A Lifting of the Veil by Haley

A Lifting of the Veil by Haley - July 2014 Scholarship Essay

From the first day I stepped onto the Newbury Park High School campus, I have been encouraged to take advantage of every opportunity I am presented with. I took this advice to heart and immediately prepared myself to become a member of every show, club, and rigorous course I could handle.

Near the end of my junior year, I was nominated to be a Junior Marshal for the senior events by one of my favorite teachers, Mr. J. I vividly remember walking into Mr. J’s class on the first day. With textbooks laying everywhere but the bookshelves, filing cabinets stuffed to the brim, and every inch of the walls and ceiling plastered with various memoirs of former students, outstanding projects, and historical posters (after a year of class and a fire marshal-ordered clean up I still couldn't tell you the color of those walls) the place had a sort of homey feeling I couldn't shake. This sense of comfort was only amplified when he entered the room looking like the archetype of a “cool grandpa” and carrying an aura that demanded respect. While at senior awards night, another Junior Marshal and I were standing near Mr. J backstage and watching the ceremony. Being two teenage girls, we began chatting to break up the monotony of seemingly inconsequential awards, such as meeting honor roll requirements all 4 years of high school.

“Why is this even an award?”
“I know, to be on honor roll you only need a 3.2 GPA, it’s kind of ridiculous.”
“Yeah, it’s really not that big of an accomplishment.”

Despite our stereotypical blonde California-girl appearances, neither of us had ever come close to dipping below a 3.8 GPA, therefore a 3.2 was essentially failure. Fortunately, Mr. J was there to ice our egos, and quickly put an end to our naïve complaints. He turned to face us casually in his chair, and reminded us of our place.

“You know, not everyone grows up in a household with constant support. Many of these kids have had to overcome a lot just to get here, and for them this award is an incredible accomplishment.”

As Mr. J turned to face the stage again, he took the veil covering my eyes with him. Suddenly, I understood why people chose to take CP courses or work towards straight B’s. My air of superiority melted away as I became aware of the impact a difficult home life could have on a student, and I realized that not everyone has had the opportunities I've had. My simple childhood had blinded me to the obstacles many people faced in school. Because I never had to worry about anything more pressing than tomorrow’s final exam, I’d never thought of what it was like to worry about where my next meal would come from, or try to study while listening to my parents scream at each other in the kitchen. This realization washed over me like a tidal wave, practically knocking me off my feet with an invisible force.

Since junior year, I have become painfully aware of every opportunity I have been given and think of Mr. J every time one comes my way. In college, this knowledge is vital for my success as it allows me to participate in everything I am offered rather than shying away based upon an assumption that I’m not capable of balancing it and school. Because of these influential people in my life, I now realize how many opportunities I have been given and have the necessary perseverance to take advantage of every one to come.