Hi I am Kalei Patterson. I was a foster child for many years but I was adopted in my sophomore year of high school. I love volunteering for my community and making people smile. I love gardening and walking around my neighborhood. I love to partner up with local elementary schools and work on their Gardens over the summer and over breaks. It brings new life to the campus and it also brings joy to little kids, especially when they get to help out and be involved. They get to water the plants, name them and even decorate the garden boxes. When I was in high school I made a promise to start being kind to myself like how I'm kind to my community. I joined the Air Force Junior Reserve officer training Corps as well as the associated student body for my school. I started the gardening club and continued to be president until my senior year. I also became president and vice president of other clubs such as the real life Club which focuses on raising money for foster kids and the Pizza Wings and salsa club that focus on volunteering for food distributions and giving out drinks at marathons and runs for cancer patients and other events. Through joining different small communities on a school campus for myself, I also get to give back to many other community. I have learned many life lessons through my experiences, such as focusing on the bad will only bring bad but focusing on the good will bring good. However some people can't see the good because they're not focused on it and so I like to bring the good out and show it to the people. When a person needs help I always try to offer what I can. It may not be much but sometimes a little goes a long way. If a person needs a friend I will be that friend. There are always opportunities to be kind, an act of kindness is free. Sometimes people need a reminder that it's okay to start over, to start fresh even if it's not New Year's. It's okay to sit in your room and not talk to anyone and it is okay to take time for yourself. I tried to implement these lessons that I've learned whenever in my everyday life. I try to teach these lessons I've learned the smaller children that I volunteer for, babysit, and tutor.

I have overcome many hardships like the Foster system for years but nothing hurt more than losing my mom. I know that losing someone is mostly related to death but I lost my mom to the Foster system. She was addicted to drugs, gambling, and sex. I spent years trying to get attention from her and maybe even an I love you. I was put into the Foster system when I was in the fourth grade a week after my 10th birthday. Before then, I was neglected by my mom who was in and out of jail for DUIs, multiple different drugs, fights, and other charges. I don't think people understand how hard it is to have a parent be alive and yet you cannot see them or talk to them, and the worst part is that they say that we're the ones that are dead. I am dead to my mother. She has never loved me nor has she ever even wanted me. I finally realized that I completely lost her when I went into the Foster system. She chose drugs over her own daughter. I remember crying myself to sleep for years because all I wanted was my mom, I wanted her to say she loved me. I actually just went to a conference for overcoming grief and I didn't realize just how bad I miss my mom until I was shaking with overcoming sadness. The speaker came up to me afterwards and said something that I will never forget, "sometimes it's worse to have a parent who's alive but unable to have a relationship than a parent who has passed but who has a loving relationship." My mom's neglect towards me resulted into years of hurting myself, self-hatred and a development of trichinomalia. Within the Foster system I was abused by my former gardian. I was told that I was overweight because I couldn't fit a size zero, I was told but I was too short, that I looked ugly, that I was too awkward, too introverted, and other horrible things. I was only in middle school at the time and I stopped growing at 4 ft 11 and I was still dealing with the loss of my my mom as well as going through Middle School which is one of the most worst time for every person. I was bullied both at school by my classmates and at home by my former foster parent. As a result I started a process of overeating and then throwing it up. It wasn't until years later that I started therapy and healthier habits. I stopped cutting myself, I started taking care of my hygiene, I started eating healthier and developed a better relationship with food and a better relationship with myself. Still hurts whenever I think about my mom but now I want to fight for myself and not fight for her to notice me and give me love. I'm fighting for myself love. I started to focus more on my education and so I worked hard to be the person I am today. I have been accepted to Grand Canyon University in Arizona Phoenix. When I first started my fight for my own love and acceptance, I was in high school. I joined the Air Force Junior Reserve officer training Corps as well as the associated student body for my school. I started the gardening club and continued to be president until my senior year. I also became president and vice president of other clubs such as the real life Club which focuses on raising money for foster kids and the Pizza Wings and salsa club that focus on volunteering for food distributions and giving out drinks at marathons and runs for cancer patients and other events. Throughout my difficult time I have learned many life lessons such as focusing on the bad will only bring bad but focusing on the good will bring good. They're always opportunities to be kind, kindness is free and it's okay to start over sometimes to start fresh even if it's not New Year's. It's okay to sit in your room and not talk to anyone and it is okay to take time for yourself. I am the person I am today not because of what I went through but because of what I took out of my hardships that I experienced and I use my story as a testimony. I will continue my fight, thank you.

My greatest achievements are overcoming many hardships like the Foster system. I was put into the Foster system when I was in the fourth grade a week after my 10th birthday. Before then I was neglected by my blood mother who was in and out of jail for DUIs, multiple different drugs, fights, and other charges. In her defense she has lost two sons, one to a car accident when he was a freshman in high school 4 years before I was born and one two years before I was born to the Foster system. However this does not excuse her behavior and neglect towards me which resulted into her losing me as well. Being put into the Foster system I had no idea that I was going to stay there for for 7 years. Within the Foster system I was abused mentally and on occasion physically. I was told that I was overweight because I couldn't fit a size zero, I was told but I was too short, that I didn't look good with my hair down, that I was too awkward, too introverted, and other horrible things. I was only in middle school at the time and I stopped growing at 4 ft 11 and I was still dealing with the loss of my my mom as well as going through Middle School which is one of the most worst times for every person. I was bullied both at school by my classmates and at home by my former foster parent. As a result of a lot of trauma, I do developed trichomonalomia when I was in the first grade and later on I started hurting myself through cutting and a process of overeating and then throwing it up. I could go on and on about the troubles that I've faced throughout my life, however this is about my success. I was adopted in high school by my now dad and I have been accepted to Grand Canyon University in Arizona Phoenix. And I was in high school I joined Air Force Junior Reserve officer training Corps as well as the associated student body for my school. I started the gardening club and continued to be president until my senior year. I also became president and vice president of other clubs such as the real life Club which focuses on raising money for foster kids and the Pizza Wings and salsa club that focus on volunteering for food distributions and giving out drinks at marathons and runs for cancer patients and other events. Throughout my difficult time I have learned many life lessons as focusing on the bad will only bring bad but focusing on the good will bring good. They're always opportunities to be kind, kindness is free and it's okay to start over sometimes to start fresh even if it's not New Year's. It's okay to sit in your room and not talk to anyone and it is okay to take time for yourself. I learned a lot about myself from these experiences. I learned that I am the person I am today not because of what I went through but because of what I took out of my hardships that I experienced and I use my story as a testimony.

My hardships that I have experience in life are the experiences that have motivated me to be a better version of myself. I have overcome many hardships like the Foster system. I was put into the Foster system when I was in the fourth grade a week after my 10th birthday. Before then I was neglected by my blood mother who was in and out of jail for DUIs, multiple different drugs, fights, and other charges. In her defense she has lost two sons, one to a car accident when he was a freshman in high school 4 years before I was born and one two years before I was born to the Foster system. However this does not excuse her behavior and neglect towards me which resulted into her losing me as well. Being put into the Foster system I had no idea that I was going to stay there for for 7 years. Within the Foster system I was abused mentally and on occasion physically. I was told that I was overweight because I couldn't fit a size zero, I was told but I was too short, that I didn't look good with my hair down, that I was too awkward, too introverted, and other horrible things. I was only in middle school at the time and I stopped growing at 4 ft 11 and I was still dealing with the loss of my my mom as well as going through Middle School which is one of the most worst times for every person. I was bullied both at school by my classmates and at home by my former foster parent. As a result of a lot of trauma, I do developed trichomonalomia when I was in the first grade and later on I started hurting myself through cutting and a process of overeating and then throwing it up. I could go on and on about the troubles that I've faced throughout my life, however this is about my success. I was adopted in high school by my now dad and I have been accepted to Grand Canyon University in Arizona Phoenix. And I was in high school I joined Air Force Junior Reserve officer training Corps as well as the associated student body for my school. I started the gardening club and continued to be president until my senior year. I also became president and vice president of other clubs such as the real life Club which focuses on raising money for foster kids and the Pizza Wings and salsa club that focus on volunteering for food distributions and giving out drinks at marathons and runs for cancer patients and other events. Throughout my difficult time I have learned many life lessons such as focusing on the bad will only bring bad but focusing on the good will bring good. They're always opportunities to be kind, kindness is free and it's okay to start over sometimes to start fresh even if it's not New Year's. It's okay to sit in your room and not talk to anyone and it is okay to take time for yourself. I am the person I am today not because of what I went through but because of what I took out of my hardships that I experienced and I use my story as a testimony. I learned to love myself.

I am working to address a specific social issue by becoming a teacher. That's right you heard me, I am becoming a teacher to basically boycott Social Security and retirement funding by the government. Teachers have teachers unions that provide alternative to putting money into a social security and it is more secure. Since there are less people in the Next Generation that means Social Security might not be as secure as we might like. My fear is that the Articles and news letters are true, that when this generation gets older we will not have a Social Security. Even though we might not have a Social Security, we the people still have to pay from our paycheck every time anyone get reimbursed by the government. By becoming a teacher, a person can choose an alternative within the teachers union for Social Security so that they don't have to pay social security and their retirement fund is actually secure. I don't know if I sound crazy but I'm just trying to have a safe future we'll also inspiring the new generation and making it safe place. I also plan to create a peaceful protest so that the issue will rise to surface and maybe the government and legislature can do something about it. I want to get enough people and do enough research so that maybe we can find alternative ways besides Social Security that will not ruin our finances as a country nor mess up the economy or our future Generations. I want to see you if we can make a new and improve Social Security for our nation. The Social Security that we have will not work if our population keeps declining the way it is. You might not know this but, how Social Security works is the newer Generations pay money from their paycheck every payday towards Social Security. Now you may think that goes towards their social security and their retirement however it actually goes towards the older Generations retirement, so in reality young people are paying for older people's Social Security and that's why if our population is going down for newer Generations then Social Security cannot work. I would like to change this to everyone pays for their own Social Security. For example, you get paid and through your paycheck some money gets taken out to your Social Security and your retirement fund, no one else's. In conclusion, I would like to become a teacher to address the specific social issue of Social Security as well as bring a large amount of people to hopefully make a change to Social Security.

My personal experience with finances and financial education as a whole is simple, hard. I grew up in the house where my guardian at the time could not afford an apartment and regular Essentials. I remember growing up having to use food stamps and going dumpster diving. I remember eating Top Ramen almost every night because that's all we could afford. They were nights where we had to sleep in the car behind some random building so you wouldn't get arrested or ticketed. Christmas is were tough too. I remember all the other kids getting brand new toys and everything from their wish list, while I knew the truth. I had to know the truth, Santa wasn't real and my guardian couldn't afford to get me everything I wanted for Christmas. I remember this one time we didn't have a place to go because we got kicked out of where we were staying the night before Christmas and so respect Christmas at a friend's house. I remember having my little purple tree and getting toothpaste, toothbrush, underwear, and one toy. Even though I grew up poor, I have learned to be appreciative of what I have. Unfortunately I was put into the posture system for many years. Fortunately, I am now going to go to college. However I need to make a deadline of $8,000 before July 15th or else I won't be able to go to the college. So even now I struggle financially. I plan on using what I learned better the future by helping others financially when I can as well as giving back to the community Through food distributions and other events. Not only this but when I go to local Community Schools and help tutor I will also teach them about the importance of saving money. On top of this, I can go to local secondary schools as well and teach about scholarships, grants, loans and the difference between them. I will also teach about the importance of investing, where to invest, how to invest, and other important financial decisions such as opening a bank account and a savings account. Furthermore I will also be teaching credit score and the importance of credit and the difference between credit and debit. I hope that I can make a difference from elementary school to Secondary School. I want to make a difference starting from elementary school so I can start them young and work my way up with middle and high school.

Receiving the scholarship would be very meaningful to me because I am in financial need and would like to further my education by going to college however I cannot afford College. I plan to pay forward this act of kindness in the future by helping tutor little kids in the community as well as participating in food distributions as well as feeding the homeless. I have overcome many hardships like the Foster system. I was put into the Foster system when I was in the fourth grade a week after my 10th birthday. Before then I was neglected by my blood mother who was in and out of jail for DUIs, multiple different drugs, fights, and other charges. In her defense she has lost two sons, one to a car accident when he was a freshman in high school 4 years before I was born and one two years before I was born to the Foster system. However this does not excuse her behavior and neglect towards me which resulted into her losing me as well. Being put into the Foster system I had no idea that I was going to stay there for for 7 years. Within the Foster system I was abused mentally and on occasion physically. I was told that I was overweight because I couldn't fit a size zero, I was told but I was too short, that I didn't look good with my hair down, that I was too awkward, too introverted, and other horrible things. I was only in middle school at the time and I stopped growing at 4 ft 11 and I was still dealing with the loss of my my mom as well as going through Middle School which is one of the most worst times for every person. I was bullied both at school by my classmates and at home by my former foster parent. As a result of a lot of trauma, I do developed trichomonalomia when I was in the first grade and later on I started hurting myself through cutting and a process of overeating and then throwing it up. I could go on and on about the troubles that I've faced throughout my life, however this is about my success. I was adopted in high school by my now dad and I have been accepted to Grand Canyon University in Arizona Phoenix. And I was in high school I joined Air Force Junior Reserve officer training Corps as well as the associated student body for my school. I started the gardening club and continued to be president until my senior year. I also became president and vice president of other clubs such as the real life Club which focuses on raising money for foster kids and the Pizza Wings and salsa club that focus on volunteering for food distributions and giving out drinks at marathons and runs for cancer patients and other events. Throughout my difficult time I have learned many life lessons such as focusing on the bad will only bring bad but focusing on the good will bring good. They're always opportunities to be kind, kindness is free and it's okay to start over sometimes to start fresh even if it's not New Year's. It's okay to sit in your room and not talk to anyone and it is okay to take time for yourself. I am the person I am today not because of what I went through but because of what I took out of my hardships that I experienced and I use my story as a testimony.

I am pursuing a career in education for multiple reasons. Firstly I intend to give back to my community and help the future generation become successful and good people. My mission is to build citizens of character dedicated to serving their community. I've always had a dream of becoming a teacher since teachers are the people students see the most and also have the most influence. Have you ever seen or heard those stories of celebrities and Nobel Peace Prize winners mentioned their teachers and thank them because they are the people who inspired that person? I want to be one of those teachers I want to inspire my future students. I want to build up the new generation and give them hope and hopefully make more Noble Peace Prize winners and celebrities who will eventually give back to their Community as well. I want to be the teacher that every student can come to when they need help. For example, one of my favorite teachers, Mrs. Lo help students by giving them food if they need food or feminine products when the school won't give the girls any. I don't want to be selfish but I also want to become a teacher because of the retirement benefits and also the fact that it brings the person much joy to see their students succeed. Even though my dad is disappointed that I'm going into the education field, it is my dream and passion. I might not get six figures or a big house but I don't need those things. I don't care for a big houses or lots of money, I care for other people's well-beings and a simple life. I want to make people laugh and be there for them when they're crying and celebrate the students for they're accomplishments. There are some students like myself who have learning and it is hard for some of them to stay focused on an assignment that might fit the curriculum but doesn't fit the student, resulting in less participation and care. For example, a class reading a war book that was written in 1952. This book might not interest every student and so when I become a teacher I will implement books that will cater to every student educational Spark. For example, I will have multiple choices on which book we will read as a class and the students will choose. Another option could be the students choose the novel that they want to read that will also be school appropriate and the student will write an essay on their book that they read. I have sacrificed a lot to pursue an degree in education. For example, I sacrificed my time and my high school experience to work hard and get into a private university that has one of the best teaching programs. I have sacrificed being a disappointment to my dad and other family members. I'm sacrificing every last minute I have to get scholarships so that I can pay for my first year of college. If I am not looking at loans and looking at jobs I am applying to scholarships and applying alone all while not hearing back from a job and not getting the scholarships that I have applied to.

I am pursuing a career in education for multiple reasons. Firstly I intend to give back to my community and help the future generation become successful and good people. My mission is to build citizens of character dedicated to serving their community. I've always had a dream of becoming a teacher since teachers are the people students see the most and also have the most influence. Have you ever seen or heard those stories of celebrities and Nobel Peace Prize winners mentioned their teachers and thank them because they are the people who inspired that person? I want to be one of those teachers I want to inspire my future students. I want to build up the new generation and give them hope and hopefully make more Noble Peace Prize winners and celebrities who will eventually give back to their Community as well. I want to be the teacher that every student can come to when they need help. For example, one of my favorite teachers, Mrs. Lo, help students by giving them food if they need food or feminine products when the school won't give the girls any. I don't want to be selfish but I also want to become a teacher because of the retirement benefits and also the fact that it brings the person much joy to see their students succeed. Even though my dad is disappointed that I'm going into the education field, it is my dream and passion. I might not get six figures or a big house but I don't need those things. I don't care for a big houses or lots of money, I care for other people's well-beings and a simple life. I want to make people laugh and be there for them when they're crying and celebrate the students for they're accomplishments. There are some students like myself who have learning and it is hard for some of them to stay focused on an assignment that might fit the curriculum but doesn't fit the student, resulting in less participation and care. For example, a class reading a war book that was written in 1952. This book might not interest every student and so when I become a teacher I will implement books that will cater to every student educational Spark. For example, I will have multiple choices on which book we will read as a class and the students will choose. Another option could be the students choose the novel that they want to read that will also be school appropriate and the student will write an essay on their book that they read. Miss law is the teacher who changed my life. She has been battling cancer ever since she started teaching at Mira Mesa High School. She is a strong and fierce woman who deserves the best however and unfortunately she does have to fight this awful sickness that she does not deserve to have. She hasn't changed my life because she has cancer, she changed my life because of the life lessons and stories that she taught me. I can honestly say that I have learned more from her than any other teacher. She taught me that if you look for the bad you will find only bad but if you look for the good you will indeed find the good. She taught me to give back to my community and she taught me that it only takes a minute to be kind. "Being kind can come in many forms," she said. Whether it is just listening to someone or something bigger.

I have overcome many hardships like the Foster system. I was put into the Foster system when I was in the fourth grade a week after my 10th birthday. Before then I was neglected by my blood mother who was in and out of jail for DUIs, multiple different drugs, fights, and other charges. In her defense she has lost two sons, one to a car accident when he was a freshman in high school 4 years before I was born and one two years before I was born to the Foster system. However this does not excuse her behavior and neglect towards me which resulted into her losing me as well. Being put into the Foster system I had no idea that I was going to stay there for for 7 years. Within the Foster system I was abused mentally and on occasion physically. I was told that I was overweight because I couldn't fit a size zero, I was told but I was too short, that I didn't look good with my hair down, that I was too awkward, too introverted, and other horrible things. I was only in middle school at the time and I stopped growing at 4 ft 11 and I was still dealing with the loss of my my mom as well as going through Middle School which is one of the most worst times for every person. I was bullied both at school by my classmates and at home by my former foster parent. As a result of a lot of trauma, I do developed trichomonalomia when I was in the first grade and later on I started hurting myself through cutting and a process of overeating and then throwing it up. I could go on and on about the troubles that I've faced throughout my life, however this is about my success. I was adopted in high school by my now dad and I have been accepted to Grand Canyon University in Arizona Phoenix. And I was in high school I joined Air Force Junior Reserve officer training Corps as well as the associated student body for my school. I started the gardening club and continued to be president until my senior year. I also became president and vice president of other clubs such as the real life Club which focuses on raising money for foster kids and the Pizza Wings and salsa club that focus on volunteering for food distributions and giving out drinks at marathons and runs for cancer patients and other events. Throughout my difficult time I have learned many life lessons such as focusing on the bad will only bring bad but focusing on the good will bring good. They're always opportunities to be kind, kindness is free and it's okay to start over sometimes to start fresh even if it's not New Year's. It's okay to sit in your room and not talk to anyone and it is okay to take time for yourself. I am the person I am today not because of what I went through but because of what I took out of my hardships that I experienced and I use my story as a testimony.

I am pursuing a career in education for multiple reasons. Firstly I intend to give back to my community and help the future generation become successful and good people. My mission is to build citizens of character dedicated to serving their community. I've always had a dream of becoming a teacher since teachers are the people students see the most and also have the most influence. Have you ever seen or heard those stories of celebrities and Nobel Peace Prize winners mentioned their teachers and thank them because they are the people who inspired that person? I want to be one of those teachers I want to inspire my future students. I want to build up the new generation and give them hope and hopefully make more Noble Peace Prize winners and celebrities who will eventually give back to their Community as well. I want to be the teacher that every student can come to when they need help. For example, one of my favorite teachers, Mrs. Lo help students by giving them food if they need food or feminine products when the school won't give the girls any. I don't want to be selfish but I also want to become a teacher because of the retirement benefits and also the fact that it brings the person much joy to see their students succeed. Even though my dad is disappointed that I'm going into the education field, it is my dream and passion. I might not get six figures or a big house but I don't need those things. I don't care for a big houses or lots of money, I care for other people's well-beings and a simple life. I want to make people laugh and be there for them when they're crying and celebrate the students for they're accomplishments. There are some students like myself who have learning and it is hard for some of them to stay focused on an assignment that might fit the curriculum but doesn't fit the student, resulting in less participation and care. For example, a class reading a war book that was written in 1952. This book might not interest every student and so when I become a teacher I will implement books that will cater to every student educational Spark. For example, I will have multiple choices on which book we will read as a class and the students will choose. Another option could be the students choose the novel that they want to read that will also be school appropriate and the student will write an essay on their book that they read.

I get back to my community and many ways, for example I have been participating in my local food distribution every first Thursday of the month. I also volunteer with campus cleanup as well as feeding the homeless with my church and providing clothing for people in need. When I was in high school I also created the gardening club to give back to the school. Immensely that I have looked up to for years is Mrs. Lo. She is a very fierce and strong independent woman. She has impacted me like no other person has, through teaching me about life lessons and being so strong as to fighting her battle with cancer. I almost recognize our relationship kind of like the book "Tuesdays with Morris". Of course I hope the ending is different than in the book because she is fighting so hard and I admire her for it. She has given every student one-on-one time and the best communication. I hope that I can implement some of her teachings and I become a teacher. For example, I would love to also have close bonds with each and every student that I have and make sure that every student is safe, as well as being a strong mentor to students who need it. On top of this I would love to provide for my students in any way that I can just like she did. If a student was hungry she would make sure they were fed but the student needed something the school cannot provide for example pads or feminine products, she was there for the students. I would Implement these into my future classroom as well. Of course we are two different people so we will have to different teaching styles. I plan to implement my own love and learning into the Next Generation by having a more modern twist with what we look at. For example, if the curriculum says we need to read articles then I will have updated articles about topics that apply to my students' lives. I will also implement Mental Health columns as well as future careers, goals, how to save money. I will also Implement multiple mental health breaks as well as clear instructions so that my students will not be stressed and overwhelmed with work. I would also have lots of plans in my classroom for a more healthy and clear atmosphere. I do plan on becoming an advisor for another gardening club in the future that host activities such as campus cleanups and various volunteering hours so that I can give back to that school as well as the students.

I became interested in teaching special education when I was in high school however I decided to become a teacher in general when I was in Middle School. I didn't decide to become a special education teacher until I started working with the kids and volunteering with at my high school. I also grew up with a learning disability and therefore was pulled in and out while placed in multiple classrooms with multiple different teachers, so I understand how stressful it can be for students, especially for students who need a little extra push. I've had teachers who I will never forget and will always appreciate because they were there for me and gave me that push I needed. I want to further my education so I can be someone's push. I want to help students like myself. I want to help students who are not like me either. I just want to help other people whether they are in kindergarten through Middle School, high school or even adults. Working with the special needs brings joy into my life because they are like everyone else and sometimes they're even happier than others. I love all the students that I volunteered with within my senior year of high school and I will never forget them and the joy that they brought to my life as well. It warms my heart that I can say that I was part of their life even if it was a small part. There are a lot of important methods in teaching special education however the most important is also one-on-one relationship and communication with each student because not every student is the same and not every method will work with all the students. For example when I was helping in my senior year we had this one young man who liked to be called Red, he loved being involved with our lessons however he liked to do it separately while on the other hand we had another student named Kai and he loved being in groups and working with others. Now if we made Red be in a group with Kai forcefully, it would not turn out very well because Red needs more space. If we had let Kai or other students engage with Red without Red's consent then it would have had a negative impact resulting in physical harm. Now people may think that it's only one or the other regarding personality as well as students who are physically impaired but every single student has their own personality and has their own way of learning just like any other student. Another reason why I want to become a special education teacher is because the department has no funding whatsoever or at least next to zero and I would want to bless these kids and bring to light the issues that we are facing. Most financial support goes to the majority of students outside of the special needs because there are more students, while our department sees zero to no funds. My future goal is to raise more money and funds as well as awareness for the special needs education and Department. I want to create a safe and healthy environment for everyone. When I said I decided to become a special education teacher because I started volunteering with a special education department when I was in high school, I really meant when I met all the students that I volunteered for and with. I spent my time building a relationship with each student. Regarding this I want to acknowledge the students who helped me realize the importance of special education teachers; Clayton, red, Kai, and Brian. Thank you.

Hello, my name is Kaleo O'Kalani Patterson, and I am passionate about pursuing a career in teaching. My interest in teaching is deeply rooted in the belief that education is not just about transferring knowledge but also about being there for students emotionally, spiritually, and physically. I believe that educators should be providing opportunities, and guiding students through their academic and personal journeys. I grew up with lots of difficulties in my personal and educational life, and the only people who encouraged me to keep going and pursue the future were my teachers. Without them, I would not be here. I would be honored to become that for my future students. I want to help make future presidents, scientists, teachers, and engineers, I want to help raise the future of society and watch them grow up and fail and then learn and succeed, knowing that I made a difference in their lives. For me, teaching goes beyond the curriculum; it's about being a reliable presence in students' lives. I want to serve as a mentor who helps students face their fears, overcome challenges, and ultimately succeed. My goal is to create an environment where students feel supported, encouraged, and empowered to reach their full potential. I believe in the transformational power of education, and I want to be a motivator for positive change in the lives of my students. By creating a classroom atmosphere that is not only conducive to learning but also supportive, I aim to be the kind of teacher who not only imparts knowledge but also serves as a friend when students are in need. Building meaningful connections with students is one of the keys to my teaching philosophy. I envision myself as someone who listens, understands, and provides guidance to help students navigate both academic and personal challenges. By obtaining a sense of trust and friendship, I aspire to create an environment where students feel comfortable seeking support, knowing that I am not just their instructor but also a friend who cares about their well-being and safety. In conclusion, my motivation for pursuing a career in teaching comes from a genuine desire to make a positive impact on the lives of students, to be there for them in times of difficulty, and to contribute to their overall growth and success. I am excited about the opportunity of being a part of their educational and life journey and helping shape future leaders and good citizens in our society.