Seeing the Sacrifice and Success. by Jackie

Seeing the Sacrifice and Success. by Jackie - March 2021 Scholarship Essay

Role Models are hardworking, patient, and determined. My academic role model is my dad. He has used all three of these traits to successfully pursue a good career. Growing up, I have always been told that getting a good education was one of the most important things I could do. My dad enrolled myself, and both of my younger siblings, into a charter school. He believed that furthering academic success as a middle and high school student was more important than extra curricular activities and increased social skills. While the charter school has pushed me academically, caused an increase of stress in my life, and allowed me to complete numerous difficult projects, I am so grateful that my dad had the confidence to push us into a charter school.

At a young age, with seven younger siblings, my dad had to fund most of his own college. He worked very hard and obtained a degree in accounting. He realized that after all this hard work, he didn’t want to be away from his family. Accounting jobs require a lot of traveling and sacrifice on the whole family. He decided to go back to school to get a teaching degree in math. This required more time and effort on his part. He worked two jobs as a middle school and college professor as I was growing up, in order to spend more time with us. He decided to go back to school again at BSU and is currently a middle school vice principal.

Patience. I can’t imagine what sacrifice my dad had to have in order to go back to college again and again. He changed his major in order to spend more time with us. I noticed the amount of time he spent teaching, the nights he came home late, and the endless effort he put into making good relationships with us. This has shown me the importance of time. I have learned that it is never too late to further your college education. It is often difficult to see your future success in the moment.

Finally, I have seen enormous amounts of determination from my dad. Not only has he furthered his education, but I have seen his determination and excitement into my future career. He never ceases to give academic advice and always supports a situation where one of us wants to increase academically. I have seen his determination as he looks for jobs. Finding a job can be so hard, and antagonizing, but each time, I see the determination and positivity in him, that things will always work out. I know that I can do anything if I follow my dad’s academic advice and determination.