I have always been one of those people who struggles to find that thing in their life that they are passionate about. For some lucky people, they develop their gifts early and find ways to turn those gifts into something that they can build a career around. For me, it took several years and a very, very patient wife to help me realize my passion for teaching. Since transitioning to teaching and completing my Master's degree, I have never once not looked forward to going to work and helping kids realize their potential and ability to be successful. Nelson Mandela said "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." This is something that speaks to the core of my personality and why I wanted to be a teacher. Science, and biology in particular, have always interested me and being able to teach these subjects fills me with great pride and joy. I know science isn't everyone's favorite subject but there are lessons to be taught that can help change someone's perspective forever. I want every student I work with not to remember what mRNA does (its responsible for DNA transcription, remember?!), but to be able to look at the world they live in, the people they interact with, and the situations they find themselves in and be able to take a step back and use the skills they learned in my class to make the best possible decisions in all areas of life. These are skills, like reasoning and critical thinking, that all students, regardless of their background, can use to help them become productive, thoughtful, and responsible human beings. Over the last several months I have had Matthew 9:37 stuck in my head. It reads, "Then He said to His disciples, 'The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.'" For the last 26 years, I have struggled to find the skill that I could use to make a difference in the lives of people with whom I come into contact. Now, that I have that skill, I can't help but be driven to find a way to put it to good use. I began searching for opportunities to teach and serve and I found the website for TYCEN and immediately felt that this is the group that I can work with to make a difference in a community that could desperately use my help. I finally have a skill that is needed throughout the world, in every community, why not get out there and try to make a difference? So here I am trying to make a difference and I cannot do it without your help!