Growing up, I always took my education seriously. I was surrounded by educators who showed me the power a teacher can have in shaping a student’s future. Both my mother and my grandmother were teachers, making me a proud third-generation educator. Watching the dedication they gave to their students inspired me to pursue the same path and continue the legacy of making a difference in the classroom. Today, I am pursuing a degree in elementary education at East Carolina University and plan to graduate in Spring 2028. My goal is to teach English to students in second through fourth grade. I chose this age group because these are the years when students begin developing their confidence in reading, writing, and expressing themselves. Literacy is the foundation for learning, and I want to help students build the skills and confidence they need to succeed not only in school but throughout their lives. I graduated from Hoke County High School through the Dual Enrollment program, which allowed me to complete college coursework while still in high school and begin my college career as a sophomore. This experience strengthened my determination to work hard and take full advantage of every educational opportunity available to me. At East Carolina University, I continue to grow as a future educator through several leadership and academic programs. I am a member of the North Carolina Teaching Fellows Program, the Maynard Scholars Program, and the East Carolina University College of Education. I also participate in the Educators Living Learning Community. I want to become a teacher because I believe every child deserves someone who believes in them. A classroom should be a place where students feel encouraged, supported, and inspired to reach their full potential. I want my future students to feel confident in their abilities and excited about learning. More importantly, I want them to know that their ideas, voices, and dreams matter. I hope to create a classroom where students not only gain knowledge but also develop confidence, curiosity, and a love for learning. By continuing my education at ECU and following the example set by the educators in my family, I hope to make a lasting impact on the lives of my students and the communities I will serve. I always had amazing teachers in my education path who pushed me and ensured I always stayed on track. In high school, Dr. Currie was my Personal finance teacher and she seen how determined I was to be at the top. She had great talks with me and never doubted me. She wrote me great letters of recommendation to my college and never let me down. Today, she is the reason why I keep my head high and never let people dim my light.

My name is Lindsey Thomas, and I am from North Carolina. Today I am majoring in elementary education at East Carolina University, but the path that led me here was shaped by one of the most difficult moments of my life. When I was twelve years old, I received the worst news a child could hear. It was a Sunday morning at 7 a.m., right before church. I remember the moment clearly. My nana looked at me and told me that my dad had passed away. I felt completely frozen. I couldn’t move, and for a moment it didn’t even feel real. It was like a dream, yet everything was so vivid. I can still remember the room, the silence, and the weight of those words. My dad was my world. I have always been what people would call a “daddy’s girl.” He was my protector, my best friend, and the person who understood me better than anyone else. He always made me feel safe, like no matter what happened, he would be there to guide me through it. He helped me, supported me, and tried to shield me from the difficulties of the world. Losing him so suddenly felt like losing the person who made everything okay. After he passed, life did not feel the same. Going back to school was hard. I was grieving, confused, and trying to understand how life could continue when someone so important to me was gone. The trauma of losing my dad also affected my health. I developed Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), a condition that impacts the body’s ability to regulate heart rate and blood pressure when standing. Adjusting to both grief and a new health challenge at such a young age was not easy. However, over time something inside me shifted. I realized that although my dad was no longer physically here, the lessons he taught me and the love he gave me would always be part of who I am. My mindset toward education began to change. I was no longer just working toward a future for myself. I was working toward something bigger. I wanted to make my dad proud, and I also wanted to be someone who could inspire others who have experienced loss. Throughout high school, I pushed myself academically even during difficult moments. By my senior year, all of that hard work paid off. I graduated with a 4.1 GPA, ranked in the top five percent of my class, and had the honor of speaking at my graduation ceremony. Standing there, looking out at the crowd, I felt incredibly proud of how far I had come. More than anything, I hoped my dad was proud too. Now as a First year college student, I am continuing that journey at East Carolina University on a full-ride scholarship, studying elementary education. My experiences have shaped the kind of teacher I hope to become. I want to be someone who supports and encourages students, especially those who may be going through difficult moments in their own lives. Losing my dad taught me that life can change in an instant, but it also taught me the importance of resilience, compassion, and perseverance. Although losing my dad was the hardest experience I have faced, it has shaped who I am today.

Over time, I have noticed my love for mathematics. I always loved helping my peers with multiplication, division, and more when they didn’t understand. Being able to open the minds of children and show them the possibilities within education has always been a target for me. The way my heart gets excited when teaching children new things brings me happiness. I strive to change the education system within mathematics to achieve the best outcome for students in the future. The day I decided on my career choice was in the Summer of 2023. I worked as a summer camp counselor with 5 and 6-year-olds. The opportunity to teach students how to add,take away numbers, and count was a significant time for me. Also, both my mother and grandmother were teachers but I want to be something bigger than that. The degrees I will obtain will bring out the best in me and the education system for students. The impact that this time frame will have on my future is exciting and a build-up of what I've always wanted to do. I believe that my job gave me the greatest opportunity to give me an experience that will help my future career. For instance, creating a bond with students, taking the time to get to know them, and having them as my responsibility. When I see them now, I get excited to see how much they've grown, to see how once they were shy, and didn't know how to tie their shoes, and to see growth gives me joy. Now, this journey wasn't easy, I had day-to-day challenges that questioned if I wanted to do this when I got older. Students who caused disruption and who didn't have good listening skills took a toll on me. I didn't want to seem harsh, but I had to put my foot down sometimes to have structure in the classroom. Being around younger children and teaching them how math is essential to success and learning how brought me to an understanding that every piece of education is important and every child deserves the opportunity to learn and find joy in gaining knowledge at school. The reflection and transformation I plan to help me succeed is to take early childhood courses and find jobs that tend to children so I can see what my future classroom will look like and be constructed. If I get the proper training, I can have an easier transition to the classroom. I'm continuously grateful for the opportunity that allowed me to choose a career that best matches me and what I want to do. The moment continues to help me in various amazing ways. The impact of this experience continues to fuel my passion and shape the framework of what I endeavor to achieve.

Having a career in education has always been a target for me. The way my heart gets excited when teaching children new things brings me happiness. I strive to change the education system to be the best outcome in the future for students. The day I decided on my career choice was in the Summer of 2023. I worked as a summer camp counselor with 5 and 6-year-olds. To be able to teach them how to read, sound out words, and write their name properly was a significant time for me. Also, both my mother and grandmother were teachers but I want to be something bigger than that. The degrees I will obtain in the future will bring out the best in me and the education system for students. The impact that this time frame will have on my future is exciting and a build-up of what I've always wanted to do. I believe that my job gave me the greatest opportunity to give me an experience that will help my future career. For instance, creating a bond with students, taking the time to get to know them, and having them as my responsibility. When I see them now, I get excited to see how much they've grown, to see how once they were shy, and didn't know how to tie their shoes, and to see growth gives me joy. Now, this journey wasn't easy, I had day-to-day challenges that questioned if I wanted to do this when I got older. Students who caused disruption and who didn't have good listening skills took a toll on me. I didn't want to seem harsh, but I had to put my foot down sometimes to have structure in the classroom. The reflection and transformation I plan to help me succeed is to take early childhood courses and find jobs that tend to children so I can see what my future classroom will look like and be constructed. If I now get the proper training, I can have an easier transition to the classroom. I'm continuously grateful for the opportunity that allowed me to choose a career that best matches me and what I want to do. The moment continues to help me in various amazing ways. The impact of this experience continues to fuel my passion and shape the framework of what I endeavor to achieve. In conclusion, this significant experience has created an understanding of who I want to be as I get older and what I want to pursue. This longing dream of being an educator is destined for me. I cannot wait to experience everything that comes along with it. The early mornings, and late nights, helping students, and helping future or current educators. This pivotal moment illuminated my path and solidified my resolve to contribute significantly to the education system, propelling it toward a brighter and more promising future for our students. My final dream and career is to be a superintendent in North Carolina where I can change the education system for the better.

Over time, I have noticed my love for mathematics. I always loved helping my peers with multiplication, division, and more when they didn’t understand. Being able to open the minds of children and show them the possibilities within education has always been a target for me. The way my heart gets excited when teaching children new things brings me happiness. I strive to change the education system within mathematics to achieve the best outcome for students in the future. The day I decided on my career choice was in the Summer of 2023. I worked as a summer camp counselor with 5 and 6-year-olds. The opportunity to teach students how to add,take away numbers, and count was a significant time for me. Also, both my mother and grandmother were teachers but I want to be something bigger than that. The degrees I will obtain will bring out the best in me and the education system for students. The impact that this time frame will have on my future is exciting and a build-up of what I've always wanted to do. I believe that my job gave me the greatest opportunity to give me an experience that will help my future career. For instance, creating a bond with students, taking the time to get to know them, and having them as my responsibility. When I see them now, I get excited to see how much they've grown, to see how once they were shy, and didn't know how to tie their shoes, and to see growth gives me joy. Now, this journey wasn't easy, I had day-to-day challenges that questioned if I wanted to do this when I got older. Students who caused disruption and who didn't have good listening skills took a toll on me. I didn't want to seem harsh, but I had to put my foot down sometimes to have structure in the classroom. Being around younger children and teaching them how math is essential to success and learning how brought me to an understanding that every piece of education is important and every child deserves the opportunity to learn and find joy in gaining knowledge at school. The reflection and transformation I plan to help me succeed is to take early childhood courses and find jobs that tend to children so I can see what my future classroom will look like and be constructed. If I get the proper training, I can have an easier transition to the classroom. I'm continuously grateful for the opportunity that allowed me to choose a career that best matches me and what I want to do. The moment continues to help me in various amazing ways. The impact of this experience continues to fuel my passion and shape the framework of what I endeavor to achieve. In conclusion, this significant experience has created an understanding of who I want to be as I get older and what I want to pursue. This longing dream of being an educator is destined for me and helping children find a love for math because at first it may seem hard. I cannot wait to experience everything that comes along with it. The early mornings, and late nights, help students, and shape future or current educators. This pivotal moment illuminated my path and solidified my resolve to contribute significantly to the education system, propelling it toward a brighter and a promising future for our students. My final dream and career is to be a superintendent in North Carolina where I can positively change the education system.