EXAMPLES OF WRITING A PERSONAL ESSAY ... - TeamMates

EXAMPLES OF WRITING A PERSONAL ESSAY/STATEMENT
To the Ron Brown Committee,
My name is Tielar Clark and as an African American young woman, I take pride in demonstrating
leadership in everything I do. Having a single mother and growing up in the roughest part of Omaha,
Nebraska has been a challenge at times to not only progress but survive. But seeing my mother’s
leadership, work ethic, perseverance, and sacrifice gives me the fuel to one day have a better life by going
to college and making a difference through leadership in my community. Demonstrating leadership gives
me the opportunity to show others that I am competent, confident, and capable of excelling in the future
that lies ahead of me despite the obstacles and challenges that are present for me as a first-generation
student and an African American woman. With these characteristics, I have made a conscious effort to
reach out to my community and model to other young teenagers the importance of leadership, hard work,
commitment, dedication, and perseverance. By recognizing that young teenagers tend to learn and do by
what they see, I strive to lead by example and make it my passion to set a positive example and hopefully
inspire others with my aspirations of making a difference.
In the last few years I have been a part of a program called Completely Kids, formally known as
Campfire U.S.A. This program focuses on the voices of minors in the community and provides them with
a positive example. So far, I have held positions such as the receptionist, youth volunteer staff, and Teen
LEAP member. Teen LEAP (Leadership Empowerment Achievement Program) has been newly added to
the Completely Kids program and this group has strived to empower teens to stand up, speak out, and
make a change in our unfit community. In this program, I was chosen to be teen advisory head which is
responsible for directing and leading the program in a direction of progression, development, and
leadership training. Every week, I coordinate discussions with several teens about life skills, career
awareness, service learning, college preparation, and leadership. This experience has taught me the value
of being involved and how effective leadership can be when you lead by example.
Being involved in this program has allowed me to identify my passion and the career I want to
pursue in the future, which is a Defense Attorney for minors. Being a Defense Attorney for minors would
allow me to play a major role in the leadership of the community by being a strong presence of what is
needed in the community. As a minor, I understand the lack of opportunities to speak out and get the
necessary help and support when it comes to violence, abuse, and drugs. I’ve learned overtime the
significance of receiving an education which is also a goal of mine to instill in other minors the
importance of staying in school and excelling academically to have a better life in the future.
Completely Kids has prepared me to understand what minors may be ready to express as well as
become more aware of my leadership potential as a Defense Attorney in the community. But in order to
achieve this future, I would need to continue my education and pursue an undergraduate degree in
Political Science with a minor in Sociology, and resume to Law School. My mother works very hard to
support me and does the best she can. But affording the cost of my dream and passion is a struggle.
Having the support of the Ron Brown Scholarship will allow me to pursue this rewarding career as a
Defense Attorney for minors and continue a positive leadership that will allow me to make a positive
difference in our society. I believe I represent and reflect what this scholarship stands for – leadership,
perseverance, and service. I pray and hope that you consider my contributions to the community,
perseverance as a first-generation student, and leadership potential as a Defense Attorney to minors in the
community. Thank you for your time.
Respectfully,

To the Simon Youth Foundation Community Scholarship,
My name is Taylor Lyytikainen and I am determined to go to college and graduate with a degree
that fits my interest and skill level with the support of the Simon Youth Foundation Community
Scholarship. I am currently a senior at Omaha North High School in Omaha, NE, and as a first-generation
student I want to be the first in my family to take that extra step toward a higher education. My parents
have always encouraged me to further my education so that I won’t have to live a pay check to pay check
life the way they had to because of their lack of education. And this support along with the support of my
counselor, teachers, and mentors, I believe I have what it takes to be successful in college and become
something more than what is expected of me as a first-generation student. The only support that I am
lacking is the foundation of paying for college, which is why I am asking the Simon Youth Foundation
Community Scholarship to consider my background and aspirations to go to college and pursue a career
in the heath field.
Throughout high school, I have struggled to maintain a high GPA and attain a qualifying ACT
score because of my dyslexia. Even though it takes me longer to understand most things than the average
student, I made up in my mind never to give up and have continued to work hard, persevere, and take
advantage of the resources available for me in order to progress through high school. I feel I am capable
to continue my education in college because success to me means having the courage, the determination,
and the will to become the person I believe I was meant to become. My parents have demonstrated to me
never to give up and never let the challenges and obstacles in life keep me from my goals and passion.
There is a famous quote that says “success is to be measured not so much by the position one has reached
in life….as by the obstacles one has overcome while trying to succeed”. So far, I have achieved success
by never quitting despite not being the smartest or the richest, and all I want is the opportunity to continue
my journey of success by receiving more education in college.
Receiving more education will allow me not only to pursue a career in the health field as a
Physical Therapy Assistant, but will open up more opportunities to have a better future in our society.
People will always need help from car accidents and getting sick. Since science has always been one of
my strengths, I am interested in learning everything I can about how the body works and using this
knowledge to make a positive difference in the medical field. Pursuing a degree in the health field takes a
lot of hard work and dedication, but I have demonstrated these characteristics throughout my whole life
and I am determined to pursue and perfect my strength into a rewarding career field to assist those who
become injured and sick.
I am driven to be the best I can be through receiving a quality education in college. The only thing
that I am lacking is the fuel to support this drive while in college. Receiving a scholarship from the
Simon Youth Foundation Community Scholarship will allow me to achieve my goal and dream of
becoming a Physical Therapy Assistant and continue beating the odds of my limitations and background.
The value of education is very important to me and has been instilled in me even though my parents only
attained a high school degree. America is a land of opportunity, and those who have the opportunity to be
successful become successful. I am asking that you consider me for this rewarding opportunity to receive
the Simon Youth Foundation Community Scholarship and continue the success of being an educated
individual in a society that values education. Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely,

To the Scholarship Committee,
My name is Alyssa Rodriguez and I am determined to go to college in order to receive a higher
education and pursue a career in the health field with a minor in dance. I am a senior at Omaha Bryan
Senior High School, which is part of the largest school district in the state Nebraska. Since I was a little
girl, I had made up my mind to go to college. Even as a first-generation student, I made sure to never let
that be an excuse to achieve academically and receive the best grades I could get in school. I excelled in
school academically, never got into trouble, and stayed involved in many school activities. I want to
continue this drive and leadership spirit to receive a quality education at a college in Nebraska and show
others in my community that through hard work anything is possible.
Challenges and obstacles are the story of my life. I was raised in a home of three younger sisters
and two older brothers with the support of my parents who did not achieve an education higher than high
school. It was difficult for my parents to always put food on the table and keep a roof over our head. But
despite my oldest brother dropping out of high school and my dad never receiving a high school diploma,
I never let these challenges and obstacles get in the way of my dreams and goal to have a better life. My
mom made it to college, but never finished because she couldn’t afford it. My parents have always been
supportive of education and have encouraged all of us to learn as much as we can so we can have more
opportunities in life to be successful. That is why I am asking the Scholarship to consider me
as a prospective recipient which will allow me to be the first in the family to graduate from college and be
a leader by example for my younger sisters, older brothers, and community.
In high school, I had great teachers that truly cared about me and my future. They did their best to
prepare me for life after high school and make college my number one priority. Whether it was finishing a
worksheet, revising an English paper, or taking ACT as many times as I can, my teachers and counselors
have made me the determined person I am today. I will always remember their voices in my head saying
that I have the potential to be something in life, the potential to be great at what put my hands on to do,
and to be a leader by example. Because of their support and belief in me, I am confident that the next
phase of my journey is to go to college. I know what I want to become, and I am driven with aspirations
to attain a college degree to get a career and not just a job. Pursuing a career in the health field will allow
me to earn a sustainable living wage and give back in a positive way.
The Scholarship will be a huge help for me to achieve my goals and make my
family and others who have supported me along the way proud. I don’t want to become another statistic
of being a high school student who doesn’t go to college. Being a first-generation student wasn’t by
choice, but because of the lack of resources my parents had growing up. With your support, I can pursue
a quality education that will set me up for success, position me to get into a career that fits my interests &
skill set, and become a model for my younger sisters that they too can succeed after high school.
Receiving a higher education is very valuable to me, and I hope that you will consider my background
and desire to learn as much as I can to become a recipient of the Scholarship. Thank you
for your time and the opportunity to tell you how important this is to me and my family!
Sincerely,

To whom this may concern,
My name is Eric Fuentes and I am a senior at Bryan High School in Omaha, NE. Over the last four years,
Bryan High School has taught me that receiving a quality education is the key for success in anything I do
in life. It is for this reason that I want to further my education by going to college and pursuing a degree
in Business Management. Life is about chance and opportunity, and I see college as an opportunity not
only to pursue my dreams, but to be a lifelong learner and become a well-rounded individual.
As a first-generation student, education was always something that was valued in my family but never
attained. Both of my parents have jobs that meet the needs of the family, but they don’t make enough to
set me and my younger brother and two sisters up for college. Even though neither of my parents
received a high school diploma, they always emphasized the importance of taking advantage of the
educational opportunities out there and to not make the same mistakes they made by being content with
the bare minimal. Being the oldest in the family automatically made me a role model for my younger
brother and two sisters. Now that I am a senior in high school, I now realize my purpose in life and want
to accept the role as the oldest in the family by setting a positive example of being educated and pursuing
higher education in order to have a better future.
In order to have a life that my parents could never experience, I have made it my ultimate goal to continue
my education by going to college and pursuing a career in Business Management so that I can create
employment opportunities for others who are less fortunate while giving back to my family. Bryan High
School has taught me to follow my heart and what I enjoy doing the most. Even though I wasn’t the
smartest student in my classes, I was always the most creative and innovative individual when it came to
doing projects and coming up with ideas. I want to use these conventional strengths in developing
business plans while building positive relationships in the community. This is important to me because
ultimately I want to be an inspiration to the community and let them know with hard work, perseverance,
and family support they can accomplish anything.
I faced many challenges and obstacles along with family setbacks throughout my life. But despite it all, I
want to fall into that small percentile of students that graduate from high school, go to college, and make
something out of themselves in a career that they are passionate about. I have a lot friends that have
dropped out, plan on dropping out, and content with just getting a job. But by listening to my school
counselor and other influential mentors at Bryan High School, I am convinced that I am more than my
environment and I refuse to become a product of it. The only thing that is keeping me from not becoming
a product of my environment is the financial support that is needed to continue my education in college.
With the help of the _____________ Scholarship, I will not only be able to fulfill my goals and passion
but make my parents proud while setting a positive example of what my younger brother and two sisters
can become also. I want to pursue a career in an area I am passionate about, not just a job that I have to
do to meet my daily needs. I hope that you consider my drive to be the best I can be by receiving a
quality college education despite my family background, setbacks, and pre-perceived beliefs of only
achieving the bare minimal like my parents. All I need is the fuel to push this drive further into college.....
Thank you.
Respectfully,