TFA Letter of Intent

My passion in life can be summed up with a single quote: "I want to help people for a living. And I'm not talking about commercial customer service. I'm talking about the nitty gritty, helping people who have nothing, who know nothing, who, in the eyes of the world, are nothing" (Anonymous). Through the Teach for America program, I will not only be able to help provide children with a high-quality education but also open their eyes to all the possibilities that are within their reach. By joining the 2012 corp, I will be able to directly and positively impact the life of a child who might otherwise be looked over by society. I have a passion for helping those who are not viewed as significant in the eyes of others. Heartbreakingly, children from areas of lower socio-economic status often fall into this category. I want to show them that not only can they can beat the odds, but that they can set the standards by which all others strive.

While in high school, my Advanced Placement Psychology teacher encouraged me to seek opportunities that at the time seemed beyond my reach. She assured me that I was indeed intelligent enough to get into the University of Florida and so, after much prodding, I applied. The decision to apply and eventually attend the university changed my life in every way. I began to see what others saw in me and believe that I really could make a difference in the world. I owe much of my change in self-perception to the efforts of one teacher who pushed me like no other teacher had before. By forcing me to look inwards at who I truly was, I gained the ability to look outwards at who I could be become. Needless to say, I would love to have the opportunity to pay forward this gift to other students who are likely feeling exactly the way I once did.

Helping those who are in low-income communities is the focus of my heart and what will surely be my life's work. By participating in Teach for America, I will be able to assist in giving children opportunities that they might not otherwise have due to a lack of good education. The success that I achieve can be determined by the value that my students begin to see in themselves and each other. I humbly acknowledge that I may not be able to drastically impact an entire school in my first year, but if I can offer hope and possibility to even just one child, I will consider that year a triumphant success.