The Power of Being Influential by Benjamin

The Power of Being Influential by Benjamin - June 2021 Scholarship Essay

In my life, I have attended six different schools, so I have had quite a few different teachers. Some of them are very memorable, but others really are not. One teacher has really made a lasting impact on my life, much more than any other teacher has. The most influential teacher I have ever had is my Spanish teacher, Mrs. Alexander.

First of all, Mrs. Alexander has drastically changed how I learn and study in the classroom, for the better. In her class, we learn Spanish words, phrases, and sentences with actions or pictures to help us remember what they mean. Using this method, I have always been able to have an “A” in her, so I started using the method of using an action or picture to remember things. The use of this method led to better studying habits for me, which allowed me to achieve and sustain a 4.0 GPA. Without the influence of Mrs. Alexander, achieving such good grades would have been much more difficult.

Next, Mrs. Alexander helped influence me to run for Class Treasurer, which I ultimately won. Throughout high school, Mrs. Alexander always had me help her with fundraising, especially keeping track of the money. In addition to having me help her with fundraising, Mrs. Alexander helped me become more confident in myself in front of people. During my Junior year, Mrs. Alexander often had me help teach her lower level Spanish classes, so I had to become comfortable with speaking in front of classes of twenty to thirty people. The more I did it, the more comfortable I became with speaking in front of people, which gave me the confidence to deliver a speech to the school, so I could run for Class Treasurer.

Finally, Mrs. Alexander has influenced me into becoming a better person. Mrs. Alexander gained my trust very quickly once I joined her class, and she is one of the only teachers I am comfortable with sharing everything about my life with. Throughout my time in high school, I have been faced with many serious situations and issues, ones that I truly did not know what to do in. In all of these situations, I have been able to turn to Mrs. Alexander for advice. She always gave me really good suggestions for what to do in each situation, and all of that advice has made me into the person that I am today. Without the help that Mrs. Alexander has given me in the classroom and in life, I would not be even close to as good a person as I am today.

Even though I have went to so many different and experienced so many different teachers, Mrs. Alexander is truly the most influential teacher I have ever had, and I would not be surprised if she is the most influential teacher I ever have.