I have stayed optimistic through tough times because I know God is on my side. I know that there is very few things in this world I can control in this world. One of those few things is my attitude. What I am saying with this is if you walk around and always think about your glass being half empty life is going to drag on and you will not be looking for the good in anything. However, if you are always trying to find the good in things even in a poor situation or a tough time you are able to find even one positive thing through that then you are going to be happier overall. This has been a hard thing to train my brain to do and I am not perfect but I have been actively pursuing this and I have seen a difference in my life through doing this and I would love if everyone did this it would make the world a much better place.

I am passionate about becoming a teacher because I want to make an impact in people's lives. I want to be able to look back on my life and know I did something that truly mattered. I had Mr. Gjoraas in anatomy in high school and I really loved how he made everyone feel welcomed every day. One thing I remember is how he would set aside the first 5-10 ish minutes to talk to us about our lives and what was going on in the world which I really liked as I knew it would be a nice little fun break every day with that. One thing I want to incorporate in my own class when I am teaching is to do this as well. I think it will make a difference as if the students know you care and are investing in their lives they will also be more apt to want to talk to you and open up to you. I want to do whatever I can to make a difference in their lives and help them best navigate school and life in the future. I also am hoping that through this I can be a positive male role model as not every kid has that luxury. I never really realized how lucky I was growing up and I know there are a lot of kids who do not have that male role model at home or not a positive one. If I can do this and be there for even one student and change his/her life forever in a positive light then I will be able to look back on my life and be happy. I know that teaching has to be one of the best opportunities to get involved with the youth and have the opportunity to make an impact every day. I also know that when I add being a coach on top of that I will have just that many more opportunities to make this impact on the youth in the area and hopefully I will make their lives enriched and in return this is when my life will be impacted and improved as I know I will be doing something that matters. I also am passionate about education and physical education more specifically which is what I am going to school for and with this, I am excited to maybe poke an interest in someone who maybe dreads working out but if I can make working out and exercise fun then maybe I would be able to give them tools to have life long healthy habits in order to be healthier and live a more enriched life. I hope you and your family are doing well I assume this is Mr. Gjoraas's family that has set this up and I am sorry for your loss he is missed by many and will be remembered by a lot of people he made a big impact on their lives.