Growing up as the granddaughter of a Vietnam Army veteran has shaped my understanding of service, sacrifice, and the lasting effects of trauma. My grandfather’s experiences with service-related PTSD have taught me not only about the invisible wounds many veterans carry but also about the strength it takes to keep moving forward. Watching him navigate moments of anxiety, hypervigilance, or emotional withdrawal showed me that PTSD is not defined by weakness; it is evidence of a life touched by hardship, courage, and survival. Supporting him through those difficult moments has helped me learn more about myself, my capacity for empathy, and the importance of being present for others. Through my experiences with my grandfather, I learned how powerful listening can be. Some days he needed to talk, and other days he simply needed silence and company. I came to understand that support does not always come in the form of solutions; sometimes it is found in patience, in gentle reassurance, or in acknowledging someone’s struggle without judgment. I learned to recognize emotional cues, to practice compassion before reacting, and to create a safe space for him to feel understood. These moments taught me that healing often comes in small steps, built on trust and consistency. Witnessing the long-term effects of war on a loved one also opened my eyes to the larger world of veterans who return home carrying experiences they rarely speak about. It made me more aware of how society often overlooks the quiet battles veterans fight long after their service ends. This awareness has inspired me to educate myself more deeply about mental health, trauma responses, and the unique challenges veterans face when reentering civilian life. Most importantly, my experiences with my grandfather have given me a sense of responsibility, a desire to use what I’ve learned to help other veterans who are currently suffering from PTSD. I hope to advocate for compassionate, accessible mental-health resources and to reduce the stigma that often prevents veterans from seeking help. I want to show veterans that they are not alone, that their experiences are valid, and that support is available in many forms. By sharing my perspective as a family member, offering empathetic understanding, and continuing to educate myself, I hope to honor my grandfather’s resilience and extend the same compassion to other veterans. His journey has taught me that patience, connection, and kindness can make a meaningful difference.

Service has always been a central part of my life. From an early age, I learned the importance of giving back to others through my involvement in Girl Scouts, which I joined in kindergarten. Scouting taught me the value of leadership, empathy, and making a positive difference, whether through small acts of kindness or larger community initiatives. Our troop volunteered both locally and globally, always guided by the goal of making the world a better place. Those lessons have remained with me, and today, I continue that mission by leading a Girl Scout troop of my own. As a troop leader, I help young girls discover their strengths, build confidence, and learn how to serve their communities with compassion and purpose. Beyond scouting, I also volunteer at my local fire department as both a photographer and a chef. Through photography, I help promote the department’s work and raise community awareness about their service and dedication. On meeting nights, I cook meals for the firefighters, ensuring they feel appreciated and supported as they serve others. Though these acts may seem small, they remind me that service takes many forms, whether it’s mentoring a young girl or preparing a meal for those who protect our community. Looking ahead, I plan to continue serving others through my future career as a special education teacher. My passion for this work began with my cousin, who is non-verbal and autistic. Growing up alongside him, I witnessed the challenges he faced in learning and communicating, and I saw how often schools were unequipped to meet his needs. His experiences inspired me to dedicate my life to creating a more inclusive and supportive learning environment for all children. I am currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Elementary and Special Education so I can build a classroom where every student feels seen, accepted, and capable of success. My goal is not only to teach academic skills but to help each child discover their strengths, build confidence, and develop the tools they need to thrive in life. To me, service means using your skills, time, and heart to make life better for others and to inspire them to do the same. Through my continued volunteer work and my future as an educator, I hope to carry forward the same spirit of compassion and dedication that Priscilla Shireen Luke embodied. I believe that by serving others with empathy and purpose, we can create a more inclusive, understanding, and hopeful world for generations to come.

My first experience working with a child like Rebecca began long before I ever stepped into a classroom; it started with my cousin, who is non-verbal and autistic. Growing up alongside him, I saw firsthand the challenges he faced in learning, communicating, and connecting with others. Watching him navigate school systems that often lacked understanding and support had a profound impact on me. It instilled in me a lifelong desire to ensure that every student, regardless of their abilities, feels accepted, valued, and given the tools to succeed. I carried that lesson with me into adulthood, and it has shaped the teacher I aspire to become. Before beginning my graduate studies, I worked as a substitute teacher in Secaucus, New Jersey, where I primarily worked with special education students. That experience reaffirmed my passion for education and sparked my commitment to pursuing a career that would allow me to make a meaningful difference in students’ lives. As a graduate student studying Elementary and Special Education, my goal is to create a classroom where every child feels seen, supported, and capable of success. In a world that often places limits on students with disabilities, I want to remove those boundaries and build a classroom that focuses on each child’s potential rather than their limitations. My approach to teaching would center on individualized instruction, multi-sensory learning, social-emotional development, and a strength-based philosophy. I plan to tailor each lesson to meet the diverse needs of my students, ensuring that every child can access the material and find joy in learning. By incorporating tactile, visual, and auditory elements, students can make deeper connections and retain information more effectively. Integrating social-emotional learning is equally important to me; I want to teach students self-advocacy, communication, and emotional regulation while promoting inclusion, confidence, and belonging. Ultimately, my classroom will be a place where students not only learn academic skills but also discover their own strengths and sense of self-worth. Families play a crucial and irreplaceable role in this process. Their involvement shapes how a child learns, grows, and thrives both inside and outside of school. Families are a child’s greatest advocates and partners in education. They provide essential insight into the child’s strengths, interests, and needs, helping teachers create more personalized support plans. Collaboration and consistent communication between home and school ensure that students experience stability, structure, and encouragement in all environments. When teachers and families work together, the result is a team devoted to helping every student succeed academically, socially, and emotionally. This scholarship would allow me to continue pursuing my dream of becoming the kind of teacher who creates this inclusive and empowering environment. I have student loans from my undergraduate degree in Media Communication and Film Studies, and I am currently taking on additional loans to complete my Master’s in K–6 and Elementary Special Education at Fairleigh Dickinson University. My goal is to return to the Secaucus school district, where my passion for teaching first began, and serve as a special education teacher who advocates for students like my cousin, students who deserve to be seen for their abilities, not their challenges.

As a graduate student studying Elementary and Special Education, my goal is to build a classroom where every student feels seen, valued, and capable of success. I want my classroom to be a space where children are comfortable enough to be themselves and confident enough to explore their passions with me and the students in the classroom. Every child learns differently, and I believe that true inclusion begins when we recognize and celebrate those differences rather than viewing them as barriers that the students need to overcome. In a world that often places limits on what students can achieve, especially those in special education, I aim to remove those boundaries for every student in my classroom and school. It is unfortunate, but too often, students with disabilities are defined by what others think they cannot do. My goal as an educator is to shift that perspective to create an environment that highlights what they can do and helps them reach their fullest potential. By using differentiated instruction, hands-on learning, and individualized support, I will ensure that every student, regardless of ability, has access to meaningful and engaging learning experiences. Inclusion is not just about placing students with special needs in a general education setting; it is about building a community where every child belongs. I envision a classroom where empathy, collaboration, and respect guide our daily interactions. Students will learn not only academic skills, but also the importance of kindness and understanding toward one another. This scholarship would help me continue my journey toward becoming the kind of teacher who creates this environment, one that empowers students to grow beyond labels and discover their strengths. It would allow me to focus more deeply on my studies and fieldwork, knowing that I am supported in my mission to make education truly inclusive for all.

Being a first-generation college student means stepping into uncharted territory. When no one in your family has experienced the college journey, the applications, financial aid forms, or the challenge of balancing coursework and life, you learn to navigate each step on your own. My family has always been incredibly supportive, but their encouragement could only go so far when it came to the unfamiliar process of choosing classes, understanding loans, and finding my path. There were many moments of uncertainty and self-doubt, but those challenges have shaped my resilience and determination. Through these experiences, I’ve learned the value of perseverance and the importance of asking for help when needed. I’ve also discovered the strength that comes from believing in myself, even when the path isn’t clear. Being a first-generation student has taught me that success isn’t always about having all the answers; it’s about being willing to learn, to adapt, and to keep moving forward despite the obstacles. Each step I’ve taken has reminded me why I’m here: to create opportunities not only for myself but for the students I will one day teach. My dream is to earn my certifications in Elementary and Special Education and become a teacher who helps students recognize their own strengths and believe in their potential. I want to be the kind of educator who guides children, especially those who face learning challenges, to see that they are capable, valued, and have a purpose. Every child deserves someone who believes in them, and I want to be that person in the classroom. This scholarship would ease the financial stress that comes with pursuing higher education and allow me to focus more fully on becoming the teacher I aspire to be. More than just financial support, it would serve as a reminder that my hard work and perseverance are seen and that my dream of making a difference in the lives of students is within reach.

The quote by Harold Bloom captured the purpose of teaching by helping each learner recognize their own worth, identity, and capacity to think, feel, and create. I believe this quote means, in terms of our students means becoming aware of one’s abilities, voice, and agency. In special education, helping students toward that realization is both the greatest challenge and the greatest reward. My passion for this career comes from my desire to ensure that, regardless of ability, every student deserves to experience that sense of self. In this quote, Bloom is not just talking about academic success or performance on tests. He is focusing on students’ awareness of their unique identity and the confidence to express it. When it comes to special education, this means teachers helping students who may have been underestimated their whole lives to see themselves as capable learners. Many students with disabilities have experienced repeated failures, leading them to doubt their own potential. As a special education teacher, my role is to create an environment where they can discover their strengths and experience success in meaningful ways. To foster this kind of environment, teacher must build strong relationships with their students that are centered around trust, patience, and respect. When the students feel that they are seen by the teachers beyond their diagnosis, the students will begin to believe in themselves. I am drawn to the idea of meeting students where they are and celebrating progress in all its forms. Special education is not only about modifying lesson plans or writing IEPs, it is about human connection. Every breakthrough that each students go through, no matter how small, represents a step toward a child realizing their presence and voice in the world. When a student who once refused to participate begins to raise their hand, or when a child who struggles to read finds joy in a book, those are the moments I am ready to be a part of. My mission as a special education teacher will be to help students develop self-awareness, confidence, and independence through empowerment, individualized learning, and emotional connection. I want to help students recognize their strengths and use them as entry points to learning. Focusing on strengths shifts the narrative from “what a student can’t do” to “what they can do,” giving them a sense of agency and accomplishment. I plan to use varied teaching strategies—visual aids, hands-on activities, technology, and small-group instruction—to reach every learner. By creating lessons that accommodate diverse learning styles, I will ensure that each student can engage meaningfully. Inclusion also means ensuring that students with disabilities participate fully in classroom life. True inclusion helps all students—those with and without disabilities—develop empathy and appreciation for different ways of learning. Ultimately, I want my students to leave my classroom knowing that their voices matter. When students experience a “sense of their own presence,” they begin to advocate for themselves, participate in their communities, and dream for their futures. Professor Bloom’s insight reminds me that the true purpose of education is human development. As a special education teacher, I want to help students find their voices, celebrate their differences, and believe in their potential.