My pointer finger hovers over a button on my remote, poised to select what I plan on watching. Scrolling endlessly through channels, something suddenly catches my attention. “The Civil War: A Film by Ken Burns.” I had heard about the Civil War in history class, but I didn’t remember much about it. Shrugging, I hit select. Little did I know, the nine episodes included in this series would forever change my life. Once my love for documentaries started, I was insatiable. I was able to learn so much and be entertained simultaneously. It didn’t just stop at the Civil War, either. I heard about the horrors of the Holocaust, the changes of the Industrial Revolution, and the patriotism shown by those serving in the American Revolution. History had caught my attention. As years went by, it became even clearer that this was the path I was meant to take. I hope to educate the next generation, showing them why history is so important, and inspiring them to change the future for the better. I am so passionate about these subjects, and I want the kids that I teach to feel that love and possibly grow to feel the same way. So many of my classmates say that history isn’t important and they’re wasting their time with a meaningless subject. The famous Missourian author Mark Twain once said “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes.” He couldn’t have been more accurate. While the past has given us so many great things, it’s also taught us lessons in the hardest ways imaginable. For example, we can take a look at the Holocaust. A dark stain on the pages of history, many vowed that humanity would never carry out a mass genocide of these proportions again. However, in 1975, a genocide of citizens in Cambodia eerily resembled the atrocities carried out by the Nazis. When we don’t teach history, people are doomed to repeat it. I was recently accepted into the University of Missouri Saint Louis (UMSL), and I will be majoring in history. I will also be receiving certifications to teach World History, American History, and all history-related electives. I know that this is the right decision and that this is the best way to make an impact. I am so lucky that I will have the opportunity to inspire others while studying and teaching what I love. By educating the leaders of tomorrow, all of us can hope that we inspire change, and that the flame that history ignited in me and so many others never burns out.