For many, walking into a classroom is nothing more than a period for taking a nap, playing calculator games, or counting down the minutes until school is dismissed. Yet for others, it is a time where students are actually devoted purely to opening their minds to all new kinds of knowledge. And, that is what results from the actions of great teachers- teachers who have the ability to incorporate their passions into students, and inspire them to find their true direction in life. Becoming a teacher is the most useful career that a young person can choose today. Teachers are needed to encourage those students in class who otherwise feel uninspired.

In our world today, there is a continual need for strong leaders to help bring us closer to a better future. The youth today will build tomorrow, and are in need of teachers to motivate them, and encourage them reveal their full potential. I believe that the education a student receives shapes their careers and their contributions back to this country. Teachers are the basis of the future doctors who will save lives, political leaders to shape our country, scientists that cure diseases, and engineers to build our cities.

As a student, I have been very lucky to have worked with some of the greatest teachers who have had major impacts on my choices in life. When I was in Kindergarten, my teacher was the first to open my eyes of curiosity to all the many discoveries of life, whether it was teaching me how to color inside the lines or counting numbers with jelly beans. When I was a freshman in high school, I took my first Honors History class. My teacher of that class was the first person to really inspire me through his teachings. Learning dates and memorizing names was never as fun as the way he taught it, because he taught with true passion. I remember the students who usually sat in the back to blow spit bubbles were actually engaged in learning about Ancient Mesopotamia. I was amazed by the way he captured his students; the energy he felt was clearly evident through his teachings. This is what the future needs, teachers to excite students about anything and everything.

Unfortunately, many teachers do not get the salary they deserve. It seems as though our economy only enables people to chase after money, and not their dreams. Consequently, there are not enough teachers to give youth the vital education they need to succeed. That is why I believe that a major in Education, to lead to a career in teaching, is the most valuable. “The dream begins, most of the time, with a teacher who believes in you, who tugs and pushes and leads you on to the next plateau, sometimes poking you with a sharp stick called truth.” These words of journalist Dan Rather exemplifies the impact that teachers can have on the world today.

Sally is a dedicated writer for http://www.StudentScholarships.org. She is an expert in Teaching Scholarships, Financial Aid, Career Advice, and most other things college related.