Show Up and Speak Up by Isabella

Show Up and Speak Up by Isabella - December 2019 Scholarship Essay

“I’m gonna be a doctor, a teacher, a lawyer, an interior designer, a writer, and maybe one day I’ll run for president!” I announced my aspirations proudly to my mom when I was six years old. She smiled at me and nodded, as if anyone could achieve all that in one lifetime. As I sought out opportunities to explore possible career paths, I attended STEM conferences but quickly realized I would likely not choose a STEM career because I didn’t feel the spark of passion that would indicate this was the path I was meant to pursue.

Following a death in the family in 7th grade, I began to write as a way to deal with my grief. I attended a writing collaborative at the University of Montana for four summers and, in the fifth summer, I became an assistant camp counselor. Once I was able to put my grief aside, I realized that writing was a stepping-stone in my life, not my path. While careers such as those in the writing or STEM fields don’t appeal to me, I am fortunate to have had the opportunities to explore both paths at a young age.

I had a chance to be part of the fledgling Finance Academy that had begun only a year earlier at my high school. Though I wasn’t particularly interested in finance at the time, my mother pushed me to take advantage of the opportunities offered through the academy, and I couldn’t find an argument to her “it will prepare you for the real world” speech. My first year I took two Finance Academy classes: business law and personal finance. To my surprise, I loved both courses and realized I may have finally found my calling. I felt a spark of passionate excitement and looked forward every day to learning more about business and finance. The information presented in personal finance seemed more applicable to real life than any class I had previously encountered.

My business teacher encouraged me to join Business Professionals of America (BPA), and in my sophomore year I became the school store manager. I spent my free time during the school day working with the business teachers and other business students to better understand how to successfully manage a business operation, and these teachers became my mentors and friends. These experiences have had a major impact on my life and have helped me find my niche as I steer my college search toward schools with strong business management and leadership programs.

At the end of my sophomore year, my counselor told me some business classes had been cut from the curriculum and the administration was in the process of eliminating the Finance Academy entirely. I was devastated. I was also especially frustrated that the school was making this significant change in curriculum without informing students or parents, and that these changes went against everything the school had promised two years prior - a full Finance Academy. I decided I wasn’t going to let the program disappear that easily.
I reached out to a Finance Academy graduate from the previous year who had also greatly benefitted from the experience, and together we gathered contact information of current students, hosted informational meetings, and talked to business partners in the community. At first, the school administration was hesitant to listen to us because we were just two students, but eventually we gathered the support of other Finance Academy students and their families.

Ultimately, we presented a unified student voice in support of the academy to the school board. Our main argument in our effort to save the academy, aside from the obvious benefits this program provided, was the commitment letter that all Finance Academy students signed upon entering the program. We committed, in writing, to taking six semesters of Finance Academy courses, attending a job shadow, and completing an internship. In return, the school promised, also in writing, that the certification of “Finance Academy Completion“ would appear on our transcripts and we would get to wear a green stole at graduation signifying finance and business as our area of study. The school administration recognized that they were failing to live up to the contract that we all signed, and they agreed to continue the Finance Academy for four more years so that the current students could finish.

As a born and raised Missoulian, I have learned from my community to embrace a culture of respect for the individual and to see the value of fellow humans beyond dollar signs. The school administration tried to circumvent the democratic process, but a strong, unified voice held them accountable. When I found myself standing up beside my peers for what I believe is right, I recognized the importance of working together as a team to achieve a common goal. This experience showed us that working together with one voice can affect positive change for myself and my peers. It reinforced my plan to pursue a business-related career, but I am also equally committed to maintaining the values of compassion and sustainability. I see now that I am building the foundation for a business career that can raise hope and personal power in the face of challenges such as these.