Mother Bear by Leighanna

Mother Bear by Leighanna - July 2019 Scholarship Essay

The first thing that comes to mind when I am asked about what having a passion for education means to me, the first thing that comes to mind is my family. I come from a family where my grandparents are immigrants and my mom is a single mom that's raised me for almost 18 years now. My Aunt and Uncles all went to college and are able to provide for their families however, that wasn't the case for my mom.
My mom had me when she was 18 and out of wedlock. She had help to take care of me but education wise she had to do everything herself. From getting help in classes to paying for her loans, she had to be very independent from the start. Even to today, my mom is very independent when it's coming to my college classes. She has been working two jobs and paying off her loan from LVN school and BSN school while on top of that, helping to take care of her College Freshman daughter's tuition as well.
A passion for education is my family, my mom. The one who's hustled and worked day and night to allow her daughter to receive a high education and discover her passion for dancing over the past 14 years of her life. The one who picked up two jobs and is raising her daughter on her own so that her daughter wouldn't have to go through the struggle and detour that she went through. For me, having a passion of education is my mom, the woman who's hustled her entire life for me and inspired me to always focus on my goal and remember why I do what I do.
Education allows me to go beyond expectations my mom has reached. It allows me to have the chance of a better life than her and not have to go through the suffering and pain she had to go through. It allows me to earn a better life for myself so that I can provide for my future family and my mom. A passion for education allows me to take a different route than my mother did at my age. I get the chance to do something she didn't get to do, take the path that she couldn't.
It makes me a stronger person and allows me to reach new heights I haven't been able to before. My passion for education is what pushes me to do better and to keep reaching for the education and opportunities in front of me, Passion for education is my mom, the woman who's inspired me since day 1 and has always worked her hardest since then.
I wouldn't be who I am today without my mom by my side. My mom is my passion for not just education but for anything I do in life whether it be studying, dance, etc. To me, when the question of "what does having a passion for education mean to you" is asked, it means having a sense of inspiration, to be focused and have a support system behind you. It means, to have my mom by my side.