As Nelson Mandela says “education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to

change the world”, it might sound cliché, but it is in the fact the reality. We can watch in many
movies and read in many books how impactful it can be, changing the reality of many children
and teenagers, a life that was marked by tragedies can become a successful one.
Since my childhood, I have always pursuit social justice, especially equal education
opportunities for all people. While I was at school, I was engaged in student union which gave
me the chance to be the student council president for the entire region of the city of Rio de
Janeiro, when I had monthly meetings with the education secretary and at times with the mayor.
This experience was the main reason which I chose to take my undergraduate in Law.
At Law school, I was for a while a bit lost since what I had believed it would be, wasn’t.
Material Law in Brazil would not help me to achieve what I feel I was designed to do, make a
difference in the world. At eighteen, I had this concept that I could alone change the world,
maybe I was naïve, however after a few years at University, I was into a deep level of depression
which made me rethink all the paradigms I had.
At the same time, I had a sociology class with the professor Ana Sabadell and in that year, it
was the first time I heard about educational Law and educational policy. She also discussed Brown
vs Educational Board and how this important law decision has shaped not only the USA education
policies, but also in so many countries all around the world.
Overcoming depression, I perceived I was only a part of a whole and I could only take small
steps toward creating a better world, thus I started volunteering in churches to give classes to
small children from dysfunctional and poor families and it was when I realized the educational
field was where I was more fulfilled. I could also endorse what Mandela said, education indeed
is the most powerful weapon which we can use to change the world.
Some of those children had no perspective of life, they thought they were not allowed to
dream. I remember this child who asked me “my mom is always at bars and my father is in prison,
I live in this place, sometimes I have nothing to eat, is there a future to me?” And through
perseverance and hardworking we were able to help some of them.
I then started wondering what if educational was good for all children? I have been an
exception, I came from a dysfunctional and low-income family, my father is separated from my
mother and I do not have a lot of contact with him and my mother has never read a full book in
her entire life. Nonetheless, I was able to attend a public elementary school in Rio de Janeiro
(public schools here are acknowledge to be of bad quality) and at the end of elementary school,
got a full scholarship in one of the best high schools in the city. In the beginning, it was extremely
difficult, because all my classmates came from wealthy families and had had more academic
opportunities than me, while only to arrive at school, I had to take the bus for at least two hours
every day. They had come from famous schools and in my elementary years, I did not have even
subjects like chemistry or physics. However, I was able to overcome it and graduated as one of
the best in my class.
 At that time, I used to love Christina Aguilera and I wanted to understand what she was
saying, but my mother could not pay to enroll me in an English school, therefore I had to learn
the language by myself. Back then, without the internet, I remember I used to go to some
exchange fairs in order to talk to a foreign. It took me a lot of effort and needing to overcome
frustration; however, I can see the fruits of it, nowadays I am able to teach English, that is my
main source of income.
By the influence of a friend, I started reading books and that was such a passion, I used to
read five books a week, leading me to have a poem published, and later one I was able to get
approved in one of the best Universities in Latin America, but still I am an exception and the world
should not be seen with the eyes of exceptions. Everyone should have the same opportunities,
the same chance to thrive and that is only possible with education. What made my history
different from my family has been education.
Something started burning inside of me and that gave me the strength to overcome
depression, thus at Law school, I started pursuing the area of educational law and educational
policies which was the theme of my final project. I had the opportunity to be part of a research
project on “Social Inclusion, Public policies and Law in Education” where we could compare some
of the educational policies and educational law from Brazil and other countries, inclusive the
United States.
We studied briefly emblematic Court decisions in the United States and how they affected
the policies created afterward, the goal of the study was to determine and compare our court
decisions and the ones in the American Supreme Court, checking if they have been
interconnected.
After graduation, I began wishing to continue with my studies and I decided to do so in the
United States since here in Brazil this field is not so explored, in addition to that, I deeply believe
America give us a much broader experience and knowledge, mirroring their works with the whole
world.
I intend after my years studying at Penn State, pursue an academic profession myself,
leading researches in the area and helping international institutions to provide quality, equal and
diverse education to all children and teenagers. Hopefully, by doing so, I might help Brazil and
other countries in development to build a better foundation for education.
I chose the Pennsylvania State University, since even though, there are many universities
with educational policy programs, at the Educational Leadership program I find a great number
of qualified professors who discuss the discussion between education and law. Moreover, as
there are Joint degree program with Penn State Law school, I am absolutely sure I will feel like
home.
Furthermore, I intend to apply for the dual degree in Comparative and International
Education, so I can study everything I am have wanted.
 I expect to research the role of law in my Ph.D. program linking how the quality principle of
education can be expanded through it and what is the modern view of education quality
worldwide. Since the concept of quality has changed over time and it is a principle with many
different interpretations. I hope with that study I can be an aid for policymakers to create policies
that are supported by the best views of quality. And also, help lawyers to have another source to
fight for the ideals of education.
I believe researches are important because they are the rock which everything else is built
on. Through researches, we can answer the inquires that are raised by the practical life, in
addition to that, we might help educational leaders to solve the problems in schools and
universities, helping to create a more just and equal society.
I have discussed my research plans with Professor Maria Lewis and we have aligned our
interests. I hope I am able to continue my studies at prestigious Pennsylvania University,
especially because I know I will influence greatness, perseverance, and passion. And just as
Martin Luther King Jr once proclaimed; “I have a dream, I have a dream that every child will
have the same opportunity not upon their economic class, not by their race or gender. I have a
dream that every country will provide quality education and our innocent children will be saved
by the vicious cycles we live in”.