Music is an instrumental part of my life and a piece of my soul. I can't imagine spending a day without listening to, dancing to, and singing along with music. It helps me get through my day and helps me process my emotions. By the time I entered high school, I had been playing the flute in my school's concert band for four years and singing at my church for a year. And man, music was my thing. It was a beautiful thing to learn and experience, spending weeks on end rehearsing sheets upon sheets of music for our next competition or school performance and countless hours practicing the melodies and harmonies for my vocal songs. I saw so many different reactions to music. Strong patriotism in the eyes of our school's veterans as we played for Veteran's Day. Glee in each others' eyes and our parents' as we impeccably performed songs for our MPAs (Music Performance Assessments, a judged Florida high school band competition). And of course, pride in our director's eyes as we walked up to the stage, whether for a competition or a Christmas performance. In my Sophomore year of high school, though, I switched from concert band to performance singing with a little trepidation. I had been singing at my church, but this was different. This was at school, where some of the scariest and most judgemental people in the world (at least, they were at the time) resided. But my mom had said that I had a gift in singing, and should cultivate it well under my experienced teacher, so I decided to go along with it. I started terrified. How could I sing each week in front of my peers, who would jump at any sign of weakness? Funnily enough, the thing that helped me gain confidence was the biggest mistake I have ever made in a musical performance. We butchered a song. The lead singer got horrendously off-beat, we started singing off-key, and the band behind us was in complete disarray. We walked off of that stage horrified, and beating ourselves up like we had never done before. The next day, we expected people to keep talking about the absolute dumpster fire that we had performed. But to our surprise, nobody was! I learned that day that it doesn't matter if I make small mistakes as long as I learn from them. People aren't still judging me today for a mistake I made in a song a month ago, a year ago, or even that one two years ago. One of the greatest impacts that music has had on my life is giving me confidence in myself and who I truly am. Ever since the "Great Mistake of 2022" (as we affectionately call it), I've had more confidence to be myself. Because the people who truly matter in your life don't mind who you are, they encourage you to be yourself and always try to improve. And the people who do care about who you truly are? Well, if I can ignore them when they giggle and laugh when I have a voice crack on stage, I can ignore them when they giggle and laugh when I act a little "strange." Music has affected my life in tremendous ways. Thanks to my Dad telling me that I had to join the band in 5th grade, I have a group of friends that have bonded together over music, I have so much more confidence in myself, and I have a passion that has changed my life forever.

November of 2024. Mrs. Tuzzolo is cheering on my good friend who made it to state for my school's swim team. Despite my friend's embarrassment, she loves that Mrs. Tuzzolo cares about her and her sport. May of 2024. I am standing in the lobby after watching countless friends walk across the stage, graduating high school while realizing the bittersweet thought that I too have only one year left at a school I've been going to my whole life. Mrs. Trigg walks up to me, gives me a big hug, and says, "You'll be up there next year. But let's get through this year first." August of 2023. I'm sitting in my first science class of the year, listening to Mr. Steiner talk about one of his favorite subjects. Although he usually is a more apathetic person, I could see the passion in his eyes when he talked about biology. February of 2020. Sitting in Mrs. Weakley's class, where she is grinning from ear to ear and wishing me a "Happy, happy, happy birthday!" And tells me that I'm going to do great things when I grow up, just you wait. December of 2017. Mr. Mayfield tells me that I am an exceptional math student, and suggests that I join my friend in the advanced math class, where we take math with the 6th graders. August of 2016. I meet Mrs. Stevens, a woman I still talk to today. One of my (still) favorite teachers, and a blessing to everyone she meets with her smiles, kind words, incredible teaching ability... and patience. November of 2012. Each of us Kindergarteners got a nickname on our Thanksgiving day costume, and Mrs. Huttle said mine was "Princess Bookworm." The first time I felt acknowledged as someone special, and someone smart. The first time that I realized it was okay to be different and be obsessed with books. August of 2011. The first time I ever step foot in a school. I meet Mrs. McManus. Even though I was only four years old, Mrs. McManus' influence as my first-ever teacher still has left an imprint on me today, a senior in high school. These are just a few examples of the many teachers that I have had in my career as a student at my K-12 school. Through these experiences, I have realized that my passion, my dream, is to be an influence and a light like these teachers. That is why I have decided to follow the career path of education. Because I am passionate about being an example of good character, and a role model in others' lives. I know that not all students accept or like their teachers, but that hasn't scared me away before. I hope that one day, my name can be on a list of teachers who have made an impact, big or small, in even just one student's life.

I was born to teach. At least, that's what my mom always told me. Ironically, I was completely against it. I didn't want to be a teacher at first for several reasons. First, my parents are both teachers, and I wanted to be seen as separate from them. I didn't want to be seen as a girl who was just following in her parents' footsteps. Second, I knew how much teachers get paid. As I said, both of my parents are teachers at a private school, and in my mind, I would be wasting my skills on a lower-salary career in education when I could use my skills to become a surgeon. I was adamant. I was not going to teach, not ever. So of course, things went a bit differently than I planned. Once I had decided I was firmly set on not being a teacher, I saw reminders all over the place about why I would be a good teacher, and why teaching would be worth it. My Dad told me several times that I have a great personality for a teacher. My friends told me that I am great at explaining things on homework that they don't understand. I saw the pride in my parents' eyes when they talked about their students who started the year struggling in their classes but ended strong and with passing grades. So I sat back and thought. Maybe I was meant to be a teacher. Maybe teaching really was my calling, my "thing." I thought back to the summers when my brothers and I would play school, and I would always teach them from my old textbooks. I thought about how much fun I had seeing my brothers understand things in those silly little games after I explained them to them. Once I had set my heart on becoming a teacher, I started seeing things that I had never seen before. My utter passion for not just teaching things, but for teaching English. I desire to help others understand because everyone likes to understand things. Even the moody students who say they hate school and want to drop out enjoy being able to understand what they're being taught. There was one teacher in my life who solidified my decision to become an English teacher. Mrs. Jennae Tuzzolo, a wonderful woman and English teacher at my school... who wasn't even my teacher at the time. I interacted with her in the mornings before school, occasionally during free periods, and through her sponsorship of my school's Beta Club. Mrs. Tuzzolo showed me that even when teaching gets frustrating, or discouraging, you can always keep a positive outlook on things. She showed me just how much of an impact that a teacher can have on their students when she gave students advice on things unrelated to school, kept a "Wall of Fame" of all of her pictures with seniors at their graduation, and even brought a lighthearted and sassy attitude into everyday, boring school life. Once I graduate high school, I plan to pursue a degree in Secondary English Education. To follow my passions, help students to the best of my ability, and make a lasting impact like Mrs. Tuzzolo. I would be honored if the Marie Humphries Memorial Scholarship would help finance that pursuit to make a longstanding difference in the teenage generations of tomorrow.