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Flo Jones

575

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Finalist

Bio

I am the daughter of a single mother, and my passion is helping children through gaining knowledge. I love anime, K-pop, and Thai dramas.

Education

Illinois State University

Bachelor's degree program
2023 - 2027
  • Majors:
    • Education, General

Richland Community College

Associate's degree program
2020 - 2023
  • Majors:
    • Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
  • Not planning to go to medical school
  • Career

    • Dream career field:

      Education

    • Dream career goals:

      Teacher in Japan

      Sports

      Cheerleading

      Varsity
      2019 – 20201 year

      Awards

      • no

      Public services

      • Volunteering

        Homestead — Cleaning historic homes
        2019 – 2020
      Aktipis Entrepreneurship Fellowship
      Possessing these qualities is difficult as this man was very driven and kind. One of the many ways he inspires me is through his leadership roles, volunteering for leadership roles in his community, and having such a drive for the local good, which is unmatched. As an inventor, he is constantly inventing something new anyway, so I can also take his knowledge in inventing. I love coming up with new teaching ideas. I don’t want to be a teacher coming up with new lesson plans or many other simple things; I think of how many new lesson plans I could create for my students. Teaching and learning is fundamental to me. My grandfather taught me that knowledge is more important than anything, and I take that to heart. I will always be learning something new from traveling, learning new things for my students, and learning new things from the world. I plan on teaching English overseas. Moving to different countries and learning new aspects about them is an incredible experience. I will always hope to ask more questions and gain more knowledge for the rest of my life, just as Aktipis did with his. I can only hope that I become half the inspiration he has become through eating. I have always struggled with my academic intelligence, but through college, I have maintained a 3.5 GPA, worked hard, and studied for the rest of my life. I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit when teaching. The second I got my associate's degree, I applied for my teaching license. I wanted to be able to be in the field as soon as possible and have the inspiration to lead students wherever I could teaching happened in the third grade, I was in class one day, looking at my teacher, and I thought this is what I want to do for the rest of my life inspire people as much as she did to me. so it took many years to decide what I wanted to teach, but when I got to college after I got my associates degree I discovered I wanted to teach english as a second language abroad I have traveled many times to England Dominican Republic into New York, and I loved the experiences of being abroad and staying there so I hope one day I can move abroad and teach and inspire as Mr Stelios Aktipis has done in his life.
      Combined Worlds Scholarship
      I have a deep love for traveling. I have been to the Dominican Republic, Disney World, New York, and England, and I plan on using my teaching degree to find an English as a second language job in Japan and teach in Japan for the rest of my life. I’m from a tiny town of 7000, and because of this, my worldview is also small. Traveling helps bring new experiences that I would’ve never been able to discover. The first time I traveled outside the country was to the Dominican Republic. I spent most of the time getting burnt by the pool and drinking piña coladas. I remember turning on the TV; all the channels were Spanish then. It was bizarre, but I am happy now that I know some Spanish words. Another one of my favorite places was England. This inspired me to change my life, plan, and move abroad permanently. I immediately looked into teaching English as a second language and what I had to do to move to another country. I loved the people, the culture, and especially the weather in England. It is always rainy, and this was my absolute favorite part. I loved being introduced to different cultures, languages, and others; from being in such a small town to seeing affairs taller than a grain mill, it was one of the best experiences of my life, even though I didn’t go up because I am terrified of heights. It also led me to significant personal growth as I realized I needed to develop my adaptability and problem-solving skills. I need to be able to grow as an adult and traveling is how when does that I’ve never traveled alone, as I’ve always traveled with my mom, and I hope that in the future, when I travel alone. I loved being able to be introduced to different cultures, languages, and others from being in such a small town to seeing affairs. Wheel taller than a grain mill was one of the best experiences of my life, even though I didn’t go up, because I am terrified of heights. It also led me to major personal growth as I realized that I needed to develop my adaptability and my problem-solving skills I needed to be able to grow as an adult and traveling is how when does that I’ve never traveled alone, as I’ve always traveled with my mom, and I hope that in the future, when I travel alone. I can take all the advice that she has shared with me over the years and use it for real life
      Book Lovers Scholarship
      If everyone had to read just one book, my pit would be Cinderella, but most likely, everyone has already read this. It is a universal book that has been read from ancient Egypt to having shoes instead of glass. Cinderella is one of the only books that has withstood the test of time about a prominent female heroine for so long, while The Odyssey and multiple other books may feature men. Cinderella is one of the only books in which a female saves herself. With genuine kindness, grace, and femininity, Cinderella can be a role model throughout the generation. I wish people would stop saying that Cinderella needed a fairy to save her, but on the contrary, the fairy only put her in the dress; her kindness for everybody throughout the world is what saved her. Cinderella is a kind woman who is unfortunately mistreated, but her strength and efforts hold a universal message of transformation and triumph. She is a model for hard work. Through her hard work as an orphan, she became a princess. No one else was able to captivate the prince. No one else was able to fit the slipper. No one else was able to go through years of adversity but Cinderella. Cinderella is also Walt Disney‘s favorite princess. Her transformation dressing is his favorite scene he has ever worked on, and this fact holds an extraordinary place in my heart. I think Walt Disney made such a fantastic adaptation of the book Cinderella. This book will last generation after generation. So, if I had to choose one book for everyone in the world to read, it would be Cinderella.
      Bookshelf to Big Screen Scholarship
      Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is my absolute favorite book and movie worldwide. It only had some minimal differences from the book to the film that, in my opinion, was not noticeable. I loved hearing the folk music originating from the Appalachian mountains and hearing Rachel Zegler have a country accent, which I don't imagine in the books. She was a perfect Lucy Gray Baird, and I loved her even more than I loved Jennifer Lawrence in The Hunger Games. I believe this because watching a warrior go to a performer is not as relatable as seeing a performer become a warrior. Lucy was a beautiful singer and performer, watching her fight for survival with something I couldn’t imagine even a quarter as. It was terrific in the film as it was in the books, and seeing Tom bring Coriolanus snow to life was incredible in The Hunger Games. Snow is just an older man as president, but seeing him as a teenager who also had to fight for survival made me relate to him in a new way. One of my favorite things to notice is HAL fashion in The Hunger Games is so different from the ballad of songbirds and snakes in The Hunger Games. We had a unique fashion that was gorgeous and high-end, but in the ballad of songbirds and snakes, the capital is still brand new, and we are not able to see the fashion that we did. They dressed very simply and were described as very simple in the books. The only thing I was not a big fan of was seeing the relationship between the districts in the movie on film. The districts were more of a unit initially, and there was very rare hostility between them in the Hunger Games. The tributes are more hostile towards each other during training. My favorite things were the expansion of the Hunger Games universe, watching how the games developed, watching her fashion develop, and watching how snow developed. Another of my favorite things is my name, Flora, which means flowers, so I like to say that flowers will continuously bloom just like snow lands on top. Watching one of my favorite book series become movies throughout the years is one of my favorite childhood memories from being able to watch the first Hunger Games movie out in theaters to me, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, in theaters. This trilogy has truly made me sov incredibly happy with how Suzanne Collins can write.
      Anime Enthusiast Scholarship
      When talking about anime, I always feel slightly judged. I don’t typically watch Naruto or One Piece because I am a romance anime fan through and through. My favorite is not technically labeled a romance anime, as it is a music anime about two women who share the same name. I discovered the anime around 2015 when I was in junior high. It was one of the first animes I had ever seen, and it instantly captivated my life to the point where I asked my mom for the movie, the Red Dress, and I even asked for the piercing shin on his lip. This anime still holds up from age 13 to 21. I realize that I am the same age as the two main characters, and I see how my life is compared to them and how they think. The two girls, Nana Osaki and Nana Komatsu are so different, but they can be combined into a friendship unmatched by any other. Nana Osaki is a musician in the black stones, while her best friend Nana Komatsu is a lovesick puppy dog nicknamed Hachi. They both end up sharing apartment 707 and they give each other advice through each other’s point of view; Nana Osaki, who is more levelheaded and serious, is always the backbone for Nana Komatsu. Nana Komatsu gives love and emotion into Nana Osaki's life that is much needed. I still listen to the soundtrack almost daily, which inspired me to want to teach in Japan. I plan on getting a degree in English as a second language to move and teach in Japan. It has unmatched themes in an anime, and I still hope for it to have more chapters written.
      A Man Helping Women Helping Women Scholarship
      Being passionate about teaching Is something that comes very quickly to me. I have always been passionate about helping others through my grandfather. My grandfather raised me with a strict love of knowledge and the value of education. He always raised me to understand how important education is for everyone. I discovered I wanted to be a teacher when I was eight. I remember sitting in class, looking at my teacher, and thinking, this is what I want to do with the rest of my life. She was always such a good inspiration and a kind woman that I will never forget Miss Mathis for the rest of my life. Whenever I struggled, she would always spend extra time with me. Whenever I doubted myself, she would always pick me up; whenever I felt stupid, she would always tell me how smart I was. Combined with my grandfather, I realized how important education is for society and how important teachers are for students. My goal is to teach in Japan or any Asian country. My cousin works in Thailand, and I would love to join him someday. I’ve been interested in Asian countries since I was ten, and I have been interested in education since I was little. So, I considered combining the two so Michael could teach English as a second language and move to Asia. I can already see how teaching it has affected my day-to-day life, and my family does, too. I’m always the one to volunteer to take care of the kids. In my family, the pets in my family or anybody who needs help. I love watching anime, listening to K-pop, and watching Thai dramas. My favorites are the anime, Nana Korean group BTS, and the Thai drama F4. Everything I do, I do with a passion. I always give 100%, even to my coworkers. I work at Autozone and love working on cars, but I don’t want it to be my full-time career. It’s more of a hobby. I started working at Autozone about two years ago, and since then, I’ve been through about five store managers, 30-night managers, and probably 100 more coworkers. I met some of my best friends working there and have learned more about cars than I could’ve ever imagined. Even during the summer as a teacher, I still plan on working on cars or in the automotive industry for fun, but working on cars for fun cannot compare to my love for education, knowledge, and teaching.
      Sacha Curry Warrior Scholarship
      Being passionate about teaching Is something that comes very quickly to me. I have always been passionate about helping others through my grandfather. My grandfather raised me with a strict love of knowledge and the value of education. He always raised me to understand how important education is for everyone. I discovered I wanted to be a teacher when I was eight. I remember sitting in class, looking at my teacher, and thinking, this is what I want to do with the rest of my life. She was always such a good inspiration and a kind woman that I will never forget Miss Mathis for the rest of my life. Whenever I struggled, she would always spend extra time with me. Whenever I doubted myself, she would always pick me up; whenever I felt stupid, she would always tell me how smart I was. Combined with my grandfather, I realized how important education is for society and how important teachers are for students. Education is the backbone of society, and without it, society cannot function. It is a foundation that teaches us how to read, write, and be social. My goal in teaching is to unlock my students' potential and help them become the people I know who can unlock their potential to boost their confidence and foster creativity. Confidence in reading, writing, and speaking can turn children into confident adults. My goal is to teach in Japan, and because this is my dream, I realize that teaching worldwide is universal. My passion for education has been felt worldwide through meeting people in other countries the same age as me I have found. Education is the backbone of society, while teachers are the backbone of students without teachers. Without teachers, learning would be limited. People would have to be able to self-teach, and it would be impossible for any student to ask a simple question or understand a simple fact without teachers. There would be no school, fewer social skills, no proper intellectual development, and no career options, leading to no society. Teachers are fundamental to education and culture; without teachers having a passion for school, life would be dry and dull. I hope that every day, I give my students something new to learn and something to smile about. I can’t wait to be a teacher and to see all my students sitting in their seats. Well, I will discuss the topic for the day. I can already see how my classroom will be set up and how amazing it will be.
      Sandy Jenkins Excellence in Early Childhood Education Scholarship
      Being passionate about teaching Is something that comes very quickly to me. I have always been passionate about helping others through my grandfather. My grandfather raised me with a strict love of knowledge and the value of education. He always raised me to understand how important education is for everyone. I discovered I wanted to be a teacher when I was eight. I remember sitting in class, looking at my teacher, and thinking, this is what I want to do with the rest of my life. She was always such a good inspiration and a kind woman that I will never forget Miss Mathis for the rest of my life. Whenever I struggled, she would always spend extra time with me. Whenever I doubted myself, she would always pick me up; whenever I felt stupid, she would always tell me how smart I was. Combined with my grandfather, I realized how important education is for society and how important teachers are for students. Education is the backbone of society, and without it, society cannot function. It is a foundation that teaches us how to read, write, and be social. My goal in teaching is to unlock my students' potential and help them become the people I know who can unlock their potential to boost their confidence and foster creativity. Confidence in reading, writing, and speaking can turn children into confident adults. My goal is to teach in Japan, and because this is my dream, I realize that teaching worldwide is universal. My passion for education has been felt worldwide through meeting people in other countries the same age as me I have found. Education is the backbone of society, while teachers are the backbone of students without teachers. Without teachers, learning would be limited. People would have to be able to self-teach, and it would be impossible for any student to ask a simple question or understand a simple fact without teachers. There would be no school, fewer social skills, no proper intellectual development, and no career options, leading to no society. Teachers are fundamental to education and culture; without teachers having a passion for school, life would be dry and dull. I hope that every day, I give my students something new to learn and something to smile about. I can’t wait to be a teacher and to see all my students sitting in their seats. Well, I will discuss the topic for the day. I can already see how my classroom will be set up and how amazing it will be.