Prompt: Describe how a world event has helped to shape the person you are today.
The catastrophic, magnitude 7, earthquake that hit Haiti in January of 2010 indirectly shaped the person I am today. A family from the church I attend moved to Jacmel Haiti, close to the capital, Port-au-Prince and soon became directors of an organization. Because of that connection my church had, Haiti became the country of choice for our international mission trips. I applied in 2009 for the trip occurring the next summer and was ecstatic when I was chosen..
When the earthquake hit I was immediately concerned about the safety of the people I knew in Haiti and for the ones I didn't. I believed this meant that they would need our help more than ever, but I didn't think it would change our plans. That summer, just a few months before the trip, we learned that because of the violence taking place, as a result of the earthquake, it would not be safe for us to travel to Haiti after all. It was decided that we would travel, instead, to the Dominican Republic, next to Haiti, on the same island of Hispaniola. Although I was apprehensive about this change I immersed myself in the culture and serving the people that lived there. That trip changed my heart and put life in perspective. I know see the beauty in life and what it means to be truly happy and content. I am so grateful for that experience and the people I met and wouldn't trade it for the world.
Prompt: Which of your current or previous teachers do you admire most, and why?
Mr. Shelton, my fourth grade teacher, is one of my previous teachers that I admire most. Many people can't even remember the names of their elementary school teachers nonetheless the impact they made in their lives, but Mr. Shelton was one of the most inspiring teachers I've had. To some he was childish and maybe a little unconventional, but to me he was full of creativity and imagination and encouraged that in me daily. Every day was something different in that class and I always looked forward to coming to school. He knew my love of animals and my interest in science and math and pushed me to pursue those interests. He didn't just tell students to try their best, but he made actually made us want to do better for ourselves. His passion for children and teaching was evident in everything he did and the passion that I saw in him inspired me to do something that brought that same fervor. As a young child, when I would tell people I wanted to be a veterinarian they either thought it was cute or it was humorous, but Mr. Shelton knew, someday, that I really would be one. To this day my ambition to be a veterinarian, or help animals in some other way, has remained because Mr. Shelton taught me to dream and believe in those dreams with all my heart. I hope that one day I can be doing work that helps animals across world and that the passion I have for my job will inspires others the same way Mr. Shelton inspired me.
