Provide by Song-Yi

Provide by Song-Yi - January 2018 Scholarship Essay

I wish to attend college to provide for the people in my community. I have been incredibly lucky to have been given opportunities to meet those of all walks of life, and I believe it is now my responsibility to help them, in any way I can. With a college education, I can learn how to enact legislation to lessen the inequality felt by those in my community.

Throughout high school, I have tutored low-income elementary school students. Many of which are learning English as a second language, and often struggle with basic concepts such as their 2 times tables. It was difficult sometimes, trying to get them to focus on their homework or guiding third graders through first-grade level books. However, seeing them learn and eventually enjoy learning made all of my determination worth it. I knew these children had such bright futures ahead of them, they just needed a support system that is so crucial to their education.

While working with the kids and my supervisor, I learned that all of the children in the room were bused to schools far away from their homes. Not only that, there was an elementary school right in their neighborhood that they weren’t allowed to attend. Despite it being a public institution, it was a magnet school for kids who performed well on standardized tests, at ages when academic performance is almost entirely dependent on the access to resources and opportunity provided by familial status. This troubled me greatly; why should kids just as deserving of a quality education be denied that right, just because they weren’t born into higher socioeconomic standing?

I knew that my only way to help these kids in the moment was to practice their English literacy and math skills; however, it continued to anger me, not only by the injustice of it but by my own inability to affect greater change for this community of students. Many families I have met were struggling financially, dealing with their own personal turmoils and hardships. Seeing such capable and promising students in such difficult circumstances, it became even more apparent to me for them to receive the necessary support they deserve.

Attending college is a way for me to give back to the people who have inspired me to pursue a path in public service. By furthering my education, I can finally begin creating positive and visible changes to provide for the most voiceless members of my community.