At this point in my life I have been asked several times why I have chosen to become a teacher. It is a well-known fact that educators are not highly paid. In Utah, they often leave to pursue a different career within five years of their first teaching job. Public education is fraught with politics, in and out of the school. So why would I choose such a field to study and work? Put simply, I believe I can make a difference in the lives of our youth. This statement implies more than just the teaching of a specific content to children. As I grew and progressed through high school, I can provide the names of three teachers who did more for me than just teach. These individuals served as life coaches, continually urging me to perform at my best and to pursue my dreams. With these teachers support, I found what I loved in life and make those things a part of myself. One of those passions was English literature, which I have continued to study with the hopes that I will be able to share that passion. This passion I have for literature goes beyond the written word. I have a passion for people, their goals and aspirations. I believe it is a teacher’s responsibility to love what they teach and who they teach. Without this passion, students suffer. I believe that knowledge and education are ever changing and evolving. There will always be a new world to discover and I feel it is my responsibility to help my students see this, pursuing this knowledge if necessary. Because I believe in this evolving state of education, I plan to always be ready and willing to adapt my instruction. This could be for a single lesson, a whole part of a curriculum, or even a lesson to better suit the needs of my students. Where knowledge is fluid, I believe teaching should be as well. Lastly, I believe our public schools are institutions of change. With knowledge comes great power, such as the ability to create, experiment, theorize, and influence others. Our country will always need bright, young minds to promote change. These changes might take place on a smaller scale within our local communities or they might take place on a global scale. Regardless, the solution to ending world hunger, promoting world peace, changing lives, and healing our planet, stem from the nurturing and support of these students. I am delighted to be a part of this change. I am forever grateful to have found a calling that has resonated with me and will resonate within me for years to come. I look forward to teaching our youth, not just about literature, but the world as well. And I am eager to support them in reaching their dreams. As Nelson Mandela once said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”