My mom, the Teacher by Michael

My mom, the Teacher by Michael - July 2016 Scholarship Essay

Growing up in a military family of eleven and moving every two to three years, it was difficult getting settled into a school due to getting pulled and put in a new one after every move. So finally when I was in the 4th grade my mother decided she would home school my siblings and I, until we were settled in a permanent location after military life ended. I was home schooled till I was a junior in High School, after which I graduated with honors and had completed over 35+ hours of dual-enrolled college credit classes under my belt.
Being home schooled was definitely an adjustment, everyone has their own pre-conceived ideas about what a typical home schooler is supposed to be like; introverted, odd or socially awkward, but nothing could be further from the truth in regards to my brothers and sisters. When I see what my siblings and I have accomplished so early in life it makes me very proud; from biochemical engineer, nurse practitioner, fighter pilot, CPA or myself an officer in the Coast Guard for over 7 years and now returning to Tulane University as an MBA candidate, proves the notion wrong, that being homeschooled would disadvantage us in any way. All these accolades we have received through the years come back to one person, the best teacher any of us ever had; my mother. Whether I agreed with her decision to pull us out of school and take it upon herself to home school us, what she did was nothing short of amazing. Expertly teaching grades from 10th, down to 1st or even preschool, she was always there when any of us needed any extra help or instruction. The first to wake up the last to go to sleep, she put the well being of her children and the priority of our safety and education above anything else. My mother gave up her career as a nurse so each one of us could be successful and contribute positively to society in the future. I think it would be safe to assume very few teachers could claim they would do the same for any of their students.
Throughout the rest of high school and my undergraduate years at Florida State University, I have learned great things from many different teachers, but the lessons I learned every day from my mother cannot be outdone. Her great example of unrelenting hard work, patience and the love and happiness she showed every day is something that we will always be grateful for, and it is something that we will never be able to fully repay.
Thanks for everything Mom!