Sahyra Lujan
Nancy Larson Foundation Scholar
Elementary Education major Sahyra Lujan awarded scholarship
Manhattan, KS (February 10, 2016) – Kansas State University student Sahyra Lujan has been named a Nancy Larson Foundation Scholar and awarded a $1000 scholarship in recognition of her inspiring personal narrative, excellent academic record and spirit of community service.
The Nancy Larson Foundation proudly supports students across the country majoring in elementary education by awarding scholarships to deserving students each year. Lujan is one of nine recipients selected from the many applications received by the Foundation.
Lujan, a Mexican American, described in her personal narrative how her childhood was impacted by being a minority in her community. She attributes her desire to teach to her sixth grade teacher. Lujan explained, “The moment I realized I wanted to teach was when I was in Mr. Heeke’s class. He showed that he cared for his students, made close relationships with his class and made learning fun. This was a new and inspiring experience for me.”
Now she is studying elementary education and working towards a career in teaching. “My goals as an educator are to help English as a Second Language students to be comfortable in their classrooms and not feel ashamed of their culture but embrace their culture. Teachers are supposed to be caring, respectful, patient, professional, culturally competent, and knowledgeable. I plan to be that teacher, “ said Lujan.
“In her personal narrative, Sahyra really touched our committee with her experiences as a young minority student. Those experiences and her teacher inspired her to want to become a teacher to help other students succeed,” said Nancy Larson.
Juniors, seniors and graduate students who have declared an elementary education major are invited to submit a personal narrative about about why they want to teach, what personal experiences they have had that inspired them to teach and what will make them excellent teachers. Applicants are also asked to include community service activities and experiences they have had working with children.
Larson, a former teacher and curriculum director, has dedicated her life to advancing elementary education. Her original Saxon Math K–4 program was developed because teachers needed a classroom-tested math program that would prepare children for advanced math classes. In recent years, Larson has used the same approach to develop Nancy Larson Science for kindergarten through fourth-grade students. The program was written to provide in-depth science content in an easy-to-teach format.
To learn more about the Nancy Larson Foundation, visit http://nancylarsonfoundation.org.
About Nancy Larson Foundation
The Nancy Larson Foundation, founded in 2006 in Old Lyme, CT, has a history of awarding prospective elementary educators scholarships to encourage and support their education. The Nancy Larson Foundation awards scholarships to the top entries. For entry deadlines and requirements, or more information on the Foundation, visit http://nancylarsonfoundation.org.