There have been many times in my life when people have told me that I would make a great teacher. I always thought they were ridiculous; however, as I got older and wiser, I began to see the qualities that would make me a teacher. I see myself as such an empathetic person and see the potential in children. Being patient and taking the time to work with them is such a rewarding job. I think that the qualities that I exhibit, as well as the drive to become a teacher, are what would make me a great candidate for this scholarship. My goals in making a positive impact on the world is helping students grow into the best versions of themselves. Creating a positive and supportive community molds their identity and establish a sense of belonging. Having that type of community promotes the desire for learning. I wish to be a person in which students look up to and inspire them to never give up in their dreams and goals. Seeing the potential being discovered by teachers is why I am passionate about education. It is seeing the moment where it all connects, and the excitement they show when they finally understand. It is the dedication that teachers put into their students, and never giving up on them no matter how hard it can be. Along with students learning from me, I am also learning from them. Becoming a teacher also means continuous learning about subjects that I am passionate about, and being able to relay the information to students. I would want my students to be just as passionate about learning as I am. I was adopted from China when I was six years old, and for a while I struggled learning English. This was one of my biggest challenges that I had faced, and many educators wanted me to be placed into kindergarten for English development. My parents disagreed and believed that I would quickly catch up to my classmates. I had a lot of DVs for development. However, with the support of my parents and persistent teachers I learned English within six months of being in America. Ever since then, I was an honor roll student who was in NHS, and made Dean’s and President’s list. This is a main reason that has inspired me about becoming an educator. I want to be one of those teachers who never gave up on me and has helped me in being successful in my academic career. A major issue that is causing issues in the public school system is teachers are feeling the burnout and quickly losing their passion for teaching. Schools are underfunded which means there are staff shortages and teachers do not get paid good salaries. I will be honest say that I have reconsidered my choice of being a teacher due to those factors, but my desire has always been to become a teacher. It isn’t about how much I am making; it is about seeing the lightbulb lighting up in their minds and being their support system.

Looking forward to school was what I loved. I was diagnosed with Thalassemia when I was young, and most often I would have to miss school to be at the doctor's office. For the majority of my life, I was in and out of the hospital; therefore, I missed some school. When I was at school, I did not have to worry about my condition and could focus on being surrounded by friends and awesome teachers. I was able to learn many things and had fun learning. I was able to laugh and talk with my friends without worrying about my health. Getting older and still going to the doctors, I realized how many children and teens who are also at the doctors regularly are missing out on the normal childhood experience. The children are in a white sterile room, with nurses as their companions rather than kids their age who are active in extracurricular activities. For me, it felt unfair that I had to be at the doctor's office while my friends were at school, learning something fun. They'd tell me about the awesome experiments, activities, and games they played while I was away. Missing those fun experiences made me feel so left out, and sometimes I envied them. Other than the hospital, I was surrounded by children my age or younger; they were either kids and their siblings from church or my family members. I remember some children did not exactly have a good home life, and they always looked forward to being at church or at school. With the knowledge I have gained, I want to create a warm and welcoming environment for students. Creating a safe place for them is important for them and their educational journey. Being surrounded by children all my life, a part of me had always wanted to become a teacher. I wanted to ensure that kids looked forward to going to school. I want to keep lessons exciting and fun every day so that kids who missed school will come in the next day and can participate in more fun activities. I want to ensure that my students will have a good time with me, and look forward to coming to school and be excited to learn. My greatest desire is to make students' days brighter and to lift their moods. The best compliment for a teacher would be for students to remember who their teacher was when they are older. I remember many teachers who have been important figures in my life from first grade through the end of high school. They have been my inspiration in taking the steps in pursuing an education degree. Most of the teachers that I had were encouraging and supportive; they molded me and many others to be successful in our future careers. Teachers are the stepping stones for students and their lives. Teachers are one of the most important, taxing, but very rewarding jobs. I plan to use my experience and love of learning to mold the brightest scholars.