Scholarship Essay Entry – Jenica K.

During my years in high school I was involved in the charities department on our student council. It was through this program that, along with other compassionate students, I began to help the community. The experiences I gained through events like our community's Santa's Anonymous Food Drive, and the World Vision Thirty Hour Famine, are what sparked my commitment for helping not only those in my community, but people who have been struggling in less fortunate parts of the world as well.

Upon graduating from high school I knew I wanted to pursue my education further, but I felt very lost and confused as to what direction and field I should enter. It was because of this confusion that I decided to take a year off before continuing my schooling. During this time I was fortunate enough to gain employment as a Educational Assistant at Ermineskin Elementary School on the Ermineskin reserve in Hobbema. As a Métis youth, not only did I learn more about my own heritage while working there, I learned more about the Cree culture and the efforts that are being taken in its preservation. Hobbema is a town that has been portrayed by the media as a dangerous place, but through my experience I have seen the impact that the schools have in changing the community, and there are many positive actions being taken to change the way Aboriginal communities are represented. It is because of the children I worked with that I have decided to pursue a career in Education. Despite the daily struggles and hardship that these children have had to face, they still hold so much hope and excitement for learning. Anyone who becomes involved in the area will find it impossible to ignore the positive impact that education has had on the entire community.

I believe that education is the source of all the positive change and hope we want to see in our future. It is educators that have the easiest access and power to do this. A quote that has had an impact on my beliefs and direction in life is one by Nelson Mandela, in which he states that "education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." We live in an amazing country where the passion for learning is free of classism, racism and sexism. It is something that everyone has the right to and it is what can fuel positive change within any person or community.

I am currently in my second year of completing my Bachelor of Education degree. I have made it my ambition to influence the children I will teach, in a way that will encourage their curiosity and passion for learning. I believe that one good teacher in a child's school career can inspire and have a positive impact on them their entire life. With becoming a teacher, if I could have that influence on even one student, I would consider that a major accomplishment.