Hobbies and interests
Gymnastics
American Sign Language (ASL)
Accounting
African American Studies
Reading
Real Estate
Fashion
Marketing
Reading
Romance
Thriller
Mystery
Academic
Adult Fiction
Young Adult
I read books daily
Rickelle Henderson
5,145
Bold Points14x
Nominee1x
FinalistRickelle Henderson
5,145
Bold Points14x
Nominee1x
FinalistBio
Hello, my name is Rickelle Henderson, and I am a Freshman at the University of Oregon. I entered with 36 credit hours and a 3.7 GPA out of 4.0. At the end of the fall term, I will have 51 credit hours, making me a Sophomore. I am also a Top/Tumbler on the Acrobatics and Tumbling team. I leaped and decided to Rush this Fall. I am a proud member of Alpha Phi Sorority. I am double majoring in Business Administration and Accounting to obtain my Real Estate license and become a CPA.
Additionally, to wanting to know what goes on outside of the U.S. with fashion, I chose to minor in Global Fashion Marketing, as I have loved fashion since I was a child. I was a competitive cheerleader for 16 years, which gave me the skills to manage my time well, solve problems quickly, and have excellent teamwork capabilities. During my career as a track and field athlete, I acquired solo competitive skills to be the best at every endeavor I undertake, as well as leadership skills, and was captain of my JV team.
Having taken business courses since I was a freshman in high school, I received my Excel, PowerPoint, and Word certifications through a series of tests and exams. I earned 27 undergraduate credits before college, which put me almost into my sophomore year.
I am already applying for internships at real estate firms and accounting firms down in Portland for the summer and may go on a summer abroad trip to further my knowledge in my area of study.
Education
University of Oregon
Bachelor's degree programMajors:
- Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other
Minors:
- Accounting and Computer Science
Miscellaneous
Desired degree level:
Bachelor's degree program
Graduate schools of interest:
Transfer schools of interest:
Majors of interest:
- Business Administration, Management and Operations
Career
Dream career field:
Real Estate
Dream career goals:
Company Founder
Level 1-6 Cheerleader
Woodlands Elite2007 – 202215 yearsCabana Server
Typhoon Texas2019 – 20201 yearSales Associate
JC Penney2021 – Present3 yearsSales Associate
Kohls2020 – 20211 year
Sports
Track & Field
Varsity2010 – Present14 years
Awards
- District Champions
Cheerleading
Club2008 – Present16 years
Awards
- NCA National Champion 4x
Cheerleading
Varsity2007 – Present17 years
Awards
- UIL State Championship
Research
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other
Future Business Leaders of America — Student2019 – Present
Arts
REFLEX
DanceYes2008 – Present
Public services
Volunteering
Jewish Community Center — Intern2018 – 2021Volunteering
Project Grad — Student2019 – Present
Future Interests
Advocacy
Volunteering
Philanthropy
Entrepreneurship
DeAmontay's Darkness Deliverance Scholarship
In the world, every person may be faced with many challenges and obstacles throughout their lifetime. My life has been filled with many roadblocks and troubling challenges. When going through hard times I find it better to keep a smile and find ways to stay motivated to overcome my obstacles. The course of one’s journey lies in the things that one learns along the way to their destination. Although many may argue otherwise, adversity proves to be a large determining factor in one’s future. In all periods of life, there are hardships that we must all face as children and adults.
The real challenge, however, is what and how we gain from conquering these trials. Whether it be financial, family, physical, or emotional hardships, or any relevant hardships that may be a burden on life. They force one to adapt to the situation by pushing themselves and overcoming adversity to some degree. Adversity may be painful now, but the pain is temporary. Pain will eventually subside, and something else will take its place.
Throughout my high school career, I’ve taken dual college credit and AP classes, which was a tough task at hand while also competing on the Varsity track and cheer team, but I found ways to stay successful and overcome the difficulty. My hardest year in high school has been my senior year. I had taken dual college credit classes throughout high school and thought I could handle it; however, I found myself on the edge of failing. My thoughts were that it would be okay if I did just enough to pass, especially in my Pre-Calculus class, which was deemed an extra math course, but then I realized that it could affect my senior year and chances of going to college. On top of this way of thinking, I was at the first pep rally of the football season when I suffered a very serious concussion, that caused me to have a brain bleed, and major migraine-like headaches. Before the concussion, I had a great understanding of Pre-Calculus, but the concussion caused me to lose periods in my life, thus forgetting most of my basic math skills.
There were days when I struggled a lot during my Pre-Calculus class where I had to be a part of classroom discussions, and deliberations in front of the class, which gave me great anxiety because my memory was short-term at best. These sessions constantly increased my levels of anxiety, which turned into strong discouragement, convulsive agony, and even anger indirectly paving the way to pain and distress in me. I worked on pre-calculus and breaking down my tasks into parts to better help me get closer to tackling this obstacle. I put all my time and energy into motivating myself to work hard and achieve the goals I set.
Succeeding and overcoming that obstacle was one of the best feelings in the world. All my hard work paid off because I executed my plan and overcame my challenge of passing. The most important lesson I learned is that if I am ever in a challenging situation, I can overcome it if I stay motivated and give my all. There will always be a time when every person in the world is faced with many difficult problems and complications. My long road filled with ups and downs throughout schooling has taught me that life is full of obstacles, but one must develop different strategies not to escape the obstacles, but to overcome them with ease and elevate as a successful young adult.
Theresa Lord Future Leader Scholarship
My name is Rickelle Henderson. I am from a working-class family, and I am currently a freshman that is on track to earn my Bachelor of Business Administration in Entrepreneurship in three years at the University of Oregon, where I am on their NCAA D1 Acrobatics and Tumbling team, and I’m in need of financial aid because I do not have a lot of family or friends to contribute towards my education.
My mother is a single mother and was determined to raise a smart, successful young lady. I grew up in a family that never had much, but we always tried hard to keep ourselves together. My mom works full time as an admin by day, and to offset finances also drives for Uber and Instacart, while my siblings and I all work weekend jobs to contribute to the family income.
She has devoted her life to supporting me, both financially and emotionally. Life hasn’t always been easy for us, but I have never wanted anything. She always found a way to keep me fed, and dressed, in extracurricular activities, and in school. My mom has helped me realize how much one person’s efforts can make a difference in the lives of others.
I’ve always known that I wanted to go to college and never wanted to be a burden on my mom, so I have been earning and saving my own money. Since the age of 5, I have competed in individual cheer competitions. I began working as a cabana server at Typhoon Texas, a water park when I was 16. I continued to work as a Sales Associate at Kohls and JC Penny in the summers, after school, and on weekends. School and on weekends. Through all these jobs, I’ve saved a bit of money on my own. However, to make my dreams a reality, I need additional scholarships. Even with the financial aid grants, I need to pay $15000 more per year to attend the University of Oregon, due to my commitment to school out of state.
I did not do well in high school because of being in and out of the hospital from Freshman year with a diagnosis of Crohn’s and an Ovarian cyst. However, I managed to get a 3.30 cumulative GPA, and I have pretty much remained an A/B student. I am really dedicated to being successful despite my circumstances.
I am a Freshman at the University of Oregon. I entered with 36 credit hours and a 3.7 GPA out of 4.0. At the end of the fall term, I will have 51 credit hours, making me a Sophomore. I am also a Top/Tumbler on the Acrobatics and Tumbling team. I leaped and decided to Rush this Fall. I am a proud member of Alpha Phi Sorority. I am double majoring in Business Administration and Accounting to obtain my Real Estate license and become a CPA.
A scholarship would help me close the financial gap and take fewer student loans, which I really hope to avoid. This is particularly significant for me because I plan to major in Business concentrating in Entrepreneurship and minoring in Marketing to eventually work in a role to support my community, by opening a real estate brokerage to help underserved people. However, since these jobs are not always guaranteed to pay high, repaying significant student loans would be difficult. I have worked really hard despite circumstances and being awarded a scholarship from you would allow me to complete my education without incurring a lot of debt that I can’t afford.
Harry & Mary Sheaffer Scholarship
My name is Rickelle Henderson. I am from a working-class family, and I am currently a freshman that is on track to earn my Bachelor of Business Administration in Entrepreneurship in three years at the University of Oregon, where I am on their NCAA D1 Acrobatics and Tumbling team, and I’m in need of financial aid because I do not have a lot of family or friends to contribute towards my education.
My mother is a single mother and was determined to raise a smart, successful young lady. I grew up in a family that never had much, but we always tried hard to keep ourselves together. My mom works full time as an admin by day, and to offset finances also drives for Uber and Instacart, while my siblings and I all work weekend jobs to contribute to the family income.
She has devoted her life to supporting me, both financially and emotionally. Life hasn’t always been easy for us, but I have never wanted anything. She always found a way to keep me fed, and dressed, in extracurricular activities, and in school. My mom has helped me realize how much one person’s efforts can make a difference in the lives of others.
I’ve always known that I wanted to go to college and never wanted to be a burden on my mom, so I have been earning and saving my own money. Since the age of 5, I have competed in individual cheer competitions. I began working as a cabana server at Typhoon Texas, a water park when I was 16. I continued to work as a Sales Associate at Kohls and JC Penny in the summers, after school, and on weekends. School and on weekends. Through all these jobs, I’ve saved a bit of money on my own. However, to make my dreams a reality, I need additional scholarships. Even with the financial aid grants, I need to pay $15000 more per year to attend the University of Oregon, due to my commitment to school out of state.
I did not do well in high school because of being in and out of the hospital from Freshman year with a diagnosis of Crohn’s and Ovarian cyst. However, I managed to get a 3.25 cumulative GPA, and I have pretty much remained an A/B student. I am really dedicated to being successful despite my circumstances.
A scholarship would help me close the financial gap and take fewer student loans, which I really hope to avoid. This is particularly significant for me because I plan to major in Business concentrating in Entrepreneurship and minoring in Marketing to eventually work in a role to support my community, by opening a real estate brokerage to help underserved people. However, since these jobs are not always guaranteed to pay high, repaying significant student loans would be difficult. I have worked really hard despite circumstances and being awarded a scholarship from you would allow me to complete my education without incurring a lot of debt that I can’t afford.
Pratibha Pandey Merit-Based Scholarship
My name is Rickelle Henderson. I am from a working-class family, and I am currently a freshman that is on track to earn my Bachelor of Business Administration in Entrepreneurship in three years at the University of Oregon, where I am on their NCAA D1 Acrobatics and Tumbling team, and I’m in need of financial aid because I do not have a lot of family or friends to contribute towards my education.
My mother is a single mother and was determined to raise a smart, successful young lady. I grew up in a family that never had much, but we always tried hard to keep ourselves together. My mom works full time as an admin by day, and to offset finances also drives for Uber and Instacart, while my siblings and I all work weekend jobs to contribute to the family income.
She has devoted her life to supporting me, both financially and emotionally. Life hasn’t always been easy for us, but I have never wanted anything. She always found a way to keep me fed, and dressed, in extracurricular activities, and in school. My mom has helped me realize how much one person’s efforts can make a difference in the lives of others.
I’ve always known that I wanted to go to college and never wanted to be a burden on my mom, so I have been earning and saving my own money. Since the age of 5, I have competed in individual cheer competitions. I began working as a cabana server at Typhoon Texas, a water park when I was 16. I continued to work as a Sales Associate at Kohls and JC Penny in the summers, after school, and on weekends. School and on weekends. Through all these jobs, I’ve saved a bit of money on my own. However, to make my dreams a reality, I need additional scholarships. Even with the financial aid grants, I need to pay $15000 more per year to attend the University of Oregon, due to my commitment to school out of state.
I did not do well in high school because of being in and out of the hospital from Freshman year with a diagnosis of Crohn’s and Ovarian cyst. However, I managed to get a 3.25 cumulative GPA, and I have pretty much remained an A/B student. I am really dedicated to being successful despite my circumstances.
A scholarship would help me close the financial gap and take fewer student loans, which I really hope to avoid. This is particularly significant for me because I plan to major in Business concentrating in Entrepreneurship and minoring in Marketing to eventually work in a role to support my community, by opening a real estate brokerage to help underserved people. However, since these jobs are not always guaranteed to pay high, repaying significant student loans would be difficult. I have worked really hard despite circumstances and being awarded a scholarship from you would allow me to complete my education without incurring a lot of debt that I can’t afford.
Veterans Next Generation Scholarship
I grew up as a Military Brat, a term used to describe children of military personnel. I grew up in a navy home and experienced frequent changes, moves, and new beginnings. Having been raised by a Navy Brat who served for over 20 years as a Petty Officer and Naval Reserve Officer, I understand how it feels to be a Navy Brat.” I look back at my childhood and early adult life and realize that I developed an exclusive set of skills from this lifestyle that are highly transferable in my personal life and professional career.
When I look back at my upbringing, I look at how being a military kid has affected me in today’s workforce.
Innovative Thinking. My military childhood led me to be a world-class thinker and innovator in the workplace, though I cannot speak for all military kids. I’ve lived in several places and consistently had my mom deployed or out to sea. I had an unmatched childhood that enhanced my ability to excel in diverse and unique situations using thought and creative solutions.
Adaptability. Every time I moved, adapting to a new home, a new community, new friends, and neighbors. I learned a little more about myself with each move we made and gained more skills that I now use in my everyday work and personal life.
Maturity and Resiliency. You grow up fast when you take on more responsibility around the house and more responsibility for other family members. This maturity leads to resiliency. I’ve dealt with unexpected changes my whole life, such as surprise relocations or deployments, and I feel I can bounce back because expecting the unexpected was second nature. Utilizing these skills has allowed me to adapt to constant changes in the workforce.
Neat and Organized. Being neat and organized has always been something that came naturally from growing up with a military parent. I hated doing my chores as a child, especially with the drill sergeant attitude of a military mom, but I now realize he was preparing me to be an organized adult. I learned the natural skills – bathroom cleaning, laundry, dishes – and impressively enough, I can even fold a fitted sheet (which I have learned that not everyone can do.) I learned how to be more organized and structured in my day-to-day life with good time management, delegation, and ownership of responsibilities.
I gained a different set of skills as a military dependent than those who did not grow up in a military family. As I continue to grow in my personal and professional career, I am thankful for this unique upbringing that allows me to use my specific set of skills and attributes.
College Showdown Scholarship
Bold New Beginnings TikTok Scholarship
Bold Memories Scholarship
Throughout high school, I’ve taken dual college credit and AP classes. This was a tough task at hand while also competing on the Varsity track and cheer team, but I found ways to stay successful and overcome the difficulty. By far, my senior year has been the most challenging, and I decided to take Pre-Calculus which is extra math and didn't really apply myself initially, then the worst happened, I
suffered a very serious concussion, which caused me to have a brain bleed, and migraine-like headaches. Before the concussion, I had a thorough understanding of Pre-Calculus, but the concussion caused me to lose periods in my life, thus forgetting most of my basic math skills. During my class, I struggled quite a bit due to short-term memory. My grades dropped, and I was embarrassed, angry, and discouraged.
To overcome this challenge, I had to sacrifice a lot of my free time with friends to study and perfect what I was struggling with. I developed certain skills and methods to stay motivated and get through this challenge. I worked on pre-calculus and breaking down my tasks into parts to better help me get closer to tackling this obstacle. Then, I put all my time and energy into motivating myself to work hard and achieve the goals I set. I noticed an immediate improvement in my grades and class after implementing my plan. Succeeding in re-learning and retaining the knowledge for pre-calculus was one of the most rewarding feelings in the world. I am proud to say that with my turnaround of attitude and work ethic, that I will be attending The University of Oregon this Fall, and playing on the Acrobatics and Tumbling team as an NCAA D1 athlete and collegiate scholar.
Rita's First-Gen Scholarship
Throughout my life, I have faced many roadblocks and troubling challenges coming from a single-parent home. While facing hard times, I stay positive and find ways to stay motivated to keep fighting. I find it more beneficial to keep a smile on my face and find ways to stay motivated. Even though many may argue otherwise, adversity plays a huge role in someone's future. The real challenge, however, is in what we gain from conquering adversity. It can be financial, family, physical, or emotional hardships. One adapts to adversity by pushing themselves and overcoming it to some degree.
Throughout high school, I’ve taken dual college credit and AP classes. This was a tough task at hand while also competing on the Varsity track and cheer team, but I found ways to stay successful and overcome the difficulty. By far, my senior year has been the most challenging, and I decided to take Pre-Calculus which is extra math and didn't really apply myself initially, then the worst happened, I
suffered a very serious concussion, which caused me to have a brain bleed, and migraine-like headaches. Before the concussion, I had a thorough understanding of Pre-Calculus, but the concussion caused me to lose periods in my life, thus forgetting most of my basic math skills. During my class, I struggled quite a bit with discussions, and deliberations in front of the class, which caused me much anxiety in my short-term memory. I was overwhelmed by anxiety, which turned into discouragement, agony, and even anger, indirectly evoking pain, and distress in me. My grades dropped, and I felt embarrassed.
To overcome this challenge, I had to sacrifice a lot of my free time with friends to study and perfect what I was struggling with. I developed certain skills and methods to stay motivated and get through this challenge. I worked on pre-calculus and breaking down my tasks into parts to better help me get closer to tackling this obstacle. Then, I put all my time and energy into motivating myself to work hard and achieve the goals I set. I noticed an immediate improvement in my grades and class after implementing my plan. Succeeding in re-learning and retaining the knowledge for pre-calculus was one of the most rewarding feelings in the world. I am proud to say that with my turnaround of attitude and work ethic, that I will be attending The University of Oregon this Fall, and playing on the Acrobatics and Tumbling team as an NCAA D1 athlete and collegiate scholar.
Getting a college education, means everything to me, it will open up doors for myself and my family, that otherwise would definitely remain closed.
Have you ever binge-watched a tv show in one sitting that’s so intriguing that you just can’t look away for even one second? Well, Reading has made me lose over 100 hours of memories, sleep, new television shows, and life, all because I got hooked on one single book. Reading is a lifestyle I love to indulge in and have made a habit of. It isn't for everybody because while some people are the 1 chapter a week kind of person, I'm the girl who reads 100 chapters a day or two. I used to hate reading with a passion but, one day on TikTok I found a book with all my interest and it just captivated my mind and I just had to get my hands on this book. My love for reading did a full 180, and I learned that I can visualize every scene and feel like I'm there with them instead of just a person reading the book.
I am a person that when I find something I want to do, no matter what it is, I have to do it with no exceptions and put all my time and energy into it. I’ve run into a few problems with this mindset as since I love reading, it occupies my mind and things I have to accomplish. I was once in the middle of a great book at 4 am and realized I had school in 3 hours but I had to finish the chapter because it was getting so good and I couldn't put it down. It ended up being 21 more chapters and I had already snoozed 3 of my alarms to get ready and go to school, all because I was so into the book that I zoned out the rest of the world.
One of my favorite books I have re-read many times is The Spanish Love Deception. This book is basically about being the only woman working in a man-based career, trying her best to get ahead even with all the complications that come along her way, and having people constantly put her down just for being a woman which is something she can’t change. I feel as though I relate to this book because I am always trying my hardest to succeed even when I know I don't have people in my corner and I can't count on certain people to cheer me on. Through reading different genres of books and learning many life lessons throughout my 8 months of progressive reading, I have learned that no matter what you're going through you can always try and persevere and look forward to the sunrise that comes along the next day.
When I read, it feels like the happiest time of my life but, just because I read all the time, I try to not let it stop me from experiencing life through my own eyes. I love feeling out the new characters I come along with in the first 10 chapters of a book to know who they really are, just like how I try not to judge somebody based on a 10-second meeting, rather than a 10 minute one. Reading is a big thing you need in your life, but it doesn't have to be everything in your life.
New Year, New Opportunity Scholarship
I'm the girl who reads 100 chapters a day. I learned that I can visualize every scene and feel like I'm there with them instead of just a person reading the book. I am a person that when I find something I want to do, no matter what it is, I have to do it with no exceptions and put all my time and energy into it. I love feeling out the new characters I come along with in the first 10 chapters to know who they really are, just like how I try not to judge somebody based on a 10-second meeting, rather than a 10 minute one.
Abby's First-Generation College Student Scholarship
Throughout life, every individual may go through many challenges and obstacles. I have faced many roadblocks and troubling challenges throughout my life. While facing hard times, I stay positive and find ways to stay motivated to keep fighting. I believe that a person's journey through life lies in the things they learn along the way to their destination.
During hard times, I find it more beneficial to keep a smile on my face and find ways to stay motivated. Even though many may argue otherwise, adversity plays a huge role in someone's future. Whether as a child or as an adult, there are always going to be hardships. The real challenge, however, is in what we gain from conquering these trials, whether they are financial, family, physical, or emotional hardships or any relevant hardship in life. One adapts to adversity by pushing themselves and overcoming it to some degree.
Throughout my high school career, I’ve taken dual college credit and AP classes. This issue was a tough task at hand while also competing on the Varsity track and cheer team, but I found ways to stay successful and overcome the difficulty. By far, my senior year has been the most challenging. I had taken dual college credit classes throughout high school and thought I could handle it; however, I found myself on the edge of failing. At first, I thought it would be fine if I did just enough to pass Pre-Calculus, as this course is considered extra math, but then I realized it could have an impact on my senior year and college entrance chances.
On top of this way of thinking, I was at the first pep rally of the football season when I suffered a very serious concussion, which caused me to have a brain bleed, and migraine-like headaches. Before the concussion, I had a thorough understanding of Pre-Calculus, but the concussion caused me to lose periods in my life, thus forgetting most of my basic math skills. During my Pre-Calculus class, I struggled quite a bit with classroom discussions, and deliberations in front of the class, which caused me much anxiety in my short-term memory. In these sessions, I was overwhelmed by anxiety, which turned into discouragement, convulsive agony, and even anger, indirectly evoking pain, and distress in me. I eventually dropped my grades significantly as a result, and then I felt so embarrassed around my teachers, peers, and most importantly with my closest friends.
To overcome this challenge, I had to sacrifice a lot of my free time with friends to study and perfect what I was struggling with. I developed certain skills and methods to stay motivated and get through this challenge. I worked on pre-calculus and breaking down my tasks into parts to better help me get closer to tackling this obstacle. Then, I put all my time and energy into motivating myself to work hard and achieve the goals I set. I noticed an immediate improvement in my grades and class after implementing my plan. Succeeding in re-learning and retaining the knowledge for pre-calculus was one of the most rewarding feelings in the world. It paid off because I executed my plan well and overcame my challenge of passing. I have received acceptance letters from several colleges and universities, but I will be attending The University of Oregon in the Fall of 2022. This event in my life has truly allowed me to be able to continue achieving my goals of being an NCAA D1 athlete and collegiate scholar.
Graduate Debt-Free Scholarship
My name is Rickelle Henderson. I am from a working-class family, and I am currently a senior at Cinco Ranch High School, and I am on track to earn my Bachelor of Business Administration in Entrepreneurship in three years at the University of Oregon, where I will be on their NCAA Acrobatics and Tumbling team, and I’m in need of financial aid because I do not have a lot of family or friends to contribute towards my education.
My mother is a single mother and was determined to raise a smart, successful young lady. I grew up in a family that never had much, but we always tried hard to keep ourselves together. My mom works full-time as an admin by day, and to offset finances also drives for Uber and Instacart, while my siblings and I all work weekend jobs to contribute to the family income.
She has devoted her life to supporting me, both financially and emotionally. Life hasn’t always been easy for us, but I have never wanted anything. She always found a way to keep me fed, dressed, in extracurricular activities, and in school. My mom has helped me realize how much one person’s efforts can make a difference in the lives of others.
I’ve always known that I wanted to go to college and never wanted to be a burden on my mom, so I have been earning and saving my own money. Since the age of 5, I have competed in individual cheer competitions. I began working as a cabana server at Typhoon Texas, a water park when I was 16. I continued to work as a Sales Associate at Kohls and JC Penny in the summers, after school, and on weekends. School and on weekends. Through all these jobs, I’ve saved a bit of money on my own. However, to make my dreams a reality, I need additional scholarships. Even with the financial aid grants, I need to pay $15000 more per year to attend the University of Oregon, due to my commitment to school out of state.
I did not do well in high school because of being in and out of the hospital from Freshman year with a diagnosis of Crohn’s and Ovarian cyst. However, I managed to get a 3.25 cumulative GPA, and I have pretty much remained an A/B student. I am really dedicated to being successful despite my circumstances.
A scholarship would help me close the financial gap and take fewer student loans, which I really hope to avoid. This is particularly significant for me because I plan to major in Business concentrating in Entrepreneurship and minoring in Marketing to eventually work in a role to support my community, by opening a real estate brokerage to help underserved people. However, since these jobs are not always guaranteed to pay high, repaying significant student loans would be difficult. I have worked really hard despite circumstances and being awarded a scholarship from you would allow me to complete my education without incurring a lot of debt that I can’t afford.
Sloane Stephens Doc & Glo Scholarship
Have you ever binge-watched a tv show in one sitting that’s so intriguing that you just can’t look away for even one second? Well, Reading has made me lose over 100 hours of memories, sleep, new television shows, and life, all because I got hooked on one single book. Reading is a lifestyle I love to indulge in and have made a habit of. It isn't for everybody because while some people are the 1 chapter a week kind of person, I'm the girl who reads 100 chapters a day or two. I used to hate reading with a passion but, one day on TikTok I found a book with all my interest and it just captivated my mind and I just had to get my hands on this book. My love for reading did a full 180, and I learned that I can visualize every scene and feel like I'm there with them instead of just a person reading the book.
I am a person that when I find something I want to do, no matter what it is, I have to do it with no exceptions and put all my time and energy into it. I’ve run into a few problems with this mindset as since I love reading, it occupies my mind and things I have to accomplish. I was once in the middle of a great book at 4 am and realized I had school in 3 hours but I had to finish the chapter because it was getting so good and I couldn't put it down. It ended up being 21 more chapters and I had already snoozed 3 of my alarms to get ready and go to school, all because I was so into the book that I zoned out the rest of the world.
One of my favorite books I have re-read many times is The Spanish Love Deception. This book is basically about being the only woman working in a man-based career, trying her best to get ahead even with all the complications that come along her way, and having people constantly put her down just for being a woman which is something she can’t change. I feel as though I relate to this book because I am always trying my hardest to succeed even when I know I don't have people in my corner and I can't count on certain people to cheer me on. Through reading different genres of books and learning many life lessons throughout my 8 months of progressive reading, I have learned that no matter what you're going through you can always try and persevere and look forward to the sunrise that comes along the next day.
When I read, it feels like the happiest time of my life but, just because I read all the time, I try to not let it stop me from experiencing life through my own eyes. I love feeling out the new characters I come along with in the first 10 chapters of a book to know who they really are, just like how I try not to judge somebody based on a 10-second meeting, rather than a 10 minute one. Reading is a big thing you need in your life, but it doesn't have to be everything in your life.
Matthews Overcoming Adversity Scholarship
Throughout life, every individual may go through many challenges and obstacles. I have faced many roadblocks and troubling challenges throughout my life. While facing hard times, I stay positive and find ways to stay motivated to keep fighting. I believe that a person's journey through life lies in the things they learn along the way to their destination.
During hard times, I find it more beneficial to keep a smile on my face and find ways to stay motivated. Even though many may argue otherwise, adversity plays a huge role in someone's future. Whether as a child or as an adult, there are always going to be hardships. The real challenge, however, is in what we gain from conquering these trials, whether they are financial, family, physical, or emotional hardships or any relevant hardship in life. One adapts to adversity by pushing themselves and overcoming it to some degree.
Throughout my high school career, I’ve taken dual college credit and AP classes. This issue was a tough task at hand while also competing on the Varsity track and cheer team, but I found ways to stay successful and overcome the difficulty. By far, my senior year has been the most challenging. I had taken dual college credit classes throughout high school and thought I could handle it; however, I found myself on the edge of failing. At first, I thought it would be fine if I did just enough to pass Pre-Calculus, as this course is considered extra math, but then I realized it could have an impact on my senior year and college entrance chances.
On top of this way of thinking, I was at the first pep rally of the football season when I suffered a very serious concussion, which caused me to have a brain bleed, and migraine-like headaches. Before the concussion, I had a thorough understanding of Pre-Calculus, but the concussion caused me to lose periods in my life, thus forgetting most of my basic math skills. During my Pre-Calculus class, I struggled quite a bit with classroom discussions, and deliberations in front of the class, which caused me much anxiety in my short-term memory. In these sessions, I was overwhelmed by anxiety, which turned into discouragement, convulsive agony, and even anger, indirectly evoking pain, and distress in me. I eventually dropped my grades significantly as a result, and then I felt so embarrassed around my teachers, peers, and most importantly with my closest friends.
To overcome this challenge, I had to sacrifice a lot of my free time with friends to study and perfect what I was struggling with. I developed certain skills and methods to stay motivated and get through this challenge. I worked on pre-calculus and breaking down my tasks into parts to better help me get closer to tackling this obstacle.
Then, I put all my time and energy into motivating myself to work hard and achieve the goals I set. I noticed an immediate improvement in my grades and class after implementing my plan. Succeeding in re-learning and retaining the knowledge for pre-calculus was one of the most rewarding feelings in the world. It paid off because I executed my plan well and overcame my challenge of passing. I have received acceptance letters from several colleges and universities, but I will be attending The University of Oregon in the Fall of 2022. This event in my life has truly allowed me to be able to continue achieving my goals of being an NCAA D1 athlete and collegiate scholar.