Investment by Luke

Investment by Luke - January 2018 Scholarship Essay

College tuition has inflated over 500% since 1986, making it tough for students to save enough to invest into their education. The market is saturated with loans and credit sources that are too easily obtained giving students the easy way out of not saving for their tuition. When I graduated in 2016 from Anthony Wayne High School, I decided that I’m going to college, but I will do whatever needs to be done to not take out a loan. My parents are middle-class hard-working people that did not go to college and did not have the saving for me to go and unfortunately, they make too much for me to receive aid for FAFSA.

During high school I started my own lawn care business to start saving for my college tuition. So, I bought my Aunt’s beat up lawn mower and a weed whacker for $200 and starting mowing yards in my neighborhood for $35. The back-breaking, sweat-dripping work was not fun by any means, but I knew what it was going to take to go to college. I also, found myself doing extra work that the homeowners were willing to pay me for. While my friends went off to their sports games and practice, I went off to work in the evenings stocking shelves at my local grocery store. It wasn’t that I didn’t enjoy sports in high school, I just realized at a young age that I won’t be able to go to college without working hard.

Over my junior and senior year of high school I was apart of a program that I only went to school for a half day because of my excellence during my first two years. I went out and found a different job, ideally something that paid more. I started working at a growing business and found myself in a management position my senior year of high school.

I now continue today managing, Shooters of Maumee working 40 hours a week and maintain my clients for my lawn care business to pay for my college tuition. I have not had to take out a loan for my investment into my education because of perseverance. Working many hours, a week makes it hard to get involved on campus. I’m striving to join more clubs and associations so that I can grow as a young man to find my interest and invest into my education.

This scholarship would relieve financial and academic stress allowing me to spend more time studying, investing into my future. I deserve this scholarship because I fully dedicated to my education and future as proven through my work ethic explained above. This scholarship will also free up a couple of hours a week, so I will be able to grow and find my interest by meeting on campus with clubs and associations.