Ever since I was little I loved helping kids younger than me. I always wanted to be in the baby room at my preschool. I loved trying to make the babies smile when they were crying. It wasn't that I had no friends, I had lots, I just loved seeing the sad babies suddenly laugh when I made a funny face. I loved every minute I was in that school. Almost 11 years later I am working at the same preschool which I graduated from, still loving every minute. As a 'floater' in the building I float around the different rooms. I love the fact that I am not settled in just one room and can form connections with almost every child. I pride myself on understanding the more troubled kids and helping them get through their day in a way that works not only for the teachers but for them too. I just hate to see them overlooked by their peers because they comprehend things differently, have different home lives, and have different coping mechanisms. Even as just a part-time worker I take my time with each student and take extra time outside of work hours to figure out new ways to motivate and help the kids. My plan to make a positive impact on future students is simple. First, go to school for Elementary Education/Early Childhood Education, student teaching, etc, the whole experience. Second, once I start my career in a school make the classroom something that the kids enjoy. A cozy corner where they can decompress, flexible seating such as floor tables or couches, engaging posters, and a wall painted as an empty tree, each year the students add their handprints so that they can know they are a part of this classroom(Big classroom dream of mine). Third, be personal and understand the kids. I want each student to feel comfortable around me and their peers. Finding individual methods of learning for each child is something that I love to do, even now. Finally, be the teacher that I would have wanted. The teacher that truly affects the lives of her students positively. The kids that we raise, and that we teach. They are the future of our world and we need to uplift them so that in the future they can uplift us. So that they can help us. And to help future generations help us later, I need to make a positive impact on these kids, I need to make learning fun, and I need to change their lives. This scholarship will help me because I need as much money saved up for me to complete my dream classroom, that will not only benefit the kids but help me as well. The scholarship will help me get through school and to follow my passion of teaching.

Ever since I was little I loved helping kids younger than me. I always wanted to be in the baby room at my preschool. I loved trying to make the babies smile when they were crying. It wasn't that I had no friends, I had lots, I just loved seeing the sad babies suddenly laugh when I made a funny face. I loved every minute I was in that school. Almost 11 years later I am working at the same preschool which I graduated from, still loving every minute. As a 'floater' in the building I float around the different rooms. I love the fact that I am not settled in just one room and can form connections with almost every child. I pride myself on understanding the more troubled kids and helping them get through their day in a way that works not only for the teachers but for them too. I just hate to see them overlooked by their peers because they comprehend things differently, have different home lives, and have different coping mechanisms. Even as just a part-time worker I take my time with each student and take extra time outside of work hours to figure out new ways to motivate and help the kids. My plan to make a positive impact on future students is simple. First, go to school for Elementary Education/Early Childhood Education, student teaching, etc, the whole experience. Second, once I start my career in a school make the classroom something that the kids enjoy. A cozy corner where they can decompress, flexible seating such as floor tables or couches, engaging posters, and a wall painted as an empty tree, each year the students add their handprints so that they can know they are a part of this classroom(Big classroom dream of mine). Third, be personal and understand the kids. I want each student to feel comfortable around me and their peers. Finding individual methods of learning for each child is something that I love to do, even now. Finally, be the teacher that I would have wanted. The teacher that truly affects the lives of her students positively. The kids that we raise, and that we teach. They are the future of our world and we need to uplift them so that in the future they can uplift us. So that they can help us. And to help future generations help us later, I need to make a positive impact on these kids, I need to make learning fun, and I need to change their lives.

Ever since I was little I loved helping kids younger than me. I always wanted to be in the baby room at my preschool. I loved trying to make the babies smile when they were crying. It wasn't that I had no friends, I had lots, I just loved seeing the sad babies suddenly laugh when I made a funny face. I loved every minute I was in that school. Almost 11 years later I am working at the same preschool which I graduated from, still loving every minute. As a 'floater' in the building I float around the different rooms. I love the fact that I am not settled in just one room and can form connections with almost every child. I pride myself on understanding the more troubled kids and helping them get through their day in a way that works not only for the teachers but for them too. I just hate to see them overlooked by their peers because they comprehend things differently, have different home lives, and have different coping mechanisms. Even as just a part-time worker I take my time with each student and take extra time outside of work hours to figure out new ways to motivate and help the kids. My plan to make a positive contribution to the world is simple. First, go to school for Elementary Education/Early Childhood Education, student teaching, etc, the whole experience. Second, once I start my career in a school make the classroom something that the kids enjoy. A cozy corner where they can decompress, flexible seating such as floor tables or couches, engaging posters, and a wall painted as an empty tree, each year the students add their handprints so that they can know they are a part of this classroom(Big classroom dream of mine). Third, be personal and understand the kids. I want each student to feel comfortable around me and their peers. Finding individual methods of learning for each child is something that I love to do, even now. Finally, be the teacher that I would have wanted. The teacher that truly affects the lives of her students positively. The kids that we raise, and that we teach. They are the future of our world and we need to uplift them so that in the future they can uplift us. So that they can help us. To help future generations help us later, I need to make a positive contribution to these kids, I need to make learning fun, and I need to change their lives.

When I was 5 years old, the principal at my preschool told me that when I was older I would be working with her. I always loved being in the baby room and trying to help the babies stop crying. I stay inside during my outdoor time to help with the babies. From that moment on I wanted to grow up quickly. Every time I went to visit, I asked, "Am I old enough to work yet?" 11 years later here I am working at the same preschool I went to. I love every second with them. I love helping them get through hard emotions from missing dad to struggling after the social worker drops them off after a visit with mom. I love creating crafts for them to do, I love playing with them outside, and I love just being around my kids at school. Working at my school I realized what I wanted to do with my life. I want to go to school for early childhood education. I want to help kids grow, I want to help kids learn how to read and write, and I want to spend the rest of my life doing something that I love. In the future, I envision myself continuing to work at my school while attending college. Once I am a teacher, I want to create a fun and comfortable environment for my students. I want the kids to enjoy coming to school, and I want to find new fun ways that help the kids learn. I want to be the teacher that I wanted to have while growing up. I want to be someone whom the kids can have fun with and want to be with. I can picture my classroom now. Full of color. It will be full of things that benefit the kids and me. I would love to have a calming corner, somewhere the kids can go to decompress or calm themselves. I would love to talk to the parents to see the different methods of parenting so that I can try to incorporate that into my conversations with each kid. As a child of two teachers, I feel like I would want to ask them for help when needed. If there is a problem with a student, I would love to get an outsider's perspective, in this case, it being my parents. As an early childhood education major, I want to help my students become the best version of themselves. I want to help them figure out who they are. I want them to enjoy their time in school as much as I do while teaching them.

Ever since I was young, new things captivated me. New foods, sports, activities, arts, you name it I was interested. Growing up with a funcle (fun uncle), I was often drawn to his many life stories and wanted to enjoy life as he had. My uncle made anything we do extremely fun, even if we just stopped at a diner after fishing and crabbing. When he passed in 2018 my viewpoint on life changed. I knew from the bottom of my heart that he had passed on and lived a full life. He had done everything that he wanted to, anything his heart desired he did (I think he lived by Yolo). Now how does this make me unique? My Uncle Brian taught me to be myself and LIVE. You are never promised a tomorrow so why not enjoy life? Though I still struggle with confidence in myself, I try every day to stay authentic to myself and not let anyone or anything control my life. A wise person once said, "'if it's not going to matter in five years, don't spend more than five minutes being upset by it." Many things that people DON'T do are driven by fear. "If I answer this question wrong everyone is gonna make fun of me!" We won't even remember the single question we answered wrong in a year let alone 5. This proves my Uncle's logic of doing what he loves without fear of judgment. If he had stopped to think about what people would think of him every time he went to do something, he would not have lived a full life, and I wouldn't be who I am today. Trying to change, for myself, to live life and not care how others will perceive me, which makes me as well as every other person who lives unique. As for giving back to the community, I would love to help our future generation learn to love and care for themselves. Teaching them the importance of self-love and good relationships between their food, family, life, school, and even themselves. After finding ways that work for me, I want to help kids and even teenagers find ways that work for them. I want to ensure that kids don’t grow to be insecure and create unhealthy relationships with their bodies, environment, and mind. Working currently at a daycare, I try my best to create the greatest positive environment for my kids and my coworkers. With this, I think what makes me unique is rubbing off onto what I want to give back to the community, which is going to help many to become a better person to themselves.

My dream self would do whatever makes her happy; she makes the best of her and others' lives, helping herself and anyone who needs it.