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At the end of my first semester of freshman year, I decided I wanted to major in education. I was motivated to become a teacher by my love of history and my high school history teacher’s impact on me.

Entering my history teacher’s classroom at Renaissance High School always caused a mixture of emotions: sadness on some days because the subject matter was complicated; happiness on other days because of my excitement for learning new things. But no matter how excited I was for the class and how hard I tried, sometimes it didn’t feel like enough to get the best grade possible.

At the beginning of 11th grade, I slowly lost myself, and my grades reflected it. I was unaware that teachers could access our grades for all classes. During our study period, my history teacher called me to his desk and asked me, “What’s going on because these grades aren’t looking like you?” I looked over at his computer screen, and I saw every grade of mine. That moment changed me. And knowing that he was checking my grades, I knew I had to do much better.

When deciding to become a teacher, I always reference this experience because I want to impact students like my high school social studies teacher impacted me. This past summer, I connected with my community on Detroit’s west side to start making my impact. I held a backpack and school supplies giveaway at my family’s church down the street from my high school. I chose this area because I knew I could access the church’s parking lot for distribution, and with my high school down the street, I wouldn’t be too far from students.

I worked with Charlie Grant of ABC Transportation for this project. He saw my vision and wanted to invest in it. My expectations were low due to a drive I held a few months prior, but to my surprise, all backpacks and supplies were gone before the end of the drive. When students and families stopped by, they were not only happy to receive the supplies but also inspired by what I was doing. I packed all the backpacks, hoping at least five people would stop by. By the end of the day, I had achieved my goal and touched the hearts of many.

From this experience, I continue to be inspired and excited to work in education. Teachers and staff are so important to students. I hope to continue to impact students’ lives once I gain my teacher certification. If others are inspired by this and want to give back to their community, I would tell them to go for it. I started with only a plan and my own money, but I’m hoping that this can develop into something much larger.

Written by Let’s Detroit Fall 2022 Campus Ambassador Bella Crayton