Persistence in the Pursuit of Knowledge by Peyton

Persistence in the Pursuit of Knowledge by Peyton - August 2024 Scholarship Essay

My entire life, I've wanted to help others by working in healthcare. I will be a senior in high school this fall, and as I navigate college applications, I have to remind myself that no matter where I end up going, my life will still be dedicated to the betterment of others. I was always a good student and made goals for myself to crush just because that is in my nature. As I got older and did some research, I realized just how competitive schooling is for those aspiring to work in healthcare. I had to keep reaching for the stars to make it where I wanted to be. In this case, my reaching is equivalent to studying and the stars are the A's in my gradebook. My parents never went to a 4-year college, so I often feel lost in the process of applying. It seems to me that I'll get behind if I don't work on the Common App every single day. In high school, I didn't know that I could be preparing for college as a freshman. I discovered the many layers of college preparedness as I progressed through the years of high school. Now I know that I can prepare for graduate school as soon as I step onto my college campus.

My next big educational goal is to learn Spanish. I know very little of the language as I took 4 levels of German in high school. Having even a minimal amount of biliteracy would be extremely beneficial as I enter the workforce. Because Spanish is the second language of the United States, I'm bound to encounter a situation where Spanish is helpful-- with patients and co-workers alike. It is so beautiful for a person who thinks you can't understand them realize you can have a clear line of communication. I would relieve any distress the person was feeling about a language barrier, and I could effectively address their needs. I know how important this skill would be for my career, so I will not give up on it. This passion I have will only grow stronger. My mom always reminds me that anything I set my mind to is something I can accomplish. This goal is lofty, so I'll need her support along with that of professors and college counselors. I've done hard things before and applying to college is one of them, but I know that I will eventually overcome all of it. This reassures me when I jump into hard things, like my goal of learning a new language. Even if I only met one person who found a need for a Spanish-speaking healthcare professional, it would be worth it.