Written By Elizabeth Pardhe
When I think of someone I admire, I always think of the two most important people in my life, my parents. Born and raised in India, they both came to America for better opportunities for themselves and their children. They traveled by plane over the 8,788 miles across the Pacific Ocean and arrived in Phoenix with their two young children. Although they did not know anyone in America for the
first few years here, my parents were able to meet new people and make friends. One of these friends was a homeschooling mother who inspired my parents to start homeschooling. My siblings and I started studying when we were only four years old, giving us an early start on our education. We had other homeschool friends and were able to be part of different clubs that furthered our learning. My parents also ensured that we had opportunities to be social, and we were part of several homeschool groups, including the National Homeschool Honor Society, and participated in science competitions, FLL (First Lego League), and other events. My mother taught all three of us using curricula, standardized testing, field trips, and different things around the house, and I admire the perseverance and patience it must have taken my parents to raise and teach three children of such varied ages. My father bought many different video courses and materials and constantly encouraged us to explore different fields of study and research. Daily, we would pick a course we thought was interesting, and for half an hour, we would watch it. I remember some of those courses were about astronomy, architecture, or math, to name a few. Throughout our schooling, education was always encouraged, and we were given many opportunities to participate in challenges and classes that would help us become better at what we did. This love of learning carried over to my siblings and me, leading my siblings to pursue careers in STEM. Whenever I think about the people who have helped me become the person I am today, I always feel grateful for the opportunities provided to me by my parents, and I hope that one day I can make that impact on someone else’s life.
