I have always been known as "the poor girl". Money has always been an issue. I grew up in a small one-bedroom house with my mom, my stepdad, my little sister, and me. it was cramped. many nights, me and my sister would be unable to go to sleep due to the living conditions. we had an upstairs loft. it was tiny. we had 2 couch cushions as out mattresses and old blankets. I was always told by my family that i had to attend college and i had to complete it but in the back of my mind there was always this doubt. "If we live like this now, how will i ever afford college?" I spents months after this working my hardest to have good grades and goot acedemic records. then i hit middle school. middle school was hard. i never fit in. i could never do normal teenage girl things like sleepovers and hangouts at my house because i was ashamed. this led me to hit a really bad depression. my grades dropped. my attendence was lower than it had ever been. this went on until my sophomore year. we finally got the opportunity to move into a new-ish, cheap, "house" so we did. I assumed that moving into the new house that nothing would change for me. I thought i would still be seen as that girl. At the same time, to cope, i was using THC to cope. that led me down a road of destruction. i was caught with it at my school, and i had basically thrown my everything down the drain. any chance of getting anywhere in life, i told myself. i came back the beginning of my junior year and i realized i had to turn things around becuase otherwise? i wouldnt get to do what ive always dreamed of, being an elementary teacher for special education. I did evrything i could. i took remedial classes, i did double the homework, i even made sure to do every extra credit assignment i could. now, as a senior, i can proudly say that i am not the same person. i have not touched THC in 2 years and i am currently at a 3.3 gpa compaired to my 1.4 sophomore year. I will forever be greatful for my struggles because without them, i woudlnt be where i am today. That leads me to my dream job as a special education teacher. I would love to be someone these kids can trust. I would like to be the kind of teacher who kids want to be around. I aspire to be like this teacher from my school, Ms. Anna Rodriguez, who is the special ed teacher at my high school. she is such a fun, loving person. i look up to her. i want to be the safe space for these students. I aspire to be a teacher that is warm and kind, and i will do all i can to be that for these students. Through her, i was taught to be a kinder person and to be more patient. that is why i want to teach elementary education.

Cancer has always been a sensitive subject for me. When I was younger, cancer was something that was distant. Something I would never see in my personal life. In August of 2020, my pepaw passed away from lung cancer. Losing him was one of the hardest experiences of my life, but it also shaped who I am today and the path I want to take in my future career. My grandpa was the kindest person I ever met. He treated others with respect, and he always made people feel seen. When I had watched him go through cancer, I was terrified. He was not someone I wanted to lose, but even as he was going through this, he showed me how important it was to be kind and loving. After losing him, I began to think. I was entering middle school at the time, freshly in 7th grade, and I really wasn't a great person. I realized that I was being a rude individual, someone who overlooked people without a second thought. Students in special education are often a part of the overlooked group. Many people don't take the time to understand or even be patient with them. I want to be a part of the change, to see their potential, help through their challenges, and celebrates their growth no matter how small. I aspire to be like my pepaw and show my future students how it feels to feel important, loves, capable, and understood. Cancer didn't just bring loss into my life, it brought perspective. It taught me how important it is to be a caring individual and to support people, especially through hard times. It also made me appreciate the opportunities I have. It motivated me to work hard, not just for myself, but so I can make a difference in the lives of others. Pursuing a career in special education is more than just a goal, it's a way to carry my Pepaws kindness and generosity with me, I want to create a classroom environment that is so inviting and warm, that these students will feel loved and appreciated. I want to be the kind of teacher who truly makes an effort to understand each student and help them succeed at their full potential. although losing my pepaw was incredibly difficult, his life's impact on mine will continue to guide me. through my career in special education, I hope to honor his legacy. To be just as kind, patient, and caring as he was to everyone around him.