Why I Want To Pursue The Rotary Scholarship

School is a place where individuals grow, develop, and explore their future interests. This necessitates that the classroom is an environment where students feel supported, respected, and competent. I

Each day school children learn valuable skills and lessons from their teachers as well as through interactions with their peers. Although school, undoubtedly,

Today, teachers strive for the creation of positive and influential learning environments for all students. Moreover, they aim at increasing children’s chances of succeeding. They constantly re-evaluate their teaching strategies for educational improvement of students. Teachers create supportive and respectful school environment that makes students strive for more prosperous and eventually rewarding lives. According to Deborah Tannen, the teacher’s encouraging and

“…apart from the prime and given responsibility of teaching selected content and skills, middle school teachers must be about the business of helping students believe in themselves, form their character, discover their interests, nurture their potential, gain a sound perspective on their physical development and related health issues, and develop those universally and critically important humanitarian and social skills—all while daring them to be their best selves, to breath deeply, and to live well at the moment.”

Today’s youth feel the need to be perfect. Having any flaws has been beaten into kids as an awful quality. Scared of ridicule from their peers and parents, today’s youth work hard to maintain an impossible image. Students lose sleep, a basic human need, to complete their ever-growing amount of homework. They miss out on social interaction, a key component to any healthy human’s life, just to complete homework, work a part-time job, play sports, commit to after-school activities, and household responsibilities. Young people tend to feel overwhelmed and are unable to properly control and release their emotions. Older generations think these outbursts are because today’s youth are entitled. On the contrary, today’s youth are competing on a personal, physical and even emotional level with every other person their age and older to be the best to have the best opportunity to live a good life.

Dr. Debra Koss ( child psychiatrist) believes that in our society today teens and parents face more stress and pressures than ever before. When a student acts up the first thought should not be punishment but what is going wrong in this young one’s life and how can it be helped. In Fund du Lac High School three hundred fifty-eight freshman out of six hundred thirty-two participated in mental health screening and sixty-four percent of the students tested were diagnosed with a mental illness. Many factors are contributing to this bad school environment ranging from overworked students, students ridiculing other students and faculty that genuinely do not care about the students. A teacher, who does not take interest in the students and does not do their best to make sure their students succeed, risks destroying their students confidence. 8,300 students drop out on a average day. These students say they drop because they don't feel safe, they can't keep up, they couldn't attend everyday or they did not have the confidence they would finish the class. Students everyday are either dropping out or hurting themselves because of the events that happen inside these school buildings. Forty percent of parents say children experience the most stress from academics. Chronic stress causes a sense of panic which causes more stress. “Despite whatever is going on -if you are a bit depressed, stressed, or overwhelmed you want to put up this positive

In chapter 5, Reforming America’s Schools, I learned many things that affect me as an educator. An important fact that interests me was that there are four goals that schools should follow. The first one is academic, including a broad array of knowledge and intellectual skills. The second one is vocational, aimed at readiness for the world of work and economic responsibilities. The third one is social and civic, including skills and behavior for participating in a complex democratic society. The fourth one is personal, including the development of individual talent and self-expression. This will affect me as an educator so that I can follow and do my best to complete these goals. Now I am aware of what should be done in a classroom.

I believe I am uniquely qualified to become a recipient of the Matteson rotary scholarship. I am a dedicated, hardworking student who made a commitment to “Service above Self,” something the Rotary stands for. Attending a college prep charter high school, where extracurricular activities are encouraged, I became an active member of the student council - elected student council president in my junior and senior years, inducted into the National Honor Society, became a member of the InterAct Community Service Club, member of the Dance Team, member of the Media Club, Captain of the Track, Cross-Country and Basketball teams, maintained a 3.9 GPA, and all while playing a key role in organizing social, cultural and community events for the school, and leading group meetings for the various organizations.

It is very important that children feel safe in the classroom environment. A large number of children find that school is the only “stable” place they have to go. Students also need to be given a voice within the classroom. Given the fact that children do not have much power over their lives outside school, they feel a sense of worth when they are given the chance to speak and be heard. A great deal of information can be obtained by just listening to these children.

he author offers the reader new insights into the minds of our nation's children. This book covers all of the wonderful stories he has heard and the important truths he discovered, truths that every adult should learn and understand. The most profound discovery is that parents, more than anyone, needs to rediscover the simple, classic art of listening to their kids. Parents need to give their children a forum to express himself or herself is empowering. They need to allow their kids to express their emotions. Parents need to understand that when they diminish their children's problems as unimportant these kids can't learn and struggle for achievement in school and become who they need to become in a meaningful way until one's emotions are in balance with the brain. The author explains, parents need to ask their children other questions about their lives beside family and school. Many kids feel anxiety because of tormenting, teasing, derision, ridicule, and humiliation by their peers. explained how school provides few outlets for students to express their feelings.

Middle school students, also known as adolescents, aged ten through fifteen go through a massive change of life. These students are transitioning from being a child to being a mature adult. Development will range depending on the student. Some fifteen-year-old students may act and look like a ten-year-old student, while some ten-year-old students may act and look like a fifteen-year-old student. The main areas of development at these ages include Intellectual, Emotional, Physical, Sexual, Social, Personal, and Moral Development. While the adolescent develops in these areas, we as the teacher must promote harmony inside and outside of the classroom. Some teachers today tend to promote discord in the classroom. The best ways to promote harmony inside and outside of the classroom is discussed in David Strahan, Mark L’Esperance, and John Van Hoose’s book titled Promoting Harmony: Young Adolescent Development and Classroom Practices Third Edition. The book consists of five chapters. Chapters Two through Four focus on the development areas while Chapters One and Five directly focus on ways to promote harmony inside and outside of the classroom.

While college is undoubtedly a major financial burden to the majority of young people pursuing post secondary education, I also believe that a scholarship from such a notable source carries additional weight. Not only would this scholarship be a financial benefit, but it also serves as a reminder to stay true to the values the Rotary Club upholds.

High school is a crucial period for all adolescences, it’s a time where teenagers are approaching young adulthood, their learning new skills rapidly, and making important decisions (Blakemore, 2011). For this reason, it is highly imperative for high school students to have positive influences in their lives, especially in their educational setting. In high school, educators play an important role in their student’s lives because they have the opportunity to have a stronger impact on their future and their goals. In addition, they also have the opportunity to, inspire them to learn and try new things, teach them how to make sound decisions, and encourage them to collaborate with their peers (Bellanca & Brandt, 2010).

Time and time again teachers have changed their teaching ways to fit the new generation of students. I believe students need self discipline and have to have a great support system to be successful in school. Parents is a big key for a student's success and it all starts off with them being supportive in everything their kid strives to do in his or her life. The student’s main objective is to wake up every day and be on time for school. Throughout this week we have been doing different types of research in our classroom. In total we read one story , three articles, one video documentary and were in charge to take notes on quotes and details. In order to bring success to Anaheim schools we need to establish discipline , teaching kids to have a growth mindset , and more interaction with partners.

Joining the Rotary club is by invitation only and the candidate has to meet certain criteria. Prospective Rotary members must be a career professional, had to demonstrate a commitment to community service through personal involvement, able to pay annual membership dues and attend at least 50% of the weekly meeting at his/her local club. Even though there is no age limit to join Rotary club young adults who are still in college and hasn’t yet reached their professional goal can join Rotaract club and actively involve in their community and work on various projects. In other hand, middle school and high school student aged 12-18 can also join Interact club, which is also sponsored by the local Rotary club.