Can't Be Defeated by Fatimah

Can't Be Defeated by Fatimah - December 2022 Scholarship Essay

Walking into my counselor's office with clammy hands and a dry throat. I finally built up the courage to ask my school counselor if I could graduate early. It was something I wanted to pursue since my classes and credits were in place to label me a senior. After doing my due diligence, I was ready to have a conversation with my counselor to make the next big step toward my future. A battle I would have to face completely alone, and I was ready! As I sat in the office I presented my documents and wanted to know if I could go ahead and graduate early from high school. My paperwork showed my senior status but the counselor then told me I would not be able to graduate early. The counselor then clarified that there was paperwork that needed to be submitted in September by your parents, and we were at the end of November. My heart sank into my gut and at that moment I felt defeated, alone, and lost the battle I felt I should have won. The counselor looked me in the eyes with one last glimmer of hope and said, ‘If you can find another way I can consider it”. Those seven words gave me a shimmer of hope that I was waiting for. Could I find another way? A clear lesson I learned walking out of that office was, I would not give up!

After leaving the counselor's office the first thing I was able to to get on my computer. I typed away on Google, how to graduate early. After much sleuthing, I came across this program called, Texas First Diploma Program. In this program, I fulfilled all the requirements it even gave incentive to early graduates for a monetary amount to be handed to the university of choice. Ecstatic with my findings and my counselor's final words roaming through my mind, I did it, “I found another way.” I took this link to my counselor the next day. The Texas First Diploma requirements sat in front of her and now it was my counselor who looked defeated. She did not know anything about this program and had to ask her colleagues, who also were not familiar with this new program. After a clear consensus that no one knew about this program, they told me that they would get back to me in a couple of days. The next day I received an email to have a meeting with the head counselor at the school. I was under the impression I would be shot down again, and then they said the words I would be on the roster to graduate as a senior in May 2023! The surprise that fell on my face and the joy I felt were unmeasurable. I did the undoable, I did not take no for an answer and it worked out for me. The counselors even thanked me for “educating” them on the program, and they told me other students would benefit from this program because no one knew about it. I was taken over by a whirlwind of emotions.

I know that at times life will put challenges in front of us, and they may seem out of reach. Just remember that everyone deserves what they’re willing to achieve. It’s important that one should always feel you have a little bit of hope when things may seem like a dark cloud. That no one dictates your reality. If you put the effort in and push yourself to work hard anything is possible. We should never give up! It was on this day I knew my goal of becoming a senior in May of 2023 would be my reality for never giving up!