Achieving goals is not my expertise. I find myself always setting goals but never making meaningful efforts to follow through with them. After some reflection on why this is the case, I realized it always came down to two different reasons: either I am not motivated enough, or I simply forgot I set the goal. However, amidst all my unachieved goals, I have had one goal in life that has remained consistent since I was in third grade. That goal is to become an elementary school teacher and help children find their potential in the classroom both academically but also as a citizen. I have passionately pursued this goal all throughout middle school, then high school, and now I am a senior at the University of Georgia studying Elementary Education. Throughout my years in elementary school, I struggled a lot with self-confidence and self-worth, so this experience has inspired me to be that voice in my students' lives that they are enough, worthy, and loved. The greatest achievement that I hope to achieve in life is to help just one or two students see how capable they are of achieving great things and fully believe in theirselves. Despite lots of hesitancy and doubt that came from those around me, I pursued this goal, dream, and passion with all that I had. Because of the ongoing pandemic, I have not had many opportunities to be in a physical classroom and work with students; however, from the couple of opportunities I have had recently, I feel fulfilled with the profession I have chosen to pursue. I am fully aware of the many challenges and difficulties that I will have to face as a teacher; however, I think there is nothing more rewarding than impacting a students' life for the better. The next generation, our future generation, is sitting in these elementary school classrooms today, and all of them have the potential to be world-changers. That is what excites me most about this world. The possibilities are endless for these children, and it is my job as a teacher to help foster that interest and motivation for learning. It excites me that I have the chance to directly influence the trajectory of a students' school year, time in elementary school, academic career, and even their life. I hope that as a teacher, my work extends past the classroom and into the community. I want to teach my students important life skills and traits that they can bring into the community to create a better environment. As a teacher, I have the opportunity to bring the community and its needs into the classroom. Children are always more intelligent then we give them credit for, so giving students the opportunity to research and discuss what they believe would help their community and how they could take action would further enhance their sense of confidence and ability to create change. Taking ownership and working together as a class would also build the classroom community, teach students about teamwork and cooperation, and teach them how to listen to each others' ideas and perspectives respectfully. I would incorporate the community into the curriculum, which allows students feel to feel connected to the task at hand. Everything I strive to achieve in this life are intertwined with my outlook about the future generation of children and my role in fostering these children to become the change not only their own community and circle, but also the world for the better. My biggest achievement in life would be if my students leave my classroom feeling empowered, confident, and ready to change the world with empathy and kindness.

Growing up in the United States while being immersed into my parents' Chinese heritage, I eventually learned to appreciate my Asian culture overtime. Not only did I learn how impactful my own culture was to my identity and my values, I have learned the importance of being immersed in other cultures to further understand others on a deeper and more meaningful level. From an early age, I spent so much time resenting my culture instead of embracing and loving it, as it has significantly shaped who I am. However, I have slowly realized that different cultures drive society. Being immersed in different cultures brings personal awareness to unique viewpoints and perspectives that willl allow me to better understand, communicate, and teach others as a future teacher. My passion for cultural immersion stems from my commitment to explore the foundation in which different people view the world from and navigate the world with. Through the University of Georgia (UGA) StudyAway programs, I would like to study abroad in Modena, Italy. I am currently an Elementary Education student at UGA, so this experience in Italian schools will help me to gain valuable experience in the education field. This scholarship would be extremely helpful in funding this study abroad experience in Italy and be a huge relief financially, as this opportunity means a lot to me and is the only chance to fully immerse in the Italian culture that shapes how the schools in the country is structured. Because of the opportunities I will have to directly assist in classrooms with a focus on Reggio Emilia approach (a child-guided approach that allows children to lead the decision-making and classroom discussions), this study abroad experience in Italy will help me grow as a person and citizen of the world, as what I have learned will directly transfer into my impact as an elementary teacher. With the first hand experience I will have working with and immersing into the Reggio Emilia approach that makes Italian schools so successful, I will grow in my skills in prioritizing students' thoughts and needs. With in-person examples of how to let students lead in these schools and hands-on experience working directly with the children, I will learn how to apply this beneficial approach to my own classroom in the United States in every aspect. Additionally, this experience will allow me to be immersed in schools and classrooms that are based on a different culture and set of values, and as a result, I will expand my knowledge of other cultures. This will provide me with a greater potential in connecting with my students on a deeper, more personal level because I will better understand what drives them as a person and as a student.

I have always been passionate about fostering the next generation of children as an elementary school teacher, so as a result, I am currently an Elementary Education student at the University of Georgia. I strive to be an educator that truly values each one of my students, both as a person and as a crucial part of the classroom environment, and pushes them to their full potential. Next spring, I will be student teaching and will be given the opportunity to pour into children's lives with love and compassion everyday. Student teaching is always the most exciting part for education majors, as it is a culmination of all that we have learned in our teacher programs. However, along with student teaching comes a lot of sacrifices, especially financiallly. In terms of finances personally, I will have to quit my job as a nanny, which is my only source of income that helps with my college expenses. This scholarship would be the greatest blessing financially, as it would not only assist with the many expenses that comes with being a college student, but also the expenses that come with being an educator. My income from the job I will no longer have as a student teacher has helped me get through each semester, paying for my living expenses, as well as tuition and food expenses. Therefore, any financial assitance would be a huge help in ensuring that I have a place to stay and food for each day. Additionally, and most importantly, I aspire to be an educator that genuinely cares about every aspect of my students inside and outside the classroom, so this scholarship would also help me in building a classroom environment where every student is cared for and have all they need to learn and reach their full potential. Having worked with students in many different schools, I see how simply not having enough to eat at home or not having the supplies needed for class can drastically impact how well a student learns each day, each school year, and even significantly altar their academic trajectory towards success. As a student teacher, I want to help out my mentor teacher in any way, as many educators spend thousands a year out of their own pocket on their classroom and students. I hope to help out by providing the classroom with extra classroom supplies and resources to help students grow in their self-confidence of what they are capable of and belief in themselves on both an academic and personal level. With this scholarship, I will still be able to ensure that all my students' needs are met despite not having an income of my own. This scholarship would not only play a huge role in relieving my own financial stress, but also help young children succeed in the classroom, knowing that they have a teacher (and a student teacher) that sees their worth and will support them in any way needed.

AP World History with Mrs. Miriam Ledford-Lyle drastically changed my mindset of what I was capable of doing academically. She helped me to see my potential and constantly pushed me to work harder and persevere. AP World History was my first AP course, and I had very little expectations of what the course would be like or how I would perform in comparison to my peers. I had heard from those who took the course before me that the way Mrs. Ledford-Lyle taught and structured the course ensured that we would be prepared for the AP exam, but both the course and content would be challenging. Reflecting back, I was undoubtedly challenged, but while it was the course that pushed me out of my comfort zone the most, I showed myself, with the help of Mrs. Ledford-Lyle, that I am smarter and more capable than I had ever imagined. Through the course, not only did I gain many academic skills that are necessary to succeed in higher education, such as critical thinking and problem-solving, but Mrs. Ledford-Lyle also instilled many traits into my heart and mind that proved to be vital throughout my path in purusing higher education as well. She taught me how to embrace a mentality of self-belief, which changed who I was as a student ever since. I have always struggled with self-deprication and believed I could not be as smart as my friends, but Mrs. Ledford-Lyle guided me towards believing in myself and my abilities because she saw the potential I had never stopped believing and encouraging me. She also taught me perseverance and to never give up. AP World History was very overwhelming and stressful for me, and I felt that no matter how hard I studied, I couldn't meet the expectations that my parents put on me, as well as the expectations I put on myself. It was the first time I had ever really experienced failure in any course and wanted to give up. Despite the many tears and frustration I experienced, Mrs. Ledford-Lyle continued to do all she could to help me improve on the next long essay question, or the next short-answer questions. She always encrouaged us to ask questions and was willing to sacrifice her time to work with us individually if we desired. Eventually, close to the time of the AP Exam, I realized that if Mrs. Ledford-Lyle has not given up on me, I shouldn't give up on myself either. Earning a 5 on the AP Exam was the most rewarding feeling and showed me what perseverance can produce. Mrs. Ledford-Lyle also taught me courage. She understood that learning was a vulnerable task and required bravery, and she made sure we understood that as well. However, she created a comfortable learning envrionment to do the best of her ability everyday and welcomed failure, misunderstandings, and confusion. We were able to be overcome the vulnerability that comes with learning something new and difficult because Mrs. Ledford-Lyle knew how to guide us towards the right direction. I am currently an Elementary Education student at the University of Georgia, and I would not be where I am in my academic career if Mrs. Ledford-Lyle had not developed self-belief, perseverance, and courage in me. These are all traits that I aspire to promote in my own classroom one day. I feel so fortunate to have had many teachers that inspired me to puruse the education career path; however, Mrs. Ledford-Lyle stands out in terms of shaping me into the student, person, and future teacher I am today.

Teaching young children has always been my passion, so I am currently pursuing higher education at the University of Georgia. I am an Elementary Education student with plans to teach in an elementary school after graudation. I think that being an educator is one of the highest honors, as educators hold one of the most influential and important roles in each of their student's lives. Purusing higher educator allows me to make an impact on children's lives and ensure that every child feels loved and valued in my classroom each day. Every since I was in elementary school, I wanted to be a teacher when I grew up, and I feel fortunate that my passions and my dream career path align perfectly. I am passionate about helping children grow not only academically, but grow in their self-confidence and belief in their capabilities. My degree in Elementary Education would allow me to become a teacher that encourages students to thrive outside their comfort zone. I am passionate about helping children see the potential they hold, as well as building a safe space in my classroom where children feel comfortable, welcomed, and are willing to be vulnerable because learning is a vulnerable task. I have seen first hand the impact teachers can make on their students' lives and the remainder of their academic trajectory. Therefore, I am committed to finishing my degree so I have the opportunity to inspire the next generation and make a difference. I believe that every child is brilliant and are capable of doing exceedingly more than what we expect of them, and teachers just have the honor of bringing the genius in each child out. Currently, outside of school, I work as a nanny and a Mandarin chinese teacher. I have spent the past two years working with an English-speaking family to teach their two-year old daughter Mandarin. I am also involved in a campus ministry at the University of Georgia and teach Sunday School to the 7-9 year old class at my home church. Additionally, I serve as a piano accompanist for my home church during the main service on Sundays. I enjoy volunteering when I opportunities come up and have volunteered in homeless shelters, as well as food banks that serve food to the homeless. All the extracurriculars I am involved allow me to further serve my community, as well as pour into young children's lives. Whether I only have the chance to interact with a child for five minutes or am able to work with a child every week, I am passionate about doing all I can to make the child feel loved and valued. Everything I do stems behind my passion for helping children realize their worth and developing the mindset that they are capable and can do hard things.

Moving to another state as a shy, unconfident person was not the ideal combination of events that could have happened to ten-year-old me. While many may not consider moving states an adversity, the news that I would be moving from Richmond, Virginia to Athens, Georgia in the middle of fifth grade was the biggest shock to me. I wasn't sure whether to cry or laugh and pray it wasn't true. I was born and raised in Virginia, and moving had never once crossed my mind. Honestly, the news crushed me, as it took me almost all of my elementary school years to find a group of friends I could call my close friends because I was so shy and scared to approach people. My first thought and biggest concern was "How am I going to be able to make new friends..." The first half a year in Georgia were filled with many tears, endless feelings of loneliness, and a decrease in self-confidence. I struggled to make friends, and I was lonely. I wanted nothing more than one friend who I could just talk to. Overcoming the extreme loneliness I felt as a result of moving states took awhile. However, as I grew mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, I realized I had to take initiative. People weren't just going to magically approach me to be my friend. I was tired of feeling so constantly alone and not fitting in anywhere, so after lots of encouragement from my family, I decided I had to take the personal risk of putting myself out there with a smile. Forcing myself out of my comfort zone, I opened up to those around me, and eventually, I was able to become friends with those around me. Even after I made some friends and grew closer with them, I still struggled with low self-esteem and constantly convinced myself that all my friends secretly hated me. I struggled with a self depritcating mindset until my junior year of high school. Everything changed for me when I grew in my faith and chose to just believe. Believe that these people were put in my life for a reason. Believe that I am worthy of the love and care my friends give me. Believe that I fit in. My long journey with loneliness and struggling to fit in helped me gain a new perspective on not only my own life and the obstacles I may face but also was made more aware of the struggles that those around me may be potentially facing. Moving states impacted my life tremendously, as everytime I look around me now, I see someone that needs someone to be their friend, or someone that just needs someone to notice them. More than ever before, I want to help people realize their worth and value. I want to help young children who are struggling to find themselves to know that they are still so loved and make a difference in the world. As a result, I am now a student at the University of Georgia pursuing a degree in Elementary Education. I have always wanted to be an educator, but now I have a reason why. I want to be the teacher that is there for their students, that sees each individual child as someone with great potential to change the world. I want to leave the same impact that some of my own teachers had left on my life. I was able to feel vulnerable around them. I want to create the same classroom environment in my own future classroom, by building genuine and trusting relationships with each child. To the best of my ability, I will make sure they know that even if they feel like they aren't cared for, there will always be someone that loves them and wants to see them succeed. I want to invest in and pour my heart into all my students, hoping that I am a part of the change that creates a confident, inspiring, and caring next generation.

Being a 2 on the Enneagram scale, anyone who knows me knows that my favorite thing to receive is handwritten notes and letters. Anyone who knows me also knows that I am relatively shy and avoid drama and confrontation at all costs. To summarzie a slightly traumatic experience for me, someone I thought was a mutual friend, overheard something I said to another friend, twisted it into something mean and hurtful, and began telling everyone I said this comment. Having never been involved in any drama before and certainly never willingly became involved in or starting drama, I texted him politely and asked in the least confrontational way I knew how why he had been spreading something about me that was not true. He did not take it well, and things escalated quickly into him insulting and saying really hurtful things to me. To that day, I don't think I've been more hurt, as he was once my friend and I still cared about him. I briefly shared what happened with one of my close friends named Sarah, who knew him well and grew up with him. She did what she could to calm me down, but I was so deeply hurt. The next day, Sarah handed me a handwritten note in class. Even though it was something as simple as a handwritten note, her kind and encouraging words that reflected her personality and the time she took to try and make me smile meant the absolute world to me. Although I have received a decent amount of handwritten notes in my lifetime, this one was the first one that truly made me cry. Reading the line she wrote saying, "You pour your heart and soul into the people you love..." cued the tears, as it not only comforted me for a moment but also it was one of the first times someone expressed their appreciation for me. It was such an unexpected surprise that made my day, and made me forget the hurt even if it was just for the moment. I am forever thankful for Sarah's act of kindness that day because it taught me a lesson that I have carried with me ever since: Not everyone will like you and there are many unkind people in the world, but at the end of the day, the only opinions that should matter and be taken to heart are the ones that truly have your back.

I wish someone had told me during the years I resented being a first-generation immigrant that my Asian culture and beliefs that were instilled in me was something I should take great pride in. I wish I had spent those years embracing the beliefs I grew up with instead of wishing I was someone else. I wish I had loved the life my parents sacrificed and risked so much for in hopes for the life I have now. Although my mother and father grew up in different countries (Vietnam and China, respectively), they both faced very difficult living conditions, struggling to put food on the table everyday. They learned to put in their full effort into every task at hand, as anything would benefit their families. My dad, especially, tirelessly pursued academics, hopeful that he had the potential for a better life. Both my parents, despite their less than ideal circumstances, were optimistic and continued pushing forward. They saw the world as a place with limitless opportunities if they worked hard enough. They were ambitious and set high goals that many may have seen as nearly impossible simply because they believed in themselves. My parents met in the United States and bonded over their beliefs about the world and what was to come. My dad continued his education in the United States, while my mom pursued a degree, as well. In the midst of completing their degrees, however, both my parents were learning English and doing all they could to assist their families at home. They kept their positive outlook on life despite the many hardships and discrimination they faced regarding being in a country that did not welcome people like them. When they started their own family, they modeled for my brothers and I through example and actions what it they believed. My parents both strongly believe that they are on earth for a purpose, one of them being helping others and making a difference in others' lives regardless of how they are treated by others. I grew up seeing how my parents went out of their way to be a light to others and impacting others' lives simply by the way they treated and uplifted others. However, reflecting back, I didn't see this aspect of my parents and was focused instead on my differences because I was Asian. Thankfully, overtime, I learned to love who I was and came to appreciate all that my parents sacrificed for me to be in the United States. I came to see and appreciate the example they set for us on how to be a good person in the midst of a country that may not be good back. As a result, I became drawn to a potential career path as an educator. I wanted to make a difference in people's lives and teach young children to love each other regardless of differences. I want to help children discover the potential within themselves and believe in themselves, like my parents did for me. I want to guide children that may have been in a similar situation as me embrace their identities and love who they are. Because of my parent's influence on my life and seeing how they led their lives with love and serving others, I am continuing to pursue my dream of becoming an elementary teacher. I am currently an undergraduate student at the University of Georgia studying Elementary Education. In a country where immigrant student needs are often ignored, I want to be a teacher that makes a difference and leaves an impact like my parents did.

The words “empowerment” and "inspiration" are two words that hold a lot of meaning in my heart. In my nineteen years of life experience in school and in the church, I have met and have the honor to know many women that left a significant impact on my life. However, it was easy to pinpoint one specific woman that I came to admire: my sixth grade language arts teacher, Mrs. Ellen Jones. She was the most loving and patient teacher and woman. She genuinely cared about every student and always reminded us to “wear our seatbelts and helmets” on Fridays because she had students in the past that suffered severe injuries from the lack of wearing helmets or seatbelts. She saw us as eleven and twelve year olds that needed to hear a constant voice, reminding us of our worth and value. Her classroom environment allowed for vulnerability and welcomed mistakes. She believed in us when we did not believe in ourselves, and she never let us doubt our ability to reach the standards and expectations she had for us. I’ve wanted to be an elementary school teacher since I was very young, but Mrs. Jones was the first teacher where I saw what it meant to make a difference and leave an impact on a students life. She showed me, through both her actions and her words, how to touch a person's life and even change the trajectory of a person's life. When I first decided at seven years old thatI wanted to be a teacher, I didn't have a reason or a 'why,' but now I do. Because of her kindness and the way her words and encouragement left an impact on me, Mrs. Jones is the reason why I know aspire to inspire the future generation of young children. Today, I am continuing to pursue that dream as an Elementary Education student at the University of Georgia. The biggest life lesson Mrs. Jones taught me during the time I was her student was to believe in myself. She taught me that I was capable and wanted to see me reach my potential. In sixth grade, I had just moved from Virginia to Georgia, and I really struggled with self-esteem and self-confidence. However, Mrs. Jones looked past the shy, quiet student that never spoke up and saw me as a student with a lot of potential and a love for learning. She did all she could to develop a trusting and caring relationship with me, and I was able to open up to her. She made me feel comfortable, loved, and empowered. I even grew more confident in myself. Many years later, when I graudated high school two years ago, I gave Mrs. Jones my Golden Apple Award (my high school's award that each student gave to the teacher that made the biggest impact on our lives). During our time together, I learned that she still has the bracelet I made her seven years ago hanging in her car. She said that everytime she sees the bracelet, she is reminded of me and all her students that she holds close to her heart. That meant the world to me that I was able to be of any impact in return for all she has done for me. Building relationships with her students and instilling in them their worth and value was her priority as a teacher, and there is no doubt she achieved that goal. As a future educator, I hope to be just half the teacher Mrs. Jones was to all her students. I want to inspire, empower, and uplift all my students by building realtionships that last a life time. I want to teach my students what Mrs. Jones has instilled in me and continued to remind me of: you are capable, and you are so loved.

I've been going to church ever since I can remember, so Christianity and my faith in Jesus has always been a prominent part of my life. It would be easy to just say Jesus changed my life when I dedicated my life to Jesus at the age of six, and I've lived a change life since then. However, that is not the full story and is oversimplistic considering what Jesus has done in my life and for my life. Just a few months after I was born, I was diagnosed with Nephrotic Syndrome, a disease that caused my kidneys to leak too much protein into urine, as well as severe ezcema. However, after a combination of a herbal treatment my dad was able to put together and lots of prayer on my parents part, I was completely healed of both a couple years later, at the same time. My parents truly believed it was a miracle, and without this complete healing, I would not be where I am today. While my health currently and the life I am able to live as a result is a miracle, my healing increased my parents faith only. I was no where near the maturity needed to understand what God has done for me and my health. As I grew older, I loved going to church and learning Bible stories and singing worship songs. I memorized many Bible verses and went to endless Vacation Bible School camps over the summer. In middle school and high school, I began to serve as a piano accompanist during worship, and I also taught Sunday School to the 5-7 year old class. When solely looking at what spiritual-related things I did on paper, one could assume that church was the center of my life. And Jesus truly was the center of my life. However, reflecting back just a few years later, I realized that while Jesus was the center of my life, I have yet to develop a true relationship with Jesus that was the center of my life. Until just a few years ago, I've always been relunctant to share my testimony. I felt that I didn't have any "cool" testimonies like the ones we hear about missionaries serving abroad or someone's life completely turning one-hundred-eighty degrees after coming to Jesus. I was almost embarassed that my testimony was simply the fact that I was raised in the church, and I've committed to living my life for Christ since I was young. God's healing of my disease and ezcema was important to me, but I didn't feel that I had a complete understanding of the capacity of what God has done through me. This mindset, however, changed significantly my last year of high school and my first years in college (I am currently a second-year student). I made the commitment to intentionally dive deeper into my relationship with Christ through studies with my youth pastor and mentor and learning to truly pray, and I discovered an aspect of my testimony that I will always be proud of. I discovered my worth in Christ as a daughter of the one true King. Jesus changed my life because I learned what self-confidence and self worth is for the first time in the later half of my life. I was able to live a confident life because God tells me that I was made in His image and am so loved by Him. I was confident in who God created me to be. While I do still struggle sometimes with my identity and completely trusting God's timing in my life, Jesus has taught me to ground myself back into the Word and constantly remind myself of what God tells me I am, because I have God confidence in me.