It was during my Junior Year of High School that I had a life changing experience. I knew
that I wanted to be a teacher. I had wanted to be a teacher since the sixth grade. Mrs. Geraldine Stotler was my teacher for both fifth and sixth grade, she was the best teacher I ever had. I wanted to be just like Mrs. Stotler, but then a fateful event took place that December in 1988. Usually people think that fateful events are bad, but even an unpleasant event can be a stepping-stone. My fate was laid for me. It was no longer just about teaching, but about teaching against violence. It is a rough and angry world that we live in, but we can emerge stronger without being tainted by the violence around us. We need to rise above the violence, not contribute to it.

   I spent two years teaching a sixth grade class, but I knew that I needed to reach more children, more people. I decided that I would take the message from school to school, speaking to students and educators about the basis of violence, how to recognize and prevent the end result. I want to help others to be aware of their own feelings as well as the feelings of others. No one should feel helpless or alone, for fear is often the greatest motivator for violent action. By breaking down the walls of cynicism and opening a dialogue between student and teachers, as well as providing an outlet and resources I hope to stem the tide of violence in our schools. I am only one, but if one can make an ally you have two, and if two can make allies you have four and if four….