My name is Cadence Cupp, but I have gone by Cadie (pronounced KD) my entire life. I am the middle child of three, raised by a strong and determined single mother. Growing up in this environment has shaped who I am today, resilient, compassionate, and committed to making a difference in the lives of others. After graduation, I plan to become a third-grade teacher, a role I believe is both critical and transformative in a child's educational journey. While my degree will certify me to teach Pre-K through fifth grade, I feel especially called to third grade. This year is a pivotal one, students are shifting from learning to read to reading to learn. It's also the first time many students are experiencing standardized testing, and the beginning of a phase where learning becomes more complex and independent. Without the right support at this stage the students are at risk of moving into fourth grade and experiencing the "fourth grade slump", where they begin to fall behind due to foundational gaps. I want to take a role as a third grade teacher to be a bridge, ensuring my students are not only prepared academically, but also emotionally supported as they transition into more challenging academic expectations. My desire to teach comes from personal experience. I've had teachers who uplifted and encouraged me, who had nurturing spirits. I've also had teachers who were disconnected and saw me just as another name on their roster. Those contrasting experiences have shown me the importance of being the kind of educator who sees, supports, and believes in every child. I want my students to know that someone genuinely cares about them, not just their grades, but their well-being and growth. Throughout my college education, I've gained a wealth of strategies and resources that will help be an effective teacher. however, the most important quality I will bring into the classroom is my resilience. I understand that not every lesson will go as planned, and some days will be more challenging than others. I am committed to pushing through every obstacle, adapting as needed, and showing up everyday with love, patience and persistence. My goal is simple, to create a safe, supportive and enriching environment where every child can thrive. I am entering this profession not just to teach, but to inspire, uplift and empower the next generation. This scholarship will help me fulfill that mission.

The impact of many teachers pushed me in the direction of education, but one teacher's impact stands out of the crowd. I went through elementary school staying in the background, being the quiet student who didn't draw any attention to myself, and I did this successfully until fourth grade. Once fourth grade came around I was placed in the classroom with the teacher who liked to challenge everyone, as he wanted us all to see our potential. I was already a straight-A student who hated missing school, so when it came to me it was harder for him to find a challenge for me. That was until he realized I was quiet and would stay out of the spotlight all year if given the chance. Mr. Melnek took the time to observe me and made the connection that I would be a good leader if I just stepped out of my comfort zone and accepted the attention and the spotlight leadership comes with. At first, he challenged me in small ways like cold calling me in class to answer questions others struggled with, once I showed confidence doing that he stepped up the challenge and convinced me to accept speaking opportunities at board meetings and other events with small crowds. When it was clear that my quietness was no longer a shield I held onto, he began putting bigger and more leader-focused challenges on me, such as being the leader of group projects. It started with me being a leader of well-managed groups, being paired with students whom I had friendships with and students who worked hard and made sure to get the job they were given done. He didn't stop there however, he pushed me further out of my comfort zone by placing me with not-as-well-managed groups, pairing me with students who struggled to focus or didn't care much about their grades and students whom I had little to no previous communication or relationships with. It was through the challenges Mr. Melnek gave me that I came to believe in myself and my ability to lead, and it was his dedication and belief in me that made me realize I could be bigger and do bigger things than I had originally imagined. He left me with the feeling that I was meant to do the same thing for others. I want each student that walks into my classroom to grow confidence in themselves and their abilities. I want every kid who enters my classroom to leave feeling confident in who they are and what they can do.

My name is Cadence Cupp. I originally attended Youngstown State University but made the decision it was not the right school for me, so I transferred to Wright State University, where I am a sophomore in the Elementary Education Program. I have currently completed 2 field experiences and am entering into my 3rd this next semester. Through these experiences, my dream of being a teacher has only gotten stronger, and I can't wait till I have a classroom of my own. From personal experience, it’s easy for me to say that as a teacher you make such a huge impact on your students. Students spend 5 days a week, about 7-8 hours a day with their teachers. For a student like me coming from a single-parent household who worked the third shift, I saw my teachers more than I saw my mom. I had teachers who went above and beyond expectations. They got to know me and taught me in the ways that worked best for me, and they provided me with an ear to talk to any time I needed. They listened to me and supported and helped me in whatever way they could. I also had teachers who didn’t seem to give much thought to their teaching. They simply went through the motions, but nothing more. The teachers who did more than just go through the motions are the teachers who made an impact on my life. These were teachers who made me feel welcome. Teachers who made it feel okay to have off days, to struggle on topics, and to make mistakes. These were the teachers who helped me grow not just in my education but also personally. These teachers inspired me to want to be a teacher. I want to be what these teachers were to me, and to all the students I get the privilege to teach throughout my teaching career. My teaching philosophy exemplifies my goals as a teacher, and my philosophy is that I will keep open communication with my students to create positive relationships with them so that I can learn about them, who they are, and what they are going through. By doing this I will be able to personalize their education to them and be a safe person that they can trust to talk to. By getting to know my students I will also be able to provide the support needed to each student so that they can have the opportunities to succeed like the other students around them. I also understand that everyone makes mistakes and has biases. It’s important that I don’t shut down or shy away from these mistakes and biases, but that I learn from them and better myself because of the corrections I receive.

From personal experience, it’s easy for me to say that as a teacher you make such a huge impact on your students. Students spend 5 days a week, about 7-8 hours a day with their teachers. For a student like me coming from a single-parent household who worked the third shift, I saw my teachers more than I saw my mom. My teachers were some of the key players in shaping me into who I am today. I want to inspire my future students the same way my teachers inspired me. I want to inspire my students to become leaders, like Mr. Melnick inspired me. I plan on giving my students opportunities to step up and lead small group sessions on topics that they understand but their fellow classmates may not understand as well. This not only gives students the opportunity to see a different point of view and help each other but also practice their leadership skills. I want to inspire my students to take risks, like Mr. Stanley inspired me. Too often students don't take chances because they're scared of rejection or criticism. Like Mr. Stanley, I want to give my students a subtle push to do things slightly out of their comfort zone, while supporting them every step of the way. I want to inspire my students to speak up for themselves, like Mrs. Larrick inspired me. Many students are scared to speak up for themselves because they are scared of confrontation or stepping on someone's toes. Listening to your students and validating their feelings helps them become comfortable in speaking up for themselves. I want to inspire students to follow their dreams, like Mrs. Eckles did for me. No matter how intimidating or daunting their dreams may seem it's important students don't see them as unreachable and that they work towards them. This can be done by simply supporting them. But it can also be done by showing them examples of their dreams. I read about a teacher who ran a lunch program, once a month she would have people from different careers come in to talk to the students. I think this is a great way to inspire students to follow their dreams. If they dream of being a nurse, have a nurse come and speak to them, what's more inspiring than seeing someone live their dream.

I have a dream to one day be starting my days by standing in front of my second grade class that is saying "Good Morning Miss Cupp!" with big smiles on their faces. My name is Cadence but I go by Cadie. I have been accepted to attend Youngstown State University for their primary education and primary intervention specialist program. I come from a single parent household with a parent who makes a decent amount of money, but not enough to put me through college. To hopefully finish college debt free I have been applying to every scholarship available to me. Now I'm being realistic and know that its not likely that I will get enough scholarships to cover my entirety of college cost so I have already began looking for a job in Youngstown that I can work when I'm not in class. As I plan to be a teacher, I understand that my salary won't be the best so any college debt I have to pay off will be a drag on my finances, so while I want to enjoy my college years and have fun I am also keeping in mind that I need to think about my future and put college and work first.

To many people, independence may mean that you handle everything completely on your own and how you want to. However, I have to disagree to an extent. I believe that being independent is something that must be learned. While there may be bright sides to it, there are also downfalls to it. Being independent doesn't mean everything for you has to be done single-handedly by you, to me, it just means that you see what is happening and you do what you can and then you ask for help when it is needed. There is a difference between being independent and being stubborn or overconfident with yourself. As my eighteenth birthday is quickly arising and college is right around the corner I am learning what being independent is truly all about. That being said, I haven't had a lot of time to experience it and know what impact it has on me, but I can say it is definitely a scary thing to start doing.

I rather have a singular close friend than a hundred fake friends. To me friendship is one of the most important things someone needs in their life. Having someone by your side no matter what is going on is so relieving. Friends are the family that you get to choose. That being said friendship and family go hand and hand in a person's life. Sure you can go through life with no one at your side, but if that's what you are doing you aren't living you're simply existing. Friendship is one of the key ingredients to living. So, my answer to what friendship means to me is everything. Friendship means everything to me.

As I struggle with anxiety which has led to panic issues and depression to me self-care looks a little different from what you might expect. Some days just basic things, such as brushing my teeth, brushing my hair, getting changed into cleaned clothes , eating and drinking water are major steps for me and what I consider to be self-care. While other days self-care looks like painting my nails, getting my hair done or buying a few things I've been eyeing for a while. No matter the day, or what self-care looks like to me that day, self-care is what gets me through life in a positive manner. I don't have the easiest road with the challenges I face, but that just makes self-care that much more beneficial to me.