Education for our youth is extremely important because it will shape the foundation of current and future society. The way that we educate, nourish, and support younger students will greatly and directly impact the way that our world is run and the way people treat one another. I want to ensure supportive and safe learning environments for students. This will help to make learning not only enjoyable but desirable. First, I believe that education is important for our youth because it sets up these individual students for success. Overall, education is one of the most important factors that go into a person's career, financial situation, and general well-being. I want to create an environment in which students are eager to learn and hungry for knowledge. This would be a huge impact on students' education. A student who wants to learn will experience a situation differently than a student who is only there because they have to be. It will teach flexibility, resilience, and passion which are key to future success. I want to enforce curiosity and interest to show young students how powerful knowledge can be. The success of these students is so crucially intertwined with their education. This success is reflective of how our society can grow, adapt, learn, and thrive. I am very passionate about this fact and want to set up my students for a better life through education. Another reason education is so important for the youth is that it teaches human decency which impacts everyone we come into contact with. I want to teach students the difference between right and wrong, what is kind and what is discouraging, and what is acceptable versus unacceptable. This kind of behavior and tolerance is different between each family but is crucial for all students to learn. I want to provide students with this idea of respect to help benefit all people. If a student can learn to spread kindness and acceptance, so can all adults as well. This mindset comes with education, which is why it is so important to begin teaching this to students at a young age. Finally, this belief of educating the youth is important to me specifically and I find it personally rewarding. I have gotten the chance to monitor and have hands-on classroom experience which has truly shown me the passion I have for education. It is unlike anything I have experienced to be able to challenge students to their limits and see them rise above expectations. One example of this comes from a student I got to work with this year. He was struggling with focus and behavior, but I helped him to stay respectful and get his work done. Not only did he excel when he focused, but he even told me that he was having fun in school. That personal reward was extreme for me. My experiences with helping the youth have only further shown its importance. The future of our society rests in the hands of the youth, which is why their education is so important. Respect and passion can lead a student to success, which can benefit not only themselves but all those around them. I am thrilled to be able to start my journey and want to be able to influence the youth in a positive, impactful way.

I plan to inspire youth students in many ways including giving them a supportive system, creating a positive learning environment, and providing opportunities that can be beneficial for their future. I think it is extremely important to influence the youth of our society to set up not only the individuals but our world as a whole. I plan to create a support system in the classroom to provide a safe, secure environment for students to want to learn. I cannot control how a student is treated at home, but I certainly can control how I treat and support them. If I can provide a comforting space in which students feel confident and comfortable to work hard and even make mistakes, I believe it can inspire them to reach limits they may have never imagined possible. I also want to create a positive environment in which students feel safe to speak their minds, and are cared about by not only myself but other students as well. I plan to teach kindness and acceptance in the classroom, which can transfer over to the real world as well. I want all students to feel heard and safe in an atmosphere that I can conduct, to feel inspired to work hard and be respectful to everyone. Kindness, positivity, and respect are key components and can inspire the youth to be successful. Finally, I want to provide new opportunities that can inspire younger students and spark passion. I want to be able to show new ideas, situations, and subjects that students in the youth can draw passion from. I want to be able to expose students to curiosity and interest whether it be in specific school subjects, extracurricular activities, or overall questions about society. I know that I will be working with young students who are probably not thinking about their futures, but I still believe creating passion early on would be most beneficial for the students. I have always been passionate about going down the path of education. I plan to impact any and all students I have the privilege of teaching. I want to inspire them to have passion and excitement not only in the classroom but for life. I can't wait to begin this next stage of my life and enjoy the new journey.

Early education is the building block for the future of our society. I have known since I was very young that teaching was the profession I wanted to be involved in. I have been surrounded by educators in my family and have always looked up to them highly. My grandmother, aunt, and cousin were or are all elementary teachers. Being surrounded by their positivity and love for education has only furthered mine as well. As time has progressed, I have learned that this is what I want to do, especially in elementary where I can begin to enhance the quality and excitement for learning. One of the reasons I am so passionate about childhood education is that I want to be a positive and supportive outlet for young children who need a role model in their lives. Unfortunately, children are not always exposed to support and encouragement at home. This is not something I can fix for everyone, but I believe that when teachers can act in a helpful role, it can impact children and their futures just the same. Instituting a positive, supportive, structured environment for children when they do not have the same surroundings at home, can help to ensure a more successful future for them. This is one of the key values that I feel should go into the education field. Everyone has different stories and experiences, but consistent support can be an equalizer. I have been fortunate enough to get some hands-on experience in an elementary classroom. One of the classes I took in the fall semester of my senior year was a Duo in a first and second-grade classroom. This included my shadowing the teacher (who I have a close relationship with) to learn what goes on in a classroom and to decide if I was truly passionate. The answer was very clear; this is exactly what I want to do for the rest of my life. I made a real impact on one of the more troubled students in this classroom to help him feel comforted, supported, and understood in the classroom. One example of this is shown in the "Friday letter's home" the students would write to their family members. This specific student didn't have family members who consistently wrote back to him, and after a few weeks, he began writing these letters to me. Not only did I help him to feel comfortable and heard in the classroom, but I helped him to stay focused and get his work done well. Even though the semester is now over and I am no longer able to continue staying with the kids in class, I still make sure to write letters home to this one student in particular. I have had multiple teachers come up to me and tell me I was making an impact on these kids' education, which fills my heart with nothing but joy. The idea of shaping young minds to be hungry and excited for knowledge is something I have always been passionate about. Our society rests in the hands of young minds and I want to be able to ensure that they have a strong and fair first step to building their education. Connections, communication, and understanding are key components to helping early education be successful. I have known since I was younger, and I still know now, I am passionate about early childhood education.

In my house, kindness is one of our strongest morals. No matter what the situation is for us, or those around us, we always embrace positivity and support. This is how I have grown up and how I plan to act toward others for the rest of my life. It is so important to take the time out of our day to give to those who are less fortunate, and that all stems from kindness and respect. There are small acts of love and kindness that I perform daily. This could be anything from holding the door for a stranger to being there for a friend who needs support in difficult times. It doesn’t take much to be a kind person, and I think it is something the whole world needs to get better at. In my school, and outside of it, I strive to be the best person I can be. One of the ways I help my school and community is through the National Honor Society. Not only have I been participating in community service for the past three years to improve community life, but I am also the Vice President of NHS at BFA Fairfax. This means that I am also helping the rest of the members come up with service projects and ideas. I am in charge of keeping everyone on track and organized to make sure everyone has the required amount of NHS hours (30) for each year. I think that service and kindness go hand in hand. Through food drives, sock drives, toy drives, and more, we are helping to give back to those in our small community who need extra support. It gives me deep pride to know that I am changing the lives of other people by giving back. Another example of my devotion to kindness is shown in sports. Last year, the St. Albans Messenger wrote an article about me entitled “Faith Benjamin brings power of positivity!” The article talks about my drive to spread positivity and kindness to everyone on the soccer field because of the mentality we needed to succeed. One quote from the article says “Faith Benjamin was ecstatic in the celebration, and her positivity can be frequently seen on the field.” This article meant so much to me because it meant other people could see my positive attitude and I hope that it is interpreted and used by others as well. My kindness is also expressed to those on opposing teams, not just my teammates. I have often gone up to other players after games to congratulate them on being a good person or a good athlete, or sometimes both! I do this because recognizing others' achievements and praising them for it is something that doesn’t happen enough in our world. I think that if someone is a good person, we need to congratulate them for it to show everyone else that kindness matters. When I reflect on myself and those around me, I hope and believe that the trait they would use to describe me is kind, because that is how I describe myself. I want to improve the mindset of our unsympathetic world to be more understanding, loving, and kind. This great change needs to start small, which is why I make sure to leave more kindness and love in this small community before I can branch out and leave my mark of positivity wherever life may take me.