“It was not a thing but a person,” said junior Priyadarshini Singh when asked what inspired her to pursue a career in education.

Singh had always loved English, and it was always a subject that came naturally to her. Consequently, her seventh grade Verbal class with Ms. Murray was her favorite period of the day. She would always look forward to what they learned in class and the exciting activities planned for the day.

On this day in Ms. Murray’s seventh period class, students had come prepared with essays on a book they had been assigned to read. Although the process was time-consuming and tiring, Singh had crafted an essay that her seventh grade self was proud of. The essay was packed with carefully picked evidence, well thought-out reasoning, and a powerful hook fit to impress her classmates for their peer review.

She sat down at her desk and received her partner’s essay. Flipping open the page, Singh scoured through the essay reading every line and writing in the margins. She wrote what her partner had done well with their essay and what could be improved to make their paper the absolute best it could be. She even gave her partner useful tips on how she could mend some obscurities.

At this moment, something that was meant to be a regular class assignment changed into what would inspire her to want to be an English teacher, just like Ms. Murray. “I think it was because knowing that I could help someone in an area where maybe they need a little help made me feel better,” said Singh. This sentiment expressed its continuity through her life and into her junior year when this special moment came full circle.

Through Singh’s Teaching Practicum class, she was assigned to be a Teacher’s Cadet for Ms. Murray’s AP Seminar course. From taking Ms. Murray’s class in seventh grade to being her cadet in junior year, Singh has shown growth from her memorable realization in seventh grade Verbal.