I teach because I want to be a constant in my students’ lives — someone who pushes them to reach their highest potential, believes in them even when they doubt themselves, and teaches not only academics but also how to be kind, responsible, and resilient people.  My biggest influence to become an educator was my mom. Watching her pursue teaching as a second career and work in a Title I school in downtown Louisville showed me the profound impact a teacher can have on students’ lives. Seeing the relationships she built and the difference she made inspired me to follow in her footsteps and continue that same mission in my own classroom.