When I think back to the people who shaped my life, it’s not celebrities or CEOs; it’s the teachers who believed in me, challenged me, and opened doors I never knew existed. Now, I want to be that person for someone else. As long as I can recall, I have enjoyed and been filled with helping others learn and develop as well as being around kids. There's something really special about watching a child grasp something new, gain more confidence, or shine with curiosity—and seeing that I played a part in making it happen. Teaching, to me, is not just a profession; it's a calling that allows me to make a positive impact in people's lives in significant, long-lasting ways. To become a teacher is to be able to influence students not just academically, but emotionally and personally as well. I want to be the type of educator who provides a welcoming, supportive environment where students feel heard, valued, and nurtured. I feel that every child should be loved and cared for, and I am dedicated to being a firm, empathetic presence in their lives. In addition, I am a dedicated lifelong learner and continuing personal development advocate. Which is necessary, as the education industry is constantly changing, and I am highly conscious of the necessity to keep learning about the latest research, cutting-edge pedagogical techniques, and the specific needs of different learners. I wish to continue learning throughout my working life—not merely to enhance myself, but to ensure that I can offer my students the optimum education that I possibly can. My dream is to be a flexible, developing, and leading-by-example instructor. Currently, I work as a swim instructor at Aqua-Tots. While I know that classroom instruction is quite different from instruction in the pool, this has only strengthened my enthusiasm for instructing children. Every lesson is a chance to teach, motivate, and establish a relationship with my students. It has shown me patience, how to effectively communicate with children, and how to establish trust—things I believe will be transferred into the classroom setting. Above all, however, what I value is having the capacity for love and nurturing those students that I teach. In today's world, many children have difficult home or community lives, and they do not always have the unconditional love and support they require. I want to be a teacher who does not just teach but also inspires—a teacher who makes students feel like they matter. It was what made all the difficulty worthwhile to realize that with plain words and gentle deeds, I could make a child feel special and appreciated. That, above all, is what motivates me to continue this journey.

When I think back to the people who shaped my life, it’s not celebrities or CEOs; it’s the teachers who believed in me, challenged me, and opened doors I never knew existed. Now, I want to be that person for someone else. As long as I can recall, I have enjoyed and been filled with helping others learn and develop as well as being around kids. There's something really special about watching a child grasp something new, gain more confidence, or shine with curiosity—and seeing that I played a part in making it happen. Teaching, to me, is not just a profession; it's a calling that allows me to make a positive impact in people's lives in significant, long-lasting ways. To become a teacher is to be able to influence students not just academically, but emotionally and personally as well. I want to be the type of educator who provides a welcoming, supportive environment where students feel heard, valued, and nurtured. I feel that every child should be loved and cared for, and I am dedicated to being a firm, empathetic presence in their lives. In addition, I am a dedicated lifelong learner and continuing personal development advocate. Which is necessary, as the education industry is constantly changing, and I am highly conscious of the necessity to keep learning about the latest research, cutting-edge pedagogical techniques, and the specific needs of different learners. I wish to continue learning throughout my working life—not merely to enhance myself, but to ensure that I can offer my students the optimum education that I possibly can. My dream is to be a flexible, developing, and leading-by-example instructor. Currently, I work as a swim instructor at Aqua-Tots. While I know that classroom instruction is quite different from instruction in the pool, this has only strengthened my enthusiasm for instructing children. Every lesson is a chance to teach, motivate, and establish a relationship with my students. It has shown me patience, how to effectively communicate with children, and how to establish trust—things I believe will be transferred into the classroom setting. Above all, however, what I value is having the capacity for love and nurturing those students that I teach. In today's world, many children have difficult home or community lives, and they do not always have the unconditional love and support they require. I want to be a teacher who does not just teach but also inspires—a teacher who makes students feel like they matter. It was what made all the difficulty worthwhile to realize that with plain words and gentle deeds, I could make a child feel special and appreciated. That, above all, is what motivates me to continue this journey.

While it is very hard to choose due to our amazing athletes, I would have to say my favorite athlete to cheer on is Katie Ledecky. When I was 5 years old, my parents wanted me to find a sport I enjoyed, so they enrolled me in every team sport imaginable, but I never excelled in any of them. Once they had tried everything, they put me in swimming, and I started learning all the strokes. When I was 7, I joined a club team. I began swimming every day, and I loved it! I was pretty good too; I won many ribbons and placed 3rd at state. However, after years of swimming, when I turned 13, I decided to quit. I felt burnt out and wasn't having as much fun. Now, at 16, I wish I continued my swim career every once in a while, but I believe I made the right decision for myself. Now I am a swim coach, and I love it! When I see kids learning the strokes, it gives me flashbacks of learning them when I was their age, and it fills my heart with joy. I think that's what makes me love watching and cheering for Katie; it reminds me of my dreams when I was a kid. I feel like I can relate to her on a level that not everyone can. I understand how hard it is to be a swimmer and how much work you have to put in.