The Educators Rising’s national student officers tell their personal stories at each general session during the national conference.

National Student Vice President of Service Faith Gonder addressed the general session audience on Saturday about the special role Educators Rising has played in her life.

If you had told me a few years ago that I would stand here wanting to become a teacher, I probably wouldn’t have believed you.

I grew up in a very tumultuous environment. My family was facing challenges that followed me into the classroom every day. There were times when life felt less about living and more about surviving. As I navigated family struggles, adjusting to life with only one parent, (my dad, who I am forever grateful for) and my own mental health struggles, thinking about the future felt impossible. I was focused on making it through the present.

I hated school my entire life. However during my freshman year, school became the one place where I could breathe.

My teachers and coaches saw me on the days when I felt invisible. They challenged me when I doubted myself and reminded me that my story wasn’t over. They didn’t just teach me what they were required to, they also taught me resilience, confidence, and hope.

Then I found Educators Rising.

Through Educators Rising, I started working with students of my own. What I didn’t expect was how much those students would change me. On some of my hardest days, they gave me a reason to keep showing up. Their excitement, curiosity, and trust reminded me why education matters. Working with kids didn’t just help me discover a career, it helped me discover a purpose.

Educators Rising gave me the opportunity to see education from the other side of the classroom. It transformed teaching from something I admired into something I knew I was meant to do. It showed me that educators have the power to change lives because educators changed mine.

Today, I don’t want to become a teacher because I love school. I want to become a teacher because I know what it feels like to need someone in your corner. Education helped me survive during a time when surviving felt like enough. Now, because of Educators Rising, I want to be the educator who helps students realize they can do so much more than survive, they can thrive.