My favorite way to help others is out on the baseball field. Lessons that are taught while being a part of a sport team are life long lessons, not just on the field or court. I've played baseball from the age of four. It has been a huge stress relief and kids today are easily stressed with things in and out of the classroom. I've been captain of my high school team for the last two years and it's my responsibility to keep my team motivated and most importantly accountable for their actions both on and off the field. I'm expected to think positive no matter the situation, have confidence, have a vision, be a good communicator, recognize my teammates strengths and weaknesses and most importantly help my teammates be successful! I've helped my dad coach his little league teams for over 5 years now. Baseball athletes receive many physical and mental benefits while participating in the game. It's a great opportunity for youngsters to meet new people and strengthen old ones. Socially acceptable behaviors such as respect, taking turns, and following directions are also taught and can be extremely helpful. I'm able to help teach both my teammates and the youth I help coach how to work well with others, improve their motor skills, it helps to build confidence and self-esteem, both of which does wonders for people of all ages, but when I'm able to see the look on the faces of players after they score a homerun or and out due to good defense on the field because I've take the time to train them or just give them some encouraging words it helps me! More importantly it helps promote healthy family interaction all, what is more important than family?

There are so many books I can read over and over again, such as Tears of a Tiger, Life of Pi, Side Effects May Vary, and plenty of others! But there is one book in particular that is no doubt in my mind better than the rest, and by far the best and most inspiring book I have ever read in my entire life! This is none other than Ray Bradbury’s 1953 hit Novel Fahrenheit 451, a novel about a dystopian world where books are burned. This book is so inspiring because it has taught me just how important books really are to people on a physical and spiritual level. It teaches us that there is a book for everyone, and how books are not supposed to hurt us, but to help us understand the world we live in. It tells us about the people we are; helps us relate to one another. Reading is supposed to bring us closer together. Reading is a way we share opinions and our ideas and make friends and develop our minds into the creative thinkers we are today. Most importantly it shows us how blind we could be if we ever stopped. Ultimately; leading us to more conflict and self hurt. This is why Fahrenheit 451 has inspired me to keep my reading habits strong, and share those habits along with this masterpiece of a novel whenever the opportunity presents itself.

My active listening skills have developed immensely over these last two years as the captain of my high school varsity baseball team. There are many different personalities, opinions and adversities to deal with consistently. As captain, it is my responsibility to keep my team motivated and most importantly accountable for their actions both on and off the field. In lieu of adding input for lineups, and game strategies I'm expected to think positive no matter the situation, have confidence, have a vision, be a good communicator; which relies heavily on my ability to actively listen, recognize my teammates strengths and weaknesses and most importantly help my teammates be successful! None of this is possible without actively listening. I've been tested many times on and off the baseball field and have not always successfully actively listened during a difficult situation under stress and pressure. But those are the times when my ability to listen actively were tested and now I'm able to reflect on how I could have been a better listener, handled it differently and think about what it cost me and those around me when I didn't actively listen. Those times have allowed me to persevere, grow and make improvements so that each time my leadership and listening skills are tested I get better; and my active listening skills have kept developing and continues to this day. Active listening to me means listening with not just your ears, but with an open mind, being non judgemental and paying attention to nonverbal communication signs like body language, facial expressions, gestures and encouraging those around me to do the same. Active listening often requires repeating back to the person you are speaking with what they've just said to assure them you were listening and understand them. Everyone wants to be understood.

One of my favorite simple pleasures that has made me happy is reading. Growing up I didn't have a lot of friends and found myself having tons of free time. My mom caught wind of this and soon she started taking my younger brother and I to our community library regularly. Every time I walked in the library; I was always very fascinated that there were so many books I could read. Soon after our regularly scheduled trips to the library began, I quickly began to see myself develop a love and more or less a hunger for reading. There are so many books I can read over and over again, like Tears of a Tiger, Life of Pi, Side Effects May Vary and plenty of others! I think I enjoy books very much because there is a book for everyone no matter what situation, mood or stage of life their in. There will always be a relatable book, newspaper or magazine article waiting to pick up and read. Although I am still incredibly fascinated with books; over the years I've found myself visiting the library less and less. Books being as resilient as they are, have evolved as times have progressed. Virtually any book that has ever been written can now be downloaded on any electronic device, making it that much more convenient to read. Another reason I enjoy books so much is because it fires up the imagination and stimulates the memory centers of your mind. It helps to stabilize our emotions and relax. Reading has inspired me to be confident and I can share all the lessons I have learned about with someone else whenever I get the chance! A simple pleasure of reading gives way to another simple pleasure of mine like giving back!

Baseball has inspired me to one day create a funding program that would provide inner-city youth with equal opportunity and resources to participate in all sports. Particularly baseball. The number of African American players in major league baseball has fallen nearly every year since 1981, and by 2016 it plummeted to 6.7% the lowest percentage since 1957. What I aspire to do for the sport of baseball is become a beacon for black baseball players at all levels. I want to be a positive example of what independent baseball looks like. I want to do this whether I reach my goal of having a long and productive pro baseball career or not. I want to start my own minority baseball funding program. I have been a member of the Houston Astros Urban Youth Academy aimed at providing top-notch facilities, equipment and instruction to inner city kids that are interested in the game of baseball. Baseball is an expensive sport to play. It's become more about business and less about inclusiveness and the true love, passion and respect for the game. Baseball, like many other sports have become a “pay-for-play” youth program. It excludes those without means and mobility to participate. Those that have the means to pay for coaches, private lessons, and high-quality equipment have the advantage and that's had more of an impact on inner-city participation. With other sports like basketball, all you need is a basketball, and you go down to the park by yourself. With baseball, you can’t do that. The local league set up by the parks and rec department is for those beginning. Anyone with some amount of talent identified, is steered toward more intense leagues, which tend to be pay-to-play and involve travel, monthly dues and fees. I was blessed to have the talent that got me noticed at a young age and parents that sacrificed to afford me the opportunity to play the game as long as I wanted. To meet the obligations of these leagues without having at least one full-time stay-at-home parent who can chauffer the kid you’ll see why the sport is somewhat selected for well-off kids and fewer inner-city kids although the talent, passion, interest, and work ethic is there. There's a huge lack in financial resources for inner-city baseball. The extra funding would go towards better field maintenance, hitting facilities, and state of the art learning centers for the kids. While this concept is not completely new, the idea of private funding for the game of baseball targeted at the inner city and under-privileged youth is. This passion I have for this cause stems from the strong and rich history of black baseball players in my own family. Growing up in my household I fell in love with the game of baseball at a very young age. The majority of my family played baseball and played well. Starting with my great grandfather who was a negro league pitcher. Next was my grandfather, a semi-pro catcher but the most valuable lessons I received about the game came from my father. He played Division 1 Baseball. After college, he decided to take on a college coaching job where I was able to tag along. It was a compilation of these unforgettable events that ultimately inspired and propelled me to pursue my dream of playing this sport and aspire to play it at the highest level to pave the way for those behind me, that started where I did. As a boy in the inner-city limits who had a desire to play and add to the game of baseball.

I am committed to completing college and further developing the life skills I know are necessary for me to succeed in the area of study I have wanted to pursue for most of my life in Education. Particularly childhood education. I believe teachers and educators in general are the most influential people in the world. Particularly at the elementary level. The level of empowerment and influence educators have is life changing and I would venture to say world changing. A lot of teaching came through words of encouragement and acts of kindness or simply taking the time out to call the parent or talk to the students on a personal level. Teaching to me is more about helping future generations solve problems of today and empowering them. Helping them to understand differences and to be kind. Between my family and those amazing teachers, I had growing up the passion and desire to become an educator and to reach kids at a younger age. To teach them to learn more effectively and provide mentorship and improve the lives of not only the children but other teachers and parents. We’ve all seen the videos where kids interact better with more modern ways of learning through popular music or audio visual. Most students respond better to teachers/educators that are relatable and innovative. I've worked with children for years volunteering at my church as well as different non-profit groups. I also help my dad when he coaches his little league baseball teams, that is where my passion for the game of baseball came from, my dad. While teaching them about different things like the fundamentals of baseball, how to play competitively proper body care, etc... I often incorporate life lessons, many in which I’ve experienced.

I plan on continuing my college education at Prairie A & M University in the Fall of 2022 and further developing the life skills I know are necessary for me to succeed in the area of study I have wanted to pursue for most of my life in Education. As a younger child I found it difficult to make friends at times and it is during those times that many of my teachers stepped up and showed me that being a teacher was not just about showing up and teaching the curriculum. A lot of teaching came through words of encouragement and acts of kindness or simply taking the time out to call the parent or talk to the student on a personal level. Between my family and those amazing teachers, I had growing up the passion and desire to become and educator to reach kids at a younger age to not only teach them to learn more effectively, but to have positive mentors and improve children's lives! To be good citizens and solve problems. I've worked with children for years volunteering at my church as well as different non-profit groups that hand out food, toys, and clothes to children. All while teaching them about different things like sports, health care, etc... I've played baseball since the age of four and I whole heartedly believe that adults can learn from children as much as children can learn from adults. I've played baseball in over 20 states and been invited to camps and showcases hosted by several MLB teams and met a lot of people from all ages and backgrounds. I have been the captain of my high school baseball team for 2 years which requires leadership skills. I have the compassion, enthusiasm and patience to deal with children. I'm interested in developing students and classroom management which from my own experiences needs revamping in schools today. I'm not afraid to work with and teach difficult students or parents. We need more male teachers in classrooms, particularly African American male teachers. That all starts with me furthering my education and in order to do so I will need additional financial support. My parents work very hard to be certain my younger brother and I have what we need and often what we want, the recent pandemic really placed my family in an unfavorable financial position, but that was the case for many people around our country. Seeing my parents work ethic and work as hard as they do drives me to work harder and push myself further in and outside of school. I plan to continue to work in the classroom and do everything to the best of my ability as I know life as we know it can change at any moment. I have learned to not take a single opportunity for granted. Getting this scholarship would be a huge opportunity for my family and I and allow me to pursue my college degree so I can make my mark in education and allow me to give back to the community I grew up in!

There are many ways I practice self care. Some ways I go about doing so is daily meditation and eating right. Although I have seen some good strides in these self-care routines, the one that has stood the test of time while also being the one that has made the most impact on my life was me finding my love for books as an elementary school student. Because I had a lot of free time in my young age, my mom would take my younger brother and I to our community library regularly. This is where I began to see myself develop a love and more or less a hunger like sensation for reading books. Over the years I have gotten my hands on so many great books That have tons of reread value to them. Some of the books I am talking about are Tears of a Tiger, Life of Pi, and Side Effects May Vary; these are just some of the great books I'm talking about! The ways this self-care action has impacted my life are My writing and spelling skills. My reading obsession has made these essays that I write so much easier to write. Another way that these books have impacted my life was helping me get out of my social shell and befriending other book worms through the Cypress BookWorm Club at school. My book worm friends and I have lots in common, it's always a joy when we get together and share the books we have read. What I'm trying to say is that books have been a real joy for me, opening many doors and I hope it does the same for other people.

I've had some incredible teachers along the way, some I have considered to be true super heroes to the next generation of leaders. Although I have had some really wonderful teachers, there is one teacher in particular that has stood out from the pack. She has touched so many hearts including mine. It’s also safe to say that when you stepped into her classroom there was never a dull moment. Ms. Russel from the first day I had met her, was always powerful, upbeat, and a true people person. She is a person some would say “never meets a stranger”. She really cared about everyone, not because you were one of her students, but because she really cared for you as a person. She was also a great communicator; every time I stepped into her class in the mornings; whatever the lesson was going to be for that day, she was going to give it to you in a way that was straight forward, understandable, and relatable. No matter how tough the lesson was you could count on her to make it make sense every time. Having Ms. Russell as a teacher was such a good thing for me. I was on the fence about going into education as I thought about attending college and what I wanted to do in my career and she single handedly solidified it. As I was getting some feedback from others that wanted to be and were educators like church and family members and friends of the family; they were just giving me mixed results stemming from there own teaching experiences. After having a great conversation with Ms. Russell one day, she put all of my worries to rest saying that "the personality and people skills I possessed were more than enough to become an exceptional educator." With those really heart warming words of encouragement I was now certain that I am ready to pursue a long and fulfilling career in the education Field The reason why I am so patinate about being a teacher is because of the teachers like Ms. Russell. I feel that she has had one of the greatest impacts on my life along with many other student. I feel like if I do half of what she did for me I could give students the passion to become a teacher while touching may hearts just like how Ms. Russell has done for me.

There are not many black baseball players at any level of pro or semi-pro baseball. Since the beginning of 2010, there has been a decline in minorities being drafted. What I aspire to do for the sport of baseball is become a beacon for all the black baseball players. Personally I want to be a positive example of what independent baseball looks like. After I reach my goal of having a long and productive pro baseball career, I want to start my own minority baseball funding program. I have been a member of the Astros Urban Youth Academy aimed at providing top-notch facilities, equipment and instruction to inner city kids that are interested in the game of baseball. Baseball is an expensive sport to play. This funding would be used for anyone wishing to play at the urban youth academies across America along with other countries with academies. The extra funding that is needed to help touch the lives of young aspiring baseball players and go towards better field maintenance, new hitting facilities, and a state of the art learning center for the kids to study and do their homework before the activities at academy start up. While this idea is great and not completely new, the idea of providing the extra funding for the game of baseball targeted at the inner city and under-privileged youth is. This idea stems from the strong and rich history of black baseball players in my own family. Growing up in my household I fell in love with the game of baseball at a very young age. The majority of my family played baseball and played baseball well. Starting with my great grandfather who was a Negro League baseball pitcher. Next was my grandfather, a semi-pro catcher. However, the most valuable lessons I received about the game came from none other than my own father. He played Division 1 Baseball at Texas Southern University, and was also invited to an MLB prospect camp. After his college career came to an end, he decided to take on an assistant coaching job for the Division 1 baseball program Prairie View A&M University. Growing up it didn't matter what event it was, whether it was driving around the greater Houston area to watch my cousins play or heading downtown to Minute Maid Park and watching the Houston Astros go out and win; there was never a dull moment and it was always a great time and involved baseball. It was a compilation of these unforgettable events that ultimately inspired and propelled me to pursue my dream of playing this sport and dream of being immortalized in Cooperstown, New York with the other outstanding baseball players in the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame!

For the past 14 years I have been going to school, it has definitely had its moments. I've had some incredible teachers along the way, some I have considered to be true super heroes to the next generation of leaders. Although I have had some really wonderful teachers, there is one teacher in particular that has stood out from the pack. She has touched so many hearts including mine. It’s also safe to say that when you stepped into her classroom there was never a dull moment. The teacher that has had the biggest impact in all my years of education is my 11th grade high school United States History teacher, Ms. Russel. Ms. Russel from the first day I had met her, was always powerful, upbeat, and a true people person. She is a person some would say “never meets a stranger”. She really cared about everyone, not because you were one of her students, but because she really cared for you as a person. She was also a great communicator; every time I stepped into her class in the mornings; whatever the lesson was going to be for that day, she was going to give it to you in a way that was straight forward, understandable, and relatable. No matter how tough the lesson was you could count on her to make it make sense every time. Another big reason why her class was incredibly enjoyable was because she was a very patient and understanding woman. There would be times where I just couldn't get an understanding of the lesson to save my life, and rather than get frustrated or upset with me, she would instead keep me calm and out of my own head. What she would do was walk me through the lesson piece by piece not only until I got the lesson, but until I could also tell her about what I just learned so I could help other people. Having Ms. Russell as a teacher was such a good thing for me. I was on the fence about going into education as I thought about attending college and what I wanted to do in my career and she single handedly solidified it. As I was getting some feedback from others that wanted to be and were educators like church and family members and friends of the family; they were just giving me mixed results stemming from there own teaching experiences. After having a great conversation with Ms. Russell one day, she put all of my worries to rest saying that "the personality and people skills I possessed were more than enough to become an exceptional educator." With those words of encouragement I was now ready to pursue a career in education, and knew that going into education was what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. I’ve recently visited her classroom this year just pop my head in and say hello, to check in on her during these trying times during the global pandemic and ask her for letters of recommendations. While visiting it took no time to remember some of the good times, I could see the joy in her new students eyes and their smiles and I knew that they were in good hands and without a doubt would have their lives changed just as I did. Ms. Russel is the teacher that inspired me throughout my educational journey, her genuine desire to teach, her patience and will to connect with students is why I want to pursue a future career as a teacher myself.

Growing up in a baseball household I fell in love with the game very young. Everyone in my family played and played it well. Starting with my great grandfather who was a negro league pitcher. Followed by my grandfather a semi-pro catcher. However, the most valuable lessons came from my father, who played Division 1 baseball and was also invited to an MLB camp. After his playing days were over he decided to also coach at the division 1 level. It didn't matter what it was, rather it was driving around town to watch my cousins play or heading downtown to Minute Maid Park and watching the Houston Astros go out and win! I remember going to these events and just being really eager to get on that field so everyone could cheer for me and pump me up. When I would ask to get on the field my dad would say "not yet" or "soon" and I didn't know why, because in my mind I was already the best! At the age of 4, the absolute earliest I could start playing, my parents signed me up for the local Cy Fair Sporting Association something similar to the YMCA little league. Now that I was signed up I was very excited and was just so ready to step out on the field and do great. With it starting up in a few weeks my dad decided that he would train me so that I played the best. We did all sorts of training. He taught me how to hit for power and average, and field the ball gracefully and throw with velocity and accuracy and also how to run. All of these were very rigorous training sessions one just as hard as the last. I also remember him saying something to me that I still think about and do till this day, and that was him telling me " if you can't control anything on that field, remember that you can control your body language". With all of this new found knowledge and skills I had recently attained, the few weeks had came and gone and the big day had come where I would put all of this to the test. The night before the big day, my parents had taken me out and had gotten me everything I would need. Pants, batting gloves, and a sweet new helmet that was a shiny crimson red! When I got home I put the gear on and looked like a real pro. The following morning came, it was game time. This was the Saturday I had been waiting for! When we arrived at the ballpark I was given my jersey ,lucky number seven! We were on defense first. A quick 1,2,3 inning, I was up to bat first. The parents cheering my name as the ball was set on the tee for me. My adrenalin started to rush. Thinking back to the training this is what it has all led up to. I swung the bat keeping my hands inside and driving the ball in the left center gap! A double off the fence, the stands going crazy cheering my name, it felt so good. Although we ended up losing the game I still had a blast and couldn't wait till next Saturday. It was at this point I knew baseball would be a part of the rest of my life.

One of my favorite hobbies that I have developed since a young age has been reading. Growing up I didn't have a lot of friends and found myself having tons of free time. My mom caught wind of this and soon she started taking my younger brother and I to our community library regularly. Every time I walked in the library I was always very fascinated that there were so many books I could read. Soon after our regularly scheduled trips to the library began, I quickly began to see myself develop a love and more or less a hunger like sensation for reading. There are so many books I can read over and over again, like Tears of a Tiger, Life of Pi, Side Effects may vary and plenty of others! I think I enjoy books very much because there is a book for me no matter what, situation, mood or stage of life I'm in. I know for a fact that there will be a book waiting for me to pick up and read. Although I am still incredibly fascinated with books; over the years coupled with the global pandemic, I have found myself visiting the library less and less. Books being as resilient as they are, have evolved as times have progressed. Virtually any book that has ever been written can now be downloaded on any electronic device of your choice, making it that much more convenient to read. Personally I prefer a physical paperback book copy for reading. Another reason I enjoy books so much is because they have taught me some good lessons like why it's important to read. For example, Ray Bradbury’s 1953 hit novel Fahrenheit 451. This is a novel about a dystopian world where books are burned and disposed of. This book talks about how books are not supposed to hurt us, but teaches us about the world we live in. It tells us about the people we are, and most importantly it shows us how blind and desolate we could be ultimately; leading to more conflict and self hurt. Books like these have inspired me to keep my reading habits strong and share those habits and the books along with the lessons I have learned about with someone else whenever I get the chance!

Patience is extremely important to me and it's a must have life skill. Patience has to be learned and practiced. I believe that in part; patience is often a personal character trait that is learned early on in life as we are being reared. It's one of many things we learn from observance. Patience is important in every single relationship we have at home, school, work, even the corner market and it's a skill I've developed immensely over these last two years of high school as the captain of my High School varsity baseball team. There are many different personalities, opinions and adversities to deal with consistently. As captain, it is my responsibility to keep my team motivated and most importantly accountable for their actions both on and off the field. In lieu of adding input for lineups, and game strategies I'm expected to think positive no matter the situation, have confidence, have a vision, be a good communicator, recognize my teammates strengths and weaknesses and most importantly help my teammates be successful! None of this is possible without patience. My patience has been tested many times and if I'm being honest, I have not always rose to the occasion and successfully dealt with a difficult situation under stress and pressure. But, those are the times when my patience was tested that I was able to see the error of my ways and reflect on how I could have handled it differently and what it cost me. Those times allowed me to persevere and make more productive decisions the next time my patience was tested and my patience kept developing and continues to this day. My educational aspirations consist of acquiring a degree in secondary education. No doubt, I have the compassion, enthusiasm and patience to attain my career goals.

https://youtu.be/QeZbm1oM_R4

Baseball is what makes me happy! Just the thought of me out on the field instantly puts my mind at ease. I've played for my high school's varsity team since my freshman year, which is fairly uncommon. I've always enjoyed playing with older kids, it's more challenging and I'm always looking for ways to challenge myself in the game of baseball. Baseball has made an enormous impact on me and my families lives. It has afforded me many opportunities over the years. I've played baseball since the age of four and I whole heartedly believe that adults can learn from children as much as children can learn from adults. I've played baseball in over 20 states and been invited to camps and showcases hosted by several MLB teams and met a lot of people from all ages and backgrounds. I have been the captain of my high school baseball team for 2 years which requires leadership skills. Skills to which I may not have accumulated had I not played baseball. I know that these skills are priceless and I will take them with me no matter where life takes me. Baseball has been said to be America's pass time for a long time. Baseball has survived countless economic endeavors and national hardships. To say it very simply, baseball has survived the test of time. Now with the global pandemic and other social-economic challenges we face is no different. My goal is to play college baseball. I am actively pursuing that goal. I know that if were given the opportunity to play baseball at the collegiate level it would be very beneficial for my emotional, mental and physical well being. Baseball makes me happy and feel very content no matter what else is going on! MY HAPPY PLACE!

Equality and Diversity applies to everyone. It's extremely important today given the most recent issues we've faced such as the George Floyd incident, January 6th riots at the capitol and the Afghan pullout of US troops. All are great examples of what most would consider INequality and NONdiversity. Equality and diversity; simply put is the coming together amongst people who have differences. It's society making an effort and providing opportunities to make the world a better place. I fully support activities and organizations who's goal is to ensure no matter what background, religious beliefs, race, gender, social or economic status, everyone is given the opportunity to make the best of their life, treated with respect and given proper consideration. I've learned to appreciate and value the fact that everyone's different and brings something different to the table. It's important to be open-minded and listen and recognize others differences. Some of the things I've done in my life personally to support my belief in equality and diversity is to support different cultural and religious organizations, not just one. I've challenged fellow school mates, particularly those on the Varsity baseball team, to which I am the captain by bringing up topics for discussion and inclusion about negative attitudes and how to come together as one team no matter where we each come from or what we wear or what we drive. I've discussed with them and many others how we should treat one another as well as our teachers and admins with respect and without judgment. At my church I've volunteered many hours of time to serve fellow members and help out in the youth program to reach out to younger kids and speak and teach them about kindness and being fair to everyone and to include everyone.

When I was born i was was diagnosed with an incredibly rare skin condition called juvenile marthaugh lathoma and when i got to grad school i was picked on about religiously. I remember going home and crying having so much pain and hate in my heart not liking who I was a person thinking that I was a monster. Once i got to middle school it had gotten worse and I ended up getting into a few altercations about it, my school counselor enrolled me into a pals program and then my life changed ! People didnt see me as a monster for the first time in my life people saw Terry I got to be around a whole bunch of people from all sorts of backrounds. One just as intresting as the last. We would do fun games and talk about our feelings and lots of other stuff I got alot of my chest and felt a lot better about myself changing my mindset and how people saw me

I am committed to completing college and further developing the life skills I know are necessary for me to succeed in the area of study I have wanted to pursue for most of my life in Education. Particularly childhood education. As a younger child I found it difficult to make friends at times as I suffered from a rare skin condition (Juvenile xanthogranuloma) many kids my age did not know what it was and most I realize now were just curious, but it made me feel isolated. Most of the scars have healed, however it was during those times that many of my teachers throughout elementary stepped up and showed me that being a teacher was not just about showing up and teaching the mandated curriculum. I believe teachers and educators in general are the most influential people in the world. Particularly at the elementary level. The level of empowerment and influence educators have is life changing and I would venture to say world changing. A lot of teaching came through words of encouragement and acts of kindness or simply taking the time out to call the parent or talk to the students on a personal level. Teaching to me is more about helping future generations solve problems of today and empowering them. Helping them to understand differences and to be kind. Between my family and those amazing teachers I had growing up the passion and desire to become an educator and to reach kids at a younger age. To teach them to learn more effectively and provide mentorship and improve the lives of not only the children but other teachers and parents. We’ve all seen the videos where kids interact better with more modern ways of learning through popular music or audio visual. In a world with social media we have to create and cultivate ways of learning conducive with modern times. I see it every day in my own classrooms. Most students respond better to teachers/educators that are relatable and innovative. I've worked with children for years volunteering at my church as well as different non-profit groups. I also help my dad when he coaches his little league baseball teams, that is where my passion for the game of baseball came from, my dad. While teaching them about different things like the fundamentals of baseball, how to play competitively proper body care, etc... I often incorporate life lessons, many in which I’ve experienced. I've played baseball since the age of four and I whole heartedly believe that adults can learn from children as much as children can learn from adults. I've played baseball all over the United States in dozens of camps and showcases hosted by several MLB teams and met a lot of people from all ages and backgrounds and have learned from and taken full advantage of every one of those opportunities. Each of those experiences has taught me something valuable. I have been the captain of my high school baseball team for 2 years which requires a particular set of leadership skills. I’ve played on the varsity team all four years of high school, surrounded by upper classmen. You have to deal with different personalities, personal matters, determine when to be stern and when to be understanding. I have the compassion, enthusiasm and patience to deal with most people and especially children. I'm interested in developing students as well as improving classroom management. I'm not afraid to work with and teach difficult students or parents. We need more male teachers in classrooms, particularly African American male teachers. That all starts with me furthering my education.