One by One by Patrick

One by One by Patrick - July 2016 Scholarship Essay

I cannot say that I have had any one particular moment with a teacher that changed my life or gave me new inspiration. However, I do remember that the teachers who made an impression on me all taught me the same lesson. That they cared. They cared not only that I turned in my papers on time or got a good test score. They cared that I succeeded as a student and as a person. They wanted me to have the best chance I could for a higher education and a successful career. I remember one instance in particular when I had missed an important chemistry test to attend a swimming competition. My teacher Mr. Gritton was livid. Not because he felt I was insubordinate, but because there was no way to retake the test and it would seriously affect my grade. Like a parent he was angry that I had damaged myself by my inconsideration of the consequences of my actions. I still had enough credit to pass the class without the test, so if all he cared about was me passing the class there would have been no need for an emotional display to his foolhardy student. He showed me by his actions that I was invested in my future. I was humbled by his care and took more careful consideration in my other classes because of him.

This same lesson of loving care has been taught to me by teachers throughout my life both in and out of the classroom. For instance while I was serving a religious mission in Tokyo Japan the president of my mission was named President Nagano. He was a wonderful example of teaching and leadership and I am grateful I had the privilege of learning at his hand for a year of my mission. He taught that same lesson of care as he administered to each of the 170+ missionaries individually, taking care that each of them was help in their unique challenges. He taught by example how to lead, how to teach, how to do missionary work, and how to minister to the individual. He devoted his life to us. Interviewing every single missionary periodically and exchanging emails on a weekly basis with those who were struggling.

The lessons I learned from these two teachers and many others have showed me what it means to minister to the one. That lesson of one on one care and teaching has been a great example to me. That is the greatest lesson I have learned from a teach, that you make the greatest impact as you care for people on an individual and personal level. I will always be grateful for their examples to me.