Make Them Proud by Saniya

Make Them Proud by Saniya - January 2025 Scholarship Essay

Almost seven years ago, I met a lady on a bright, crisp, sunny day, at Forest Heights Academy of Excellence. I was not prepared and never imagined the impact this amazing lady would have on my life. That courage lady was none other than my fourth grade ELA teacher, Mrs. Asa. As fourth grade students with only 2 years left of Elementary school, of course there were some obstacles that took place in our classroom. There were kids who talked back, kids who didn’t listen, kids who wanted to be the class clown and disruptive just to get a few giggles here and there from their classmates. Even though Mrs. Asa faced these challenges as a teacher, she never let her students see her down. She was always kind and loving to the class and to me of course, I think I was one of her favorites. We never really knew how she was feeling deep down inside and what she dealt with behind closed doors, but we would soon discover somethings about her that her my role model.

Mrs. Asa had a family in the Philippines that she had to leave behind, which took a lot of courage and maturity. She came alone to the United States to not only be a teacher but to start a new and better life for herself and her family. Mrs. Asa spent over 10 years without her family and also endured the 2016 flood in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. During this time, she missed out on lots of family time, birthdays, holidays, celebrations, and many other things that took place in the Philippines with her family. No matter how many days she missed with her family, she came to work every day, worked hard, and never had a frown on her face. She was like a ray of sunshine that covered the room with peace and happiness every day. She loved us and we loved her.

Over a decade later, Mrs. Asa was able to be reunited with not only her husband but 2 of her 3 daughters. While this was a happy moment for her, it was also bittersweet knowing that one of her daughters was still away in the Philippines. Even though this was hard, she managed to get past it and later was able to reunite with her family. Mrs. Asa was not only an English teacher, but she was a great role model and a listening ear. As a young girl I always knew that there was something special about Mrs. Asa but wasn’t able to put my finger on exactly what that was. It wasn’t just our cultural differences, but her dedication, drive, determination, courage, and her selflessness. It was her hugs and sweet encouraging conversations that really made a difference in my life.

Mrs. Asa made a huge decision that most people wouldn’t have made in today’s society by leaving her family for a long period of time. She has not only inspired me, but she has given me the confidence to be the best person that I am today. She also taught me to remember, all hard work that’s put forward will make room to receive a bigger reward in the end.

As I watched Mrs. Asa survive day after day without her family I was motivated and inspired to be the best I could be. I wanted to be strong and dedicated to my goals and dreams just like she was. Mrs. Asa will forever hold a special place in my heart. Because of the impact she has had on my life I want to one day start a scholarship for students so that I can impact somebody's life like she impacted me.