When I was in 8th grade, I began to explore career fields in which I could impact and influence a child’s life for the better. I remember having a conversation with my mom, telling her that I was thinking about becoming a school counselor. I’ll never forget the moment when she looked at me and said, “Rach, you will get to have such a deeper impact on their lives if you’re in the classroom with them every day.” My heart had never felt such a peace regarding my future profession. My mother, an educator herself, homeschooled me until I was in high school. She instilled in me that I was capable of learning difficult concepts and that struggling was not only part of the learning process, but also proof that I was trying. It was from her that I learned the importance of discipline and working hard in all my endeavors. I want to be a teacher like my mom, inspiring confidence and growth mindsets in my students. 

It is incredibly important to me that every student who walks into my classroom knows that they are capable and invaluable, they have potential and worth, and they are able to lead to make a difference. I aspire to work alongside my students, teaching them how to utilize their strengths and face their weaknesses. I hope to be a teacher that inspires effort, engagement, inquisitiveness, confidence, and a desire to dig deeper. It is my hope to raise up hard workers that joyfully serve others and contribute to society.