Applying to return to school later in life was a courageous and humbling experience for me. As a single, working mother, I have had to overcome many personal hardships and obstacles over the course of my life. My journey to return to school is a result of a long battle of perseverance, strength, hope, and hard work in order to build a better life for myself and my family, as well as to be a better mother and role model for my son. I hope that my life experiences have made me more resilient, more open-minded, more empathetic, and overall wiser. The hardships I have been faced with have only made me want to be a better person, to help and advocate for others, and to set a positive example for my son. I have learned to never give up on the second chance. There have been days where life has been anything but kind and I just had to keep pushing and remind myself of the light at the end of the tunnel. In life, there is always room to grow no matter your age or walk in life, and I have grown to value that each and every day. I would like to think that my life experiences and my hardships have allowed me to gain a sense of wisdom and a deep rooted sense of empathy. I believe my career goals are so closely aligned with my core values because I truly want to do work in a career field that will not only help support my own family but help others to be successful as well. Returning to school and obtaining a higher education at this point in my life is not only a chance for me to obtain a degree and begin a career. I want to make a difference, I want to be able to empower children to connect learning with the real world. My classroom has given me a great insight on where to begin. I hope to be able to use my education to continue to create that environment of acceptance and connection for the children I work with now and in the future. Outside of my classroom, I want to be able to show my own son and others in my community that there is always room to grow, learn, and develop a passion. Life is a journey and this scholarship could give me the opportunity to pay it forward in hopes of encouraging others to take the leap of faith to return to school and create the better life you deserve. The courage, humbleness, and kindness that I have learned about from reading Debra S. Jackson’s story has inspired me to want to change lives like Debra S. Jackson has changed many as well. This scholarship would allow me to return to school without the worry of a huge financial burden while being able to put more focus and time into my studies as well as my goals for the future. Most importantly, this award would give me the platform to continue to pay it forward and show others that no matter what stage of life you are in, education can change your life.