The challenges that I have endured has led me to accumulate the goals I strive towards, and has catalyzed perseverance as a personal trait.

I was born into an economically burdened circumstance. A 17 year old teen mother still in highschool. My parents were never married, which left me to be raised by my teenage mother in Utah. The predominant ideology in the Salt Lake area socially contributed to the challenges my family faced. I witnessed my mother work hard to overcome challenges, setting a precedent that I follow.

My mother values knowledge and taught me to read before kindergarten. She made sure that I knew the importance of knowledge and enforced reading books about various subjects. It became a daily activity for me to read one book about science every day.

My father was not around much. My mother would make efforts to get him involved in activities, but his priorities did not align with raising me. I lost all interest in having a father and focused elsewhere. I participated in soccer until my mother needed surgery and was unable to coach. The circumstances left me to focus on education.

I didn’t really understand my peers and their nuclear family mindsets when I was younger. I would tell them about having a mom, and only a mom. I would be stared at with puzzled looks. I understand now that they never experienced a world with only one parent and the challenges.

During the 2008 economic crash my family had to move into a camping trailer on my grandfather’s farm. The camping trailer was gross, small, and broken. My mom did what she could to keep it it warm and with running water. The few years spent in the camping trailer was hard. Despite living in a camping trailer, I learned to persevere through it. I still maintained good grades. My mom kept a tub of books under the trailer for my brothers and I to read. Those few years solidified my goal to go to college and escape that kind of life.

Living on my grandfather’s farm taught me the importance motivation and responsibility. I learned how to finish through physical challenges, such as cleaning a horse stable by shovel. I came to value physical challenges as also mental challenges. It was my responsibility to try again. My Grandfather would always tell me “If you fall off the horse, always get back on the horse.”

Near the end of 2012, I moved to West Valley, Utah. West Valley was completely different compared to the farm near Salt Lake. The environment was low income and hostile. We witnessed assaults, robberies and drive by shootings. I feared school. I thought I could be stabbed or bullied.

I decided to take online school in Junior High to escape my fears. My mother was weary due to her job schedule but allowed me to participate in online school. Despite the lack of supervision, I taught myself the content the school covered. I made sure to do what was required of me and obtained straight A’s. The skills that were enforced in self directed learning has help tremendously.

After a year I went back to public school, due to lack of social interaction and boredom. For my 8th grade year, I was recognized for being an outstanding student in German 1, Science, and US History. I was on the honor roll for maintaining a GPA above 3.5. My mother was also working three jobs to change our circumstances, so I was responsible for my two younger brothers after school.

My family moved to Tooele, Utah after junior high. I then had to go to Tooele High School. I pushed my boundaries by taking as many challenging classes my counselor would allow. I was a leader in German club, where I participated in the Winter Tree Festival. I coordinated SubforSanta for other underprivileged families. I began to tutor peers in Psychology and History. I enjoyed tutoring so much that my peers and I founded a History Club. I was fortunate enough to be involved in the Beehive Drive trip to Washington D.C. to study History and Government. I have been awarded the AP Scholar with Distinction my Junior year. I have participated in Speech and Debate Tournaments, won awards, and I’m currently qualified to go to the National Speech and Debate Tournament in Dallas this year, in Big Question Debate. I have also actively participated in Cross Country and traveled to California to run competitively.

I have several years of violin experience within Orchestra but I’ve become fond of acting. I’ve participated in multiple theatre productions and have been casted as lead in 3 different acting and musical productions.

During the course of  my High School career, I’ve maintained a 3.989 GPA, received a 29 on the ACT and a 1380 on the SAT. I’ve taken 11 AP classes, and have taken 12 AP tests.

I’ve always enjoyed helping people, even when their problems are outside of my expertise. As I’ve gone through high school education, I’ve become fond of debate and the social sciences surrounding law, government and politics. As a result, I’ve decided to make Law School one of my goals in higher education. I want to be able to be involved in the justice system and help people by helping justice be administered, protect individual liberties and rights, and help society as a whole. I want to become a Judge in the judicial system of the United States. In my efforts, I’ve became a Horatio Alger National Scholar in the high school class of 2019. I’m currently poised to attend the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia. My major is currently undecided, leaving room for me to find out what will set the best course for Law school.

This scholarship will further help me achieve obtaining a higher education, giving me access to the tools necessary to help others. Every scholarship is a stepping stone. Every bit counts. I’ll be using the money to help pay for any educational costs, being tuition, supplies, or housing. I’m very thankful for the opportunity.