As a minority student myself, it has always warmed me to see a familiar non-white person as a teacher. It is crucial that minority educators continue to fill spots in the field of education to accurately represent all children in the classroom. I have true passion for the world of education, and strongly believe that teachers play a large role in the development of children as they progress through elementary school. I dream of being a relatable and reliable educator for my future students, allowing them to feel comfort in the classroom, no matter their cultural background. I am overly passionate about creating equal opportunities while ensuring that each student embraces their unique differences. I want to seek socio-cultural experiences that will further allow me to connect with my future students more deeply, more than just on an educational level. For those children who are born into families with low income, or are first-generation students, with similar experiences to ones I had, - I want them to know that they are capable. I want them to know that it gets better. I do not have the power to end poverty, but I can do my best as an educator to relieve any stress in the classroom while simultaneously promoting personal growth. I aspire to tell children my stories of struggle as a fellow minority, encouraging them to push hard through everything they do, in class and outside of school. I aspire to achieve these goals as I study Elementary Education with an ESL endorsement, along with a Spanish minor at Illinois State University. Currently, I am working on a research project, studying the impact of language barriers on ESL students' wellbeing. As this topic is directly related to my studies, this project is one that I initiated out of my own curiosity. Though it is a work in progress, I can confidently say it is truly a passion project I hope to use to aide my future career as a teacher. I am fortunate and grateful to be able to obtain a degree. However, due to my family’s consistent low income, I am needing to provide tuition money on my own. Earning this scholarship and honoring Chidubé's legacy would be a true privilege. I hope to be able to use this money towards my tuition to lessen my family's financial burden, allowing less stress as I continue to study what I love most and live out my dreams of being a teacher.

To be a teacher is to provide for your students in every way possible and necessary. To be a teacher is to show up. To be a teacher is to see the good in everyone and not let any small hiccup in plans get in your way. To be a teacher is very challenging. Despite these difficult aspects that come with being an educator, I know that this profession is the one I want to pursue for the rest of my life. When I was in third grade, my family became homeless for 2 months, living in a series of different local motels. I’d like to believe that because I was so young, I don’t recall much of the details from that time in my life. However, I know that realistically, my brain has most likely blocked the majority of it from my memory as a response to trauma. I remember taking the public Pace bus with my dad to school from the motels because we didn’t have a car. I remember arriving at school early, happy to be there for the next 6 hours. I remember coming back to the motel room that my family of 5 squeezed into, having a ramen noodle cup for dinner, and going to bed. This cycle is the overall gist of what I can recall on the surface level. What I clearly remember from this era of my life is the excitement I felt each day I arrived at school and saw my teachers and classmates. My third grade teacher, Mrs. Anderson knew the circumstances my family was living under, and catered to my needs. She didn’t treat me any differently compared to my classmates, yet she made me feel so special in a way that made school–something I didn’t enjoy much before–so enjoyable. Her patience, cooperation, and understanding character is something I still appreciate to this day, and my respect for teachers since then has been so high. My dream is to be an elementary school teacher and obtain just a fraction of the admiring traits that Mrs. Anderson had for her class. As a future teacher, I desire to provide a strong education for young children. I aspire to seek socio-cultural experiences that will further allow me to connect with my future students more deeply, more than just on an educational level. For those children who are born into families with low income, or are first-generation students - I want them to know that they are capable. I want them to know that it gets better. I do not have the power to end poverty, but I can do my best as an educator to relieve any stress in the classroom. I aspire to tell children my story in hopes of motivating them to push hard through everything they do, in class and outside of school. I aspire to achieve these goals as I study Elementary Education with an ESL endorsement, along with a Spanish minor at Illinois State University. I am only a freshman, but I already know that this career path is for me. I am overly passionate about creating equal opportunities while ensuring that each student embraces their unique differences. I am fortunate and grateful to be able to obtain a degree. However, due to my family’s consistent low income, I am needing to provide tuition money on my own. Earning this scholarship would be a true privilege. I hope to be able to use this money towards my tuition to lessen the financial burden my family has had to persevere for years.