My dream is to create a school of my own that will have the sole purpose of teaching students vital life skills. These skills will range from reading and writing to critical thinking and creativity. I believe that kids should be allowed to be kids for as long as possible but also that it is our job as teachers to set our students up for success as the next generation. Reading, writing, critical thinking, and creativity are some skills that I have noticed a lot of students lacking these days. The standards for those skills have been diminished to make things easier for students, which in turn has led to the decline of these vital skills. My school will be based on Socratic discussions which will teach students to think for themselves, create their own opinions on the world, and respect the varying opinions of their peers.

I am one of seven children. My parents and grandparent shave made it very clear that they will not be helping me pay for any of my education past high school. I have made the choice to not take out any loans because I do not want any debt to deal with after I graduate. Last year I qualified for a Pell Grant and some scholarships to help me pay for my classes which I have been paying for, out of pocket, for almost two years now. I have done so, successfully for almost 2 years now. This is something that I am very proud of. I just found out that I do not qualify for a pell grant or any scholarsips through my school. It is kind of stressing me out because I now have to pay for all of my classes, up front before I take them instead of on the payment plan that I am on. My savings account, that I have worked so hard to build up, is dwindling and any hope to get a place of my own is being put on hold for the next 2-4 years. This scholarship will help cover some of my classed this year and help me to build back up my savings account. This will reduce the current stress in my life. College and early adulthood are stressful enough especially in today's economy. This new obstacle that I face may have damaging effects on my coursework over time. I find it hard to focus on certain things, like that paper that is due on Sunday, when I have to face such a stressful obstacle. This scholarship will also allow me to live my college years a little more carefree, as they should be. I attend a university that is 100% online. This means that I do not live in a dorm, go to parties, or do any of that extra curricular stuff. I still want to be able to enjoy my college years in a carefree way that I can look back on with mostly good memories. I am able to travel and go on adventures and take my school work with me, if I so choose. This extra money will free up my finances enough for me to go on a couple of adventures. My brother and his family live out of state and I would love to visit them sometime this year.

I have always known that I wanted to be a teacher. For a little while I had the doubt that I wasn't meant to teach and pursued a degree in physical therapy but everything seemed to go worng in that journey so I switched my major to elementary education and am so glad that I did. Last year I worked at an elementary school near my home part-time and the entire staff at that school played such a huge role in my change of major. The moment I officially switched my major and told them all, they were so happy. They have already given me so much insight into the teaching profession. The principal of that school, Nicole Knight-Lucas, has been my rock through this entire journey. She is always there for me when I need her, even though I am not currently working there. I know that I can always turn to her for advice. When I was 13 years old, my parents made the decision to homeschool me and my younger sister who was 11 at the time. The day before we started our homeschool year, my little brother was born. Our fist year of homeschooling was full of new experiences and a ton of diaper changes and tummy time. The second year that I was homeschooled was also my first year of high school. I always loved school and was excited to get more classes that year. That year my other two younger sisters were brought out of the public school system to homeschool alongside us. We were going through some tough times, financially, so both of my parents had to work full-time jobs. This meant that I was at home with all four of my younger siblings. I was in charge of nap time for my little brother and everyone's lunchtime as well as ensuring that we all got our schoolwork done and kept our rooms clean. Throughout my high school years, I made lesson plans, helped with any struggles that my siblings had with their school, and kept up with my own school work. I did not realize until after I graduated, how much I had taken on over the years. It had to happen and I definitely do not blame my parents for it. I still learned so much from the experience. My youngest sister is dyslexic in her reading and writing and we did not notice this until she was in 2nd grade. We had to reteach her how to read and write. It was such a time consuming thing and it took a lot of patience on my part and hers. At this time my little brother was just 2 years old. He had started to pick up what we were teaching my little sister. He is now a 6 year old in 2nd grade and he reads at an 8th grade reading level. Keeping him busy enough with school work has been its own challenge but I am so grateful for the experience.

I am a firm believer that books hold a lot more power and influence in our daily lives than we realize. I want reading and books to be a huge part of every one of my classrooms. I want to be able to impress the importance of literature on the young minds that I teach. In reading all different kinds of books, one can become a better reader and can be more knowledgeable about the world around them.

My skill. believe it or not, is teaching. I have been doing it since I was 14 years old. I was homeschooled with 4 younger siblings and helped with their schoolwork a lot. I work with elementary-aged children on a daily basis. I have learned a lot in working with these kiddos. They have taught me to be patient. I have learned a lot of new techniques and methods in teaching through the kids and their teachers. I have a more open view of teaching. I have developed an even stronger passion for teaching and find a lot of joy in doing it. The kids I work with have had such an impact on my life that I changed my major to Elementary Education. I am grateful that I have found something that I am passionate about and good at. I also am grateful for the amazing support system that I have. It has helped me grow more in this particular skill.

Hi! I am that odd young adult that stays home on the weekend and reads instead of going out with friends. I listen to all types of music all of the time. I listen to it to motivate myself, when I'm angry, and when I'm doing school work. I enjoy school and even try to get a head start on my coursework before the semester has even started. I work at least 30 hours a week with elementary-aged kiddos. I love my job and it has influenced me to pursue a degree in elementary education. I am also a proud coffee addict of 4 years.

Independence means freedom to make my own decisions. I was raised in a big family. I am one of seven children. I spent a lot of my high school years babysitting my younger siblings and putting their needs and wants before my own. I didn't get a lot of a chance to do my own thing. I still live with my parents now. I am working 30 hours a week and going to school full time. Once I have my associate's I can get a better job which will help me to get my place and also help me to pay for the rest of my school. I am currently using the savings that I built over my high school years to pay for my schooling. Independence has been something that I have looked forward to for a long time and getting a degree is one of the ways I can achieve that independence.

I didn't plan on going to school to be a teacher. That was one of my last options. I had wanted to be a Physical Therapist. I was ready for the challenge. Then my friend convinced me to come and work with her for the summer. She works for a school system that runs a daycare of sorts Monday through Friday from six in the morning to six in the evening. I worked there and enjoyed it enough to start a school year with them. I work at Alamo Elementary's before and after school program. At first, I just did it as a job to help cover my living expenses. But those kids have grown on me in the course of just three months. I didn't expect to enjoy my job as much as I do. I love being able to teach and make an impression on their young minds. It's also opened up a lot of subbing opportunities where I am able to tutor kids between my before and after-school hours. I love doing this so much that only one month after the start of the school year I called my academic counselor to let her know that I was changing my major to elementary education. The school system that I work for now provides a lot of opportunities for me to grow in my field of interest and has welcomed me with open arms. Growing up school and reading were my escape from the chaos around me and I want to be able to provide that solitude for others. I want to be able to teach kids how to love reading and to value the things that they are taught. I want to encourage their dreams and help them to fulfill those dreams. I want to be that teacher that makes a difference for them as so many before me have done so for me.

The educator that had the most impact on me was my middle school social studies teacher, Mr. Throop. He was extremely kind and always found a way to keep me thinking. He never questioned my moodiness when I was having a rough day. He was there for me when times were tough. And he let me be me to the fullest. He kept his classroom in an orderly fashion and was always open to discussion. He never stopped believing in me. I looked forward to my social studies class every day. I never got tired of it and never ceased to learn new things. He helped my love and appreciation for history and culture to grow. The discussions in his classroom that we, as a class, had shaped the way I perform in my college classes. When I started middle school I was shy and close-minded. In being in his class I learned quickly that I would be speaking my mind whether I wanted to or not. Class participation was a must. Any ideas were accepted and encouraged. I became more of the person I am today thanks to Mr. Throop. As a first-generation student, my love for school drove my interest in going to college as well as my willingness to help others. I want to make a difference in this world, for the better. I work at a before and after-school enrichment program and see the way the teachers have an impact on their students. I want to be that person that makes someone's day. I want to teach others many valuable things. I want to be the one who will listen to what someone has to say even if I don't agree or understand. I also saw college as a new and welcome challenge. I am one of seven children and I love challenging myself. Not only were the actual classes going to be the perfect challenge, but there was also the challenge of figuring out what I wanted to be when I grew up and where life would take me. This path I've decided to take on is not going to be easy by any means. Nor will it always be clear but I am eager to find out where this path I have chosen will take me and how I will be able to make an impact on various people's lives.