I realized my dream of teaching in 5th grade. The way I realized this dream is pretty different to say the least, and it is a very special part of me: My dream of teaching surfaced when i lost my father in 2014. This all occurred the summer before I attended Woodlawn Beach Middle School. These years are very formative for a child and it was extremely hard on my sister and I to be forced to live without him because of this horrific disease. While I still miss him every day, I thank him. He helped me decide what I wanted to do with my life, and how I wanted to further my education, and above all, he helped me understand my dream of teaching. I first realized my dream of teaching in 5th grade, the last school year that my father was with us. My mother knew he was declining in health, so she made sure to inform my teacher and school counselor. This was to give them a background and a possible explanation as to why I would be upset a lot of the time. Mrs. Rodman, my 5th grade teacher at West Navarre Intermediate School was an absolute savior for me and I will never forget that. She would send me home with books to read to my father at bedtime, as at this point he couldn't move any part of his body or talk and she just knew it would be something we could enjoy together. Looking back on this now, it is funny how the roles were reversed during bedtime stories. Even though he couldn't talk, we still could laugh all night over a funny joke or story. Mrs. Rodman made my last year with my father the best year I had with him. It even trumped the years we spent together before he got sick. Because of her, I discovered my dream of teahing. I aspire to be like her. To be the teacher that is there for their students as much as they can be. I want my future classroom to be a safe space for all students to be who they are, even if they are dealing with trauma at home just like I was. This scholarship would allow me to continue working towards my dream of being the teacher that is truly there for their students. Thank you.

ALS has affected my life by taking my father's life in 2014. This all occurred the summer before I attended Woodlawn Beach Middle School. These years are very formative for a child and it was extremely hard on my sister and I to be forced to live without him because of this horrific disease. While I still miss him every day, I thank him. He helped me decide what I wanted to do with my life, and how I wanted to further my education, and above all, he helped me understand my dream of teaching. I first realized my dream of teaching in 5th grade, the last school year that my father was with us. My mother knew he was declining in health, so she made sure to inform my teacher and school counselor. This was to give them a background and a possible explanation as to why I would be upset a lot of the time. Mrs. Rodman, my 5th grade teacher at West Navarre Intermediate School was an absolute savior for me and I will never forget that. She would send me home with books to read to my father at bedtime, as at this point he couldn't move any part of his body or talk and she just knew it would be something we could enjoy together. Looking back on this now, it is funny how the roles were reversed during bedtime stories. Even though he couldn't talk, we still could laugh all night over a funny joke or story. Mrs. Rodman made my last year with my father the best year I had with him. It even trumped the years we spent together before he got sick. Because of her, I discovered my dream of teahing. I aspire to be like her. To be the teacher that is there for their students as much as they can be. I want my future classroom to be a safe space for all students to be who they are, even if they are dealing with trauma at home just like I was. Right after my father passed away in 2014, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge gained immense popularity. Everyone at my school, as well as celebrities online, were posting videos of themselves getting drenched in ice-cold water in support of ALS. The challenge even made its way to the principal of the middle school I was attedning. My sister and I even got called up to the office, where they asked us if we would be okay with the principal making a video of him completing the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. We were delighted when we heard about this. The next day, the video played throughout the school on every single TV. As I watched I couldn't help but cry. Not out of sadness, but out of joy. At the end of the video, he announced "Two of your fellow classmates have just recently lost their father to ALS" and went on to explain the disease. I am still able to recall this memory as if I was still sitting in the PE locker room floor as I was when it happened. I will forever appreciate that the school took the time to do this. This scholarship would allow me to continue working towards my dream of being the best teacher I can be, one that is there for their students just like my teachers in the past. Thank you for your consideration. Sara James

ALS has affected my life by taking my father's life in 2014. This all occurred the summer before I attended Woodlawn Beach Middle School. These years are very formative for a child and it was extremely hard on my sister and I to be forced to live without him because of this horrific disease. While I still miss him every day, I thank him. He helped me decide what I wanted to do with my life, and how I wanted to further my education, and above all, he helped me understand my dream of teaching. I first realized my dream of teaching in 5th grade, the last school year that my father was with us. My mother knew he was declining in health, so she made sure to inform my teacher and school counselor. This was to give them a background and a possible explanation as to why I would be upset a lot of the time. Mrs. Rodman, my 5th grade teacher at West Navarre Intermediate School was an absolute savior for me and I will never forget that. She would send me home with books to read to my father at bedtime, as at this point he couldn't move any part of his body or talk and she just knew it would be something we could enjoy together. Looking back on this now, it is funny how the roles were reversed during bedtime stories. Even though he couldn't talk, we still could laugh all night over a funny joke or story. Mrs. Rodman made my last year with my father the best year I had with him. It even trumped the years we spent together before he got sick. Because of her, I discovered my dream of teahing. I aspire to be like her. To be the teacher that is there for their students as much as they can be. I want my future classroom to be a safe space for all students to be who they are, even if they are dealing with trauma at home just like I was. Right after my father passed away in 2014, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge gained immense popularity. Everyone at my school, as well as celebrities online, were posting videos of themselves getting drenched in ice-cold water in support of ALS. The challenge even made its way to the principal of the middle school I was attedning. My sister and I even got called up to the office, where they asked us if we would be okay with the principal making a video of him completing the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. We were delighted when we heard about this. The next day, the video played throughout the school on every single TV. As I watched I couldn't help but cry. Not out of sadness, but out of joy. At the end of the video, he announced "Two of your fellow classmates have just recently lost their father to ALS" and went on to explain the disease. I am still able to recall this memory as if I was still sitting in the PE locker room floor as I was when it happened. I will forever appreciate that the school took the time to do this. This scholarship would allow me to continue working towards my dream of being the best teacher I can be, one that is there for their students just like my teachers in the past. Thank you for your consideration. Sara James

I always try to focus on the positive things in life, especially when things do not go the way I had hoped. ALS has affected my life by taking my father's life in 2014. This all occurred the summer before I attended Woodlawn Beach Middle School. These years are very formative for a child and it was extremely hard on my sister and I to be forced to live without him because of this horrific disease. While I still miss him every day, I thank him. He helped me decide what I wanted to do with my life, and how I wanted to further my education, and above all, he helped me understand my dream of teaching. I first realized my dream of teaching in 5th grade, the last school year that my father was with us. My mother knew he was declining in health, so she made sure to inform my teacher and school counselor. This was to give them a background and a possible explanation as to why I would be upset a lot of the time. Mrs. Rodman, my 5th grade teacher at West Navarre Intermediate School was an absolute savior for me and I will never forget that. She would send me home with books to read to my father at bedtime, as at this point he couldn't move any part of his body or talk and she just knew it would be something we could enjoy together. Looking back on this now, it is funny how the roles were reversed during bedtime stories. Even though he couldn't talk, we still could laugh all night over a funny joke or story. Mrs. Rodman made my last year with my father the best year I had with him. It even trumped the years we spent together before he got sick. Because of her, I discovered my dream of teahing. I aspire to be like her. To be the teacher that is there for their students as much as they can be. I want my future classroom to be a safe space for all students to be who they are, even if they are dealing with trauma at home just like I was. Right after my father passed away in 2014, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge gained immense popularity. Everyone at my school, as well as celebrities online, were posting videos of themselves getting drenched in ice-cold water in support of ALS. The challenge even made its way to the principal of the middle school I was attedning. My sister and I even got called up to the office, where they asked us if we would be okay with the principal making a video of him completing the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. We were delighted when we heard about this. The next day, the video played throughout the school on every single TV. As I watched I couldn't help but cry. Not out of sadness, but out of joy. At the end of the video, he announced "Two of your fellow classmates have just recently lost their father to ALS" and went on to explain the disease. I am still able to recall this memory as if I was still sitting in the PE locker room floor as I was when it happened. I will forever appreciate that the school took the time to do this. This scholarship would allow me to continue working towards my dream of being the best teacher I can be, one that is there for their students just like my teachers in the past. Thank you for your consideration. Sara James

ALS has affected my life by taking my father's life in 2014. This all occurred the summer before I attended Woodlawn Beach Middle School. These years are very formative for a child and it was extremely hard on my sister and I to be forced to live without him because of this horrific disease. While I still miss him every day, I thank him. He helped me decide what I wanted to do with my life, and how I wanted to further my education, and above all, he helped me understand my dream of teaching. I first realized my dream of teaching in 5th grade, the last school year that my father was with us. My mother knew he was declining in health, so she made sure to inform my teacher and school counselor. This was to give them a background and a possible explanation as to why I would be upset a lot of the time. Mrs. Rodman, my 5th grade teacher at West Navarre Intermediate School was an absolute savior for me and I will never forget that. She would send me home with books to read to my father at bedtime, as at this point he couldn't move any part of his body or talk and she just knew it would be something we could enjoy together. Looking back on this now, it is funny how the roles were reversed during bedtime stories. Even though he couldn't talk, we still could laugh all night over a funny joke or story. Mrs. Rodman made my last year with my father the best year I had with him. It even trumped the years we spent together before he got sick. Because of her, I discovered my dream of teahing. I aspire to be like her. To be the teacher that is there for their students as much as they can be. I want my future classroom to be a safe space for all students to be who they are, even if they are dealing with trauma at home just like I was. Right after my father passed away in 2014, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge gained immense popularity. Everyone at my school, as well as celebrities online, were posting videos of themselves getting drenched in ice-cold water in support of ALS. The challenge even made its way to the principal of the middle school I was attedning. My sister and I even got called up to the office, where they asked us if we would be okay with the principal making a video of him completing the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. We were delighted when we heard about this. The next day, the video played throughout the school on every single TV. As I watched I couldn't help but cry. Not out of sadness, but out of joy. At the end of the video, he announced "Two of your fellow classmates have just recently lost their father to ALS" and went on to explain the disease. I am still able to recall this memory as if I was still sitting in the PE locker room floor as I was when it happened. I will forever appreciate that the school took the time to do this. This scholarship would allow me to continue working towards my dream of being the best teacher I can be, one that is there for their students just like my teachers in the past. Thank you for your consideration. Sara James