My Biggest Storm by Gia

My Biggest Storm by Gia - April 2019 Scholarship Essay

The sky is dark and gloomy. The streets of Verbena are rapidly vanishing into the 175 mph gusts of wind, with the surrounding houses becoming the next victims. The waves are high and the water is gushing at full throttle, destroying everything in sight. My home is submerged in 20 feet of water and there is nothing anyone can do to stop it. I squeeze the circulation from my mom's hand as a little girl enduring a nightmare. Hurricane Katrina.
Ten years later, freshman year became my next storm. Previously, I soared in academics. However, 9th grade was like the water flowing full force into my Verbena home. Welcome to Algebra I. This class brought me back to the same little girl who was clutching onto her mommy’s hand for dear life. Struggling would be an understatement. Going from straight A’s to an F, was defeating. I broke down and couldn’t fathom what was happening. How did I find myself in deep waters? Why were my grades gasping for air?
After that major storm surge, I begged my mom to transfer me to an underperforming school where my path would be calm. I could sip my chocolate chip frappes, stress free, with a clear face, and still maintain straight A’s. However, where would that get me? I realized enrolling into a less demanding school would be detrimental to my growth, so I remained a student at Hillgrove and courageously accepted the challenge. Due to my determination, I recovered my Algebra I grade, excelled in geometry, and became the student-teacher.
High school was soon to end and I thought I survived my last storm. However, the hurricane was back. This time it came in the form of standardized exams. My first testing round, I scored a 14 on the ACT. I was back to being the little girl trapped inside her home during Katrina. Nevertheless, I gave it another go and scored a 17. My mind was infected with thoughts that oozed with goo-gobs of puss filled with doubt and fear. Statistics showed that I would not be accepted into any school nor earn scholarships. I began to feel discouraged. It was my first storm all over again. My dreams of attending college seemed to evaporate.
I desperately needed to make a significant improvement before entering senior year; therefore, I contemplated enrolling in a six-week summer ACT prep course. Before registering, I asked the instructor, “ Will your class help me?” He responded, “Your scores are extremely low, they won't increase drastically, and you will probably only have a 3-5 point increase, if even. It’s unrealistic to strive for prestigious schools due to your low scores.” His words mirrored the winds of Katrina blowing my dreams away. Nonetheless, I still enrolled. I studied night and day throughout the entire summer while completely obliterating the idea of having any fun.
September of my senior year, I tested again and earned (drum roll please) a shining 29 on the ACT and a 460 point score increase on the SAT. The sky that was once dark and gloomy became bright and radiant. The storm had ceased, and the little girl who lost her Verbena home 13 years ago was finally getting a piece of it back. Overcoming the storms I encountered symbolized my journey of perseverance, determination, and sacrifice.
I was no longer a girl who wanted everything to come easy, as nothing ever did. I am thankful for the storms in my life because they have molded me into the young woman I am today. They have taught me when hard work and tenacity are present, I am unstoppable.