of shared understanding, and we were able to communicate with each other on a level that words could not. Witnessing how music impacted my sister's confidence and well-being encouraged me to make the energy of music available to all students. I would be thrilled to be an elementary music teacher so that I may have a classroom in which all students, regardless of background or ability, feel accepted, nurtured, and empowered through music. A Music Education degree will equip me with the tools and skills to empower young students. With my schooling, I will be better able to master my musical abilities along with learning more advanced teaching methods that are student-focused and student-centered. Teaching music isn't teaching the notes and the rhythms—it's teaching creativity, confidence, and cooperation. I would like to provide students with an environment where they can have the power to play, express, and gain a lifelong enthusiasm for music. Aside from developing technical musical ability, I also believe that the study of music is an integral component of a student's emotional and social education. For other children, music class is a time to be joyful and be a child, a break from school stress, and a time to form lifelong friendships with friends. As a future teacher, I would like to create a situation where the students feel free to try, assist one another, and grow to be musicians and individuals. I would like my students to feel the same sense of community and wonder that music has always offered me. Moreover, I am dedicated to inclusive music education. Everyone should be able to receive the life-altering possibilities of music regardless of what his or her situation or capability is. I would like to implement modified teaching procedures where all the students can participate and grow. Using differentiated instruction, adaptive instruments, or an open-ended curriculum embracing multiple musical traditions, I would like to create a program responsive to every learner's needs. Music can transform lives, and I would want to dedicate my professional life to sharing its potential with students. With education and experience, I will be able to be a successful and compassionate music teacher. I would want to utilize music not only to educate but as a means to provide confidence, promote harmony, and enhance the lives of my students. By creating a classroom where every single child knows he or she is special and capable, I hope to instill the next generation with a passion for being music together.

Being one of the oldest cousins, sisters, and granddaughters, I’ve always felt a responsibility to care for and support my younger family members. During family gatherings, I generally engage in caring for infants and entertaining young children, allowing their parents to have some relaxation. Upon entering high school, I assumed the role of a cheer coach for kindergarten girls, and developed a passion for instructing them in cheers and appreciating the affection they showed me. My nurturing demeanor towards children led me to choose a career path at the age of 9 - I have always aspired to be a teacher. As a high school senior, I had the chance to participate in my school's Tomorrow's Teachers program, which involved observing and assisting an educator in my town's district. This was my chance to act and gain firsthand experience in becoming a teacher. Because I have had this passion for as long as I can remember, when asked what first inspired me, I have trouble coming up with an answer. It was not until this year that I could pinpoint who or what I truly aspire to be. I found genuine inspiration from my mentor, who is a second-grade teacher at the elementary school I used to go to. After spending a week with this woman, I aspired to replicate her in every way. I consistently admire her capacity to manage the room, distinguish between children, juggle various cross-curricular activities, command attention wherever she goes, and her general authoritative demeanor. Every day, I spend additional hours in the building grading papers, developing lesson plans, and generating ideas, absorbing as much information as possible. I am sitting in the classroom feeling astonished and eager about the idea of becoming a teacher like her. During these nine months, I consistently surpassed expectations due to my passion for my work. One day in early September, the school was evacuated and moved to a different location until the end of the school day due to a suspicious odor in the building. The K-2 teachers and I were placed in a small gymnasium facing complete chaos. Danielle enchanted the entire room with just the power of her voice. She entertained over 100 children by reading a story and engaging them in singing and dancing, effectively deflecting their attention from the unsure circumstances. At this precise moment, I realized I aspired to be like that. I aim to become a teacher who is capable of managing any situation effectively. I want to support my students during difficult times. I aim to develop customized lesson plans tailored to each of my children's unique learning styles to maximize their educational experience. My goal is to excel and reach the highest potential as an educator for my future students. I believe the world would benefit from more individuals like Danielle, and the most effective approach is to mirror her qualities as an educator. Upon graduating high school, I intend to apply the knowledge she has been consistently conveying to me and pursue a degree in elementary education at a college in New Jersey. My enthusiasm for becoming a teacher has evolved from simply desiring to be around children and manage a classroom, to now seeking to understand the various methods through which I can positively impact the lives of young minds. Witnessing the influence I, known as "Miss Bell," have on the second graders I interact with daily has proven to me that I am suitable for this job. My current impact on these children demonstrates the potential for influencing thousands more in the future.

When I wake up each day, I look at my scars—my "battle" scars—on my wrists, stomach, and back, and I am reminded of my resilience during times when the odds were against me. It is this knowledge that drives me to not only persist, but also to pay it forward to those who are battling their own personal challenges each day. My scars remind me of my goal to become a special education teacher and to work with child who have different abilities and special needs. In utero, I was diagnosed with a Sacrococcygeal Teratoma, a life-threatening tumor found in newborns, occurring in 1 out of every 40,000 births, and located on the coccyx bone. My fate lay in the hands of one of the few places in the world experienced with my diagnosis and the procedure to remove it: The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia’s Center for Fetal Surgery and Diagnosis. I was born at 34 weeks, weighing just under 5 lbs, with a 2 lbs tumor invading my tiny body. Within 24 hours, I was quickly taken to the operating room to fight for my life. The surgery consisted of the removal of the tumor and my coccyx bone and reconstruction of my lower half due to the extent of the incisions. Several weeks in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit recovering would follow the operation because of my need to heal and actually learn to eat. It took the collective efforts of numerous nurses and doctors to ensure that I could have the life that I now enjoy and experience the opportunities that my future now holds for me. Growing up, I met most of the typical benchmarks and thrived; however, I did need some interventions to aid me in achieving my full potential at school. It was the help and care of many empathetic doctors, nurses, and teachers that I was able to succeed. The challenges I faced and the people who supported me helped me realize that the world isn’t always going to adapt to you. I understand first hand, the struggles of debilitating feelings of anxiety at school and home that can make some days really hard. I envision myself using these struggles to have a unique understanding of what it is like for my future special education students whether it is medical or learning struggles. I know what it is like to not have a teacher understand that you learn differently and to need therapy for your emotional well being. In the fifth grade, I started volunteering to work in community programs for children with special needs and continue to do so. Working with these individuals and their compassionate teachers has only strengthened my convictions and broadened my perspective. Playing games, forming connections, and communicating with individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and intellectual disabilities has opened my eyes to not just their struggles but their potential. It has fueled my desire to become a special education teacher, focusing on children with ASD and intellectual disabilities. I truly believe my life experiences uniquely position me to comprehend and empathize with the various struggles individuals with special needs face. Recently, I have been accepted to four New Jersey colleges and universities; Kean, Montclair, Ramapo, and TCNJ. All of these institutions have excellent education programs that will help me continue to pursue my goal. It will be hard to choose, but I know that I am ready to embrace my future. Plus, I always have my scars to remind me of what I am doing this all for.

After the suicide of my father when I was just ten years old, I was left wondering why? What made him feel this way? What had led up to this? Was there anything else I could have done? The older I got, the more I understood the background of it. I finally understood what he meant in his note. "I was unwell and unable to fix it." He was suffering mentally. When the pandemic hit, my mother seemed to always be in a panic. No matter the issue, she was straining herself over it and constantly faced fear. It was understandable because of the new virus, but she was getting worse even once things seemed to settle down with it. She had severe anxiety. Around the age of 16, I started to notice that my sister was acting differently. She stopped caring about the things she loved, was ready to up and leave college, and always seemed to be down in the gutter. She stopped eating and sleeping and was constantly worried about how others thought of her. She was depressed and suffering from anxiety. All three of these situations let me see what mental health can do to a person first-hand. I watched three people I loved slowly become someone they were not. It felt like I was watching them crumble in front of my eyes. All of this left me with one question, what can I do to help? When deciding what I wanted to do in my future and where I would take my life, I knew there was only one right answer. I felt these three circumstances were here to show me what I was meant to do with my life. I was here to help others who are suffering from mental health disorders. I was always eager to learn more about these things and have started to find little ways to show others that mental health matters. I would write about it in essays for English class, constantly tell my friends how they could improve their emotional hygiene, and try finding new ways to make myself approachable by empathizing with others when they came to me needing help. With the education I am pursuing in my future, I want to make an impact on other people. Whether it be one person or 1 million people, I want to be able to help. I plan to study psychology up to a doctorate level to understand this field better. I want to have the ability to make an impact like Freud and Watson. I want to know that I was able to let others understand that it is okay to feel how they do and that they have a purpose in life. I want to make a change. I also want to study forensic psychology to work with juveniles and help improve their lives. Everyone was put in this world with a purpose. Some are meant to be doctors, and others to be the next billionaire. I want to show everyone that they matter in this world and that they are essential. This world is constantly changing, in some ways better and others worse. I want to see a change for the better in the mental health rates throughout society. I want to be that change.

I am interested in art education because I thrive in chaos and mess, especially the kind that comes from a room full of children. I am an instructor at Glen Ridge Taekwon-do, where most of my time is spent teaching children aged four to six. I have been formally employed as an instructor for a bit over a year, but have been volunteering since I was nine. Further, I have run private lessons and built relationships with young girls, including the daughter of a black belt mom and master instructor dad. I volunteer as a coach at every tournament and encourage students at every promotion test. From a young age, I have been acting in the role of teacher and cheerleader and have learned just how wonderful children are. I am in awe of the joy and curiosity of children. I am inspired by the way they always want to know “why?” I am motivated by the excitement they have over the little things, things I often brush past. They remind me just how beautiful life is. However, I also understand how difficult teaching can be. Children aren’t happy all the time; sometimes, they need extra support and care. They don’t always behave and don’t always listen. Sometimes, there will be rough days. Even on those difficult days at the Taekwondo school, when students aren’t listening, when I am frustrated and tired, I still feel joyful. It is an honor to be the one to help kids learn and grow, especially on hard days. It is exciting to problem solve, coming up with new ways to teach that are more engaging. When students aren’t listening, it is often simply because they are under-stimulated and can't focus, so I create new ways to reach them. It’s exhilarating when I find a method that works, a method that turns those rough days into ones of learning and growth. I am interested in pursuing education because I love kids, on the good days and the bad. I am interested in art education because art turns the bad days to good. I know this from experience. Art is a form of education and activism. As someone with mental health struggles and ADHD, I want to be an advocate for people with similar conditions. Because of what I call my “funky” brain, my outlook on the world is often different than that of my peers. Where others walk, I run. Where others go slow, I go fast. My brain works at rapid speeds, coming up with millions of thoughts and ideas all at once, only to forget them seconds later. The worst part, though, is not these tendencies themselves, rather, it is the loneliness and isolation I have felt because of them. I thought that no one else had a “funky” brain like mine. However, in recent years I’ve discovered dozens of social media accounts run by people with ADHD who share their experiences with the public. In reading their posts, I feel less alone. As a future art teacher, my goal is to show students that they aren’t alone either. In order to make that dream a reality, I intend to get my degree in art education from The College of New Jersey. I will take full advantage of the school’s focus on hands-on learning and field experience because I cannot wait to be with the students. So, why do I want to be an art teacher? Because art education is the intersection of all my passions: art, working with children, and advocacy for people with “funky” brains like me.