I plan on using my college degree from Appalachian State University to help create a better future for everyone around the world. I plan on getting my degree from App State in Middle Grades Education (6-9) in History and English with a minor in Coaching. I have had a passionate vision of myself teaching in the classroom since I was in the sixth grade. My first and greatest inspiration was my Ancient World History teacher in sixth grade; he was a veteran and a father of two girls my age, he was also our head football coach in middle school. The way he directed his classroom was different from any other that I had ever been in, he was a very fun teacher and constantly had us playing games that made us compete against each other and allowed us to memorize vocabulary or different events in time, quickly craft opinions to win debates, or earned points towards his "favorite side of the classroom." He was vibrant and humorous, and he was also an amazing man that made me expand my horizons, make new friends, and grow as a student, athlete, and person inside of the classroom and on the field. My second inspiration came in my ninth-grade English I class as a freshman, and all throughout high school. The teacher, who is currently the NC Western regional teacher of the year, and in the running for state teacher of the year, has one of the most captivating classrooms you could ever be a part of. Everything in her classroom is organized in a specific way, colorful, meaningful and purposeful, she does everything with conviction and to perfection. She is one of the most meaningful people in my life, who throughout high school I have had a total of 6 times from my freshman year to my senior year. The first teacher gave me a passion for education, but the second teacher has given me a passion for education. The second teacher gave me the chance to be a North Carolina Teacher Cadet - a prestigious program that allows high school students to take an eighteen-week course on teacher etiquette and responsibilities, and then for another eighteen weeks, you are placed in a public school classroom as a co-teacher/teacher apprentice. During my experience, I was placed in the same sixth-grade classroom I had taken Ancient World History in several years ago with the same teacher. I was able to watch the way he taught for around a week and a half and get to know the students in the classroom, and after that time had passed, I took the reigns to the classroom. I created lesson plans according to NC standards, executed them in class, and formed lifetime semi-professional bonds with my students in "my" classroom. After the eighteen weeks had passed, I felt a drawing feeling to come back to the classroom, and when I felt that, I knew for a fact that my life was to be spent as an educator in North Carolina. I had two wonderful idols to learn from, and I know that throughout several combined decades they've made countless impacts on every student to enter their classrooms - I want to do the exact same thing - I want to change the future, but I want to do it as other people's inspiration. I want others to have a passion for learning, education, and helping others.

Every gifted child needs to have their social-emotional well being and intellectual needs met, just like every other student around the world, but without the lasting impact of a teacher who can keep a classroom well managed for all levels of students, both gifted and needy, these children cannot thrive. I believe that with that impact, the growth intellectually and socially-emotionally will be met.The lasting impact of a teacher is embodied within seven different traits shown daily in every successful classroom: Sensitivity, Courage, Intentionality, Respect, Passion, Optimism, and Responsibility. Sensitivity fosters emotional growth and trust, letting students know that they’re safe and loved. Courage is displayed in many ways; personally, courage brought me out of my comfort zone to make me try new things. Intentionality is the use of curriculum, while incorporating aspects of everyday life to make class more natural, fun, and understandable. Respect is given and earned - every student should be given their due respect by an educator, especially underappreciated students who need a positive figure in their lives. Passion is the burning fire inside of an educator's heart that fuels them to instill passion into their students to love learning and to keep showing up every day. Optimism is putting a smile on your face no matter what! Every student needs a shining light to go to at any time, and teachers are the perfect beacons. Teachers also have many responsibilities. This characteristic covers many different aspects of classroom life, from guiding students through the curriculum, making each student feel appreciated, grading papers, encouraging students to be active academically, athletically, and socially, and watching the students prosper. I will greatly contribute to gifted children through many of these qualities, and my experience as a Teacher Cadet at East Lincoln Middle School further solidifies this belief. Last spring, I acted as a teacher intern with a sixth grade history class. As the semester progressed, I learned how to speak with confidence, while creating a positive learning environment. “My” students could trust my consistency, feed off my optimism, and see my daily passion for the subject matter. I believe gifted children would benefit from me because I can provide my own unique aspect of learning and leadership. I want to dedicate my life to guiding the future. I don’t think there’s any candidate with more passion, courage, or optimism about teaching, and no one who is willing to take on the responsibility of providing the necessary intentionality, sensitivity, and respect to others than me.

I was raised lovingly by my parents to understand and love everyone no matter what their opinions are, what they look like, or why they do certain things, so the song "Imagine" by John Lennon has the most important message for me. I believe that it is so important to look beyond social norms in order to progress as a society, whether it's looking past the color of our skin, our religion, getting rid of war and hate, and just to come together and love each other. I don't think that this song is achievable in the way the Lennon sings it, essentially describing a world with no problems, but I do think that the closer we get to ending war, racism, homophobia, etc. that we are improving life dramatically for all, not just for some, and that message is more important than any other message that I can think of.

One of my greatest experiences where I have engaged meaningfully with others was at the Asbury Resource Center (ARC). I participate in a class called Leadership and Teacher Cadet where one of our main goals is to help the community around us as leaders, mentors, and educators. The class is typically student-led with our coordinator to guide us appropriately to our goals and allows us to use our creative leadership styles to aid the community. Over the three years I have been a part of the class, we have repeatedly interacted with the ARC and the Hesed House of Hope (HHH), which work hand in hand with each other to help the needy and the homeless. Assisting the two organizations works in unison; we fundraise, donate, and create supplies for the two in order to help the recipients of their aid! The ARC supplies “trendy” and comfortable clothing to needy people at a rate they can afford, while the HHH gives those people a place to stay overnight for a certain amount of time, while also assisting them with getting jobs, keeping clean and healthy, and promoting good habits. In years’ past, we have visited both, helping organize the two locations: We’ve individually volunteered in soup kitchens over weekends, we created “go-bags” for homeless people who need access to supplies during the day that they can’t typically gain access to, such as hand warmers and easy to prepare snacks or food, and we’ve donated as much as possible through the student body every single year to keep the shelves stocked in the ARC and the homeless people and families safe, healthy, and well supplied at the HHH. However, by far the most eye opening experience I’ve had during my entire time with helping people is the two field trips we’ve taken to the two locations. Both times we received a full tour of the two locations, we saw inventory, rooms, activities, rules, and more. Seeing the people so graciously accept even the smallest things was heartmelting. Every single thing we have provided to these two wonderful organizations has made a difference in someone’s life, and I understand that I’m so fortunate to be in a position where I don’t have to worry about having food, drinks, a bed to sleep in, and warmth at any given moment, I can afford clothes and whatever I want to wear. I think the biggest thing I learned from those experiences is that there is always room for compassion and love, you can always help someone, and you can always put in the thought and effort to improve someone else’s life. Helping others is something I have become more passionate about as I’ve gotten older and seen more of the world and how poorly people who are underprivileged are treated. I know that the more we can do collectively to help each other, the better those conditions will be - that is the change I want to see.

I am pursuing a college degree so that I can provide my students with the best possible chance at success they can get, and to do that, they need the lasting impact of a teacher. The lasting impact of a teacher is embodied within seven different traits shown daily in every successful classroom: Sensitivity, Courage, Intentionality, Respect, Passion, Optimism, and Responsibility. Sensitivity fosters emotional growth and trust, letting students know that they’re safe and loved. Courage is displayed in many ways; personally, courage brought me out of my comfort zone to make me try new things. Intentionality is the use of curriculum, while incorporating aspects of everyday life to make class more natural, fun, and understandable. Respect is given and earned - every student should be given their due respect by an educator, especially underappreciated students who need a positive figure in their lives. Passion is the burning fire inside of an educator's heart that fuels them to instill passion into their students to love learning and to keep showing up every day. Optimism is putting a smile on your face no matter what! Every student needs a shining light to go to at any time, and teachers are the perfect beacons. Teachers also have many responsibilities. This characteristic covers many different aspects of classroom life, from guiding students through the curriculum, making each student feel appreciated, grading papers, encouraging students to be active academically, athletically, and socially, and watching the students prosper. I will greatly contribute to society through many of these qualities, and my experience as a Teacher Cadet at East Lincoln Middle School further solidifies this belief. Last spring, I acted as a teacher intern with a sixth grade history class. As the semester progressed, I learned how to speak with confidence, while creating a positive learning environment. “My” students could trust my consistency, feed off my optimism, and see my daily passion for the subject matter. I believe society would benefit from me because I can provide my own unique aspect of learning and leadership. I want to dedicate my life to guiding the future. I don’t think there’s any candidate with more passion, courage, or optimism about teaching, and no one who is willing to take on the responsibility of providing the necessary intentionality, sensitivity, and respect to others than me. I crave nothing more than to create a safe, enjoyable environment for my future students, and by using these traits and qualities and a college degree, I can give them this opportunity.

The lasting impact of a teacher is embodied within seven different traits shown daily in every successful classroom that can inspire youth: Sensitivity, Courage, Intentionality, Respect, Passion, Optimism, and Responsibility. Sensitivity fosters emotional growth and trust, letting students know that they’re safe and loved. Courage is displayed in many ways; personally, courage brought me out of my comfort zone to make me try new things. Intentionality is the use of curriculum, while incorporating aspects of everyday life to make class more natural, fun, and understandable. Respect is given and earned - every student should be given their due respect by an educator, especially underappreciated students who need a positive figure in their lives. Passion is the burning fire inside of an educator's heart that fuels them to instill passion into their students to love learning and to keep showing up every day. Optimism is putting a smile on your face no matter what! Every student needs a shining light to go to at any time, and teachers are the perfect beacons. Teachers also have many responsibilities. This characteristic covers many different aspects of classroom life, from guiding students through the curriculum, making each student feel appreciated, grading papers, encouraging students to be active academically, athletically, and socially, and watching the students prosper. I will greatly contribute to society through many of these qualities, and my experience as a Teacher Cadet further solidifies this belief. Last spring, I acted as a teacher intern with a sixth grade history class. As the semester progressed, I learned how to speak with confidence, while creating a positive learning environment. “My” students could trust my consistency, feed off my optimism, and see my daily passion for the subject matter. I believe society would benefit from me because I can provide my own unique aspect of learning and leadership. I want to dedicate my life to guiding the future. I don’t think there’s any candidate with more passion, courage, or optimism about teaching, and no one who is willing to take on the responsibility of providing the necessary intentionality, sensitivity, and respect to others than me. These are the qualities needed to inspire youth to do great things.

The ultimate goal for my career is to pursue a degree in Middle Grades Education (6-9) and teach at a middle/high school level to give back to my community. Everything changed in my life when I went into the sixth grade; I made a friend. When I was younger, I had a lot of social anxiety, communication issues, and generally I was introverted, but I made a connection with a male teacher who I considered a male role-model in my life that I desperately needed. He ended up being one of the most influential role-models in my entire life! He was passionate about the subject he taught - he made us play games and interact with each other, he made us watch interesting videos, and put genuine effort into his lesson planning each day. He had a very dry and sadistic sense of humor that made you want to soak up every word he said. This teacher was the reason I made my first friend, he noticed that I was a very isolated student and didn't have a lot of social ability, and he ended up making one of my greatest weaknesses into my greatest strengths. He forced me to pair up with another student in a group project - a girl who sat in front of me, that wouldn't speak to me. Initially I was pretty upset about the situation, but I realized over time how genuinely nice and caring she was, and that she wasn't out to get me or to make my life any worse, and that socializing isn't harmful. Eventually this girl and I became friends, she offered to hang out with me one day after school, and we ended up having a great time. This turned into having one of my greatest lifelong friends, that still means the world to me. I know how important that friendship is now, and I also understand how many people are in the same situation as me. I know how easy it is to remove yourself from society and get comfortable in your own skin without experiencing other situations, but I now recognize how important it is to do so. I would never have grown into the person I am now if I hadn't been forced to make that friend. Over time, however, I have had many equally amazing teachers and role-models in my life, and I have come to realize that I would like to be able to do what they do for me. The educators around me motivate, drive, and inspire me in every way, and I want to give back to the community around me in a way I'm passionate about. The highlight of my experiences regarding education would easily be my experience as a student teacher. I had to take an 18 week course on ethics, laws, child development, and other things in order to teach them. I spent the next 18 weeks teaching a 6th grade class Ancient World History where I formed amazing bonds and gained highly practical experience. I know that giving other children the opportunity to grow in the way that I did while also giving them a proper education is the direction my life's headed, and I know I'm one of the most qualified people to do it.

The lasting impact of a teacher is embodied within seven different traits shown daily in every successful classroom: Sensitivity, Courage, Intentionality, Respect, Passion, Optimism, and Responsibility. In order to be able to harness and Sensitivity fosters emotional growth and trust, letting students know that they’re safe and loved. Courage is displayed in many ways; personally, courage brought me out of my comfort zone to make me try new things. Intentionality is the use of curriculum, while incorporating aspects of everyday life to make class more natural, fun, and understandable. Respect is given and earned - every student should be given their due respect by an educator, especially underappreciated students who need a positive figure in their lives. Passion is the burning fire inside of an educator's heart that fuels them to instill passion into their students to love learning and to keep showing up every day. Optimism is putting a smile on your face no matter what! Every student needs a shining light to go to at any time, and teachers are the perfect beacons. Teachers also have many responsibilities. This characteristic covers many different aspects of classroom life, from guiding students through the curriculum, making each student feel appreciated, grading papers, encouraging students to be active academically, athletically, and socially, and watching the students prosper. I will greatly contribute to society through many of these qualities, and my experience as a Teacher Cadet at East Lincoln Middle School further solidifies this belief. Last spring, I acted as a teacher intern with a sixth grade history class. As the semester progressed, I learned how to speak with confidence, while creating a positive learning environment. “My” students could trust my consistency, feed off my optimism, and see my daily passion for the subject matter. I believe ACES would benefit from me because I can provide my own unique aspect of learning and leadership. I want to dedicate my life to guiding the future. I don’t think there’s any candidate with more passion, courage, or optimism about teaching, and no one who is willing to take on the responsibility of providing the necessary intentionality, sensitivity, and respect to others than me. This is why I believe that higher education is so important; without it, I wouldn't be able to change the future of the children I so desperately need to influence. I would absolutely love the opportunity to give back to my community in the same way it gave back to me.

Learning is important to me because of the way it shaped my life as I was growing up. Everything in my life changed when I hit the sixth grade. I had a social studies teacher who I enjoyed listening to and learning from - he was funny and playful, and taught everything so well. I needed a strong male figure in my life, and getting this led to me making my first friend. My teacher paired another girl and I up to do group work one day. I had never spoken to her and I was nervous, but eventually we found out that we had a lot in common and we even hung out after a few weeks, after just a few months, we became lifelong best friends. Making a new friend and having a male role model allowed me to flourish academically and socially, as I started making friends rapidly after that; my nerves were gone. Even now it’s an ongoing joke to ask, “how I know everyone, everywhere.” I would love to have the same effect on my students, allowing them to flourish, expand their horizons, and change the course of their lives, even if it’s as simple as pushing them out of their comfort zones and making them talk to someone new for the first time in their life or being a male role model. I think that having the opportunity to teach these children who are in any position where their life can be is an opportunity for me to learn and grow as a person, as well as helping other people do it along the way as well!