When I tell people I am planning on getting a degree in Early Education, I am met with one of two responses. People either tell me I should consider a different choice and sadly, this often comes from my teachers or people ask me what led me to this choice. Without fail, I mention how my first experience working with children was through volunteering at Vacation Bible School with my grandma. The opportunity provided me was the catalyst that gave me the confidence to volunteer as a small group Sunday School leader for kindergarten and first graders at my own church. From there, I have ventured into leading elementary students, during the summer, as a camp counselor with an organization called Camp All American. All of these experiences helped point me towards a future in education and volunteering was the pebble that began this ripple effect in my life. As a recent high school graduate, I appreciate those teachers who came alongside me and encouraged and supported me when I was struggling. They would go above and beyond to make sure I understood the concepts I needed to learn. I could see their care and concern for me went beyond academics, and I want to have that same impact on students who are in my classroom. I want them to know they have a teacher who cares about them on a personal level, and they can come talk to me about anything. In order to best serve students and their families, I need to be well equipped with a great education of my own. This is one of the reasons I have chosen to go to Toccoa Falls College. They are ranked one of the Best Regional Colleges in the South by US News & World Report and their Education degree program has been recognized with an Education College of Distinction award. Toccoa Falls College is also intentional in their mission to encourage and develop Christ-like character in their students. I am going to college with a purpose – to know Jesus better and fulfill my dream of helping others through teaching. As Rita Pierson says, “Every child deserves a champion—an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection and insists that they become the best that they can possibly be.” My goal and passion is to be this champion for every one of my future students.

Can a branch that is disconnected from the vine flourish and grow or can a house that is built on sand withstand a hurricane? The obvious answer to these questions is no which is why Jesus used these captivating analogies to paint a picture of our need for him. Jesus is my vine, the source of my peace and strength. When I was younger, I placed so much value into achieving perfection because I thought that was what gave me my identity. My parents observed this struggle and quickly began to establish that my value and identity come from being a child of God. Once I understood this truth, my faith began to grow and flourish, and I began to help others. I found joy in volunteering at my brother’s special needs camp, helping to stock food banks, and sharing Jesus’ truth with others. I am thankful I can be an extension of Jesus’ love and kindness. While Jesus is my vine, he is also the rock I have built my life on. The moments when my family is going through a crisis, such as a job loss or cancer diagnosis, are the moments I am especially thankful I have Jesus to lean on. He told us we would have many troubles in this world but to take heart because He is with us to give us a peace that surpassing human understanding. He is my foundation, and I can trust Him no matter what the day brings. When the time comes for me to start my career, I know my faith will sustain me and help me to be a successful teacher as I work hard and live with integrity. My faith encourages me not to work for the praise of man but to work to bring glory to God and this is what I plan to do. My career will be more than a career because I will be working with a divine purpose. God’s desire is for His followers to serve others and I will have many opportunities to carry out this purpose. I will serve my employer as I listen to advice, come prepared, and arrive on time at my place of employment. I will serve my fellow employees as I lend a hand when they need help and a listening ear when they simply need to talk. I will serve my students by teaching them academically what they need to know, but also teaching them their worth is not tied to their grades. I will serve the families by coming alongside them as we work together to help their child be successful. My career will be another avenue to put my faith into action and I am looking forward to the many opportunities I will have to serve others. I hope my life will reflect Jesus in a way that will spark a curiosity in others, and they will allow Him to be their vine and their rock.

My first year of high school was like no other and not an experience I ever want to repeat. Due to the pandemic, my school switched to online teaching. This was extremely challenging yet thankfully we could still play basketball. Playing basketball that year, even though I broke my thumb, helped relieve my anxiety and provided a smoother transition when school resumed in person learning the following year. My sophomore year was still chaotic and stressful as I learned how to navigate high school for the first time and had to do it with numerous COVID policies yet once again I found an outlet in playing basketball. Playing basketball has taught me the invaluable lesson of teamwork. There are very few things in life that can be accomplished without the help of others. When one person is having a rough day, I can be there to encourage and lift her up and when I am having a difficult time, my team is there for me. We are not created to do life alone; we need each other. I learned when we pull together and communicate effectively, our strengths and weaknesses complement each other and enable us to be successful by achieving personal goals and team milestones. This is a lesson I will remind myself of often and put into practice throughout college and into my career as a teacher. I give one hundred percent to everything I do and hopefully this can be seen in some of the accomplishments and awards I have received while playing basketball. Each year I have earned a Varsity letter as well as the Athletic Academic Award for outstanding academics while playing a sport. My freshman year I was awarded Best Defensive Player. My sophomore year I was awarded the Coaches Award. This award is given to the player who is first in the gym every day and the last to leave. My junior year I was awarded the Most Improved Player and also received Honorable Mention All Region for our Region 6-AAAAA conference. My senior year I had the honor to be a team captain and receive the Cougar Award. For this award, the ladies on the team voted for the player they believed exhibits leadership, teamwork, discipline, integrity, and academic excellence. Of all my awards, this one means the most to me. To be given this recognition by my teammates is a true honor. As I play basketball in college, I know it will help me grow stronger as an individual and as a team player. Strength and growth will be discovered as I keep moving forward through the difficult times. I am so thankful for everything basketball as taught me and I am anticipating learning new lessons as I embrace my next season of life.

In my interactions with family and friends it seems that either they do well in math, or they do well in language arts. I am intrigued by this phenomenon and find it to be true for myself. From what I understand the brain processes these two subjects differently so maybe this is why I prefer one over the other. As early as elementary school, I struggled to achieve high grades in the language arts classes, yet I easily excelled in the math classes. As time as progressed and I am now a senior in high school, this has not changed. I love math because I understand it. In math, there are rules and formulas. All I have to do is put the numbers into the equation and everything falls into place. Math also goes hand in hand with many science classes, so I enjoy this collaboration. On the other hand, language arts is extremely complex. For example, one word can have multiple spellings, definitions, and pronunciations. This is very difficult for someone like me who has a reading impairment, and let’s not forget the many exceptions to the rules found throughout the English language. For me, math ranks above language arts any day. Afterall, When I become an elementary education teacher, I will be the first to volunteer to teach the math and science subjects and allow those who enjoy language arts to take the lead.

January 2020 was the month Sadie was brought home to our family. After having to give away our previous dog, Coco, my heart was mourning not having a pet in the home. My mom searched online for weeks for a dog, and she checked the Atlanta Humane Society daily. Every time we visited a dog, we could never find a match for our family. I was starting to get discouraged. One night my mom found a dog on the Atlanta Humane Society website and the next thing I knew we were in the car going to go look at the dog. We get there and I immediately know this dog is perfect for our home. I asked my mom to call my dad and see if we could bring her home and thankfully, he said yes. As my mom was doing the paperwork, another family walked in and seemed to be interested in Sadie. I was nervous that they might take her but, finally, they handed us Sadie. In disbelief, and a huge smile on my face, I walked her to the car. All the way home, I just kept repeating, “We have a dog! We have a dog! We have a dog!” Ever since we brought Sadie home, she has brought me so much joy every day. I love how she greets me with a wagging tail and a happy cry even if I have only been gone for a short time. I love going on walks with her and I love how she sleeps with me each night. Sadie has the perfect balance between playfulness and cuddling. When she starts running laps around the house or in the backyard, the whole family laughs because she is getting her “zoomies” out. When I am watching television and she starts pacing in front of me, I know she is asking me to lift the blanket so she can lay beside me providing complete contentment to both of us. I do not even want to think about going off to college in the fall because I am going to miss Sadie beyond words. I have already told my mom she will have to bring Sadie to the campus frequently so we can spend time together. My intended degree is Early Education, and my dream job is becoming an elementary school teacher. Sadie can help me calm down after a rough day or make me laugh on a good day. No matter what type of day I have I know Sadie will be there to snuggle with me and fill my heart with joy.

There is no denying Disney World is the most magical place on Earth; however, for me, it is the small moments that make all the difference. It is waiting for my Magic Band to arrive in the mail, marking off the days on the calendar until the vacation begins, and packing my suitcase with all the essentials – sunscreen, tennis shoes, and Mickey Mouse Ears! It is walking into a theme park and feeling all the excited anticipation for the day ahead, playing Heads Up while waiting in line, and watching the spectacular Magic Kingdom fireworks in front of Cinderella’s castle. Every three years, starting when I was one year old, we have a family reunion at Disney World, and our last trip fell on the week of my sixteenth birthday!! Our destination is the Fort Wilderness Campground and this place is my favorite Disney memory. The Fort Wilderness Campground is a hidden gem filled with many small moments that will forever make me smile. The unforgettable fun begins as soon as we reach our campsite. There are basketball courts, volleyball courts, playgrounds, restaurants, stores, pools, a petting zoo, and much more. For years we rented a comfortably sized recreational vehicle which was cool, however, the time we stayed at one of the Disney cabins is the most treasured. It was the perfect size with an enormous porch for picnics and it put us super close to all the campground activities. There are numerous ways to experience all Fort Wilderness has to offer, and while some of my family have golf carts, my favorite way to travel is bike riding. It is especially memorable when all the cousins (there are more than ten of us) ride our bikes, at night, to buy a special treat at the Meadow Trading Post. The nightly outdoor movie and campfire sing-along with Chip and Dale is one of the best! It has huge, glowing fire pits so all the campers can skew marshmallows, melt chocolate, grab graham crackers, and make delicious smores. Once the singing is done, night swimming in the pool begins with the adults in the hot tub and the kids gliding down the classic water slide. The trip back to the campsites are filled with joy as we reminisce and fall asleep dreaming of our next visit. For me, Disney represents the adventures I share with my family and creating memories that will last a lifetime. Thank you for allowing me to share some of them with you.

In my freshman year of high school, I did online school at home due to COVID protocol and because of this my sophomore year felt as if I were a freshman. Like most new students to high school, I was a little nervous and anxious about what I would be experiencing in this new phase of life. Mrs. Maley made all the difference for me. She was my Environmental Science teacher, but she quickly turned into my school mom. During her class where we planted trees, walked to the trail behind the school, and explored nature Mrs. Maley noticed my love for the outdoors. She was so attentive to my interests and at the end of my sophomore, she asked if I wanted to be her teaching assistant for the next school year. Without hesitation, I quickly said yes and applied to be in the Work-Based Learning Program. As her teacher assistant, I learned many skills and saw her teacher’s heart shine through even more. She coached me by taking care of the plants in the greenhouse, overseeing the chickens, and making sure the fish had food and fresh water. Her kindness extended beyond my assignments as her teaching assistant. If I was struggling in another class, she gave me time to study. She sympathized with me when there was drama happening with my group of friends. She even advocated for me when I had different ideas or requests that I wanted to present to other teachers. What amazes me is that this level of concern and care was not confined to the school campus. Mrs. Maley went out of her way and watched my dog for me when my family went on a trip for my birthday. I do not know of any other teachers who would be willing to do this for one of their students. Going into my senior year I will have the opportunity to once again be her student and her teacher assistant. I can’t wait to see what happens because I know I am going to learn so much more from her. Mrs. Maley has taught me to approach life by thinking of others and being there for them whenever they need you. She is an inspiration to me. When I tell people I want to become a teacher, most respond by saying, “You don’t want to do that.” When I think of Mrs. Maley’s impact on me and the possibility that I could play such an important part in someone else’s life I say, “Why would I not want to be a teacher?” Thank you, Mrs. Maley, for making my high school experience so enjoyable. I will carry your example with me as I embark on my journey as a teacher.

Teaching children, living in the country, enjoying every day, and surrounding myself with animals and nature is the dream version of my future self.

Peer pressure can be overwhelming and the desire to conform overpowering. Staying silent and going along with the crowd is the easy road to walk. In the past year, I have been in multiple situations where I had to make the decision whether I was going to speak up or stay silent. I made the choice to be brave and live boldly. The first example is when a group of students were making ignorant comments about people with special needs. I had to speak up for those in the special needs community. Each of us have strengths and weaknesses and we all need each other. The second example is when classmates asked what my beliefs were on various issues. The path of least resistance would have been to agree with their opinions; however, my faith gives me a different worldview. I did not cave to peer pressure and because of this I experienced rejection, ridicule, and loneliness. Even though, it is not easy I will continue to speak up. I do not regret making the decision to walk a road few have chosen to travel.

In the Gospels, Jesus told us we would have trials and sorrows in this life, but He did not leave us without hope and without a way to be optimistic. He told us we could give Him our worries and He would give us His peace. We do not have to live in fear or allow our hearts to be troubled because He had triumphed over the brokenness of the world. He promises to walk with those who place their trust in Him, and I have chosen to trust and follow Him. This decision to trust Him is how I remain optimistic through tough times. I know He is for me and not against me. He can handle my tears and my questions. I have learned that He is my strong foundation so when tough times come, He gives me strength. Jesus is my hope and my anchor. He is the reason I can be optimistic in the middle of any storm.

The most important financial lesson my parents have given me is using Dave Ramsey's envelope system with the three categories of give, save, and spend. From chores to dog walking to my first job as a soccer referee, I have learned to divide my money into these three categories. Each time I receive money, I automatically set aside at least ten percent to put in the give and save categories respectively, and then the remaining money is mine to spend, if I want. I believe God is my provider and I want to honor Him with my finances. This approach to finances supports my life goal of putting God and others first. It also minimizes personal debt and sets me up for a successful future financially. Many college students are simply signing up for college loans, however, my goal is to graduate college debt free. This is a challenging goal but not impossible one. I am excited to see this goal become a reality as I encourage others to pursue a debt-free education.