Possibilities unlocked by Elisha

Possibilities unlocked by Elisha - July 2016 Scholarship Essay

Through the past four years, as I approach my final year at Woodbridge Senior High School, it seems as though the knowledge, guidance, and leadership demonstrated by the teaching staff and administration have given me a compilation of lessons that have blossomed into one of the most precious lessons a teacher can teach a student within their high school career, individuality.
Coming into my freshman year, transitioning from a private school environment to that of a public school, the idea of making a whole new group of friends, while accustoming myself to new activities, sports, and clubs caused me to gain an irrational sense of anxiety and fear as I had previously never fit into seemingly just one group of friends. Being an athlete, artist, alongside other abilities it became evident to me that I would have to make friends, and fast. I would rush around the school from class to class avoiding eye contact with everyone and secluding myself form conversation. It seemed that the only ones who seemed to outreach to me were teachers and which just made it easier for me to open up to other students as the teachers consistently interacted with me on a day to day basis. On top of that, joining the track team had opened my eyes to a whole new group of friends, that of which I never thought I would’ve imagined meeting.
You may wonder what does this have to do with individuality, yet all this is relevant to the fact that these friends of mine only came about as I opened up and acted as myself rather than putting on a facade for anyone’s acceptance. With a new array of teachers, noticing the difference in their teaching methods and modes of interaction it taught me that the way to acquire new friends, in their case friendship of students, was to just be who you are and accompany those who accept that.
Three years later I can say that thanks to every teacher and coach I’ve had throughout my high school career that they’ve in all taught me that the key to adapting to your environment is to not adapt and just be who you are and eventually the environment will have no choice but to accept your presence. Alongside individuality comes power and those are two of the greatest things I believe any human can possesses. The confidence it bestows upon us individuals is astounding giving us the ability to do the impossible and progress towards our dreams and goals. This may sound cliché but being brutally honest I can never thank my teachers enough for the gift of realisation of the importance of individuality and self-respect and I’m glad that as I finish my last year at Woodbridge Senior High School I can say that I will be leaving with goals in mind and books in hand ready to achieve my goals and future aspirations which can only be accomplished by myself, because I am an individual who embraces their talents and differences, and along with that individuality comes unique aspirations.
Thank you to the student body of Woodbridge Senior High School, the faculty, and the teaching staff for shaping me into the ambitious young man I am today and for setting me on the right path to achieve a brighter future not only for myself but for others as well; for teaching me to be selfless and empathetic towards others, and for giving me your love and patience as I learned who I was and in turn sought out new friendships. I look forward to finishing this last school year with a bang and to making a whole new group of acquaintances in the future.