It's the Journey that counts by Keimaya

It's the Journey that counts by Keimaya - September 2013 Scholarship Essay

My academic role model is not a 4.0 student. In fact her weighted GPA was a 3.3 in High School. However, she is a student that worked hard, understood her challenges and did her best to work through them. What impressed me is that she accomplished this all while she managed to play 2 sports and lead several student activities. LaCorey is 2 years my senior and played volleyball and track with me in high school. The 2 years while we were together, I learned a lot about what it takes to be successful in high school as a student athlete. I watched her manage her time wisely. I watched her make sacrifices and choose not to attend certain games or parties to study for a test or to get ahead in schoolwork because the games the following week would interfere with a project that was due. I would see her studying in between games. She wasn't afraid to ask others for assistance when she needed it. She knew she wasn't the brightest student but she was determined to graduate at the top of her class. She also was a dedicated and responsible leader for the clubs and organizations she was a part of. She knew when her plate was full and was able to effectively communicate when she couldn't take responsibility for something. We could also count on her to come through when she did. As I watched LaCorey walk across the stage at her graduation heading to UNC-Chapel Hill, I couldn't have been more proud of her. Her determination, and sacrifices paid off and it wasn’t the fact that she graduated the top 10% of her class that impressed me, it was the journey she took to get there that inspired me most.I was glad to have been able to share those 2 years with LaCory. Now as a senior and a 2 sport athlete managing many AP courses and club organizations responsibilities, I find myself on the same journey.While the road has not been easy, the keys to success that were inspired by LaCorey have helped me to achieve my goals. As a mentor to my underclassmen teammates, I hope they also are able to see a dedicated and responsible student athlete who was determined to do her best, make sacrifices and manage her time wisely.  As I walk across the stage in the top 5% of my class this year I hope my actions have inspired them to understand that it is the journey that counts.