Since the seventh grade, I have wanted to be an English teacher who inspires her students to learn. While in college, I have embraced the opportunity to be of service to others during the year and the summer. Throughout the fall and spring semesters, I volunteered with Big Brothers Big Sisters and spent one day a week with a seventh grader, getting to know her, and supporting her however she needed. I will continue volunteering with them for the upcoming year. Additionally, from May to June, I spent a month learning and volunteering in Thailand and Laos with GIVE Volunteers. I was able to practice my teaching skills by teaching English to Laotian students, do permaculture work, and learn different skills from the community we stayed in. Finally, from June to July, I worked with MeshEd, an organization dedicated to high quality project based learning. I worked at one of three CREC sites to provide summer enrichment for middle school students. I acted as a TA for the academic part of the day, answering student questions in English class and walking them through equations in math. In the afternoon, I co-taught a coding and game design course where students learn project management, creativity, critical thinking, and block coding skills. Going forward, I will continue searching for opportunities through my university to refine my teaching skills and serve the community around me and abroad. Throughout my life, I have had the gift of teacher role models. In seventh grade, my English teacher encouraged me to break out of my comfort zone and take on challenges in my academic career instead of settling for being good at where I excelled. She is the person who opened my eyes to teaching as a career, and now I volunteer as a teacher’s aide in her classroom, where I realized my interest in teaching and creative writing. My Earth Science teacher urged me to sign up for AP Biology in ninth grade. Without his belief in my abilities, I would not have taken a course that challenged me and taught me to persevere through difficulties. I know that not every student has the same experience; some lose interest in school because of discouragement from their teachers. I plan to continuously go out of my way to improve my students' comfort and advocate for their needs, which will ignite a love of learning for them. Teaching is incredibly fulfilling because providing guidance and education leads to visible, lifelong improvements in students’ lives. I want to instill a love of learning into future students, encourage them to discover their academic skills, and support their creativity. My desired role is to be an educator that serves as a beacon of hope, teaching students how to elevate their voices by wielding the power of the written word. Outside of teaching the formal structure of writing utilized in the academic and working world, I will provide students with an understanding of the writing process as a creative outlet to channel their emotions and tell stories about themselves and their communities. As a teacher of color, I want to teach my students to value themselves, discover their academic abilities and realize that their differences are powerful tools for creativity. I hope to teach in a manner and with diverse texts that increase students' capacity to be leaders, influencing the world around them through the written and spoken word. Connecting those lessons to current events and their community, my students will learn how the written and spoken word is used in an academic setting and its implications within society.

Halfway across the world, volunteering with a sustainable traveling organization, I experienced something I had not expected. It wasn’t racism, more an aversion to me. I was with GIVE Volunteers, teaching English to students in a small village in Laos called Sop Chem. The students flocked to the other volunteers, asked them to play, smiled, giggled. But looking at me, they dropped their grins, eyeing me cautiously. Not every child had reacted negatively, my own students had no problem learning from me, excitedly showing up to our lessons each day. But after class, the whole group would play a partner game, Princessa, where a student and volunteer competed with the other pairs to be the last ones standing. The first day went fine, one of my students chose me to be her partner, but in the days afterwards, even when there were students without partners, they would not ask me to join them. At first, I was disappointed, thinking that the girl who hadn’t wanted to pair with me was just shy. But the next day, multiple kids decided to sit out instead of partnering with me. It could have been that they were just tired and hungry after class or bored of playing the same game repeatedly. Yet it seemed to be something more, and when I spoke with my guides they agreed. They explained that GIVE’s relationship with Sop Chem was still fairly new, and that the first outsiders had been treated the same way. But, those outsiders had been white, not black. I was likely the only black person that most of the village had seen and interacted with. Discouraged, I expressed that I understood, yet I was annoyed that there wasn’t a solution. However, another thing had come up during the conversation, the need for a new game. So instead of focusing on my negative emotions, I decided to create something for the students to enjoy. Working with one of the guides, I suggested an updated version of what I knew as Ships and Sailors renamed to Farmers and Fishers. I decided on five different moves and explained it to the rest of the volunteers and then to the students. The students enjoyed it and I focused back on doing the best I could with the service projects we had left. By our last day in Sop Chem, I was feeling better and felt as though most of the students had accepted me more. At the final event with the village, the Baci Ceremony, the people expressed gratitude for our service and some of the faces were ones that originally felt untrusting. For those facing a similar situation, I would suggest refocusing your energy towards something positive and helpful, hoping that in time, trust and acceptance will be built.

Since the seventh grade, I have wanted to be an English teacher who inspires her students to learn. While in college, I have embraced the opportunity to be of service to others during the year and the summer. Throughout the fall and spring semesters, I volunteered with Big Brothers Big Sisters and spent one day a week with a seventh grader, getting to know her, and supporting her however she needed. I will continue volunteering with them for the upcoming year. Additionally, from May to June, I spent a month learning and volunteering in Thailand and Laos with GIVE Volunteers. I was able to practice my teaching skills by teaching English to Laotian students, do permaculture work, and learn different skills from the community we stayed in. Finally, from June to July, I worked with MeshEd, an organization dedicated to high quality project based learning. I worked at one of three CREC sites to provide summer enrichment for middle school students. I acted as a TA for the academic part of the day, answering student questions in English class and walking them through equations in math. In the afternoon, I co-taught a coding and game design course where students learn project management, creativity, critical thinking, and block coding skills. Going forward, I will continue searching for opportunities through my university to refine my teaching skills and serve the community around me and abroad. Throughout my life, I have had the gift of teacher role models. In seventh grade, my English teacher encouraged me to break out of my comfort zone and take on challenges in my academic career instead of settling for being good at where I excelled. She is the person who opened my eyes to teaching as a career, and now I volunteer as a teacher’s aide in her classroom, where I realized my interest in teaching and creative writing. My Earth Science teacher urged me to sign up for AP Biology in ninth grade. Without his belief in my abilities, I would not have taken a course that challenged me and taught me to persevere through difficulties. I know that not every student has the same experience; some lose interest in school because of discouragement from their teachers. I plan to continuously go out of my way to improve my students' comfort and advocate for their needs, which will ignite a love of learning for them. My desired role is to be an educator that serves as a beacon of hope, teaching students how to elevate their voices by wielding the power of the written word. Outside of teaching the formal structure of writing utilized in the academic and working world, I will provide students with an understanding of the writing process as a creative outlet to channel their emotions and tell stories about themselves and their communities. As a teacher of color, I want to teach my students to value themselves, discover their academic abilities and realize that their differences are powerful tools for creativity. I hope to teach in a manner and with diverse texts that increase students' capacity to be leaders, influencing the world around them through the written and spoken word. Connecting those lessons to current events and their community, my students will learn how the written and spoken word is used in an academic setting and its implications within society. Teaching is incredibly fulfilling because providing guidance and education leads to visible, lifelong improvements in students’ lives. I want to instill a love of learning into future students, encourage them to discover their academic skills, and support their creativity.

As a lifelong Christian, I live my life centered around God’s love and grace. With this focus, my writing and the stories I tell reflect kindness and understanding for the characters involved. I enjoy reading multiperspective novels that showcase the reasoning behind why characters act the way they do and the reactions from the other characters. While delving into the stories, I am reminded of Matthew 7:3-5: “Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye”. I will write stories that remind readers that their view is limited by who they are and their own experience. My hope is that readers can take what they read and apply what the characters learn to their own lives, making them more loving and empathetic people. Each individual on Earth is a child of God, so their stories are worth telling. My pieces contain complex characters from different backgrounds and upbringings to reflect the vast life experiences of people across cultures. Instead of focusing just on portraying a specific character type based off of myself and my perspective, I want to showcase a variety of characters with a wide span of beliefs and traits. While conveying stories, I keep in mind how Christians are instructed to speak. In my own life, I do not use curse words or swear on anyone or anything. Likewise, my stories will not utilize foul language, despite how the majority of people–usually non-believers–speak. Instead of using explicit language, I will thoroughly describe the body language and thought process of the characters. For the next two semesters of college, I am writing a novel about the first year experience of college students and the interactions they have on and off campus. The story contains over five perspectives and conveys the interconnectedness of a college campus and the relationships that students prioritize over their first year. While not all of the characters may be believers, the novel will be built on a foundation of love and reverence for God, so the content will not conflict with Biblical teachings. This novel and the stories I write in the future will contain Christian ideals that inspire readers to consider how they’re living their lives and make intentional decisions to grow.

I plan to be a Secondary English Education teacher which combines my passions for reading and analyzing literature, creative writing, and working with students. Teaching and forming mentorship relationships with students is incredibly fulfilling because I believe providing guidance and education leads to visible, lifelong improvements in students’ lives. Throughout my life, I have had teacher role models. I know that not every student has the same experience; some lose interest in school because of discouragement from their teachers. I want to connect with all my students and teach them to value themselves, grow their academic abilities, and realize that their differences (in ability, culture, and language) are powerful tools for creativity and community. Writing is my joy, creative outlet, and a way to stay grounded. Through my own short stories and poems, I seek to display a variety of perspectives that celebrate different cultures and identities. By implementing a curriculum focusing on underrepresented voices in literature, I hope to widen my students' views about themselves and others and engage them in discussions about how the written and even spoken word can influence the world around them. I plan to teach in a manner and with diverse texts that increase students' capacities to be leaders, influencing the world around them through the written and spoken word. By connecting those lessons to current events and the community they live in, my students will learn how the written and spoken word is used in an academic setting and its implications within society. Thus, they will be empowered to use their voices to make positive changes within their lives and the lives of others. I want to be a teacher who inspires students to take initiative in their learning journey and recognize their potential to make a difference with their talents and abilities. Whether in my roles as a mentor, volunteer, or camp counselor, I try to provide safe spaces for students allowing them to improve their understanding of academic subjects, try new things or develop awareness and self-management. As a sleepaway camp counselor, I worked in collaboration with two others to run a cabin. Early on, I realized that my methods differed from my colleagues. While I focused on giving constant attention and worrying about following the rules, the others thought that no injuries meant that 8 to 10 year-olds could have full independence. At first, I was able to put aside my disagreement with their more relaxed methods of counseling. But throughout the week, I noticed that if I was not putting in the effort to coax the campers through their morning routine, going to classes, and getting ready for bed, then many of the kids would be off task. From then on, I stuck to my belief in following the rules of counseling instead of being more focused on making camp fun. I talked to my co-counselors about my view of our jobs and they still saw me as too invested in sticking to the rules. After a couple of conversations going in circles, I stopped attempting to change their opinions. I saw that campers had more fun when they were prepared for the day’s activities, so I stuck to my counseling style. I learned to be confident in my knowledge and abilities to work with kids instead of questioning my capabilities. Additionally, I recognized that sometimes it's necessary to let disagreement be to focus on doing the best job possible.

Writing is my joy, my creative outlet, and my way to stay grounded. Writing is part of my daily routine in all ways. From the time I wake up, my brain relays emotions, thoughts, and ideas that urge me to jot them down. If I have a particularly interesting dream, I write it down in my dream journal or dictate it to be transposed later. My impulse to write stems from my emotions and my wonderings about the world around me. Poetry in particular allows me to express how I am feeling and explore those feelings through the words that I write. Last year, I took a variety of English classes to engage my love for the subject. In AP Language and Composition, I worked on my understanding of language and picking the perfect words instead of the most "academic" ones. I took Women’s Literature, where I engaged my reading side. I also dove deeper into understanding the concept of using one’s voice and fighting against the narrative or stereotype presented to you. I have always loved to read, and at some point I realized that writing was just as incredible as reading what someone else had written. That’s what sparked my interest in a creative writing class. Creative writing was one of my favorite classes because we studied the process of writing, specifically short stories and screenplays, and then wrote based on the strategies that we learned. We collaborated on stories, free-wrote using prompts, and shared our writing pieces with each other. I am passionate about helping others find a love of reading and writing. According to Sara Ackerman in her article for the New York Times, "When books reflect back to us our own experiences... it tells readers their lives and experiences are valued." Books need to reflect all children, so we understand that our lives are valuable in literature and can connect our whole experience to what we read. Children, including myself, have ideas about who we are allowed to be based on how we’re raised, the judgments of adults, and the world around us, including literature. An article by Sarah Shultz mentions studies that prove the effectiveness of affirming black children's culture on their self-confidence and their involvement in the classroom setting. Through my own writing, I seek to display a variety of perspectives that celebrate different cultures and identities. Thus, I am fascinated by the processes of other writers and love to dive deeper into an understanding of literature and composition.

“What matters isn’t if people are good or bad. What matters is if they’re trying to be better today than they were yesterday.” -Michael from The Good Place season 4 episode 6 This quote is important to me because I believe that everyone is capable of change and goodness. Everyday I have to choose to be kind and act in a way that creates an opportunity for the people around me to feel loved, accepted and appreciated. Forcing people into boxes of either good or evil does not allow for anyone to grow and evolve. If I was perceived as evil and constantly told that I was incapable of change, I would have no motivation to work towards becoming someone that I was proud of because I would not believe that it was possible. Or, I would see no worth in changing since society would not change its view of me. We live in a world where ‘cancel culture’ is seen as justice, but that viewpoint can limit a person’s growth. Locking people away for their crimes is justifiable, as long as after they serve their time, they are allowed to move on and become a better person. Holding a celebrity accountable for acts of violence or discrimination is justifiable, until they change who they are and work towards fixing their mistakes. However, there can be no excuses for permanently exiling someone from society for believing that they are evil if they do everything possible to grow into a respectable person. No one is perfect and mistakes are human, so we must recognize that “What matters is if they’re trying to be better today than they were yesterday,” otherwise we lose our sense of what justice and humanity really is.

Clothes never seem to be something that make people think about how much work goes into them unless they look edgy and fantastical. I finished a pair of jeans this year and though they are just basic black jeans, I love them because I spent over 20 hours working on them and they are tailored to my body. I added my own special touch, a sun and a rain cloud, on the back pockets to make them unique to me.

Mr. Rhondale was a great man, husband, father and friend. He was at my birthdays, Christmas’ and family friend gatherings. When he arrived, he would greet us saying, “Hi Miss Grace, hey Nature Boy. How are you?” He was a constant in my life for 13 years. But when he died on September 2nd, 2018, I realized that I needed to make a change in my life. Though he had been around for all of my life, I hadn’t gotten to know him. I know he loved me, but I am not certain that he knew I loved him. I had taken his presence in my life for granted and assumed that he would always be there. “Life’s too short to waste a second” is what stuck with me after watching Five Feet Apart because I had not used what time I had to learn about Mr. Rhondale. But, instead of drowning in my regrets, I took steps to get close to others in my life. Instead of running to the computer when visiting my grandparents down the road, I sat with them. I asked them about their childhood and what they believed in, were proud of and regretted. I did the same with my parents and made sure to ask the important questions when hanging out with my friends. On December 18th of 2019, my great-grandmother, Nana to us, moved in. I was not exactly thrilled because I had to move to the backroom and my mother was extremely stressed. But, I made sure to spend time with Nana everyday and let her know that I cared. When she was put in hospice, I was mournful and afraid, yet I put that aside to make her comfortable in every way possible. I held her hand, prayed for her comfort and safety and told her that I loved her. I was already aware of the value of time and how little we had of it because of the loss of Mr. Rhondale. Before he passed, I didn’t think of the importance of telling someone how much you cared about them before leaving. Afterwards, I made sure to add an “I love you” whenever I went to bed or to the bus stop. And when I didn’t have the chance, prayed hard that I would see them again in order to convey my love. It became necessary to leave without tension instead of having the last word. Now I understand that it’s crucial to speak aloud unsaid feelings for those you care about. Even if it feels unnatural, I remind my friends that I love them and that they are special. I do the same to my family, although I am not perfect. I still have to practice and remind myself that there is value in spending time with others even if not much is said. Since I have changed my perspective, I have less regrets. In November of 2019, I decided to go with my father and grandmother (Mama) to Yale Medical and visit my grandfather (Dada). It was the first time I wanted to go and ultimately it was because of Mr. Rhondale. Dada was getting treatment for his lymphoma, which had come and gone for years. I was glad to be there supporting him, although I hated seeing the tubes and hospital gowns, revealing his condition. We didn’t talk much, but I could tell that he was glad I was there. I made myself more available to spend time with him and Mama to get to know their lives before my dad and I came to be. When Dada passed on July 27th, 2020, I was devastated. But I was grateful that the night before, I had known what to say. I told him that I loved him and I prayed continuously for his health and relief of pain. All of those that I have lost were great people. They thought about others’ needs above their own and made everyone around them feel loved. I am not sure that I did the same before we lost Mr. Rhondale, but after, I know that I have grown as a person. I consider how to make the lives of others better and how to make them know that I care. I take steps to learn about who is present in my life because even in the short time on Earth we can still make others feel loved. Mr. Rhondale did for me in the years that I knew him, so I will continue making sure that I do the same for others.

For years, I have known what I want to pursue as a career. This is uncommon for students my age; many juniors and seniors do not yet have a focus. But I’m confident I will become an educator, a teacher of words and books. Teachers change the world by influencing their students and guiding them towards their chosen path, whether to college or another next step in life. They give knowledge and advice to aid students with decision making in situations they have yet to experience. I would like to be a teacher and help children when they are most moldable to create a world where the youth is kinder and more inclined to learn by choice. Educators are the foundation of society in how they impact the youth and inspire them to tackle challenges and persevere. Learning necessary skills will create platforms for students to innovate on and form their own creative views. As the Irish Poet, W. B. Yeats said, “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” I interpret this to mean that education is not something that you can finish with, like filling a pail to the brim. It’s closer to building a fire because you start small, but it stays aflame when you add more fuel. Additionally, there is not a limit to how much fire you can have, it spreads until there is no fuel left. There are also many ways to start a fire and keep it lit, filling a pail would be its antithesis since it’s straightforward. Knowledge is endless, and sources of it are almost as numerous, from books to news and by mouth. The world is changed one step at a time, and the influences people receive in their early years usually leads them to make new discoveries or create inspiring pieces. Without role models like teachers, paraprofessionals and principals helping children reach their full potential, it’s less likely for children to flourish and become agents of change. American philosopher John Dewey once said, “Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.” As we learn, we must grow, and without education it is almost impossible. Education should always be a part of human life, and educators sharing that message is essential. I seek education beyond high school so that I can influence children’s lives as a teacher. My goal is to not only teach what is in the curriculum but inspire youth to enjoy what learning has to offer, find interest in books, and understand the world around them. By instructing children and making them feel seen and welcomed, I hope to cause them to want to do the same for others. As a teacher, I’ll have opportunities to learn in multiple ways through research, collaborating with others, and even listening to my students. Education is crucial, not just while in school but throughout human life. Becoming an educator will help me grow and I will create educational opportunities for future students.

The song that inspired me is titled "The Good Part" by AJR and about attempting to get to the best parts of life. The other songs on the playlist consist of inspiration to keep continuing on, acknowledging the struggles that are faced and reminding us that we should stay true to who we are. The point of all of the songs is that there are highs and lows in life which we have to face in order to become the best we can be. Although it would be amazing to skip dreadful parts, we need them to get stronger.

These memes poke fun at how students have started online school. There are a lot of things we complain about and have to change because of the pandemic, so I wanted to highlight some of them. @kgracewg