Donchell, Grade 12

I am an AACPS: Student, Annapolis High School

In life, we are constantly being taught by our parents, teachers, friends and even strangers. I often say to myself that when you meet, talk or interact with someone they’ll leave a footprint in your life. Good or bad, it’s up to you to take what that person said, did, or experienced and make it great! I often thought about how I could help change or create change.

Honestly, I went through my time in school with the mindset that my teacher left me: “you have the greatest key to change the world–Education.” Pondering that saying, I noticed that where I lived, where I was raised, it wasn’t perfect. My mom had a mindset that she instilled in me since birth, which was “I want all my children to get an education, go to college and live a better life than I did, I want you all to show people that you can be in the world, but not of it.”

Growing up with those mindsets, both from home and school, I used them to constantly remind myself that, as William Butler Yeats said, “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” In my four years at Annapolis High School I realized that I wanted to become a Child Therapist. I want to help and give back to my community, teachers, and the constant support I had throughout my life. I want to create change by doing something I love. As a Child Therapist I would be able to help children work on problems to find ideas on how I can help them become a better person and friend and deal with challenges.

My life has constantly been affected by my teachers, my family, and my friends. I owe all my success to them, not because they taught me, but because they have continued to inspire me and support my life. So, I have left my mark and I continue to leave my mark with the continued support of teachers and family support.