My biggest supporter by Lorena

My biggest supporter by Lorena - March 2023 Scholarship Essay

Education plays a significant part in someone’s progress and development; people dedicate almost half of their lives to school- from kindergarten to college- spending almost everyday in educational institutions that are supposed to help create the best version of themselves. What some people fail to acknowledge is the fact that most of the time what is taught in school will not have an influence as great as the people who are teaching. Educators are the backbone of our society; shaping each and every child and teenager into an adult- they end up shaping society itself.
Each and every one of my teachers has helped me progress and discover myself; besides giving me their best, showing up everyday and teaching school subjects, they also taught me respect, ambition, determination and the importance of self-confidence. Growing up learning English as a second language I always had an immense appreciation for my English teachers, without them I could not be writing this essay right now. One of the most outstanding people in my life is my middle school English teacher; she is the one who helped me discover myself the most and encouraged me to always follow my dreams. She was my teacher only from 5th to 8th grade but she will always be my mentor. Growing up in an educational system that focuses on math science and memorizing rather than encouraging students to learn what they enjoy and letting them experience different perspectives has taught me multiple valuable lessons.
I have always had a passion for foreign languages and literature, I am not a math person and that has not been exactly an advantage in Romania’s educational system. People always disconsidered me and underestimated me because of that because the predominant mentality is that “ you can’t get anywhere in life without mathematics or sciences”. There have been times where I was deeply discouraged and felt like I am not smart enough to achieve my goals in life or to build the career I have always been aspiring to. However, there was one person that alway reassured me and helped me realize how valuable my knowledge and passions are- my English teacher. She was my biggest supporter when I wanted to give up all my dreams and she managed to see something in me that everyone else failed to acknowledge- she brought out the best in me and encouraged me to keep doing what makes me happy. I have always had high expectations from myself and I’ve always known I wanted to study abroad and have significant academic accomplishments. Most of my teachers were not extremely supportive regarding my goals and never believed I would be able to achieve them because I was ot fitting in with their idea of a “smart student”- which did affect me at times and made me highly doubt myself more than I should have. However, knowing that she was always in my corner and would support my passion and my vision helped me get through it and realize how important it is for me to always follow my path and keep doing what I love.
There have been many occasions where I was doubting myself to the point I was about to give up on my dreams and start trying to settle for less- for what people would think I was only capable of- in those moments my English teacher helped me regain my confidence. She sat down with me and talked about how unique each of her students is. She guided me through 4 of the most important years of my life- she helped me discover my passions and she helped me believe in myself by being the first one to believe in me. She would always push me to work harder, to study and focus on myself- not only has she taught me English, but also to be disciplined and determined while shaping me into the person I am today. She spent hours and hours helping me study outside of school, she helped me write my essays and apply for scholarships- she knew I was capable and she was there to support me every step of the way.
At the end of the day, I am endlessly grateful for having the opportunity to learn from her and having her as one of my biggest supporters. She believed in me even when I did not; she helped me progress and become who I am today. I could not have achieved everything I have without her in my corner and I will never be able to thank her enough for guiding me through it all. Not only has she had a significant impact on my education but also on who I am as a person.