This is me by Haley

This is me by Haley - January 2015 Scholarship Essay

There are many important individuals in my life who have influenced who I am today. At the top of the list are the teachers who I have had throughout my life, both good and bad. My teachers have taught me what it means to be truly passionate about something, how to deal with less than favorable situations and the benefits of learning. However, if I were to give one piece of advice to teachers to help me learn it would be to try to understand me and where I am coming from. Work with me. Show me my potential and how I can achieve it.

We are all products of our genes and the environment that we grew up in. My genes and experiences have caused me to have a particular disinterest in math. I find the subject boring and pointless most of the time. Because of these circumstances, my grades in math subjects are often the lowest out of all of my subjects. I thought I was doomed to be plagued by numbers forever. But my eleventh grade pre-calculus teacher showed me the light. At first, I struggled in the class, just as I had in every math class before. But my teacher helped me. He understood that I did not particularly enjoy math and helped me to understand it through different means. He showed it was possible for me to ace his class, something I had thought impossible my entire life since I usually got Bs and Cs in math. I found my potential in math. I ended the year with an A in the class, a revolution in my eyes and my family’s eyes. Because of my new found confidence, I decided to take Calculus during my senior year of high school, something I would have definitely avoided before. I have the same teacher as before, which has helped tremendously in my success. I still surprise myself with what I can accomplish. And I have one teacher to thank for that.

High school is a time for discovering yourself and who you want to be. When I entered high school, I was very confused and struggling with my identity. I had no idea who I was going to be. One teacher changed that. In the tenth grade, I took a Spanish class with no more intention than fulfilling a graduation requirement. But it turned out to be so much more. The teacher was very funny, smart and nice. She made me realize a passion I did not know I had. She seemed to understand my personality, my limits and what I was capable of. Because of her, I began to love Spanish. Every day I looked forward to going there and seeing what was happening. It was one of the only classes that year that I truly enjoyed. While others complained, I was happy. Now, I am looking to minor in Spanish in college or at least take some Spanish classes. All of because of one person, I discovered a little more about myself and I am very thankful.

These two teachers showed me what a truly good teacher looks like. They are inspiring, encouraging and helpful. They have helped me become who I am today, someone very different than when I started high school. I am proud of myself and what I have accomplished and these two teachers have helped me get here. They have helped me learn.