A Step Towards the Future by Erin

A Step Towards the Future by Erin - November 2015 Scholarship Essay

In all of the thirteen years that I have been enrolled in the public schooling system of the Aberdeen School District, I am most thankful for the past two years. In the past two years, I have been provided with multiple opportunities that have advanced my education and prepared me for my future further than I would have ever imagined. The opportunities I have been given have improved my sense of independence, my professional knowledge, and my real-world experience. Thanks to the past two years, I now feel I am ready to take on the world.
To begin my two year journey, I reflect back to the last month of my sophomore year. Another individual and I were called down to the counselor’s office. A man was there to talk to us about an opportunity to become a board member on the Board of Directors for Behavioral Human Resources (BHR), which is a mental healthcare organization spanning across multiple counties in Western Washington. He gave us each an application, and a number of months later we were called in for private interviews. I got a call two months later notifying me that I had been chosen for the position. My first meeting as a board member was in April of 2015. Since then, I have been involved with decision making regarding improvements of the organization, overseeing overall productivity, and recently I was involved in the process of hiring a new Chief Executive Officer for BHR. This opportunity has expanded my professional knowledge, exposed me to real life workings of a large organization, and given me experience in an important leadership role. I never would have gotten this opportunity had my counselors chosen a different nominee from my high school. I am so thankful that they believed in my ability to achieve this position.
The second opportunity I have received through my education is the chance to obtain my Associate of Arts degree at Grays Harbor College through the Running Start program. Juniors and seniors at participating Washington State High Schools are given the opportunity to attend a two year university, full or part time, and receive free college credits through this program. All I have to pay for is my books. I took the College Placement Test, and scored well enough that I was eligible for this program. When I graduate high school, I will earn my Associate of Arts degree along with my diploma. I will have earned 96 college credits that the Running Start program has paid for. I am thankful that this opportunity has saved my family money, and has given me a literal running start towards earning my four year degree from a university.
My educational opportunities have set me on a great path for life after high school. I feel because of these opportunities I will achieve more than I would have without them. These opportunities have given me the confidence to pursue my dreams, and believe in my abilities while doing so. My education has changed my life for the better.