My name is J.E. and I was born in FL on August 25, 1985. I was adopted and became a baby sister to Jay who was 7 years old. We lived in the same house throughout my school years. As we grew up, my parents allowed my brother and me to make our own choices and never made us do anything we didn't want to. My parents had a successful marriage and both worked in the medical field. Their careers included being a trauma nurse, instructor, teacher, paramedic, firefighter and more. They worked hard to provide my brother and me a stable environment, making sure we were always learning. From a very young age, my parents taught the growth mindset, which is discussed in Mindset by C. S. Dweck’s. Dweck (2006) explains, “growth mindset is based on the belief that your basic qualities are things you can cultivate through your efforts” (page 6). With a growth mindset, Dweck (2006) writes, “value what you are doing regardless of the outcome” (page 48). Throughout school, I always had an ambition to learn and do my best and I did value what I was doing. My parents taught Jay and me the importance of finishing school and doing your best. “You can be anything you want to be," was a phrase I heard a lot growing up and I believed it to its core. Although I strived to get all "A"’s, I did not succeed; it made me more determined to do better. I maintained an "A"-"B", average while also participating in school activities. I was a member of the art club, Rotary club, volleyball, softball, marching band and orchestra. In my junior year, I made a poor decision: I became pregnant. I gave the baby up for adoption to a loving family. While I had a huge support system at home, I also had one at school, in a chemistry teacher, Mrs. Reek, who was a unique teacher that inspired her students to do their best and work hard. She was successful at motivating those in her class to learn and made it fun. Mrs. Reek truly cared about the well-being of her students