The Holocaust during World War ll was a tragic and devastating event. The way Jack Terry was able to accomplish his goals despite his setbacks is inspiring. Knowing that you can do anything you set your mind to is the strongest motivation. The part of Jack Terry's story where he discusses he was a grandfather becomes an emotional topic for me. Two years ago my mom received a phone call that my grandpa had been admitted to the hospital. We rushed to the hospital and we found that he had been in critical condition from a heart attack but seemed like he was improving. From the standpoint of the healthcare professionals, we were under the impression that our grandpa was going to be okay. We went home knowing it was going to be a rough recovery but assumed he was going to live. The next morning, we arrived to the hospital to see that our grandpa had passed away in the middle of the night. The unexpected death of my grandpa was a traumatic event that has continuously affected my life. I come from a single-parent household so he had a major role in my daily life. At the time, I did not have my licence and he was responsible for taking me and my sister to school. Not only was the loss of my grandpa a heartbreaking discovery, there were changes having to be made in my daily routine. The stages of grief were a lot to handle and something I still struggle with. Having a support system to walk through each stage had a meaningful impact on the way my perspective of grief changed. Instead of feeling alone, I was welcomed into a loving community that comforted me throughout my whole journey. This experience taught me the importance of time. Not only did I learn to not take advantage of any moment spent with my loved ones; but, I learned that time is essential to fully heal. Rushing through or pushing down feelings makes matters only worse and you need to take each day step by step. Grief is a heavy feeling and not one that no one should experience on their own. Grief teaches us many lessons when battling our way through its messy tracks. We get through these tough times by having others build up and to lean on. While majoring in nursing at the University of Oklahoma, I aspire to positively impact my patients and their family's lives. I plan to study hard within my education to become a nurse practitioner so I am able to make meaningful decisions in the department I choose. I want to give my patients reasonable solutions, being completely transparent with my discussions. Overall, the hardship I faced helped me to decide to choose a career in healthcare.

During my freshman year, when I walked into Mrs. Perez's classroom for the first time, I would have never expected the profound impact she would have on me. She has inspired me to become more confident in myself through academics, and she created an emotionally supportive space in her classroom where I always felt welcome. Spanish has never been a subject I have felt confident in. Originally, I was only going to take a Spanish class for the required number of years, which is just two years. After having the best teacher to motivate me to exceed my goals for myself, I decided to take Dual Credit Spanish III. This class was an extreme mental battle. There were times I felt like giving up or that I wasn't good enough to take this class. Mrs.Perez was always there to guide me and believe in me when I didn't believe in myself. That year was a lot of self-reflection on my self-confidence. Eventually, I gained the confidence to take harder Spanish classes such as Spanish IV AP, and next year I will take Spanish V AP. She taught me to believe in myself academically by showing me her belief in me when I didn't. "Sometimes it is not what a teacher teaches, but how they make you feel that makes all the difference". This quote sticks out to me because having a teacher who truly cares about her students' feelings and emotions makes all the difference. During my junior year, I was faced with personal struggles, family death, and a rough breakup, which made it hard to stay focused and motivated in school. Mrs.Perez never failed to show empathy by being supportive and giving advice when I needed it the most. Just knowing that I had someone to talk to, who would listen without judgment, made a huge difference in helping me get through tough times. Her kindness and understanding reminded me that it is okay to ask for help and not to face everything alone. She was always there to listen to my struggles without judgment, and that is something I will never forget. Mrs.Perez has taught me the power of self-belief and the importance of having someone who believes in you. As I move on to college and my next steps in life, I hope to carry on this lesson with me and inspire others the way she inspired me.