The unexpected closure of my school, Ursuline High School, taught me vital lessons that will guide me in the future. When I first learned of the closure, I had many concerns about the strongly developed relationships I shared with my teachers. For three years, they had helped me mature as a young woman through the values and academic lessons they instilled. I could tell that the teachers wanted to fulfill their passion at Ursuline. They consistently came to school earlier and stayed later to allow time for me to ask questions about a homework concepts presented in class and homework assigned. As I started to become more familiar with the school, I also was able to know some of the teachers on a more personal level. They seemed more like mentors rather than teachers; they were role models devoted to inspiring students to apply the core beliefs of the school in effecting positive change in the world.

One teacher that I will always remember was Mrs. Rochioli. For two of the three years at Ursuline, she taught me Environmental Science and Chemistry. Science does not come naturally to me. Each year, I work hard to achieve decent grades. At Ursuline, I was able to excel through the help of Mrs. Rochioli. Almost every day after school, she would be in her classroom available for help. She never failed to help me re-visualize the lesson. At one point, she filled her entire chalkboard with multiple Lewis structures involving numerous steps. I could not understand how formaldehyde, CH2O, had a double bond. The mistake I continued to repeat was evident; I failed to recognize the double bond and did not show this on the structure. Mrs. Rochioli went through each problem and discussed the mistakes I had made and showed me how to produce the correct answer. She was relentless in helping me understand the process. Over time, working with Mrs. Rochioli allowed me to build up courage, critical thinking, and assertiveness. With her help, I was able to pass science with strong grades.

As I look back on the multiple hours after school spent learning science, I now understand the importance of a teacher and student relationship. This year, I am taking a Conceptual Physics class at Cardinal Newman High School. Although Mrs. Rochioli is not here to devote her time to helping me achieve, I am able to use the skills I have learned and to demonstrate them from my new teacher, Mrs. Cavalin. Although these two teachers differ in teaching methods, these aptitudes I have developed allow me to improve my critical thinking skills as a science student.

As a graduating senior, I have chosen to apply as a nursing major. I decided to become a nurse partly because I love to take care of others and also I wanted to challenge myself. Nursing is heavily dependent on science and relies on understanding the subject matter. The obstacle of science can be met with the valuable skills I have learned from Mrs. Rochioli. After all, what is a college or university then, if relationships cannot develop

The field of nursing not only involves science, but it also incorporates caring for people in need. The aspect of care is a necessary component to medical science because through selfless behavior, a nurse establishes trust between herself and her patient. As I look back on the development of my science skills, I also learned about caring. At that moment, I recognized that to care for someone takes hard work and an open mind. Mrs. Rochioli continued to reword the process of solving chemical equations and in turn I listened to her. That time spent with her after school showed how much she really wanted to help me improve my grade. As a nurse I will constantly draw from science and build relationships with professors and patients. By learning from professors who know and care about their subject to the fullest extent, I will be able to transfer what I have learned into taking care of a patient. Then I can provide the quality of care that was given to me to the patients I aid. WC: 693