Scholarship / How did you become interested in your area of academic focus? What influenced your choice of this ma [3]

My area of academic focus stems from two different parts, a love of teaching and an interest in math. Throughout childhood to adulthood students are asked the question, "What are you going to do when you grow up?" Some kids want to be movie stars, NFL players, or musicians and then they changed their mind every year as their interests and perspective on life changed. For as long as I can remember I wanted to be a teacher. I wavered on what age and subject I wanted to teach but now that I am in college I have decided to go into secondary education focusing in math.

In my senior year of high school I did a volunteer teaching experience for a class of sixth graders for a season. I taught them the language of ASL and about another culture. They played games and afterwards received a lesson about teamwork and sportsmanship. They presented and I saw how cohesive they were as a group when some students became nervous and the others wanted to help and show them the next sign. At the end of the season the class signed a Christmas song and one parent came up to me and told me how her girl looked forward to each time I was coming to class and how she was so happy learning the new language and with her progress. That and seeing the children's faces light up throughout my class was a defining part of my life. That is when I knew teaching is really my dream job.

I started out liking math because I was good at it; it felt rewarding to be able to understand it easily and make good grades in math. Then as I started to take harder math classes concepts didn't always come as easily but it was okay because I enjoy a good problem. Math gives me intellectual satisfaction when I can add one concept onto another to solve a problem or when there is a hard problem and it takes work and critical thinking to get the solution. It is an objective field and once I solve the problem I can know that I did it right. As I learn more about math I understand how it connects to the world around us and how important it is to society.

Throughout my time in school and volunteer experience I found out what I love and that is the driving force behind the decision of my major. I have been the personal recipient of great teachers and seen what impact a good teacher can make in a student's life. I know that if I do my dream job right I can inspire youth and lead them into their dream jobs and successful futures. I will be studying and teaching on a subject that I find fascinating the more I learn about it. My area of academic focus is something that I know I am intrigued by and know I can make a difference in my community with it.

Writing Feedback / What would it take for you to consider your life succesful? [2]

When you look back on your life in 30 years, what would it take for you to consider your life successful? What relationships or accomplishments will be important on this journey?

The greatest accomplishments cannot be boiled down to a single moment instead they are evidence of how a life is lived. Bessie Stanley wrote, "He has achieved success who has lived well, laughed often and loved much." I agree with her philosophy and ultimately that is the lens that I will measure how successful I have been in my life.

Saying that one needs to live well is vague but fitting. For each person living well means something different. I am driven and in order for me to consider my life a life well lived I have to accomplish the goals that I have set. I want a life where I set out a plan of what will make me successful that day, week, or year and go through with it. There is great satisfaction in the struggle of working hard towards a goal and then being able to finish it. In thirty years I want to look back at my goals and see that I was determined to earn my successes and happiness, that I graduated from college, worked doing my dream job, made the difference in other's lives, and continually learned. Another aspect of my perception of living well is being able to follow my heart and be myself. I will have to continually learn more about myself as well as like and accept myself. For me, living well means keep making progress in life and yet to be happy with who I am and where I'm at in life.

Laughter is a way to strengthen relationships, relax, and simply enjoy yourself! Everyone enjoys the company of another person who can see the humor of a situation and make them laugh. Humor is a quality of perception that enables us to experience joy even when faced with adversity. Our sense of humor gives us the ability to find delight and to release tension. The best part of laughing often is it brings a smile to my face and brings joy to my life.

Relationships help us understand who we are therefore having loving relationships is critical for a successful life. Having close-knit relationships gives me a positive way to define myself as a daughter, sister, friend and thirty years down the road also as a teacher, mentor, mother and a wife. When giving love in these different roles it can help people in their own endeavors to more fully embrace who they are and get through the day. I want to be the person to help someone find their passion, pick them up when they are getting down, and help lead them onto the path where they will consider themselves successful. As people have positively impacted my life I want to give love back to them and to society.

When I look back on my life I want to see that I have been happy. My greatest accomplishments will not be about what I have instead they will be about who I am: someone who is happy, someone who laughs often and someone who loves and is loved.