7th Grade by Evangeline

7th Grade by Evangeline - June 2019 Scholarship Essay

In my middle school years, my teachers often saw me as a problem child. I often sat in class doing the bare minimum and sometimes caused commotion. My homework was never done and my teachers often found my lack of care to be concerning. This led to a wave of phone calls and emails to my mother. Other times I would be told to stand in the hallway or was sent to the office. My grades were still decent since I did well on tests without studying (except math).
One spring day in 7th grade, my English teacher sent me out into the hallway for not doing my homework again. I was expecting my teacher to threaten me with a phone call home if I did not change.Instead, she told me that my teachers knew about my home life and how I was going through a difficult time. During this time, my mother and I were evicted from our apartment and went straight to a homeless shelter. Since the shelter was very unsanitary, I called a woman who has helped raise me since I was a child and told her about the situation. She allowed me to live with her but my mother had to find somewhere else to stay while she got back on her feet. I saw my mother on a couple of weekends but it was hard being away from her. For the first time, I felt lonely and lost which is why I no longer cared for anything.
My teacher began to cry as she started talking. I was in complete shock because I had never seen any of my teachers cry before. As she cried, she explained the importance of doing my homework even when life was hard. According to her, having an education is what can save me from experiencing these problem again and could provide me with a bright future. At the time, I was listening but I did not understand the weight her words held. As I venture into adulthood, I see how important an education is for surviving in the real world.
My teacher sent me back into class and she followed in behind me. My classmates asked why her eyes were red and puffy and she simply replied that it was allergies. At that time, I realized people cared about my future and believed that my struggles will make me stronger.