The Letter that Changed my Life by Hannah

The Letter that Changed my Life by Hannah - December 2016 Scholarship Essay

In 2014, I was a sixteen year old student at Seneca Valley Senior High School and already I'd done so much in my short life up to that point. I'd been playing softball for about ten years, I'd volunteered at the Butler County Humane Society, I was in Art Club and on the Highest Honor Roll, and my grades were outstanding. I was also going to Australia in the summer for three weeks, because of one letter that opened my eyes to something I'd never even dreamed of doing as a high school teenager.
I don't know who recommended me, but I do know they must have seen the potential in my life and energy in my spirit. The letter was an invitation from People to People International asking me to join their study abroad program to Australia in the summer of 2014. The institution, though not a part of Seneca Valley, was offering me a high school history credit if I joined. I learned later that a teacher from your high school or an alum had to recommend you anonymously based on academic merit in order to get the invitation. There were no alumni in the program related to me, so my life changer must have been a former teacher.
From there, it was like a dream, holding that single most important piece of paper in my life. For as long as I could remember, I had two life goals: to visit the Galapagos Islands and to scuba dive in the Great Barrier Reef. Who was I to pass up on one of my life goals? I started a GoFundMe account, asked relatives for donations, and worked hard to cover the costs of the trip. I did everything in my power to afford this trip, and on June 24, 2014, I was on a plane bound for a country on the other side of the world.
What can I say about those three weeks except they were the best weeks of my entire life? I've never seen a country so beautiful. The scenery was dazzling, the culture was phenomenal, and the experience was forever life changing. On the second-to-last day I donned a scuba suit and found myself fulfilling one of my two greatest life goals at a mere sixteen years of age. It was something I'll never forget if I live a thousand lifetimes. No words can describe the way I fell completely in love with Australia, or the longing I feel today, knowing that someday I will return to that magnificent country.
Upon my return, I gained a history credit for my studies and articles in the school and local papers, as well as an interview for a local magazine. I still don't know which or my teachers decided I was worthy enough for a trip like that, but I do know I'm incredibly and indescribably thankful for that once in a lifetime experience. Going to Australia was my proudest accomplishment, both in and out of school. I dedicated myself to my academics, and the reward was a richly promising step for my future. Now I figure, if I can travel to the other side of the world at age sixteen, what heights will I reach now that I'm nineteen?