As a person, teacher and mentor, I am a someone who wears many hats, but my values remain constant. I am a respecter of persons, and a believer that all cultures, creeds and religions are to be respected. I believe that all people are capable of learning, and that we can all learn from others. I am passionate about helping others whenever I can, because I do not know when I will ever find myself in a position of need. I believe in being fair, and I realize that at times this may be misinterpreted by some. I believe that everyone deserves to be heard, even if I do not agree with their opinion. I believe honesty is golden, and with honesty, the usage of couth is a must have that is learned and to be applied. Out of all, the one that stands out most is integrity. This is the attribute I try to guard the most. It is how my family, my students, and society views and judges my actions. All of these attributes define who I am as a person. It also helps shape my path, as well as the trail that I leave for those who follow or choose to follow my walk, and my practices. I realize that as long as I am a member of society I will forever be an influence, be it positive or negative. As stated by Heraclitus, "The character of a man is his destiny", and as Lickona explains our potential to influence others, "Every interaction, whether part of the academic curriculum or the human curriculum of roles, rules and relationships, has the potential to affect a child's values and character for good or for ill" (Lickona, 1991, p.70)