High School Decisions by Nicole

High School Decisions by Nicole - July 2016 Scholarship Essay

For the past four years, I already had my mind set on what I wished my life would be like after high school. I did my research, and I felt like I had chosen what career I wanted and where I would study once I graduated. My plan was to become a fashion designer and attend the Art Institute in South Miami. In just the beginning of my second year of high school, I already had everything figured out and doubted that I would ever change my mind.

In the middle of sophomore year, around November, I happened to change to another high school. As I walked through the doors of the building, it surprised me how different everything was there. During the first few weeks, I realized how the teachers were more qualified and dedicated to their jobs with helping their students than in my old school. This new school seemed to be a lot better visually and academically. The hallways were a lot cleaner, the staff was a lot nicer, and their curriculum was more advanced and up to speed.

One of the biggest differences was one teacher in particular that I was assigned to named Mrs. Ladron. She was one of the very few teachers that I had that would take time out of her schedule to help her students. She wouldn’t let a student walk out of her classroom door until they had no further questions on the material. She was one of the few teachers who would help students study for final exams after school. During the last few weeks of school, I noticed a paper on her door saying that she will be willing to start tutoring sessions once a week for the final exams.

After every single one of her tutoring sessions, she would begin to tell us stories about how her life was after high school and how she managed to obtain a career teaching biology. She started to connect her stories to information we’ve learned in her class that day. One day, in class she began to discuss the responsibilities of being a parent. Later on, she introduced a story about how her friend decided to have a baby at a young age. While still in high school, she eventually had to reconsider her career opportunities. Her life was devoted to taking care of her child which eventually led to her having to drop out of high school and become a single parent. Mrs. Ladron then explained to us how becoming a parent at a young age can affect both us and the infant.

The most important lesson I’ve learned from Mrs. Lardon was that I don’t need to have my life completely figured out just yet. She taught me that I shouldn’t wish for my life to skip ahead to where I think it should be but instead to capture and enjoy every single moment I have especially while in high school. Her sharing these stories has made me want to explore more opportunities and choices on what I want my career to be. It has also made me realize that I could be far more interested and successful in other types of careers that highlight my skills. By Mrs. Ladron teaching me to think about my future I have been able to discover that I can enjoy other subjects such as film, interior design, and digital design.