I grew battling mental health, I thought it was the only way anyone lived. Until one day, I danced. At the age of 13 my mother told me she wanted to commit suicide, I didn't know what it meant, but I knew I needed to help her. By the age of 15 I was covered in my own scars and understood how she felt. At the age of 16 my grandma died and, I got into a life threatening car accident with my bestfriend. The guilt I felt about her being the one in the hospital almost ate me alive. I fell into a deep depression, I didn't sleep, or eat, or leave the house. Months later she got out of the hospital. So, I decided I needed to change something in my life, or I wasn't going to have one. I wasn't going to focus on silly high school drama anymore, I was going to start appreciating the life around me. I became a golden example of a student, daughter, and aunt to my wonderful niece. The first day I realized I would do more for myself, I was in my aunts new home she worked so hard for. We spent all day opening up about our past and our mental struggles. I cried, she cried, but we also laughed. That night I was dancing in her living room, she walked in and started dancing right along with me. I stopped dancing and smiled. This right here in this moment, is the way life can be, it's the way I can always feel; I thought to myself, and continued dancing in with her. The next week, I got out of all of my toxic relationships with my peers, and started focusing on what is right. I started providing more for myself treating myself every chance I could. My teachers provided safe places for me, and are a big reason of why I'm here today. I know how much they helped me, a poor, and sad kid who was slipping through the cracks, but a few just wouldn't allow me to. Now I am applying to colleges! I have my career path set before me. I am going to be a secondary education teacher, teaching communications. I am going to be there to teach my class where my students can feel heard, and listened to the way that our youth deserves. The way that I deserved, even though I wasn't aware of it at the time. I am going to honor my teachers, who went well beyond their requirements to make sure I wasn't the newest reason for the morning announcements stating that the counselors would be staying after school for anyone who needed to talk to someone. I believe anyone can be saved if given the opportunity. I am now proud of the people I stand by, and represent. They appreciate me, and I appreciate them more than they could ever realize. I can't wait to see the light in students eyes light up when they see that we care. I am here to be part of the force of teachers, that educate our future leaders of tomorrow. I don't wish what mental battles I faced on anyone, but I am who I am today because of it. Now I am starting my life with a fair deck of cards thanks to the people providing scholarships to kids like me.

The person I want to honor through this essay is my Grandmother Linda Sue Harrison Mclascland. Who was born November 4th 1954 and passed away August 10th 2021. A little background before I talk about my beloved grandmother's impact on me. She passed away from Covid 19, but not before battling early onset dementia. Which unfortunately led to psychosis, and Alzheimer's. My grandma fought hard and long her entire life, and that fire lights in me when I need it most. Her passing did throw me off, she was a mother to me in so many ways and her funeral was on the first day of my sophomore year. But that humorous, feisty, and courageous woman would never allow me to pity her death if she were here. So, I fought the pain with meeting new people, and becoming invested in everything I did. Nothing would hold me back from getting the life her dementia saw for me. In my eyes she never got to see me graduate, see my first home, my first real love, or hold my baby. But because of her ailments, she was able to experience all of it! She would sit me down and tell me stories of my life “I have the most beautiful granddaughter, she got her first apartment today with her little boyfriend, I got them some baskets! You always need a good basket!” she would tell me. “Ooooh so when are you two going to give me my grandbaby, I'm tired of waiting!” She would cry nearly every time my bestfriend and I would walk through the door. She experienced my whole life before she died, and I owe her the ability to bring that life to light. My grandma would be so proud of me if she saw me going to college, and being prepared to be a first generation student. That's what I fight for. I fight to be the person she would be proud of. I fight to have a good job, and a nice house with plenty of baskets, just for her.

My dream is to become a teacher. This is the only career I've wanted since I was a child, and I met my first amazing teacher in the 5th grade. The teacher I need to give this story to, however, is Mr. Flippen. He was my high school theater teacher, and saw the potential in me from day one. He never let me quit. I know that with my personal struggles Mr. Jody Flippen was there keeping me afloat. He gave me space to cry, yell, and vent. He sat there listening to my silly drama, and when I got into a life threatening car crash with my best friend, he was the first person I called. Because of him I now know I need to help the youth with whatever life throws at them, I need to pay it forward to fulfill my purpose. My life goal is to, not only, support the leaders of tomorrow, but to be there for them when no one else is; just like he taught me. He inspired me to become who I am today, he taught me to pick the right people to represent, and stand by. This man went far beyond his requirements as a teacher just to help me. Mr. Flippen showed us how to advocate for what we believed in, on stage and off of it. The lesson I learned is how to be a good person. And I constantly use him as my word of reasoning. I will do this for kids, because of the inspiration, and impact he had on my life. As I think of ,not just, the educator, but the person who has impacted me most, I think of him. When I say I want to be a teacher, what I mean is I want to be the next Flippen. He is the person I represent with my actions, and because of this whatever I do in life is meant to make him proud.

My dream is to become a teacher, the only way I can do this is through a college degree. My life goal is to support the youth around me, in any way I can. I know that with my personal struggles my teachers were keeping me afloat. I need to be able to help kids with whatever life throws at them, I need to pay it forward to feel accomplished in life. I don't believe I need to go to college degree to support people around me, however I do need a degree to educate our future leaders of tomorrow. I want to teach a communications class, to help our kids feel heard and give them chances to have mature conversations, about the problems they're facing in their modern day society. Chances that they don't always get. I know that being a teacher will come with a lot of strict rules, and has a lot of training. I am ready to take the challenge of being a great teacher professionally, and connecting with students on a personal level. I know how many lives my teaches saved just while I was in school, and that there, the positive impacts, is my only dream. College and my dream go hand in hand, and maybe one day after I graduate I will be right back in a college classroom teaching a kid to inspire, a kid just like me.