I had a unique elementary school experience in attending a brand new public school in New York City. I was part of the first class to attend the school and each year the school added a grade. As a result, we got to know all of the people that worked at PS 527 incredibly well, staff and teachers alike. The school was a place where diversity and inclusion were celebrated and I always felt that the teachers cared for students as unique individuals. Not only was everyone welcome in my school, but the teachers and staff focused on having strong and positive relationships with their students. In kindergarten, during independent reading time, I got to go to the principal's office twice a week to read him a book of my choosing. This may seem like something small, but it is one of the many things that I remember vividly about my elementary school experience, 13 years later. My elementary school and all of the amazing experiences I had inspired me to want to become a teacher and major in elementary education in college. As a fifth grader, I volunteered in a second grade class during lunch to help students struggling with math. That experience helped me see that individual attention and varied approaches can help students succeed. This is when I kind of re-instilled the fact that not only did I know that I wanted to be a teacher, but that I specifically had a dream grade to teach, 2nd grade. In the future, I want to be a teacher that my students know cares about them, and sees a strength in all of them. I think it is really important to acknowledge different learning styles and also acknowledge that every student has their own strengths, which will be different from everyone else's. Currently, I intern 12 hours a week in an elementary school. Each day I learn from my supervising teacher and students. Building connections with my students is important to me as I believe that fosters a more positive learning environment. This is why I want to major in education and become an elementary school teacher. Majoring in education will allow me to foster all of these skills and more. I believe this is important because it allows me to picture myself in the classroom, and enables me to build the skills I need to be a great teacher. With this scholarship, I will be able to ensure that I get the best education possible to educate leaders of the next generation. I hope that I will be able to become the teacher that so many of my teachers were for me. An adult who I know cared for me no matter what, welcomed me, was a safe person, and also provided a safe place.

I am a minority due to my religion and sexuality. As a Jewish person living in PA, I have faced countless obstacles with religion. For starters, the closest temple is at least an hour away from me. Additionally, I have faced hate by classmates and peers in school. In addition to being Jewish, another minority group I am a part of is the LGBTQIA+ community. As someone who is bi, I have had to face challenges throughout my life. These challenges included, accepting myself, coming out to others, and hoping that other would accept me. It is really scary to come out to someone you’re really close with, not knowing how they will react, or if it will ruin your friendship or relationship with that person. From a relationship stand point, these two identities have allowed me to find a smaller community, but also a community in which I feel safe, wanted, and welcome. As someone who is bi, I have made friends with other students who are bi or gay in my school. This has helped me greatly in accepting the fact that I am bi, but more importantly, this community has helped show me that it is okay if I am not ready to come out to everyone, and I do not owe anyone that information. In addition to my friends that are apart of the LGBTQIA+ community, I have been able to build and find my community of other people who are Jewish in my town. Coming from and living in a very small town has caused me to not know or meet very many Jewish people. I am grateful to live in a college town, where the college will hold religious events on major holidays. The college is where I have found most of my community with my Jewish identity. I am also very grateful that one of my friends and teammates in school is Jewish as well, as it is nice to have someone help you explain Jewish holidays, or just have someone that understands you in a way others may not. Finally, these experiences and challenges have encouraged me and shaped my career aspirations because teaching is a field where you will make a difference and have an impact on all of your students each and every day. Whether my student is racially a minority, religiously a minority, or sexually a minority, I want them to know not only am I a safe person and adult that they can go to, but also that my classroom is a space where they will always be safe and welcome.

As I stood behind the podium reading the names of the winners of the Region 3 Technology Student Association (TSA) Conference, I was beaming with pride as most of my chapter’s teams qualified for the state competition, especially since many were new to TSA. This year, I shared my passion for TSA with our school and grew the chapter by 200%. I spent many hours helping and mentoring new members, and the feeling of accomplishment I felt in others’ successes made all my hard work as the club president well worth it. Although my personal successes were not as gratifying as in other years, this year, I learned that the teaching and mentoring were far more satisfying than my own individual wins. I joined TSA during middle school when school was offered primarily remotely, and I was searching for more activities. I was not yet that interested in technology, but I learned about TSA competitions related to my interest in education, such as writing technology-themed children’s stories. I pushed myself to try new experiences and developed new skills and interests not only in technology-related subjects such as engineering, architecture, and woodworking, but also in leadership, teamwork, and problem-solving. I learned that technology is not just about computers and programming. Technology also involves critical thinking and implementing real solutions, and in education, the opportunities for those are limitless. This pride in others’ accomplishments is something I feel often. As I began to explore the field of education, I became a swim instructor and coach at my local community pool. When a student who is terrified of the water in the first lesson can swim confidently by the final class, I know I have made a difference. Not only do I enjoy teaching others to swim and inspiring our swim team members to push themselves to accomplish their goals, but also I value the relationships I have built with my swimmers, families, and colleagues. Through these relationships, I work to develop trust and a connection, which enable me to make a greater impact as a teacher and coach. The teacher-student connection helps me to adapt my lessons and coaching style to meet individual needs. Currently, I have a student for whom English is her second language. She struggled to understand the lessons, so I made flashcards with English and Spanish translations for common swim lesson phrases – this has made a difference in her swimming and has taught me that I must continue to be creative and innovative to meet the needs of each student. As I continue my exploration in education, I am excited to have a student-teacher internship for the first semester of my senior year. Through this internship, I hope to gain the skills and tools I need to be a better communicator and educator. I believe all students are unique, and I aspire to be a teacher who values individuals and adapts my teaching style to meet their needs and challenges. I have learned that through fostering and developing relationships, I am able to help others succeed. The modern-day classroom offers constantly evolving ways to do just that. New technologies, cooperative learning, flipped classrooms, and differentiated instruction are part of education’s cutting-edge present, and I cannot wait to learn more.

As I stood behind the podium reading the names of the winners of the Region 3 Technology Student Association (TSA) Conference, I was beaming with pride as most of my chapter’s teams qualified for the state competition, especially since many were new to TSA. This year, I shared my passion for TSA with our school and grew the chapter by 200%. I spent many hours helping and mentoring new members, and the feeling of accomplishment I felt in others’ successes made all my hard work as the club president well worth it. Although my personal successes were not as gratifying as in other years, this year, I learned that the teaching and mentoring were far more satisfying than my own individual wins. I joined TSA during middle school when school was offered primarily remotely, and I was searching for more activities. I was not yet that interested in technology, but I learned about TSA competitions related to my interest in education, such as writing technology-themed children’s stories. I pushed myself to try new experiences and developed new skills and interests not only in technology-related subjects such as engineering, architecture, and woodworking, but also in leadership, teamwork, and problem-solving. I learned that technology is not just about computers and programming. Technology also involves critical thinking and implementing real solutions, and in education, the opportunities for those are limitless. This pride in others’ accomplishments is something I feel often. As I began to explore the field of education, I became a swim instructor and coach at my local community pool. When a student who is terrified of the water in the first lesson can swim confidently by the final class, I know I have made a difference. Not only do I enjoy teaching others to swim and inspiring our swim team members to push themselves to accomplish their goals, but also I value the relationships I have built with my swimmers, families, and colleagues. Through these relationships, I work to develop trust and a connection, which enable me to make a greater impact as a teacher and coach. The teacher-student connection helps me to adapt my lessons and coaching style to meet individual needs. Currently, I have a student for whom English is her second language. She struggled to understand the lessons, so I made flashcards with English and Spanish translations for common swim lesson phrases – this has made a difference in her swimming and has taught me that I must continue to be creative and innovative to meet the needs of each student. As I continue my exploration in education, I am excited to have a student-teacher internship for the first semester of my senior year. Through this internship, I hope to gain the skills and tools I need to be a better communicator and educator. I believe all students are unique, and I aspire to be a teacher who values individuals and adapts my teaching style to meet their needs and challenges. I have learned that through fostering and developing relationships, I am able to help others succeed. The modern-day classroom offers constantly evolving ways to do just that. New technologies, cooperative learning, flipped classrooms, and differentiated instruction are part of education’s cutting-edge present, and I cannot wait to learn more.

As I stood behind the podium reading the names of the winners of the Region 3 Technology Student Association (TSA) Conference, I was beaming with pride as most of my chapter’s teams qualified for the state competition, especially since many were new to TSA. This year, I shared my passion for TSA with our school and grew the chapter by 200%. I spent many hours helping and mentoring new members, and the feeling of accomplishment I felt in others’ successes made all my hard work as the club president well worth it. Although my personal successes were not as gratifying as in other years, this year, I learned that the teaching and mentoring were far more satisfying than my own individual wins. I joined TSA during middle school when school was offered primarily remotely, and I was searching for more activities. I was not yet that interested in technology, but I learned about TSA competitions related to my interest in education, such as writing technology-themed children’s stories. I pushed myself to try new experiences and developed new skills and interests not only in technology-related subjects such as engineering, architecture, and woodworking, but also in leadership, teamwork, and problem-solving. I learned that technology is not just about computers and programming. Technology also involves critical thinking and implementing real solutions, and in education, the opportunities for those are limitless. This pride in others’ accomplishments is something I feel often. As I began to explore the field of education, I became a swim instructor and coach at my local community pool. When a student who is terrified of the water in the first lesson can swim confidently by the final class, I know I have made a difference. Not only do I enjoy teaching others to swim and inspiring our swim team members to push themselves to accomplish their goals, but also I value the relationships I have built with my swimmers, families, and colleagues. Through these relationships, I work to develop trust and a connection, which enable me to make a greater impact as a teacher and coach. The teacher-student connection helps me to adapt my lessons and coaching style to meet individual needs. Currently, I have a student for whom English is her second language. She struggled to understand the lessons, so I made flashcards with English and Spanish translations for common swim lesson phrases – this has made a difference in her swimming and has taught me that I must continue to be creative and innovative to meet the needs of each student. As I continue my exploration in education, I am excited to have a student-teacher internship for the first semester of my senior year. Through this internship, I hope to gain the skills and tools I need to be a better communicator and educator. I believe all students are unique, and I aspire to be a teacher who values individuals and adapts my teaching style to meet their needs and challenges. I have learned that through fostering and developing relationships, I am able to help others succeed. The modern-day classroom offers constantly evolving ways to do just that. New technologies, cooperative learning, flipped classrooms, and differentiated instruction are part of education’s cutting-edge present, and I cannot wait to learn more.

As I stood behind the podium reading the names of the winners of the Region 3 Technology Student Association (TSA) Conference, I was beaming with pride as most of my chapter’s teams qualified for the state competition, especially since many were new to TSA. This year, I shared my passion for TSA with our school and grew the chapter by 200%. I spent many hours helping and mentoring new members, and the feeling of accomplishment I felt in others’ successes made all my hard work as the club president well worth it. Although my personal successes were not as gratifying as in other years, this year, I learned that the teaching and mentoring were far more satisfying than my own individual wins. I joined TSA during middle school when school was offered primarily remotely, and I was searching for more activities. I was not yet that interested in technology, but I learned about TSA competitions related to my interest in education, such as writing technology-themed children’s stories. On top of that, as someone who has always loved math and science, being in a STEM competition environment seemed like something right up my alley. I pushed myself to try new experiences and developed new skills and interests not only in technology-related subjects such as engineering, architecture, and woodworking, but also in leadership, teamwork, and problem-solving. I learned that technology is not just about computers and programming. Technology also involves critical thinking and implementing real solutions, and in education, the opportunities for those are limitless. This pride in others’ accomplishments is something I feel often. As I began to explore the field of education, I became a swim instructor and coach at my local community pool. When a student who is terrified of the water in the first lesson can swim confidently by the final class, I know I have made a difference. Not only do I enjoy teaching others to swim and inspiring our swim team members to push themselves to accomplish their goals, but also I value the relationships I have built with my swimmers, families, and colleagues. Through these relationships, I work to develop trust and a connection, which enable me to make a greater impact as a teacher and coach. The teacher-student connection helps me to adapt my lessons and coaching style to meet individual needs. Currently, I have a student for whom English is her second language. She struggled to understand the lessons, so I made flashcards with English and Spanish translations for common swim lesson phrases – this has made a difference in her swimming and has taught me that I must continue to be creative and innovative to meet the needs of each student. As I continue my exploration in education, I am excited to have a student-teacher internship for the first semester of my senior year. Through this internship, I hope to gain the skills and tools I need to be a better communicator and educator. I believe all students are unique, and I aspire to be a teacher who values individuals and adapts my teaching style to meet their needs and challenges. I have learned that through fostering and developing relationships, I am able to help others succeed. The modern-day classroom offers constantly evolving ways to do just that. New technologies, cooperative learning, flipped classrooms, and differentiated instruction are part of education’s cutting-edge present, and I cannot wait to learn more.

As I stood behind the podium reading the names of the winners of the Region 3 Technology Student Association (TSA) Conference, I was beaming with pride as most of my chapter’s teams qualified for the state competition, especially since many were new to TSA. This year, I shared my passion for TSA with our school and grew the chapter by 200%. I spent many hours helping and mentoring new members, and the feeling of accomplishment I felt in others’ successes made all my hard work as the club president well worth it. Although my personal successes were not as gratifying as in other years, this year, I learned that the teaching and mentoring were far more satisfying than my own individual wins. I joined TSA during middle school when school was offered primarily remotely, and I was searching for more activities. I was not yet that interested in technology, but I learned about TSA competitions related to my interest in education, such as writing technology-themed children’s stories. I pushed myself to try new experiences and developed new skills and interests not only in technology-related subjects such as engineering, architecture, and woodworking, but also in leadership, teamwork, and problem-solving. I learned that technology is not just about computers and programming. Technology also involves critical thinking and implementing real solutions, and in education, the opportunities for those are limitless. This pride in others’ accomplishments is something I feel often. As I began to explore the field of education, I became a swim instructor and coach at my local community pool. When a student who is terrified of the water in the first lesson can swim confidently by the final class, I know I have made a difference. Not only do I enjoy teaching others to swim and inspiring our swim team members to push themselves to accomplish their goals, but also I value the relationships I have built with my swimmers, families, and colleagues. Through these relationships, I work to develop trust and a connection, which enable me to make a greater impact as a teacher and coach. The teacher-student connection helps me to adapt my lessons and coaching style to meet individual needs. Currently, I have a student for whom English is her second language. She struggled to understand the lessons, so I made flashcards with English and Spanish translations for common swim lesson phrases – this has made a difference in her swimming and has taught me that I must continue to be creative and innovative to meet the needs of each student. As I continue my exploration in education, I am excited to have a student-teacher internship for the first semester of my senior year. Through this internship, I hope to gain the skills and tools I need to be a better communicator and educator. I believe all students are unique, and I aspire to be a teacher who values individuals and adapts my teaching style to meet their needs and challenges. I have learned that through fostering and developing relationships, I am able to help others succeed. The modern-day classroom offers constantly evolving ways to do just that. New technologies, cooperative learning, flipped classrooms, and differentiated instruction are part of education’s cutting-edge present, and I cannot wait to learn more.

Community service has shaped who I am today, influencing my values, worldview, and personal growth. Through my involvement in Key Club, volunteering at my local YWCA, and participating in Allied Track, I have developed a deep connection to my community and a strong sense of fulfillment from helping others. These experiences have taught me the importance of empathy, kindness, and service, all of which have become central to my identity. Key Club has been a pivotal part of my life in terms of community service. The organization has provided countless opportunities to engage with my community, from food drives and road cleanups to supporting local shelters. Key Club has shown me that even small actions can make a significant difference. As Vice President last year and in other leadership roles, I have developed organizational and communication skills that have helped me better serve my community. Working with other members, I’ve seen the positive impact of collective action and been motivated to continue contributing to society in meaningful ways. Additionally, I volunteer regularly at my local YWCA. This has given me a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by many in my community. At the YWCA, I participate in a variety of programs, from helping with sales and events to fundraising efforts. In my job as a lifeguard, swim teacher, and coach, I’ve made a tangible difference in the lives of individuals facing difficult circumstances. Being involved with the YWCA has reinforced the importance of providing a safe and supportive environment for those in need, strengthening my belief in the power of community support. Finally, one of my most meaningful experiences has been volunteering with Allied Track, a program for students with special needs. As a buddy, I run alongside the students during practices and races, offering encouragement and companionship. The joy on their faces when they cross the finish line is incredibly rewarding. Through Allied Track, I have learned patience, adaptability, and understanding, as each athlete has unique needs and abilities. This experience has deepened my commitment to inclusion and taught me the importance of celebrating everyone’s potential. Overall, community service has not only shaped who I am but also shaped how I see the world. These experiences have instilled in me a lifelong commitment to serving my community and advocating for those in need, and they have truly become an essential part of my identity.