Working towards a college degree is much more than a personal achievement for me. To me earning a college degree is a responsibility to create change beyond myself. Since I was young I knew I would go down the education path. I choose the path not for wealth or recognition, but for the impact I could bring on the future generations. I have always felt comfort in helping someone else learn to do new things. Teaching someone something they once struggled with and then watching as their confidence built was rewarding. That feeling is what helped shape my dream of becoming an elementary school teacher. This is a dream I have carried since third grade and want to fulfill. As the oldest of ten siblings, education wasn’t something that stopped for me when the school day ended. For as long as I was able to, I spent time teaching and tutoring my younger siblings every day. This meant helping with homework, being there to explain the tougher assignments or simply encouraging them when they felt discouraged. I liked to think it was to my advantage to have ten siblings. I learned early on what it meant to be patient, supportive, and responsible. Eventually, circumstances forced me to separate from them but those years of teaching did not leave me. Instead the time I spent teaching my siblings became part of the reason for pursuing early childhood education. I’m aware the job is not that ideal for most financially. Still till this day my commitment to education has never stopped . The plan is to earn a bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education. At the end of my junior year I got accepted into a unique dual enrollment program. Where I got to spend my entire senior year at the Community College of Philadelphia, gaining a year's worth of college credits that are transferable. As a future college graduate I plan to pay it forward by becoming the teacher I once needed. I want to use my voice to empower and teach young minds. I know what it’s like to be present yet feel unseen. As a future teacher it's my dream to make every kid feel noticed, valued and remembered. Even the quiet ones like myself. I know as a kid it’s easy to silence struggles. I want to be that one adult that listens and advocates for the children. I hate to say this but in today’s society it’s not enough individuals passionate about teaching anymore. With things getting censored by the government and media I believe we lose the fundamentals day by day which doesn’t help. I want to stay true to myself and my students, teach to the best of my ability and prepare the young minds for the world. Beyond the classroom, I plan to inspire others in my community to pursue higher education by being visible proof that perseverance matters. I myself will be a first generation student of a black family to attend college. It’s a pretty big deal for me. My grandparents, their parents and even mine have never gone to college in their entire lives. I’m already proud to be the first to break this cycle. I want children, especially those from large families, underserved backgrounds, or unstable circumstances to see that college is possible.

Since I was young I have wanted to be an elementary school teacher. I always wanted to help and teach others. I felt comfort in helping someone else learn to do new things. Teaching someone something they did not know at first and seeing them become good at it was rewarding. I am the oldest of now nine siblings and for a while I spent time teaching and tutoring them every day before I had to separate from them. However in the end all of these experiences are what shaped me into finding my dream. I’m aware the job is not that ideal for most financially but I have had my mind set on this since I was just a third grader. To make my dream come true I have indeed thought of my future college. I plan to attend none other than The Pennsylvania State University. I’m aiming to obtain a degree in early learning childhood education. I will start with the associate degree and over time obtain my Bachelors. After obtaining my associate degree though I will then go on to obtain my teacher certificate from Penn as well. As for how close I am to on my way of making this happen I will say very close! I have been a straight A Honor student throughout high school maintaining a 3.9 GPA. Our school has yet to take the SAT but I have been preparing myself for it since August. Every Wednesday I have done practice quizzes on College Board or have watched videos of instructors going over similar questions. I am confident in myself that I will succeed in scoring 1230 at the least as that is the score that would put me at chance for being even considered for Penn alongside my 3.9 GPA. I’m passionate about school and my dream to become a teacher for this reason I believe heavily in myself that I will make it happen. My passion for learning, my dedication to education, and my love of teaching others keep me motivated every day. Becoming an elementary school teacher has been my dream for as long as I can remember, and I believe in myself fully to make it a reality. I'm grateful for any sort of help in achieving this dream. I want to thank you for reading and considering my application. If I am chosen I swear to work hard!