When He Left by Alea

When He Left by Alea - February 2017 Scholarship Essay

I was only 10 years old when my life seemed to take a huge kick. Soon after arriving home from piano lessons their was a hard banging on our front door. It was a neighbor screaming for us to get out because our truck had just blown up and caught our house on fire. We lived the next 6 months in an RV in our front yard:3 young kids and 2 adults. We built a garage to live in but the painters accidentally burnt it by using a heater. Stress was high the day my dad walked off the front porch and said he would not be back. I cried and begged. My efforts failed.
Over the next 8 years my life was molded into the person I am today. I have watched my mom get up at 3:30 every morning to start her work from home job. She always had meals prepared and well rounded lunches packed. I have never came home to a dirty house. I often get complimented on how our yard looks (all done by me, mom, and my sisters). She has never missed an awards program, swim meet, track meet, or game.
I have been taught many things in light of a bad situation. I have a determination that burns inside to be successful as well as prepared to provide a good life for a family in the event that I ever have to do it alone. I want to work hard like my mom does. I want to make her proud. I want to instill a hard work ethic like I have been taught.
I am #5 out of 147 students. I am the Senior class president. My unweighted GPA is 3.9635. I am a 12 year piano student. I am involved in sports and have been to regional and state competition. Yes, a girl from a broken home can be successful. I may have failed in my attempts to mend a broken home. However, I am proud of the person I have become due to broken determination. As Kay Yow once said, "When life kicks you, let it kick you forward." I have!