Teachers play a big role in our lives. All of us have had a teacher who has made a profound difference in our lives—someone who changed our lives, made us think more deeply, set our feet on the right path. Perhaps it was a teacher we met in a classroom, but it could just have easily been a coach, a youth group leader, a family or community elder, or a religious leader. In this assignment, students will write a tribute to or recount the story of such a teacher, someone who has taught them an important lesson that they still remember. While I am always hopeful that this relationship was a positive one, I know that it is possible for us to learn from negative experiences as well. If that is your situation, feel free to write about that as well. Writing about someone who has been a significant influence is a typical topic for college application essays. You are free to choose form. It could be an essay, short story, poem, song, or another form of artistic expression. Whatever you choose to do, be sure that your message is clearly communicated.