Paula C. Collie Future Educators Scholarship

After reading the story of Miss Paula Collie, I believe I am an ideal candidate for this scholarship because of my passion for teaching. My passion is what drives me to keep pursuing a career in teaching, despite my challenges. I have struggled through my first two years of college. I suffer from clinical depression and anxiety, ADHD, and autism. These diagnosis’s make it extremely difficult for me to get out of bed each day, let alone push through difficult college classes. I’ve not had the best experience. I am also a first generation college student. I was raised by my single mother, who has worked very hard to be able to put me through college. I have had bad semesters, and not the greatest grades in the world, but I’m working each day to get these up, and do better, so I can continue affording college. Even though this has been a struggle for me, because of my passion for teaching, I have not given up. I am determined to finish college and become a music educator. My passion for teaching and music is what drives me in life. I was inspired by several teachers throughout my education in public school, and they taught me exactly what I want to be as a teacher, as well as what I don’t want to be. Every teacher leaves some sort of impact on every student. I aspire for my impact to be positive to every student I teach. As a future music educator, I look forward to sharing my passion for music with the next generation, and to inspire the next great musicians and music educators. My passion for teaching and music comes from those teachers and musicians that came before me. I would not be here without the help of my music teachers. I believe our current education system does not set students up for success. Especially recently, with talk of the department of education being dismantled by the federal government. I believe that without the department of education, leaving standards and such up to the state will cause a large gap in the quality of education from state to state. More populated states like California and New York, will have higher results than states like Mississippi, Louisiana, and West Virginia, which are already the “least educated” states. This recent commotion does worry me. I worry that my degree that I’m working so hard for will become obsolete without the department of education. I have contemplated changing my major, and finding another career to pursue. But I always come back to teaching. I’ve spent years preparing for it, doing student leadership, taking college courses in high school, trying to prepare myself for the education field. I truly cannot see myself doing anything else. I cannot wait to become an educator, share my passion for music, and leave a positive impact on my students, the future great musicians of the world.