Feedback by Layla

Feedback by Layla - August 2026 Scholarship Essay

My greatest accomplishment was learning how to speak. While I’ve always had the ability to, I never really put myself out there until I got a push. Back in 11th grade, I didn’t talk to anyone. I sat alone and ate lunch in my teacher’s classroom. That was how it was until my English teacher, Mrs. Nagey, came up to me and told me that if I didn’t start participating, she would have to move me to a different class. At that moment, I realized how serious it was and that staying silent was actually holding me back.
In class, we did weekly Socratic circles where we shared what we thought about the book we were reading. At the time, we were reading All American Boys, and someone was talking about the main character, Rashad’s dad. I waited until the time felt right and planned when to speak up. When the moment came, I raised my hand and quietly said, “I agree.” After class, Mrs. Nagey contacted my parents just to explain how proud she was of me and how grateful she was that I listened to her advice.
From that moment on, I realized that my voice was important and that people actually cared about what I had to say. I also realized that learning from other people's feedback can really change your life. As the school year went on, I slowly started speaking more and more until finally summer arrived. That summer, I was accepted into an overnight pre-college summer program for aspiring educators called Next Gen Teachers, and one of the requirements to go there was to create a lesson plan and teach a group of kids at Ferndale Elementary School. I was scared because I had only been using my voice for a few months, and teaching an entire class seemed horrifying, but I remembered how proud she was after I tried. That gave me the courage to do the best I could.
Before arriving at the program, I was freaking out. I had 3 roommates and I had to interact and collaborate with both them and others. But I took what I learned and tried putting myself out there on day one, and that was the best thing I could do. I made so many friends and connections.
When the day came to teach, I was placed with a group of rising 5th graders and taught a lesson about STEM and how we can use it in fun activities. The kids ended up loving it and asked if I was ever going to come back. Seeing their excitement made me feel proud. I was able to use my voice to create connections with people.
That made me realize that although I’ve always had a voice, learning to use it will forever be my greatest accomplishment. If it wasn’t for Mrs. Nagey’s feedback, I wouldn’t have gotten out of my shell and pushed myself. That is why I’m forever grateful to her and for the words she shared with me.