From Hometown Honors to Teacher: A Small-Town Girl's Journey to Give Back by Morgan

From Hometown Honors to Teacher: A Small-Town Girl's Journey to Give Back by Morgan - August 2024 Scholarship Essay

When picturing a valedictorian, many people may see Ivy League schools or a doctorate degree. Few see the determination of a small-town girl trying to make a difference in her rural community. I have been on track to achieve the status of class valedictorian my whole life because I have worked extremely hard to maintain my GPA of 4.0 since I was in middle school. I have completed the Advanced Placement classes, met the benchmark on standardized tests, and taken college courses.

I am graduating this spring, confident in the knowledge I will attain valedictorian due to my work ethic. However, when adults, and even classmates, ask me what I plan to do after high school, many are shocked with my answer. After I graduate, I will attend an in-state school, The University of Montana-Western, which boasts a mere 1,300 students. They may ask why a student like me is not attending a more prestigious school. To that, I have one answer: because I love Montana. I have lived here my whole life, surrounded by the blessings of a giving community and kindhearted neighbors. My dream is to attend college in a rural town and return to teach in the place I love the most, which I call home.

My biggest goal after high school is to first earn a master’s degree in education by securing a full-ride scholarship, which will require me to maintain my grades, extracurriculars, and community involvement. With my master’s degree, I plan to teach in a rural community in Montana, providing more educational experiences to smaller school districts. Growing up in rural Montana, I have experienced firsthand that the more remote schools in Montana often don’t have the same educational opportunities as school districts in larger communities. For example, most high schools in Montana don’t offer AP, IB, or dual-enrollment classes. I feel passionately that simply because students grow up in a small town doesn’t mean they should receive any less of an education.

While I haven’t entirely decided between majoring in elementary or secondary education, I do know that regardless of my major, I will serve as an inspiration to my students. I strive to be the kind of educator that students turn to in times of uncertainty for advice. I will foster encouragement in students who may not receive the emotional support they need at home. I want to live in a rural community, uplifting students regardless of their financial background or small-town environment. Most of all, I wish for my future students to know and take to heart that they are worth investing time in and there will always be someone believing in them.

In conclusion, my biggest educational goal is to graduate from college debt-free and provide opportunities to underprivileged, rural students. With my valedictorian status and ambition to achieve great things, I could have become a groundbreaking physicist or a diligent lawyer. However, I chose instead to dedicate the rest of my life to giving back to the rural community I love which has shaped me into the young woman I am today. Personally, seeing my hard work pay off as I positively impact the young lives of my students will be far more rewarding than a Harvard certificate framed on the wall.