Beatrice Diaz Memorial Scholarship

As a child, I would spend all morning at school, and then come home and play school with my dolls in the afternoon. I have loved school since the first day I walked into my K3 classroom. This love for education has stayed with me until now. Ever since I was a small child, I have wanted to be a teacher, so that I would be able to share my love of learning with future generations of children. When I was in middle school, I had a wonderful math teacher who completely changed the way I saw the world of mathematics. She challenged me to grow as a learner and as a person. It was obvious that she was not only knowledgeable about what she was teaching, but that she was passionate about mathematical literacy. I thrived under her instruction, and she opened my eyes to a whole new way of looking at the world. However, my classmates struggled in math more than they did in any other subject. I soon discovered that I had a talent for explaining these concepts in a way my classmates could relate to them better. This began a passion in me to help students understand mathematical concepts in a way that they can relate to more easily. This talent I have for teaching and the love I have for learning are perfectly combined with my getting an education degree. I hope to use this degree to impact many generations of students and to share with them, even if it is in a small way, how wonderful learning can be. I am fascinated by the possibility of impacting children's and teenagers' lives, and I am passionate about helping them achieve their full potential and reach their goals. If I can have even half of the impact of the many excellent and knowledgeable teachers who came before me, I will count that as a wonderful legacy to leave behind. I hope to teach in a middle school or high school after I graduate with my undergraduate degree. I also would love to continue my education by getting a master's degree. I would consider it a huge privilege to be able to use some of my unique skills and experiences to impact students in a great way. I am especially passionate to be able to encourage Hispanic students in the USA to succeed, as well as to help students who struggle in math to be successful. I also hope to be an inspiration to any of my students who love math and education. But most of all, I want to be a teacher who loves her students and helps them to be the best versions of themselves that they can be.