I am currently in college, majoring in Secondary Education with a focus on Math. When I started college, this wasn't the career path I initially intended to pursue. From a young age, I was passionate about helping people, and I always dreamed of becoming a nurse to assist those in need. However, I realized that as a teacher, I could also help others by supporting students academically and making a significant impact on their lives. My journey toward education began when I volunteered at my local library and art center, where I helped students with their academic goals. I loved witnessing the progress students made and felt proud to be a part of their achievements. This experience sparked my interest in teaching and showed me the profound impact I could have on students' lives. After high school, I chose to work in a manufacturing facility with my parents instead of attending college immediately due to the high cost of tuition and feeling unprepared for the demands of higher education. However, a few months into the job, I realized I wanted to pursue something I was truly passionate about rather than producing cardiovascular materials for surgery. I decided to attend community college to complete my prerequisites for nursing. During this time, I observed math tutors helping students, and I couldn’t help but think about how rewarding it would be to support students in their studies. Although I did not take a math course that winter semester, I found myself missing the subject deeply. In high school, math was the one subject I looked forward to because my teachers made it so engaging and enjoyable. I realized that I had a genuine passion for math and a desire to share that passion with others. Currently, I am working at the YMCA in an after-school program with K-8 students, assisting them with homework and activities. Spending time in summer school classrooms with experienced teachers and observing how they manage their classes has been incredibly inspiring. It makes me excited to imagine myself as the teacher in front of the classroom one day. I also enjoy being a teacher’s assistant, as it allows me to help both students and teachers throughout the day. To achieve my goal of becoming a math teacher, I plan to work two tutoring jobs and continue my role as a teacher assistant while attending university full-time. This will help me support myself financially and gain valuable experience in education. I am eager to see how everything unfolds this semester and plan to continue taking these steps until I reach my goal of becoming a teacher.

From a young age, I viewed attending school as a privilege because neither of my parents finished their education. Both of my parents left school in Mexico due to expenses and living in poverty. They came to the United States with nothing but the support of family. Who knows if I would have continued my education in Mexico, but one thing I do know is that I will obtain my degree in Secondary Math Education at Davenport University. I have attended school my whole life. I am transferring from Grand Rapids Community College to Davenport University to earn my Bachelor's in Education. I aspire to work in the education field as a middle or high school math teacher. My middle and high school math teachers made the subject easy for me to learn. Although some problems take forever to solve, math never bores me. I am aware that there are few teachers of color, as most of them are white. As a first-generation Mexican-American student and a person of color in the education field, I can serve as a role model for students in underrepresented communities. I can make a significant impact on students who share a similar background to mine, as having commonalities encourages students to trust and open up more easily. As a teacher, I aim to empower future generations to succeed both in my classroom and in life. Volunteering at my local library influenced me to study education. For a short period, I volunteered to help bilingual students with their homework after school. Being bilingual in Spanish and English allowed me to assist a few high school students who had recently arrived in the United States from Guatemala and knew very little English. These Hispanic students came to me after school to receive the help they needed to complete their English homework. Despite the language barrier, they never gave up on reaching out to me when they needed help. If I was not there to help them, they mostly relied on Google Translate. This experience showed me the importance of eliminating barriers that prevent students from being successful in their education. Teachers make a significant impact on students' lives. Most of the time, they are the ones creating a safe place for their students in the classroom. They also help students overcome the different and unique challenges they encounter on a daily basis. I look forward to providing a supportive and welcoming environment to all students who come from different backgrounds in my future classroom.

From a young age, I viewed attending school as a privilege because neither of my parents finished their education. Both of my parents left school in Mexico due to expenses and living in poverty. They came to the United States with nothing but the support of family. Who knows if I would have continued my education in Mexico, but one thing I do know is that I will obtain my degree in Secondary Math Education at Davenport University. I have attended school my whole life. I am transferring from Grand Rapids Community College to Davenport University as a full-time student to earn my Bachelor's in Education. I aspire to work in the education field as a middle or high school math teacher. My middle and high school math teachers made the subject easy for me to learn. Although some problems take forever to solve, math never bores me. I am aware that there are few teachers of color, as most of them are white. As a first-generation Mexican-American student and a person of color in the education field, I can serve as a role model for students in underrepresented communities. I can make a significant impact on students who share a similar background to mine, as having commonalities encourages students to trust and open up more easily. As a teacher, I aim to empower future generations to succeed both in my classroom and in life. Volunteering at my local library influenced me to study education. For a short period, I volunteered to help bilingual students with their homework after school. Being bilingual in Spanish and English allowed me to assist a few high school students who had recently arrived in the United States from Guatemala and knew very little English. These Hispanic students came to me after school to receive the help they needed to complete their English homework. Despite the language barrier, they never gave up on reaching out to me when they needed help. If I was not there to help them, they mostly relied on Google Translate. This experience showed me the importance of eliminating barriers that prevent students from being successful in their education. Teachers make a significant impact on students' lives. Most of the time, they are the ones creating a safe place for their students in the classroom. They also help students overcome the different and unique challenges they encounter daily. I look forward to providing a supportive and welcoming environment to all students who come from different backgrounds in my future classroom. This is my third year at Grand Rapids Community College since I'm working part-time to pay for school out of pocket with no support from my parents. I just brought a car to get around to work and school daily. Last month I was able to afford college until I got my Michigan grant removed. I feel very devasted because now I have to look into ways to pay for college next month.

From a young age, I viewed attending school as a privilege because neither of my parents finished their education. Both of my parents left school in Mexico due to expenses and living in poverty. They came to the United States with nothing but the support of family. Who knows if I would have continued my education in Mexico, but one thing I do know is that I will obtain my degree in Secondary Math Education at Davenport University. I have attended school my whole life. I am transferring from Grand Rapids Community College to Davenport University to earn my Bachelor's in Education. I aspire to work in the education field as a middle or high school math teacher. My middle and high school math teachers made the subject easy for me to learn. Although some problems take forever to solve, math never bores me. I am aware that there are few teachers of color, as most of them are white. As a first-generation Mexican-American student and a person of color in the education field, I can serve as a role model for students in underrepresented communities. I can make a significant impact on students who share a similar background to mine, as having commonalities encourages students to trust and open up more easily. As a teacher, I aim to empower future generations to succeed both in my classroom and in life. Volunteering at my local library influenced me to study education. For a short period, I volunteered to help bilingual students with their homework after school. Being bilingual in Spanish and English allowed me to assist a few high school students who had recently arrived in the United States from Guatemala and knew very little English. These Hispanic students came to me after school to receive the help they needed to complete their English homework. Despite the language barrier, they never gave up on reaching out to me when they needed help. If I was not there to help them, they mostly relied on Google Translate. This experience showed me the importance of eliminating barriers that prevent students from being successful in their education. Teachers make a significant impact on students' lives. Most of the time, they are the ones creating a safe place for their students in the classroom. They also help students overcome the different and unique challenges they encounter on a daily basis. I look forward to providing a supportive and welcoming environment to all students who come from different backgrounds in my future classroom.

Why have you chosen to pursue a degree in STEM? How do you hope to have an impact in the STEM field as a person of color? From a young age, I viewed attending school as a privilege because neither of my parents finished their education. Both of my parents left school in Mexico due to expenses and living in poverty. They came to the United States with nothing but the support of family. Who knows if I would have continued my education in Mexico, but one thing I do know is that I will obtain my degree in Secondary Math Education at Davenport University. I have attended school my whole life. I am transferring from Grand Rapids Community College to Davenport University to earn my Bachelor's in Education. I aspire to work in the education field as a middle or high school math teacher. My middle and high school math teachers made the subject easy for me to learn. Although some problems take forever to solve, math never bores me. I am aware that there are few teachers of color, as most of them are white. As a first-generation Mexican-American student and a person of color in the education field, I can serve as a role model for students in underrepresented communities. I can make a significant impact on students who share a similar background to mine, as having commonalities encourages students to trust and open up more easily. As a teacher, I aim to empower future generations to succeed both in my classroom and in life. Volunteering at my local library influenced me to study education. For a short period, I volunteered to help bilingual students with their homework after school. Being bilingual in Spanish and English allowed me to assist a few high school students who had recently arrived in the United States from Guatemala and knew very little English. These Hispanic students came to me after school to receive the help they needed to complete their English homework. Despite the language barrier, they never gave up on reaching out to me when they needed help. If I was not there to help them, they mostly relied on Google Translate. This experience showed me the importance of eliminating barriers that prevent students from being successful in their education. Teachers make a significant impact on students' lives. Most of the time, they are the ones creating a safe place for their students in the classroom. They also help students overcome the different and unique challenges they encounter on a daily basis. I look forward to providing a supportive and welcoming environment to all students who come from different backgrounds in my future classroom.

From a young age, I viewed attending school as a privilege because neither of my parents finished their education. Both of my parents left school in Mexico due to expenses and living in poverty. They came to the United States with nothing but the support of family. Who knows if I would have continued my education in Mexico, but one thing I do know is that I will obtain my degree in Secondary Math Education at Davenport University. I have attended school my whole life. I am transferring from Grand Rapids Community College to Davenport University to earn my Bachelor's in Education. I aspire to work in the education field as a middle or high school math teacher. My middle and high school math teachers made the subject easy for me to learn. Although some problems take forever to solve, math never bores me. I am aware that there are few teachers of color, as most of them are white. As a first-generation Mexican-American student and a person of color in the education field, I can serve as a role model for students in underrepresented communities. I can make a significant impact on students who share a similar background to mine, as having commonalities encourages students to trust and open up more easily. As a teacher, I aim to empower future generations to succeed both in my classroom and in life. Volunteering at my local library influenced me to study education. For a short period, I volunteered to help bilingual students with their homework after school. Being bilingual in Spanish and English allowed me to assist a few high school students who had recently arrived in the United States from Guatemala and knew very little English. These Hispanic students came to me after school to receive the help they needed to complete their English homework. Despite the language barrier, they never gave up on reaching out to me when they needed help. If I was not there to help them, they mostly relied on Google Translate. This experience showed me the importance of eliminating barriers that prevent students from being successful in their education. Teachers make a significant impact on students' lives. Most of the time, they are the ones creating a safe place for their students in the classroom. They also help students overcome the different and unique challenges they encounter on a daily basis. I look forward to providing a supportive and welcoming environment to all students who come from different backgrounds in my future classroom.

From a young age, I viewed attending school as a privilege because neither of my parents finished their education. Both of my parents left school in Mexico due to expenses and living in poverty. They came to the United States with nothing but the support of family. Who knows if I would have continued my education in Mexico, but one thing I do know is that I will obtain my degree in Secondary Math Education at Davenport University. I have attended school my whole life. I am transferring from Grand Rapids Community College to Davenport University to earn my Bachelor's in Education. I aspire to work in the education field as a middle or high school math teacher. My middle and high school math teachers made the subject easy for me to learn. Although some problems take forever to solve, math never bores me. I am aware that there are few teachers of color, as most of them are white. As a first-generation Mexican-American student and a person of color in the education field, I can serve as a role model for students in underrepresented communities. I can make a significant impact on students who share a similar background to mine, as having commonalities encourages students to trust and open up more easily. As a teacher, I aim to empower future generations to succeed both in my classroom and in life. Volunteering at my local library influenced me to study education. For a short period, I volunteered to help bilingual students with their homework after school. Being bilingual in Spanish and English allowed me to assist a few high school students who had recently arrived in the United States from Guatemala and knew very little English. These Hispanic students came to me after school to receive the help they needed to complete their English homework. Despite the language barrier, they never gave up on reaching out to me when they needed help. If I was not there to help them, they mostly relied on Google Translate. This experience showed me the importance of eliminating barriers that prevent students from being successful in their education. Teachers make a significant impact on students' lives. Most of the time, they are the ones creating a safe place for their students in the classroom. They also help students overcome the different and unique challenges they encounter on a daily basis. I look forward to providing a supportive and welcoming environment to all students who come from different backgrounds in my future classroom.

From a young age, I viewed attending school as a privilege because neither of my parents finished their education. Both of my parents left school in Mexico due to expenses and living in poverty. They came to the United States with nothing but the support of family. Who knows if I would have continued my education in Mexico, but one thing I do know is that I will obtain my degree in Secondary Math Education at Davenport University. I have attended school my whole life. I am transferring from Grand Rapids Community College to Davenport University to earn my Bachelor's in Education. I aspire to work in the education field as a middle or high school math teacher. My middle and high school math teachers made the subject easy for me to learn. Although some problems take forever to solve, math never bores me. I am aware that there are few teachers of color, as most of them are white. As a first-generation Mexican-American student and a person of color in the education field, I can serve as a role model for students in underrepresented communities. I can make a significant impact on students who share a similar background to mine, as having commonalities encourages students to trust and open up more easily. As a teacher, I aim to empower future generations to succeed both in my classroom and in life. Volunteering at my local library influenced me to study education. For a short period, I volunteered to help bilingual students with their homework after school. Being bilingual in Spanish and English allowed me to assist a few high school students who had recently arrived in the United States from Guatemala and knew very little English. These Hispanic students came to me after school to receive the help they needed to complete their English homework. Despite the language barrier, they never gave up on reaching out to me when they needed help. If I was not there to help them, they mostly relied on Google Translate. This experience showed me the importance of eliminating barriers that prevent students from being successful in their education. Teachers make a significant impact on students' lives. Most of the time, they are the ones creating a safe place for their students in the classroom. They also help students overcome the different and unique challenges they encounter on a daily basis. I look forward to providing a supportive and welcoming environment to all students who come from different backgrounds in my future classroom.

From a young age, I viewed attending school as a privilege because neither of my parents finished their education. Both of my parents left school in Mexico due to expenses and living in poverty. They came to the United States with nothing but the support of family. Who knows if I would have continued my education in Mexico, but one thing I do know is that I will obtain my degree in Secondary Math Education at Davenport University. I have attended school my whole life. I am transferring from Grand Rapids Community College to Davenport University to earn my Bachelor's in Education. I aspire to work in the education field as a middle or high school math teacher. My middle and high school math teachers made the subject easy for me to learn. Although some problems take forever to solve, math never bores me. I am aware that there are few teachers of color, as most of them are white. As a first-generation Mexican-American student and a person of color in the education field, I can serve as a role model for students in underrepresented communities. I can make a significant impact on students who share a similar background to mine, as having commonalities encourages students to trust and open up more easily. As a teacher, I aim to empower future generations to succeed both in my classroom and in life. Volunteering at my local library influenced me to study education. For a short period, I volunteered to help bilingual students with their homework after school. Being bilingual in Spanish and English allowed me to assist a few high school students who had recently arrived in the United States from Guatemala and knew very little English. These Hispanic students came to me after school to receive the help they needed to complete their English homework. Despite the language barrier, they never gave up on reaching out to me when they needed help. If I was not there to help them, they mostly relied on Google Translate. This experience showed me the importance of eliminating barriers that prevent students from being successful in their education. Teachers make a significant impact on students' lives. Most of the time, they are the ones creating a safe place for their students in the classroom. They also help students overcome the different and unique challenges they encounter on a daily basis. I look forward to providing a supportive and welcoming environment to all students who come from different backgrounds in my future classroom.

From a young age, I viewed attending school as a privilege because neither of my parents finished their education. Both of my parents left school in Mexico due to expenses and living in poverty. They came to the United States with nothing but the support of family. Who knows if I would have continued my education in Mexico, but one thing I do know is that I will obtain my degree in Secondary Math Education at Davenport University. I have attended school my whole life. I am transferring from Grand Rapids Community College to Davenport University to earn my Bachelor's in Education. I aspire to work in the education field as a middle or high school math teacher. My middle and high school math teachers made the subject easy for me to learn. Although some problems take forever to solve, math never bores me. I am aware that there are few teachers of color, as most of them are white. As a first-generation Mexican-American student and a person of color in the education field, I can serve as a role model for students in underrepresented communities. I can make a significant impact on students who share a similar background to mine, as having commonalities encourages students to trust and open up more easily. As a teacher, I aim to empower future generations to succeed both in my classroom and in life. Volunteering at my local library influenced me to study education. For a short period, I volunteered to help bilingual students with their homework after school. Being bilingual in Spanish and English allowed me to assist a few high school students who had recently arrived in the United States from Guatemala and knew very little English. These Hispanic students came to me after school to receive the help they needed to complete their English homework. Despite the language barrier, they never gave up on reaching out to me when they needed help. If I was not there to help them, they mostly relied on Google Translate. This experience showed me the importance of eliminating barriers that prevent students from being successful in their education. Teachers make a significant impact on students' lives. Most of the time, they are the ones creating a safe place for their students in the classroom. They also help students overcome the different and unique challenges they encounter on a daily basis. I look forward to providing a supportive and welcoming environment to all students who come from different backgrounds in my future classroom.

From a young age, I viewed attending school as a privilege because neither of my parents finished their education. Both of my parents left school in Mexico due to expenses and living in poverty. They came to the United States with nothing but the support of family. Who knows if I would have continued my education in Mexico, but one thing I do know is that I will obtain my degree in Secondary Math Education at Davenport University. I have attended school my whole life. I am transferring from Grand Rapids Community College to Davenport University to earn my Bachelor's in Education. I aspire to work in the education field as a middle or high school math teacher. My middle and high school math teachers made the subject easy for me to learn. Although some problems take forever to solve, math never bores me. I am aware that there are few teachers of color, as most of them are white. As a first-generation Mexican-American student and a person of color in the education field, I can serve as a role model for students in underrepresented communities. I can make a significant impact on students who share a similar background to mine, as having commonalities encourages students to trust and open up more easily. As a teacher, I aim to empower future generations to succeed both in my classroom and in life. Volunteering at my local library influenced me to study education. For a short period, I volunteered to help bilingual students with their homework after school. Being bilingual in Spanish and English allowed me to assist a few high school students who had recently arrived in the United States from Guatemala and knew very little English. These Hispanic students came to me after school to receive the help they needed to complete their English homework. Despite the language barrier, they never gave up on reaching out to me when they needed help. If I was not there to help them, they mostly relied on Google Translate. This experience showed me the importance of eliminating barriers that prevent students from being successful in their education. Teachers make a significant impact on students' lives. Most of the time, they are the ones creating a safe place for their students in the classroom. They also help students overcome the different and unique challenges they encounter on a daily basis. I look forward to providing a supportive and welcoming environment to all students who come from different backgrounds in my future classroom.