Dear Ms.Ortiz, My name is Thaoreedah Ajidele. I was a student in your 4th-grade classroom back in 2014. I would like to say thanks for going above and beyond in your role as an educator. When I was in your classroom, it was always easy for me to notice how you made the role of being such an outstanding teacher look effortless. The work you would put into making delicious homemade Oreo cupcakes and Jeopardy review games for the class was never taken in vain. Your desire to make learning more enjoyable for your students influenced my classmates and me to study often, with more enthusiasm to become active learners outside of the classroom. The influence of your desire gave me the courage to pursue some hobbies of my own. In the year 2020, I decided to cater to my desire to create more affordable hairstyling opportunities for the black women in my community. I trusted my determination and willingness to improve as I decided to embark on this venture. I discovered my drive for hairstyling after realizing the fact that I wanted to develop the skill of styling hair. I studied hours of hairstyling content through the use of YouTube, and I spent hours practicing on a mannequin head I purchased to perfect my technique. The task of developing ‘Hairbyreedah’ itself gave me more appreciation for the process that creation requires. I was able to learn skills in branding and marketing myself as a small business. When I share the hairstyles I make with the world, I realize that I've created an opportunity to receive, as well as give back, appreciation for expressing my creativity. I am now inspired to create opportunities for communities that have a hard time being represented and well-accommodated. It is my dream to be their voice. I was always in awe as your student because, even as a child, I could feel how authentic you were with the techniques you used to inspire knowledge. Even back then, I knew that being an authentic individual was easier said than done in this world. You were sincere and kind whenever I needed help with classwork or even after I got a perfect score on my SOL. You treated each milestone with love and care, and you have motivated me to do the same as I go through life. You are a light that illuminates the beauty of learning. Teachers like yourself are uncommon, and I am more than grateful to have had you as a teacher I will never forget. Forever thankful, Thaoreedah Ajidele

As a first-generation Nigerian American daughter, my parents pressured me to achieve outstanding marks in school, stay out of trouble in my neighborhood, and take advantage of opportunities they never had growing up. I felt the urge to live my life according to their wishes. Nonetheless, my sense of desire overcame the non-stop presence of my parents' hopes. This desire led me to become more independent toward the path of success for my future. My newfound desire was a new motivation to push myself to get high marks, take challenging classes, and lead newfound clubs. Despite all these accomplishments, I recognized that I had no sense of self-worth apart from my appetite for success. I had expectations for a path that I had not thoroughly facilitated. However, after I received a rejection from a position in my school's Honor Court, an organization known to have some of the brightest high, achieving students in my school, this path would be solidified. I felt heartbroken after this rejection. I quietly burst into tears in the middle of my physics class and quickly escaped into the restroom, not wanting to face others in the trenches of my despair. The words 'you are a failure' kept repeating in my head for the rest of that school day. Later that week, I discovered a headline on the news: "Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson faces intense questioning on the second day of confirmation hearings." I was intrigued, given that she was a trending topic on social media. I observed Ketanji's responses to the questions the Republicans asked her and how she stood her ground despite the labels the Republican senators wanted to put on her during this hearing. I gained inspiration from her perseverance and the fact that she looks like me. I decided that I would follow in her footsteps by persevering. I dismissed the burden of my rejection and began valuing more of my passions that had been less prioritized outside of my academic persuits. During quarantine, I started investing in the hairstyling business I created as a sophomore in high school. I rebranded my platform on social media and perfected the talent of braiding that I inherited from my Nigerian ancestors through the use of a $12 mannequin head. Soon enough, I began to receive new clients every week frequently. I love every minute of my time working on this endeavor, and so do my clients. I am proud to have created such an excellent opportunity for my community that caters to my passion for business and striving for financial independence. Business is all about perseverance, and so is success. When launching a business, you must believe in yourself and your vision. When I faced Ineffective marketing, strenuous clients, and budget cuts, I had to stand my ground the most, not only when my income was steady. Perseverance through failure taught me that it is in the face of adversity that I can shine the brightest and create the path that is the best fit for me. Although I learned failure is inevitable, I discovered that perseverance is a choice that can allow me to enjoy the challenges that my courage offers. Now, I no longer fear failure; I often welcome it into my world with open arms because I crave the process of coming out better afterward. Becoming a professional business executive may be difficult, but I have the armor of perseverance.

The smell of goat meat and red bell peppers hit my nostrils as I made my way into the kitchen. It was a sunny Saturday morning. My mom had just gotten home from work and she was preparing obe eran, a Nigerian goat meat stew for the whole family. I, my brothers, and my sister feasted on the stew, enjoying each other's company while watching Avatar: The last Air bender. Our father arrived hours later from his second job as a driver. After greeting him, we all saw how one of his customers had thrown up in his car. The stench of the vomit emanated from the back seat as we cleaned it up. Even though the day started off well, I could see the exhaustion in the eyes of both my parents. My parents, especially my father, did everything in their power to make us happy, but little did I know that behind all that effort and support was years of pain, struggle, and tears. Growing up, I never failed to hear the phrase “you have to work hard.” My parents never failed to work hard and provide for me and my three siblings. With four children and my mom and dad both working days and nights to provide for all of us, I understood that I had to mature earlier than the rest of my peers. When my parents came to America they had nothing. My parents had to stay in shelters just to keep me, their newborn baby, warm. They both left their families in Nigeria behind in hopes of creating a better life for their relatives in Nigeria. After my father got his degree from the University of DC, and my mom got her nursing license, my parents were able to afford a one bedroom apartment in Washington DC. My parents ended up sending me and my siblings to Nigeria for three years after each of us were born. They wanted to focus on making more money in order to give us better opportunities in America. When me and my siblings returned to America we still had to share a one bedroom apartment. My siblings and I had to sleep on the floor while my parents slept on an old mattress. This experience made me realize how my family was never handed anything in this country, we always had to work hard for what we deserved. When I was five years old, my parents were able to afford a townhouse in Virginia. We moved to Virginia because they wanted me and my siblings to be in a much safer area that offered a higher quality of education as well. As a child I never truly realized how much my parents had struggled to provide for their families in both America and Nigeria, until after the vomit incident. After my eyes were opened to how much my parents continued to struggle, I put my best effort into my education. I knew from a young age that education is the key to success. More importantly, I know that education is the key to opportunity. The hardships that my parents went through is what truly inspires me to take my education seriously. I work hard because I want to be successful. I know that in the end my efforts will push me further towards my goals. I know that my efforts will inspire other young Nigerian girls that are expected to only become stay-at-home mothers. My childhood has been an adventure that has guided and enabled me to blossom into the optimistic and hard-working person that I am today.