The Courage of Children: Boston and Beyond XXXI

Selengesaikhan Enkhbayar
Ariuntuya Baatar, Teacher
Saikhan Soum Secondary School,
Saikhan Soum, Selenge Province, Mongolia
Courage is the patience to overcome obstacles, no matter what someone says
to you, what you do, or whether they are ignored or underestimated. When I
was in elementary school, I wasn’t as talented as everyone else. Like everyone
else, I didn’t compete for or win medals. I would go to school, go home, and
then go back to school. This was my everyday lifestyle. I was a little girl, not
confident and not interested in competing with others.
“With a little
courage, I was
able to try my
best skills in every
competition.”
When it comes to competitions, our teacher always mentioned a few names
of students in the class. I felt I would be left behind them, because they always
compete. Suddenly, I became an older girl. My favorite subject was English
at that time. One day, an English teacher said that we would participate in
an English spelling competition at our school. For the first time in my life, I
had the courage to express my desire to participate in the contest. When the
teacher presented the competition guidelines, she said that the five children
in our class would form a team. I vividly remember that the teacher told us the
names of five children other than me in class and said that these five children
would participate in the contest. I felt like I was disregarded again.
Since then, I have become more and more anxious. So I went to middle
school. Again, that boring life. But in middle school, my whole life changed.
I didn’t want to be that weak girl. No matter if anyone told me that I couldn’t
try, I would try, and now there are so many opportunities, dreams, and
futures ahead of me.
A year later, I applied for an English spelling contest and participated
successfully. I won third place in the English spelling competition. That was
the greatest moment of courage in my life.
Now I’m a confident girl who has gained the teacher’s trust with the bold
decision of competing in the English spelling competition. Not only did I
make many friends, but I also found a hobby, and had a busy and productive
day from this time forward. With a little courage, I was able to try my best
skills in every competition.
The Courage of Children: Boston and Beyond
Volume XXXI
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