From a young age, I knew I wanted to work with children. There is something incredibly special about watching them learn, grow, and develop confidence in themselves. My passion for teaching comes from the love and joy I feel when helping a child overcome a challenge or understand something new. Currently, I work in childcare at KinderCare, where I get to experience these moments every day. The relationships I build with the children and the impact I have on their early development reaffirm my decision to become a teacher. I want to create a classroom where students feel valued, heard, and supported in their learning journeys. Beyond my passion for education, my experiences in athletics have played a huge role in shaping who I am. Softball was a central part of my life from first grade through 11th grade, both in school and on travel teams. It was more than just a sport to me. It was my identity, my outlet, and my greatest challenge. However, my journey in softball was filled with adversity. I endured two ACL reconstructions and three meniscus repairs, forcing me to miss crucial seasons and constantly battle my way back. It always felt like I was playing catch up, struggling to prove that I still belonged on the field despite my setbacks. After my fifth knee surgery, I had no choice but to walk away from the sport I loved. It was devastating to let go of something that had been such a huge part of my life, but in doing so, I learned some of my most important lessons. Softball taught me perseverance, resilience, and most importantly, patience. I learned that setbacks do not define me, how I respond to them does. These lessons will carry over into my career as a teacher. I want to be the kind of educator who listens to students, validates their hardships, and encourages them to push forward, just as I had to in my own journey. One teacher who had a profound impact on me was my freshman year history teacher, Ms. McPherson. She was more than just a teacher, she was a safe person, someone I knew I could trust. She listened to me, supported me, and treated me as an equal. She never dismissed my struggles but instead helped me navigate them. Her kindness and unwavering belief in me made a lasting impression, and she is a major reason why I want to become a teacher. I want to be that person for my future students. I want to be someone who listens, supports, and believes in them, no matter what challenges they face. My experiences in education and athletics have shaped me into the person I am today. Through softball, I learned the value of resilience and determination. Through Ms. McPherson, I learned the power of a teacher’s influence. And through my work in childcare, I have confirmed my love for working with children. I am excited to take everything I have learned and apply it to my future classroom, where I hope to inspire, support, and uplift my students the same way my teachers and coaches did for me.