Many people know me as the guy who can sell snow to an Eskimo. I spent countless days throughout middle school and high school selling things for fundraisers for my school and even prom. So when I had people ask me, "What do you want to do with your life?" I told people I was going to go to school for business. Once I graduated, I was going to start my own business and soon after become quite wealthy. Fast forward two years and I am now an elementary education major hoping to teach middle school students.

Why would I want to become a teacher? Originally, I wanted to become a successful businessman so I could buy whatever I wanted and help make the world a better place. I soon realized that I had a gift other than selling and that was working with kids. I slowly began to realize how many children a teacher could help and I began to realize the impact that they would make. If a teacher were to average 60 kids a year and teaches for 30 years, that teacher could influence around 1,800 kids. All it takes is one teacher to reach almost 2,000 kids, any of which could be the President of the United States, a famous actor, a scientist that finds a cure for cancer, the possibilities are endless. Without teachers, we have nothing in the world. We would not have doctors, engineers, lawyers.

"You know you won't become rich if you become a teacher, right?"

If it was easy to become rich as a teacher, then we would not have teacher shortages all across the country. Every single person who becomes a teacher realizes several things when they become a teacher. 1. You will have all kinds of students come through your class. 2. You will have to change plans at the drop of a hat. 3. You will not be rich. You won't.

When it comes down to it, almost everyone has one teacher that went above and beyond for them. (You just thought of that teacher didn't you?) One of my teachers that helped change my world was Mrs. Dober. She helped me through a rough time because when I was in fourth grade my mother was diagnosed with cancer and she was there for me whenever I needed to talk. Sadly, she recently passed away unexpectedly and I hope that she realizes what she did for me.

There are so many reasons that I want to become a teacher and I am positive that there are teachers and college students who feel the same way. Money won't change the world for long. Changing and growing minds will change the world forever.

Mrs. Dober,

Thank you for everything that you have done for me. I hope that one day I can make as much of an impact on someone as you made on me. You will be dearly missed.