Education is one of the most valuable tools of life, as it helps students build better futures for themselves and those around them. The most impactful education comes from teachers who care, those who go beyond academics, but help students grow in tandem as people and learners. Most of us can look back and reflect on at least one teacher who made an impact on our lives. These teachers are often remembered as going beyond just being a teacher, they were someone to admire and look up to. Mrs. Ford was the teacher who changed my life. She was someone who truly cared about each of her students, someone who taught beyond classroom lessons. She was one of the first teachers who made me feel seen in school, her classroom was more than a place where I was learning, it was a place where I was comfortable. She created a space where we were allowed to be loud and happy, and we each had what felt like a crucial classroom role. She taught me how to work with others, the importance of kindness, and she helped me understand that everyone may be different, but that is exactly what made our classroom so amazing. She helped me understand that everyone had a role to play in our classroom community and how kindness could go a long way in our community. She was the first example that I had of how much of a difference an educator can have on a student's life. Since my time in Mrs. Ford's classroom, I have worked in classrooms since my Junior year of high school. There, I took a Child Development class with Mrs. Hunt that required me to work in a kindergarten classroom, and this led me to take a Careers in Education class the following year with Mrs. Hunt. Here, I gained more experience assisting in a first-grade classroom every morning as well as working with our high school's special education class every Friday for art activities. Once I began assisting in a classroom every morning, I began to notice how impactful the consistent interaction with a positive figure is on a student, especially students who have difficult home lives or who need more support. Since high school, I worked at a preschool where I was previously enrolled, and I have been working with California Teaching Fellows for a little over two years now. With this experience, I have witnessed the difficulties students go through and how they rely on their teachers to help them. I have seen how powerful it is for a student to have someone they can rely on, someone who they know is there to help them. A study by the National Bureau of Economic Research has found that schools having just one high-quality teacher increase a student's future economic success. I believe that a high-quality teacher not only helps with passing grades and tests, but they also offer the tools for a student's emotional and social growth. Students who participate in social-emotional learning programs have better academic performance and stronger emotional relationships. I live this every day from 1:30 PM - 6:00 PM, students who receive that support and feel they are cared for begin to care more about themselves and their futures. I was on the receiving end of a high-quality teacher who helped me grow not only as a student but as a person. Education is meant to open doors and provide students access to different pathways, but it is the people behind the education who help students discover these pathways.

Education is one of the most valuable tools of life, as it helps students build better futures for themselves and those around them. The most impactful education comes from teachers who care, those who go beyond academics, but help students grow in tandem as people and learners. Most of us can look back and reflect on at least one teacher who made an impact on our lives. These teachers are often remembered as going beyond just being a teacher, they were someone to admire and look up to. Mrs. Ford was the teacher who changed my life. She was someone who truly cared about each of her students, someone who taught beyond classroom lessons. She was one of the first teachers who made me feel seen in school, her classroom was more than a place where I was learning, it was a place where I was comfortable. She created a space where we were allowed to be loud and happy, and we each had what felt like a crucial classroom role. She taught me how to work with others, the importance of kindness, and she helped me understand that everyone may be different, but that is exactly what made our classroom so amazing. She helped me understand that everyone had a role to play in our classroom community and how kindness could go a long way in our community. She was the first example that I had of how much of a difference an educator can have on a student's life. Since my time in Mrs. Ford's classroom, I have worked in classrooms since my Junior year of high school. There, I took a Child Development class with Mrs. Hunt that required me to work in a kindergarten classroom, and this led me to take a Careers in Education class the following year with Mrs. Hunt. Here, I gained more experience assisting in a first-grade classroom every morning as well as working with our high school's special education class every Friday for art activities. Once I began assisting in a classroom every morning, I began to notice how impactful the consistent interaction with a positive figure is on a student, especially students who have difficult home lives or who need more support. Since high school, I worked at a preschool where I was previously enrolled, and I have been working with California Teaching Fellows for a little over two years now. With this experience, I have witnessed the difficulties students go through and how they rely on their teachers to help them. I have seen how powerful it is for a student to have someone they can rely on, someone who they know is there to help them. A study by the National Bureau of Economic Research has found that schools having just one high-quality teacher increase a student's future economic success. I believe that a high-quality teacher not only helps with passing grades and tests, but they also offer the tools for a student's emotional and social growth. Students who participate in social-emotional learning programs have better academic performance and stronger emotional relationships. I live this every day from 1:30 PM - 6:00 PM, students who receive that support and feel they are cared for begin to care more about themselves and their futures. I was on the receiving end of a high-quality teacher who helped me grow not only as a student but as a person. Education is meant to open doors and provide students access to different pathways, but it is the people behind the education who help students discover these pathways.

Education is one of the most valuable tools of life, as it helps students build better futures for themselves and those around them. The most impactful education comes from teachers who care, those who go beyond academics, but help students grow in tandem as people and learners. Most of us can look back and reflect on at least one teacher who made an impact on our lives. These teachers are often remembered as going beyond just being a teacher, they were someone to admire and look up to. Mrs. Ford was the teacher who changed my life. She was someone who truly cared about each of her students, someone who taught beyond classroom lessons. She was one of the first teachers who made me feel seen in school, her classroom was more than a place where I was learning, it was a place where I was comfortable. She created a space where we were allowed to be loud and happy, and we each had what felt like a crucial classroom role. She taught me how to work with others, the importance of kindness, and she helped me understand that everyone may be different, but that is exactly what made our classroom so amazing. She helped me understand that everyone had a role to play in our classroom community and how kindness could go a long way in our community. She was the first example that I had of how much of a difference an educator can have on a student's life. Since my time in Mrs. Ford's classroom, I have worked in classrooms since my Junior year of high school. There, I took a Child Development class with Mrs. Hunt that required me to work in a kindergarten classroom, and this led me to take a Careers in Education class the following year with Mrs. Hunt. Here, I gained more experience assisting in a first-grade classroom every morning as well as working with our high school's special education class every Friday for art activities. Once I began assisting in a classroom every morning, I began to notice how impactful the consistent interaction with a positive figure is on a student, especially students who have difficult home lives or who need more support. Since high school, I worked at a preschool where I was previously enrolled, and I have been working with California Teaching Fellows for a little over two years now. With this experience, I have witnessed the difficulties students go through and how they rely on their teachers to help them. I have seen how powerful it is for a student to have someone they can rely on, someone who they know is there to help them. A study by the National Bureau of Economic Research has found that schools having just one high-quality teacher increase a student's future economic success. I believe that a high-quality teacher not only helps with passing grades and tests, but they also offer the tools for a student's emotional and social growth. Students who participate in social-emotional learning programs have better academic performance and stronger emotional relationships. I live this every day from 1:30 PM - 6:00 PM, students who receive that support and feel they are cared for begin to care more about themselves and their futures. I was on the receiving end of a high-quality teacher who helped me grow not only as a student but as a person. Education is meant to open doors and provide students access to different pathways, but it is the people behind the education who help students discover these pathways.

Education is one of the most valuable tools of life, as it helps students build better futures for themselves and those around them. The most impactful education comes from teachers who care, those who go beyond academics, but help students grow in tandem as people and learners. Most of us can look back and reflect on at least one teacher who made an impact on our lives. These teachers are often remembered as going beyond just being a teacher, they were someone to admire and look up to. Mrs. Ford was the teacher who changed my life. She was someone who truly cared about each of her students, someone who taught beyond classroom lessons. She was one of the first teachers who made me feel seen in school, her classroom was more than a place where I was learning, it was a place where I was comfortable. She created a space where we were allowed to be loud and happy, and we each had what felt like a crucial classroom role. She taught me how to work with others, the importance of kindness, and she helped me understand that everyone may be different, but that is exactly what made our classroom so amazing. She helped me understand that everyone had a role to play in our classroom community and how kindness could go a long way in our community. She was the first example that I had of how much of a difference an educator can have on a student's life. Since my time in Mrs. Ford's classroom, I have worked in classrooms since my Junior year of high school. There, I took a Child Development class with Mrs. Hunt that required me to work in a kindergarten classroom, and this led me to take a Careers in Education class the following year with Mrs. Hunt. Here, I gained more experience assisting in a first-grade classroom every morning as well as working with our high school's special education class every Friday for art activities. Once I began assisting in a classroom every morning, I began to notice how impactful the consistent interaction with a positive figure is on a student, especially students who have difficult home lives or who need more support. Since high school, I worked at a preschool where I was previously enrolled, and I have been working with California Teaching Fellows for a little over two years now. With this experience, I have witnessed the difficulties students go through and how they rely on their teachers to help them. I have seen how powerful it is for a student to have someone they can rely on, someone who they know is there to help them. A study by the National Bureau of Economic Research has found that schools having just one high-quality teacher increase a student's future economic success. I believe that a high-quality teacher not only helps with passing grades and tests, but they also offer the tools for a student's emotional and social growth. Students who participate in social-emotional learning programs have better academic performance and stronger emotional relationships. I live this every day from 1:30 PM - 6:00 PM, students who receive that support and feel they are cared for begin to care more about themselves and their futures. I was on the receiving end of a high-quality teacher who helped me grow not only as a student but as a person. Education is meant to open doors and provide students access to different pathways, but it is the people behind the education who help students discover these pathways.

There are endless amounts of dreams that children will be encouraged to follow when they have someone who will always cheer them on. Mrs. Ford is the perfect example of a teacher who encouraged her students to follow their dreams while cheering them on whenever she could. Mrs. Ford was my fourth-grade teacher at Dawson Elementary School in the small town of Coalinga. She had infectious laughter and a smile that could brighten up anyone's day. She was not only an educator, she was also a role model to her students. She demonstrated kindness and respect to every single one of her students, and I aspire to do the same. Growing up, I was one of the quiet kids who did not fit in. I had trouble making friends at school and I found my teachers to be a safe space. Mrs. Ford scared me when I first met her. I had never met a teacher who enjoyed being so loud and cheerful full-time. As the school year went by, she changed my life. I had never been with a teacher who showed so much kindness and respect to their students or who would offer extra help to students who needed it. She was the first teacher to make me feel like a person and not just a student in a classroom. I had a role in the classroom every day. I was not only a student, but I was a helper and a friend for the first time in my elementary school experience. Something that I long for is to provide that same experience for students today. These students deserve to be treated with kindness and respect, they give back what they are given. I have worked with students since I was in high school. I began in a child development class and enjoyed it so much that I opted for an elementary education course for my senior year instead of a free period. I continued working with students in college. There is a preschool that I used to be enrolled in that I began working for in 2022. I was able to work with younger students and with students with learning disabilities. I also began working as an after-school tutor in 2023 and I continue to work with the California Teaching Fellows Program today. This program has allowed me to gain experience in working with students from kindergarten to high school. Working with kids is what gives me the drive and passion to complete my education at Fresno State. I currently work with a group of 22 second and third-grade students who have only added to my passion for becoming a teacher. Every day I go to work and I am reminded of why I want to become a teacher. My students in the orange group at Columbia Elementary School have allowed me to demonstrate kindness and respect in the classroom and they have created their own family within our group. Overall, becoming a teacher is a dream that I am willing to complete absolutely any obstacle for. My name is Esmeralda Castaneda and my students call me Ms. E.

“If you do it, I’ll do it.” This is the most used phrase between two friends, and it isn't any different for me and my best friend Dani. I met Dani in the fourth grade when we both had Mrs. Ford together. I didn't fit in and I found myself becoming the bad end of a joke until I met Dani. She wasted no time in standing up for me, someone whom she had only ever seen walking along the hallways or on the playground. From that day forward, we became inseparable. One of our first photos together is from our Gold Rush day at school where we participated in a mini Gold Rush with pan mining, butter churning, and quilt making. This is a photo we often show people when they ask us how long we have known each other. For the past twelve years, we have been to hell and back together. From family troubles including immigration to some of the lowest moments of our lives, she has always been there right beside me. When I felt undeserving of everything in the world and when I hit the lowest low of my life, she was right there with me, leading the way out of the hole I had metaphorically already made for myself. Through fits of hysterical crying over the phone in high school, I would offer to pick her up so she could spend the night at my house. We have been there for each other when we were having battles with ourselves and it felt like the world was caving in on us. She has become my sister. Although we have seen the worst of each other, we have also caught each other at our best. We went from elementary school to middle school together. We promoted middle school and began high school together. I was in drama in high school and Dani offered to volunteer every single night of any okay that I was in so she could cheer me on. This continued from our freshman to senior year of high school, no matter what show it was, Dani was always there and she was the loudest cheer in the audience. When she was asked to present her biology project to a group of elementary students, I asked her to be excused from class to watch her present it because she was nervous. She often had family gatherings at her house and I was there so often that I was considered to be a part of the family. To this day, Dani is my best friend. If I ever need to confide in anyone, she is the first person that I go to. She has become a safe space for me and she is someone who I would do anything for. She reminds me of who I am and what I am worth and she is my sunshine on a rainy spring day. I will never be able to put into words just how much this woman means to me. She has loved me through the tears, the highs, and the lows. She holds some of my secrets that no one else will ever know. Our friendship has created a home for my heart and I hope that I can leave even half of the mark on her that she has on me. Esmeralda Castaneda

There are endless amounts of dreams that children will be encouraged to follow when they have someone who will always cheer them on. Mrs. Ford is the perfect example of a teacher who encouraged her students to follow their dreams while cheering them on whenever she could. Mrs. Ford was my fourth-grade teacher at Dawson Elementary School in the small town of Coalinga. She had infectious laughter and a smile that could brighten up anyone's day. She was not only an educator, she was also a role model to her students. She demonstrated kindness and respect to every single one of her students, and I aspire to do the same. Growing up, I was one of the quiet kids who did not fit in. I had trouble making friends at school and I found my teachers to be a safe space. Mrs. Ford scared me when I first met her. I had never met a teacher who enjoyed being so loud and cheerful full-time. As the school year went by, she changed my life. She was the first teacher to make me feel like a person and not just a student in a classroom. I had a role in the classroom every day. I was not only a student, but I was a helper, a friend, and for the first time in my elementary school experience I felt like I belonged somewhere. Growing up was not the easiest process for me. While my family did show me their form of love and care, one thing that I never fully experienced was having my mother there for all of my achievements. I was born on April 7, 2002, and my mother passed away in our home on April 9. 2002. My paternal grandmother took on the role of being my mother from that day forward, and she continues to take on that role to this day. My grandmother always pushed me to follow my dreams, the same way Mrs. Ford did. They both had incredibly significant impacts on my life and throughout my whole life they have been nothing but supportive. That safety that Mrs. Ford provided is something that I carry with me now. When I am in the classroom with my group of students in the after-school program, I often think of her and how she would handle certain situations or how she would offer her help to students. My grandmother always loved Mrs. Ford and she credits her with helping me become more socially open and for the kindness that I strive to show off. These women have completely altered my world in the best way possible. My grandmother never let me forget anything about my mother. She would often tell me stories when I did something that reminded her of my mother. When Mother’s Day came around, she was always at every school event, never allowing me to feel left out. Mrs. Ford also addressed my grandmother as my mom because she understood that to me, she was the closest thing to my actual mother I would ever have. They would find a way around their language barrier to communicate with each other regarding my academics and my classroom activities. Without these women, I don't believe that I would have made it this far in life. Mrs. Ford continues to show me her support to this day along with my grandmother. She can recognize my face from a mile away and she always welcomes me with a hug. They are the reason why I am working towards my dream, with them cheering right beside me. Esmeralda Castaneda

There are endless amounts of dreams that children will be encouraged to follow when they have someone who will always cheer them on. Mrs. Ford is the perfect example of a teacher who encouraged her students to follow their dreams while cheering them on whenever she could. Mrs. Ford was my fourth-grade teacher at Dawson Elementary School in the small town of Coalinga. She had infectious laughter and a smile that could brighten up anyone's day. She was not only an educator, she was also a role model to her students. She demonstrated kindness and respect to every single one of her students, and I aspire to do the same. Growing up, I was one of the quiet kids who did not fit in. I had trouble making friends at school and I found my teachers to be a safe space. Mrs. Ford scared me when I first met her. I had never met a teacher who enjoyed being so loud and cheerful full-time. As the school year went by, she changed my life. I had never been with a teacher who showed so much kindness and respect to their students or who would offer extra help to students who needed it. She was the first teacher to make me feel like a person and not just a student in a classroom. I had a role in the classroom every day. I was not only a student, but I was a helper and a friend for the first time in my elementary school experience. Something that I long for is to provide that same experience for students today. These students deserve to be treated with kindness and respect, they give back what they are given. I have worked with students since I was in high school. I began in a child development class and enjoyed it so much that I opted for an elementary education course for my senior year instead of a free period. I continued working with students in college. There is a preschool that I used to be enrolled in that I began working for in 2022. I was able to work with younger students and with students with learning disabilities. I also began working as an after-school tutor in 2023 and I continue to work with the California Teaching Fellows Program today. This program has allowed me to gain experience in working with students from kindergarten to high school. Working with kids is what gives me the drive and passion to complete my education at Fresno State. I currently work with a group of 22 second and third grade students who have only added to my passion of becoming a teacher. Every day I go to work and I am reminded of why I want to become a teacher. My students in the orange group at Columbia Elementary School have allowed me to demonstrate kindness and respect in the classroom and they have created their own family within our group. Overall, becoming a teacher is a dream that I am willing to complete absolutely any obstacle for. My name is Esmeralda Castaneda and my students call me Ms. E.