I have always wanted to help children reach their potential and believe in themselves. I hoped to make a difference in my students’ lives the way some of my teachers had made in mine.

I had a student that suffered from depression while in my class and I got the counselor involved to get her the help she needed. She came to see me when she turned 18 to show me her new tattoo. It was my classroom number, “I’m so proud of you” which I told her daily and a star because I called my class Saffell’s Stars. She told me I saved her life that day because she had a plan to end it. I will forever be honored and remember the significance a teacher has on their students.

I work in a low income school district with many families in need. I would like to find a way to help some of the families I work with. This could be through setting up scholarships, paying off lunch accounts or donating all of the schools supplies needed, just for a couple ideas. I would use a small portion to pay on student loans.