The lasting impact I’ve experienced to fuel my passion to become a teacher began from a 5th grade service-learning project in which I had to shadow a teacher from each grade level in my elementary school. The project consisted of me following the teachers around observing their teaching methods, classroom management, and lesson plan preparedness. Ms. Dawson was my 5th grade teacher who assigned and coordinated the project; she saw my interest in the assignment and chose to help me dive in deeper into the assignment. Not only was she focused on finishing the requirements of the assignment, but she also told me little tips that would amount to large concepts as I grew up to pursue teaching. For instance, a great and well thought out lesson plan cannot create an amazing teacher. It is not as important to teach to a test as it is to teach to a student. Which led her to say, if you can connect with the students, you can help them connect to the lessons. These three sayings among others are the building blocks of my interest, passion, and intellectual drive to become a teacher. I owe Ms. Brittany Dawson the world because she is the perfect definition of a great teacher, she is who I will strive to be. We need more teachers like her in the world and I strive to be just like her when I grow up. Growing up with five younger siblings I was often the one at the dinner table late at night helping one of my siblings with homework. I'm the take charge student who is the first to volunteer to explain something to a classmate if they don't understand, I'm the type of player on the softball field who will demo model and explain drills. I have a passion for being in charge and helping people learn if it's in the classroom or on the field. I understand not getting too attached or too invested in every child’s life. However, each child deserves the chance at greatness, and it is my job to help them get there as Ms. Dawson did for me. She lit the fire and drive in me to pursue education as a career, and she gave me the foundation of what it means to make a lasting impact on students. Teachers are meant to leave a lasting impression and I'm on the right track.

In the last three years of high school, I have joined many clubs and gained many volunteer hours. I'm a marching band member for the last three years and been in a leadership position in the marching band as of this year. I have been a CAPAA member since my freshman year and have volunteered many times at musicals, plays, honors ensembles and concerts because of this. I'm actively a member of the Community Orchestra here in Onslow County. I have played varsity softball for three years of high school and as of this year I'm a varsity softball captain. I have played travel softball since I was 5 and play on a travel softball team 4 days a week and play many tournaments throughout the year and summers. I have been a National Honors Society as of this year and have maintained a GPA of above a 4.0 since my freshman year of high school. I'm an all-A's student along with an AVID tutor and mentor since the sixth grade. I have over 60 volunteer SAT hours at the local soup kitchen, library, and nursing home. I spend my Sundays in the nursery at Catalyst of Richlands working with children. I was nominated for North Carolina Governor’s School 2023 and accepted into the LIFT program at NC State University. Being a leader has just come naturally to me. I have always enjoyed having the take-charge initiative. I have been in school for twelve years now and had many teachers. One specific teacher early on in my school years had influenced my decision to be a teacher. Ms. Brittany Dawson was my fifth-grade teacher. In fifth grade we did a project-based learning project to get our little fifth grade minds thinking about how we could help the community or grow. I did my project on teacher-shadowing and this entailed me going to a teacher's classroom and watching the teacher teach and then making my own lesson plan and teaching the class for a day. This helped me open and explore how teachers had to make lessons and come up with ways to teach the class effectively. This one project opened my eyes to want to become a teacher and make the change that teachers need. I can remember having a class stuffed animal in kindergarten and being able to take it home to teach me responsibility and learning how to manage and take care of something and I want to be that teacher that I make such an impact that these students are thinking of me the rest of their life's. I want to be the impact of students. Growing up with five younger siblings I was often the one at the dinner table late at night helping one of my siblings with homework. I'm the take charge student who is the first to volunteer to explain something to a classmate if they don't understand and I'm the type of player on the softball field who will be the demo model and explain it to others. I have a passion for being in charge and helping people learn if it's in the classroom or on the field. This is all driven from the base's that my fifth-grade teacher Ms. Brittany Dawson instilled in me from a young age. I give her all the credit for motivating me to become a better generation of change for teachers in the future. I have been a leader throughout my whole life and don't plan on stopping now.

I have been in school for twelve years now and had many teachers. One specific teacher early on in my school years influenced my decision to be a teacher. Ms. Brittany Dawson was my fifth-grade teacher. In fifth grade, we did a project-based learning project to get our little fifth-grade minds thinking about how we could help the community or grow. I did my project on teacher shadowing and this entailed me going to a teacher's classroom and watching the teacher teach and then making my own lesson plan and teaching the class for a day. This helped me open up and explore how teachers had to make lessons and come up with ways to teach the class effectively. This one project opened my eyes to want to become a teacher and make the change that teachers need. I can remember having a class stuffed animal in kindergarten and being able to take it home to teach me responsibility and how to manage and take care of something I want to be that teacher that I makes such an impact that these students are thinking of me the rest of their life's. I want to be an impact of students. Growing up with five younger siblings I was often the one at the dinner table late at night helping one of my siblings with homework. I'm the take charge student who is the first to volunteer to explain something to a classmate if they don't understand and I'm the type of player on the softball field who will be the demo model and explain it to others. I have a passion for being in charge and helping people learn if it's in the classroom or on the field. This is all driven from the base's that my fifth-grade teacher Ms. Brittany Dawson instilled in me from a young age. I give her all the credit for motivating me to become a better generation of change for teachers in the future. . I have always had this drive and determination to help others teach young minds. This unique experience has opened doors for me. Ever since fifth grade I have attended camps, seminars, become the president of the Future teachers of Onslow County and spent time at weeklong conferences at East Carolina University and North Carolina State University. I want to bring my drive and persistence to the real world because no one the same drive as I do. I will be the change in the future because my past set my up for success.