In 2023, just after my Freshman year of high school, my best friend Stephanie asked me to join her with volunteering at her clubs annual Youth Summer Camp. I didn’t know what was about to be asked of me, but after hearing I would get close to 80 community service hours, I was all in. Little did I know, the majority of the volunteering at this camp would spent working directly with young kids from 3rd to 8th grade, in a rotation of 3 classes centered around English, Math, and Elective to help prevent summer learning loss in our community and get kids off of their electronics. What came to be even more of a surprise was that the camps leadership team (which happened to include Stephanie) wanted me to be the head supervisor of the English class, just because they heard I got an A+ in English. I hesitantly accepted. The two weeks at summer camp would prove to be the most challenging two weeks I had experienced yet. I worked with a small team of my assistant volunteers to make lesson plans, create class rules, and figure out how to reach kids who (most of the time) have no interest in what you have to say; all whilst having zero experience in working with kids before and trying to get nervous volunteers to step out of their comfort zone. It was my first time being a teacher and a leader, but towards the end of camp I came to realize that teaching and leadership come hand in hand. By the end of camp I had learned many lessons about the world and myself. Not only that, I felt so much pride seeing all of our campers grow and get out of their shells. I found myself wishing that it had never ended. I found myself missing my peers and students. I found myself with a fire in my heart that wanted to do it all over again and improve the outcome every time. When I returned to school Sophomore year, I found myself paying attention to every small thing my best teachers did so that I could understand how to be a good one like them for the next summer camp. I wanted to make a true positive impact in the same way my teachers impacted me. In the present, after 3 summer camps and being promoted to a mentor for all of the class supervisors, I still have the same fire. That passion has pushed me to pursue further opportunities to learn, and has guided me to realize that I love teaching. I love helping people grow and I love what I learn about myself through every experience. I love that teaching is always pushing you to improve every single day. I love that this passion led me to the amazing things I have accomplished so far, and I love that I know that there is still a much longer path to go, and that I get to continue learning how to be better. That is why I’m pursuing a career in education.