Fall Seven Times, Stand Up Eight by Jaclyn

Fall Seven Times, Stand Up Eight by Jaclyn - June 2019 Scholarship Essay

Throughout my time in school, I've had my fair share of teachers that I have liked or disliked. However, when it comes to my favorite teacher only one comes to mind. In high school , I had the same math teacher for three years. He always went out of his way to help if we needed it. He was very understanding and could sympathize with his students on what they were dealing with outside of the classroom setting. Not only was he a great teacher, but also a great person. He always was cracking jokes and knew how lift people up when they were down. I looked forward to the days where I had his class.
While he always presented himself as this happy man, no one really knew what was going on behind the scenes in his life. His health was not always the best, as he struggled with having cancer in the past. He was diagnosed with cancer again and fought to beat it. When he finally overcame it, his wife woke up one morning with no feeling in her legs. After doing multiple tests, doctors couldn't officially explain why she could not feel her legs. To this day, she goes to physical therapy to regain that feeling. While all this was going on, he showed up to school day after day with a smile on his face and made his classroom a fun work environment.
Knowing this information, he taught me that even when you're down, to get back up and keep fighting. It sounds cliche, but the saying "Fall seven times, stand up eight", perfectly describes the lesson he taught me. There were times that I had wanted to give up and quit but knowing that my teacher, who was struggling with his own life could still come in and put a smile on other faces, helped me push through. No matter what I had to overcome, I know there would always be a light on the other side and I him to thank for that.