Worth more than a Penny by Sydney

Worth more than a Penny by Sydney - January 2025 Scholarship Essay

Studies have shown that the early years of development in a child can be the most impactful. This was true for myself in the fourth grade. When I was 8 years old, I had a music teacher who changed my life. Mrs. Penny Edwards was an avid advocate for the arts for children. Not only that but she was a teacher who went above and beyond for her students.

In the summer before my fourth grade year, my mom was diagnosed with stage 2 Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Not to fret though, she is alive and fully recovered today. During this time, I joined Mrs. Edwards’ chorus program for elementary students. Something I couldn’t have done without the secret support of my favorite music teacher. Through the year, she drove me home from practices, asked me how I was doing with my mom, and she introduced me to my favorite movie: The Sound of Music. It may be silly to say you relied on a musical story from 50 years before you to get you through a difficult time but this movie changed my life.
By performing onstage and helping with all aspects of theater, I realized that I could effectively communicate with most people. However, I was not communicating well with my HS guidance counselor. I ended up doing my own due diligence and planning myself a schedule enabling me to finish HS by the end of my sophomore year and earn a business degree by my HS graduation via college dual enrollment all while maintaining a 4.6 GPA and racking up over 1200 service hours at my theater. Making my own schedule may not sound like much of a challenge but as I tried to incorporate dual enrollment into my high school years, I constantly feared that I would screw up. And that a mistake would cost me money through tuition in the future. In order to take full advantage of the free college that was available, I read every catalog, and checked the course transfer pages for Chipola(my dual enrollment school) to Auburn University(where I plan to attend in the Fall), and met or spoke to admissions staff from both schools to ensure I was making the most of the time I had in high school. Fortunately, I am not the only one who has benefited from my now overabundance of curriculum knowledge. As a HS Sr, I became a college ambassador speaking to HS students interested in dual enrollment. My fellow students have expressed that I serve as an inspiration to them for planning their HS and college paths highlighting the importance of education.
I eventually had the joy of performing as Maria von Trapp in my high school theater department version of The Sound of Music on the fifth anniversary of my mom’s win against cancer. As I study musical theater at Auburn University next year, I take with me the years of wisdom Penny Edwards poured into my life and will never forget the importance of sharing joy with others.