My academic experience is a unique one because of the different experiences I have had throughout my lifetime. I have been to three different schools in elementary. As for middle school, I stayed in one school until the 8th grade which I have had the privilege to do in Yemen. This shaped me because it was a big challenge being that everything was taught in Arabic. In high school, I did two years in a public school and the other two years, I did homeschooled and completed the two years in one semester. As of the class of 2022, I was able to graduate high school in November 2020. I did two years at Moraine Valley and am currently attending Governors State University. When it comes to what drives me to pursue my career in education, It always comes back to my background. I am from a small village in Yafa, Yemen where education was not prioritized or readily available for women. For example, my mother only completed the fifth grade, and her mother never went to school. I know that compared to them, I am privileged. Not only did I complete my primary and secondary education, but I also am able to complete my higher education for a career that will educate future generations. I value education greatly because I do not take it for granted. I am a first-generation American as well as the first generation of women in my family to complete their education. I am proud of where I am from and who I am because of it, a driven and motivated woman in education. I have had many obstacles throughout my education, such as covid 19 and my culture, that have made the journey tougher for me. Covid hit when I was a sophomore in high school, but my goals were greater than the pandemic. I transferred to a homeschooled high school where I completed my high school degree that same year. This was difficult because I had to start college during the pandemic. It was hard to make any connections or have a relationship with my classmates and professors. My culture also made it hard for me because not many women in my culture go to college. We are expected to get married and take care of the home instead of pursuing a career. I respect my culture greatly and want to honor my educational goals and my culture. In 2022, I got married to a man who supported my goals and continues to support me. This is how I honor both my culture and my career. I have always wanted to be a teacher for as long as I can remember. My love for teaching started very young when I would play school with my siblings growing up. I chose Elementary Education specifically because I love to work with children and I believe that elementary education is so important because it shapes the new generation. Education is extremely important to me, and the biggest obstacle for me now is how affordable it is. Change happens from generation to generation from my grandmother's time where education was unavailable, to my mothers time where education was minimal, and my time where I received a good education. I truly believe that affordable education an attainable goal and that the future generation will receive free higher education.

My academic experience is a unique one because of the different experiences I have had throughout my lifetime. I have been to three different schools in elementary. As for middle school, I stayed in one school until the 8th grade which I have had the privilege to do in Yemen. This shaped me because it was a big challenge being that everything was taught in Arabic, a language that I was not fluent in. In highschool, I did two years in a public school and the other two years, I did homeschooled and completed the two years in one semester. As of the class of 2022, I was able to graduate highschool in November 2020. I did two years at Moraine Valley and joined Phi Theta Kappa and the Dual Degree Program to transfer to Governors State. When it comes to what drives me to pursue my career in education, It always comes back to my background. I am from a small village in Yafa, Yemen where education was not prioritized or readily available for women. For example, my mother only completed the fifth grade, and her mother never went to school. I know that compared to them, I am privileged. Not only did I complete my primary and secondary education, but I also am able to complete my higher education for a career that will educate future generations. I value education greatly because I cannot and do not take it for granted. I am a first-generation American as well as the first generation of women in my family to complete their education. I am proud of where I am from and who I am because of it, a driven and motivated woman in education. I have had many obstacles throughout my education, such as covid 19 and my culture, that have made the journey tougher for me. Covid hit when I was a sophomore in high school, but my goals were greater than the pandemic. I transferred to a homeschooled high school where I completed my high school degree that same year. This was difficult because I had to start college during the pandemic. It was hard to make any connections or have a relationship with my classmates and professors. My culture also made it hard for me because not many women in my culture go to college. We are expected to get married and take care of the home instead of pursuing a career. I respect my culture greatly and want to honor my educational goals and my culture. In 2022, I got married to a man who supported my goals and continues to support me. This is how I honor both my culture and my career. I have always wanted to be a teacher for as long as I can remember. My love for teaching started very young when I would play school with my siblings growing up. I chose Elementary Education specifically because I love to work with children and I believe that elementary education is so important because it shapes the new generation. Education is extremely important to me, and the biggest obstacle for me now is how affordable it is. I cannot take out loans because of my religion which prohibits taking loans with interest so my only option is trying for scholarships and paying in full. I hope that one day everybody can pursue higher education without the financial burden. When I think of how far we have come as a society, I believe that this goal can be attained. I truly believe that the future generation will receive free higher education.

My academic experience is a unique one because of the different experiences I have had throughout my lifetime. I have been to three different schools in elementary. As for middle school, I stayed in one school until the 8th grade which I have had the privilege to do in Yemen. This shaped me because it was a big challenge being that everything was taught in Arabic, a language that I was not fluent in. In highschool, I did two years in a public school and the other two years, I did homeschooled and completed the two years in one semester. As of the class of 2022, I was able to graduate highschool in November 2020. I did two years at Moraine Valley and joined Phi Theta Kappa and the Dual Degree Program to transfer to Governors State. When it comes to what drives me to pursue my career in education, It always comes back to my background. I am from a small village in Yafa, Yemen where education was not prioritized or readily available for women. For example, my mother only completed the fifth grade, and her mother never went to school. I know that compared to them, I am privileged. Not only did I complete my primary and secondary education, but I also am able to complete my higher education for a career that will educate future generations. I value education greatly because I cannot and do not take it for granted. I am a first-generation American as well as the first generation of women in my family to complete their education. I am proud of where I am from and who I am because of it, a driven and motivated woman in education. I have had many obstacles throughout my education, such as covid 19 and my culture, that have made the journey tougher for me. Covid hit when I was a sophomore in high school, but my goals were greater than the pandemic. I transferred to a homeschooled high school where I completed my high school degree that same year. This was difficult because I had to start college during the pandemic. It was hard to make any connections or have a relationship with my classmates and professors. My culture also made it hard for me because not many women in my culture go to college. We are expected to get married and take care of the home instead of pursuing a career. I respect my culture greatly and want to honor my educational goals and my culture. In 2022, I got married to a man who supported my goals and continues to support me. This is how I honor both my culture and my career. I have always wanted to be a teacher for as long as I can remember. My love for teaching started very young when I would play school with my siblings growing up. I chose Elementary Education specifically because I love to work with children and I believe that elementary education is so important because it shapes the new generation. Education is extremely important to me, and the biggest obstacle for me now is how affordable it is. Change happens from generation to generation from my grandmother's time where education was unavailable, to my mothers time where education was minimal, and my time where I received a good education. I truly believe that this is an attainable goal and that the future generation will receive free higher education.

My academic experience is a unique one because of the different experiences I have had throughout my lifetime. I have been to three different schools in elementary. As for middle school, I stayed in one school until the 8th grade which I have had the privilege to do in Yemen. This shaped me because it was a big challenge being that everything was taught in Arabic. In high school, I did two years in a public school and the other two years, I did homeschooled and completed the two years in one semester. As of the class of 2022, I was able to graduate high school in November 2020. I did two years at Moraine Valley and am currently attending Governors State University. When it comes to what drives me to pursue my career in education, It always comes back to my background. I am from a small village in Yafa, Yemen where education was not prioritized or readily available for women. For example, my mother only completed the fifth grade, and her mother never went to school. I know that compared to them, I am privileged. Not only did I complete my primary and secondary education, but I also am able to complete my higher education for a career that will educate future generations. I value education greatly because I do not take it for granted. I am a first-generation American as well as the first generation of women in my family to complete their education. I am proud of where I am from and who I am because of it, a driven and motivated woman in education. I have had many obstacles throughout my education, such as covid 19 and my culture, that have made the journey tougher for me. Covid hit when I was a sophomore in high school, but my goals were greater than the pandemic. I transferred to a homeschooled high school where I completed my high school degree that same year. This was difficult because I had to start college during the pandemic. It was hard to make any connections or have a relationship with my classmates and professors. My culture also made it hard for me because not many women in my culture go to college. We are expected to get married and take care of the home instead of pursuing a career. I respect my culture greatly and want to honor my educational goals and my culture. In 2022, I got married to a man who supported my goals and continues to support me. This is how I honor both my culture and my career. I have always wanted to be a teacher for as long as I can remember. My love for teaching started very young when I would play school with my siblings growing up. I chose Elementary Education specifically because I love to work with children and I believe that elementary education is so important because it shapes the new generation. Education is extremely important to me, and the biggest obstacle for me now is how affordable it is. Change happens from generation to generation from my grandmother's time where education was unavailable, to my mothers time where education was minimal, and my time where I received a good education. I truly believe that affordable education an attainable goal and that the future generation will receive free higher education.