Overcoming obstacles by Christian

Overcoming obstacles by Christian - August 2023 Scholarship Essay

I had an odious childhood. Coming from what most people know as the ghetto, I was born and raised South of California, in the streets of Los Angeles. Where I was treated differently from the other kids because I looked different. I was missing something. I was born without part of my right ear, which led my early years to be more challenging than my peers. I was bullied throughout my first years of school; being called a “Monster” made me feel like I didn’t belong. On top of that, I lived in an abusive household. I was a witness every time my dad laid his hand on my mother or screamed his abuse at her. I was powerless. I was a small kid who felt like a coward because I couldn’t stop him. He was very controlling and wasted our money on drugs, other women, and alcohol. So poverty was common in my childhood, to the extent that my mom, sisters, and I wouldn’t have anything to eat for days.
Many adversities were present throughout my life and set me back. But the biggest was middle school which would bring me to an all-time low. Throughout elementary school, I did really well and was set to be an advanced student, but that ended in 6th grade. I was blinded and influenced by the area I grew up in. The gangs and violence around just drew me in. My morals started to change. School became the most distasteful thing. Ditching and fighting had become my favorite subjects. Now, I was just another failed kid. Most importantly all the work I did in elementary school to have a major head start in my life had vanished.
Looking back now, it brings me nothing but embarrassment, regret, and anger that I had fallen so far from my promise. But I can’t change my mistakes from the past. I learned my lesson to not waste my life and my future. Instead, I refuse to let anything distract me from my main goal of a better life of peace and happiness through my education.
In the past school year, I was able to showcase my knowledge and prove to others that I can become successful even after going down the wrong path and that it is never too late to make things right. I am proud to announce that I was able to graduate from Heritage High School with a 3.69 GPA, I earned the Math Student of the Year and passed both my AP Chemistry and AP Calculus tests which have earned college credit. I have also been accepted into Western Washington University’s Honors Program and The Distinguished Chemistry Scholars Program.
As a future student at Western Washington University, majoring in Polymer Materials Engineering, I am determined to break out of the cycle of poverty that my family has endured. With the help of this scholarship, it will help to get closer to a dream, to a life-changing opportunity that will change the future of myself and my family.