Elias

Elias says he was taught as a young boy that “a man is someone who doesn’t cry and is tough.” 

But then a man came into his life who “treated my mom well, respected her and loved her better than anyone else,” he wrote in his essay. And later another man, a teacher who became a mentor, showed Elias “how to come to terms with my feelings,” to such an extent that now, “I express my feelings every day.”

Because of these role models, Elias has concluded this: “What defines a man is being mature enough to realize when you’re wrong and make changes. What makes you a man is treating others with care and respect. I am thankful that these people guided me into the man I want to be in the future.” 

They have also guided him toward a profession. “I am studying to become a secondary English teacher,” he says, “because I want to be a teacher that makes students feel listened to. I want students to be able to talk to me.” 

Elias’s principal says younger students already view Elias that way. In a letter of recommendation, he wrote that Elias works as a peer mentor with a group of ninth graders. “Every week, he plans and leads lessons with his crew that focus on social-emotional growth. Elias has gone above and beyond to connect with his crew, and they not only look up to him but see him as someone who they can trust.”

Elias has this impact because of his “collaborative spirit, coupled with an innate sense of empathy and reflection,” his mentor says. “His consistent delivery of high-quality work, coupled with an enduring display of maturity and kindness in every interaction, is a testament to his character.”

The teacher/mentor that has made the greatest difference in my life is Mr. Price, my English teacher. Mr. Price showed me many things and how to come to terms with my own emotions, he taught me to believe in myself more and stop second guessing myself when I know the right answer.