The Lesson of Believing in Myself by Emily

The Lesson of Believing in Myself by Emily - July 2016 Scholarship Essay

As someone who grew up rather shy, I rarely spoke up in my early elementary school years. While my inner “voice” yearned to speak out, I was unsure of my own abilities and lacked confidence. I had developed a safety net and I believed that if I remained silent, all would be fine and I would never be embarrassed with an inappropriate comment or wrong answer. In August of 2011, as I entered the seventh grade and met my Honors English teacher, Mrs. Jodi Chesbro, all that was about to change.
Mrs. Chesbro was a kind hearted, jubilant, and passionate teacher who truly cared about her students. It seemed as if almost immediately, Mrs. Chesbro had taken me under her wing. She would encourage me to speak up, voice my opinions and break out of my comfort zone. She focused on my positive traits and the exceptional qualities within myself, which in time, I too began to notice and appreciate. It was this positive reinforcement that enabled me to make the decision to run for the position of president of the National Junior Honor Society. Although some of my peers discounted me and dissuaded me due to the more “popular competitors,” I had the positive energy and encouragement of my teacher on my side. Once the ballots were counted, it happened: I had won! This was the beginning of the “new me.”
I took Mrs. Chesbro’s encouragement and words of wisdom with me into high school and they led me to many great achievements. First, I applied for and I received a significant four year Service Scholarship which allowed me to attend our local private high school. This opportunity enabled me to excel with my academics and to branch out and experience an entirely new school and environment. I auditioned for, and was cast in multiple school productions, despite my stage fright, and this allowed me to then become the Student Director for Xavier College Prep’s fall musical. Also, having the mindset that I could now achieve anything I set my mind to, I implemented and organized a charity drive with my sister, to collect donated backpacks and school supplies for the homeless and less fortunate within the community. Since it’s inception, “Backpacks For Less Fortunate Backs,” has successfully collected over two hundred backpacks for underprivileged children to carry their belongings to school. This achievement was especially rewarding and significant because it meant that my belief in myself and my ideas, had made a difference in the lives of over two hundred local families!
Years ago at the beginning of an ordinary school year, while it seemed like such an innocent act of kindness, Mrs. Chesbro made a difference in the life of a student. That student is now more vocal, more positive and more willing to speak up. With the simple lesson of encouragement from a single teacher, my life was able to be impacted forever. In turn, almost as if with a “ripple effect,” countless other lives have been touched as well, with the ongoing annual backpack charity drive. I will always be grateful for my seventh grade English teacher, Jodi Chesbro, and her true gift of believing in me!