My mother has always instilled in me the importance of education. Education is essential. It will help me get accepted to college if I perform well academically and advance my opportunities for success in the future. Most jobs now require at least a high school diploma, and for many jobs, a college degree is preferred. It is important that all students have excellent educators in their life to help them achieve and have the opportunity to go to college, get a job, support themselves and their family, and impact the community. As we celebrate and honor all teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week, I've reflected on the impact my teachers have had, and will continue to have, in my life. From Mr. Bowker, who challenged me in math, to Mr. Bernsteen, my health teacher who taught me the value of hard work, my teachers have helped shape the student I am today. But one of the teachers who left a lasting impression on me was my summer school teacher, Mr. Davis, who impacted me beyond the classroom. He found time to connect with me on a personal level and talk to me after class. I felt like Mr. Davis cared about my academic success and was committed to setting an example of what's possible. Mr. Davis could relate to what it was like to be a rising ninth-grade black male in today's society. He taught me how to speak up confidently and share my ideas with others. He told me that I was brilliant and that when I spoke, the world should listen. And when I would put my hand down because I was unsure of my answer, Mr. Davis would immediately say, "No _ , no glory." He never made me feel inadequate; he encouraged me to always pursue knowledge because he, too, was learning every day. Mr. Davis helped me navigate the challenges and take advantage of the opportunities. I think having more black male teachers like Mr. Davis in the classroom could increase student success. They would share the background and experiences of many of their students and help build long-lasting teacher/student relationships. But, unfortunately, the likelihood that students of color in Nevada will have a teacher that looks like them is one of the lowest in the country. As the student population becomes more ethnically diverse, teachers in Nevada still are predominantly white. According to a 2012 Education Week report, in the Clark County School District, nearly 70 percent of students identified as students of color, but 76 percent of teachers were white. The numbers for black male teachers are more discouraging. Just 2 percent of teachers nationwide are black men. But you can help change the numbers. Whether you decide to study education in college or graduate school, or apply to programs in Las Vegas such as Teach For America, I hope more black males will consider teaching as a career. My peers and I need more examples of excellence and success in classrooms--examples who look like us. You can be the model to impact our life and push us to achieve. You can ensure that, when we look to the front of the room, we can see a little bit of ourselves reflected back. Mr. Davis left the author with a very deep impression mainly because he   _  .
was extremely knowledgeable and hard-working was a role model to teach hearts and change minds spent much time helping the author with his homework kept in close touch with the author even after graduation