I am a single mom of 4 amazing boys and parenting them has been the greatest gift and challenge of my life! I was a homeschool mom for many years while my boys were in elementary and middle school. That journey initiated and inspired my own love of learning. Honestly, we shed many tears in frustration together as well as celebrating many victories while homeschooling. I did this as a military spouse moving every few years. Although the places and people we connected with through our education adventure changed, the priority of loving and raising my boys to be respectful contributors and caretakers of our world and the people in it did not. None of my boys are exactly alike. As a parent I have allowed them to explore anything that interested them, from Pokémon and fishing, to Falconry and sports. Helping them to know they are loved unconditionally has been the rock on which their education was built. Parenting has meant learning how to encourage passion and growth in each unique son, being careful not to squash their individuality. I have learned more recently to allow myself the same freedom, which is why I'm choosing to go back to school. I want a future and a hope to look forward to where I can to use my gifts and passion to help others. Two of my boys are now college graduates, one is a college freshman, and I still have one in high school. I have worked in our local school district for the last 5 years as a Sped and Resource Paraprofessional, a high school Track and Field Coach, and most recently as a long term licensed guest teacher for 1st grade and Special Education and Resource. This has been my second "parenting" job as I have come to love and cherish my students/athletes like they were my own. I have just been accepted into a cohort program to pursue Speech Language and Pathology at 51 years old. I was never the greatest student in high school or college. I am looking to return to school to change that and ultimately use my education background to help empower young students and adults to speak with confidence and build a platform for a lifelong love of learning and resilience. I have seen what helping kids with their speech delay and challenges can do! While working and attending college at the same time as my own kids will prove to be challenging in many ways, I'm excited about how it will open up future opportunities in the work force and am convinced the sacrifice will pay off. On my own for the first time in 27 years, I'll use my education to continue supporting my boys and household financially and pay for their future educational opportunities as well. From all of us parents, thank you for the making the application and scholarship available.