The Impact of Mrs. Jones by Ne'Vaeh

The Impact of Mrs. Jones by Ne'Vaeh - March 2023 Scholarship Essay

I first met Ms. Jones when I was five years old. My mom and I attended an open house to get to know my new teacher for the upcoming school year. My first impression of her was that she was warm-hearted, sweet, and had a passion for education. Fast-forward to the first day of school, and it took me a while to get adjusted. My behavior at the time wasn’t the best, and I had issues with talking excessively and getting off track. But even still, she would be patient with me and give me talks to help change my behavior. By the time my first parent-teacher conference came around, I remember her telling me, “Ne’Vaeh, you’re going to do great things in the future, but you have to stay focused and you have to start listening sweety.” I’m not sure she realizes to this day just how those words stuck with me. However, those words of encouragement have stayed at the forefront of my mind. That was my earliest memory of someone believing in me. Being the youngest child, when you are having behavioral issues, your oldest siblings would want nothing to do with you, and I often felt as though they didn’t believe in me. I needed guidance around that time, guidance that only she gave to me. And she continued to do so throughout the next three years that I attended that school. She became a grandmother figure to me and would always be there to help me out with family issues at home and the trouble I had with homework.
When I transferred to schools, unlike most kids that missed their friends, I missed my Mrs. Jones. She had become such an influential figure in my life. Leaving the school, to me meant leaving her. But with the help of my mom that didn’t happen. We kept in touch, and she would check up on my school transition from time to time also.
Upon entering the high school during the hectic pandemic. It was hard to stay focused while being at home with all my greatest distractions. Staying focused and on task was harder than ever; until I once again remembered that for me to succeed, I have no other choice but to stay focused. So that’s what I did, I made a set routine to follow every morning to ensure that I stayed on task. I created weekly and monthly objectives with success as my ultimate end goal. I even made a poster with her advice and hung it near my bed to remind me.
By this time, Ms. Jones and I had lost connection, but she was still motivating. I’ve made so many minor and major accomplishments thus far in my high school journey. From creating an exhibit on veteran homelessness to creating a podcast and earning leadership roles in my school. I am fully aware of the hard work I put into earning all my accomplishments, but I could never take all the credit.
It is because of Ms. Jones that I felt like I had a purpose and could do something with my life. She sparked a period of realization in me, that hard work and focus will pay off. And it is. A few weeks ago, after mentioning this awakening I had in my educational journey to my mother, she got back in touch with her and found her number. Before dialing her number on my phone, I was both nervous and excited. On one hand, I was nervous because what if she didn’t remember me on the other hand, I was excited because I missed her and couldn’t wait to tell her about all the great things I’d done. After three rings, she answered. She had begun to tell me about the many happenings in her life post-retirement and wanted to know what I had been up to. Once I told her, she couldn’t believe the ways that I’d grown. That’s when she told me that she was proud of me. Those three words meant so much to me. Especially coming from the person that sparked my motivation to become the person I am today in the first place.
I’m not sure if teachers know just how much it means to a child when they show us and tell us how much potential we have. Having faith in students goes a long way. And I firmly believe that Ms. Jones knew this and showed/told me to help not only better my education, but also better myself. I’ll always thank her for the impact she’s had on my life.