In the short time I have been alive, I have come to realize life is all but fair, yet it is through such trials we are granted the opportunity to grow as people. As with all children, I grew up idolizing my parents; in my particular case, it was my mother. But all too soon, my mother’s life was at the mercy of breast cancer, and the world lost one of its purest and kindest people. I remember her memorial service, in which several of her former students preached how immensely she impacted their lives, simply as a middle school teacher. It was at this moment my dreams were reaffirmed: I will become a teacher. This dream is something I have clung to dearly as an inspiration to push myself to do better. I now have a specific goal in mind: I will go to college and become a teacher, so I may pass on my knowledge and bring good into the world the way my mother did. Needless to say, the path to accomplishing my dream has not yet been a simple task, and this road certainly will not get easier. When my mother passed, my father’s business failed as he became severely depressed, concluding he no longer wanted children. My sister and I were sent to live with neighbors and family friends, where we currently reside. Nonetheless, my father is still financially and legally responsible for my sister and I, despite the fact he remains unemployed, leading to indefinite financial struggles. Such obstacles in my life have had a great impact on me. It was painful growing up believing we were left by our parents, and to this day, I cannot comprehend how a father might simply walk away from his children at the moment we needed him most. However, pushing through these struggles shaped me into the stronger person I am today. I now cherish and know the true value of my relationships. Perhaps more significantly, I have come to value the importance of a dream. My ambition for becoming a teacher has shaped my life astoundingly, providing me the drive and determination to succeed in school. My aspiration to be like my mother has enabled me to look at school in an entirely new light; to me, education is a sea of endless opportunities, and achieving an education will empower me to reach my life goals.

Throughout my educational journey, I have been most inspired by my mother, a kind, dedicated eighth grade English and Art teacher. She is the person who sparked my interest in learning, and the model who continues to fuel my passion for accomplishing my own dream of becoming a teacher. As a child, it was clear to me how much my mother loved her job. She truly loved to help her students do their best, and was an exceptional teacher. She cared for her students similar to how she cared for my sister and I, with patience and availability. My mother was loved by all her students for her kindness. I remember, when I was younger, my mother would take me out of school a couple times each year so that I could go to school with her. I always looked forward to these days, since I got to wander the school and meet her students, hearing of how much they loved my mom. I enjoyed watching her teach, and thought it was interesting that she was able to grasp the attention of everyone in the room; it hadn't always been that way with some of my classes. Watching her teach sparked my interest in teaching, and I thought that I would find it fun to be a teacher just like my mother. However, it took several more years for this dream of mine to be reaffirmed. For as long as I can remember, my mother had been in a long, treacherous battle with breast cancer. Nonetheless, she continued to do her job, insisting that she be there to teach her students. She continued teaching for as long as she could, all while undergoing treatments, such as chemotherapy, and raising her two daughters. My mother is the strongest, bravest woman I know, and although I did not fully comprehend what was going on at the time, I am now able to look back and realize the sacrifices she made for my sister and I, as well as for her students. She eventually passed away, but even then, her legacy never died. I vividly remember her memorial service, which several of her former students attended. In front of a crowd of over one hundred people there to celebrate her life, one of her students stood up. She spoke about how much my mother impacted her, simply as a middle school teacher. It was at this moment that my dream was confirmed: I am going to become a teacher, so that I may help others in the same way my mother did. As a teacher, I plan to help people make their own dreams become a reality. I hope to have a positive influence on the world, and I would love to make a difference in the lives of the next generation through education. By teaching, I believe I can help people achieve their education to pursue their own dreams. For me, getting an education will enable me to reach my goals. Even if I were to make a positive difference on just one individual, it will all be worthwhile. I am certain that going to college and becoming a teacher will enable me to help others and make a difference in others' lives.