Earnestine Clay Educational Scholarship

Have you ever felt like you were born to do something that's going to make a difference in the world? Growing up I always knew I was born to be a teacher. I am the oldest of three and have started teaching my siblings at the age of 4. My "school" was in the basement where I would teach my sisters how to write their names in cursive, add numbers together, and read. I have loved teaching even from a young age, and I have always known it was going to be my future career. Teaching is also in my blood. My Grandpa Larry, Nana Sandy, and my Mom are all in the field of education. I grew up either in my at-home "school" or in my mom's classroom helping her out. When I was in high school I went through A+ and cadet teaching where I observed many different grade levels trying to find the perfect fit for me. However, I was unsuccessful when I found that I loved them all. Each grade level offers different experiences and I hope that one day I have the chance to try all grade levels as a teacher instead of a cadet or A+ student. I am currently a Title 1 Aid at Ste. Genevieve Elementary where I work with kids in kindergarten- third-grade. I love my job, and I love to see the difference I am making in the community and these kids' lives. My goal with this job is to make a difference in someone's life and help them progress in their academic success. This job truly offers the most rewarding feeling as you can see the progress the children make and the happiness that shows on their faces when they finally make a breakthrough on a hard topic they didn't originally understand. I work with some really low kids, and sometimes it can be really hard because it feels like you're going in circles. However, the small breakthroughs make the job worth all of the struggles and hard days. The smile that radiates off their face when they finally understand is the most amazing feeling as a future teacher. After this year I will have a couple more semesters until I can teach, and to say I am excited is an understatement. I am so beyond excited to start teaching and making a difference in these kids' everyday lives!

I am Zachary Horne, and I am a current second year student at Henderson State University, I am majoring in Middle-level Education in Mathematics. I have always done well in school and found it easy to succeed in. Though I haven’t struggled in college, I see the importance of managing time and have been doing quite well so far. The person that inspired me the most to attend Henderson State University and become a future educator is my mother, who passed away from cancer in her brain on July 28, 2023. My mother was an alumni from Henderson. I always looked up to everything she did, especially her profession that she excelled in teaching, and I knew just when I was in second grade that I wanted to be an educator just like her. The reason that I chose to be a math teacher is because I had always excelled in math, and it became something that was very satisfying to me and displayed my ability to problem solve. Although it irritates me that people say that they hate math, or they aren’t good at math; I am determined to show future students that they shouldn’t have such hatred towards math, but they just may not have the proper mindset when it comes to their math classes. I hope to show students that I also care about them, and they don’t think I just see them as a student, but I also see them as their own person. In 10 years, I see myself resembling my mother in education and educating the future generation similarly to how she did, by providing as much as an educator can for every child in my classroom. Additional to my mother’s inspiration for me to be an educator, one of my teachers in high school inspired me to specifically want to be a math teacher. In Mr. Martens’ class, he stuck with me about how he led the classroom and showed a passion for educating each student. This passion was seen by many of his students and changed many students' views on the use of mathematics. During my time at HSU, I hope to expand my knowledge of mathematics and develop an understanding of pedagogy in mathematics. The financial burden that has been pressuring me since July of 2023, when I lost my mother, I realized that she was the reason I had a financially stable childhood. Since losing her I have realized how impactful she was to me and many others. My mother was the most loving and caring person that I have ever met in my life. She always found joy in educating children and dedicated her life to changing her students’ lives and I am inspired to do the same as her. If I were awarded the Earnestine Clay Educational Scholarship, it would help satisfy my goals of reducing college costs. I appreciate your review of my scholarship application. Your support would not only alleviate my financial worries but also play a crucial role in advancing my higher education goals and fulfilling my commitment to honoring my mother's legacy throughout my academic and professional efforts.