Encouraging voices by nyquiria

Encouraging voices by nyquiria - July 2016 Scholarship Essay

Encouraging Voices
Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID), a program I was accepted into in the eighth grade not only was a program that taught me better skills when it came to Organization, Planning ahead and staying on top of everything, being prepared, but a program that assured great teachers that inspired me and motivated me to be better than them, my parents, my family and my surroundings. Going through these interviews being a step closer into AVID I did not believe in myself. I did not think this program was meant for me because it was a program that not only myself but other students thought were for “nerds” or smart and intelligent kids and I did not think of myself in that matter at all because I, before being in Avid, was the type that thought a ‘C’ was good enough…why would AVID want students that thought that? That did not have high standards for themselves? I went through the whole process and was accepted into AVID and I never would regret it.
My middle school AVID teachers were “Mrs. Kenin” and “Mrs. Gilbreth” they were amazing and they taught me various lessons that dealt with school work but things I could carry on with me throughout high school. For example one lesson was in Mrs. Kenin classroom. We had been discussing the historical time period of the holocaust for about a week now and we were learning that African Americans were not the only ones enslaved, which guided us to watching a film called “freedom writers” and that led to a life lesson not only for the students but for Mrs. Kenin because in the movie a teacher was disliked because of her ethnicity and her wanting to aid her students in receiving a better education for themselves and that is what she was doing for her AVID students, guiding us in the right direction to success. She imitated that movie in her classroom and that taught me to never allow my skin color to affect my goals and my empowerment to be something in this world we live in. I will never forget her always making sure I am doing something constructive and not being lazy when it came to doing my school work. She always told me “Sugar in my eyes you are my child, if nobody is there for you I am”. She gave me her cellular number and I knew I could always call on her in any and every situation.
For Four years, 9th-12th grade the man that was more than an AVID teacher for me, Mr. Spencer has taught me the most things I could ever cherish in my life. We did not start out on a good note because his sarcasm irked me, and my attitude was not always the best so we bumped heads but it was all worth it. Mr. Spencer never let me quit, he always believed in me. I literally went to him for everything dealing with school. If I was having a bad day and just needed to vent I would go to his classroom, even when he were teaching. If I needed help with work I would go to Mr. Spencer. He had a daughter that went to the same High school but he always told me I was like his own and he meant it because he would do anything to help me be a better me. When it was time for me to start applying for college the only thing I was worried about was financial difficulties paying for college. No one had ever went to college on either side of my family and Mr. Spencer was determined to get me at a university come fall but I had other plans. I was determined to enlist in the Air Force. He supported it but I knew he did not want that for me because he always told me I was a smart girl and I needed to let the world know that and show them I can achieve anything I put my mind to. Spencer stayed on me until I told him I was accepted into all 6 schools I applied for, from that point on there were nothing but hard work and dedication.
My life lessons that would forever live within me from both of these amazing people would be for me to never stoop low, belittle myself or doubt myself and have low standards for myself because I am an Avid child and that says it all. I am held accountable for high standards and I will always believe that if I have no one else to turn to or believe in me I have these two. Because of Ms. Kenin I am a better me. Because of Mr. Spencer I am a full-time college student and I know there could never be someone that could hold me down from achieving my dreams. Because of them both I know I am in a world full of competition that is why I have to put my all into everything I do because there is always competition or someone better.