Barrio Logan College Institute by Diana

Barrio Logan College Institute by Diana - December 2019 Scholarship Essay

The thought of college never crossed my mind until I was a part of to the Barrio Logan College Institute, also known as (BLCI). BLCI is an after school program focused on preparing first generation students for college by mentoring them since the third grade. Joining this program in sixth grade, motivated me to become more hardworking and a better student overall since I now knew college was in the near future for me. They provided support and knowledge I had never received before, showing me that even though my parents did not have the opportunity to attend college, it would be a possibility for me.
Attending weekly workshops allowed me to stay on track with my schoolwork and brought awareness to the hardships I will go through as a low income Latina student who is preparing to go to college. Being part of BLCI also taught me to give back to my community and has shaped the person I have become. I was exposed to leadership opportunities where I gained skills to collaborate with other students. Before my freshman year I was able to organize a camp for incoming 6th graders, to help ease their transition to a new aspect of their lives. Then the summer of 2019, I got picked to be chairwoman for a conference for the community ran by juniors and seniors a part of the program. Going through that experience and really getting to know the community of Barrio Logan truly inspired me to be more engaged and start finding more opportunities to connect with members of the community more often. BLCI has transformed my life completely.
My family has served as my biggest source of inspiration throughout my educational journey.Watching my two older brothers attend college through the help of BLCI and seeing how proud it has made my parents, gives me the hope I will also make them proud. These two sources of motivation have allowed me to realize that I am in fact capable of making an impact on my community and future communities I will be apart of.