I am passionate about receiving my college education because knowledge is power, and it is something that can't be taken away from you. Growing up, that is something that my father instilled in me, and it is what continues to motivate me, especially on the days when I don't feel like I can do it. My parents did not have a lot of money when I was growing up. After being honorably discharged from the military, my father installed tile when he found someone that needed it, and my mother was a home health aide. Neither one of them went to college and my mother did not even graduate from high school, so of course, they wanted better for me. I attended a private school from pre-k to college because they understood the value of education and what life could be like for me if I took a different path than them. They would spend their last dollar to make sure that my tuition was paid so that I could go to school and receive the best education. Seeing that, I understand how fortunate I am to be able to receive a good education and how important education is. I could never repay my parents for all of the sacrifices they made for my education, but what I can do is make sure that it was worth the sacrifice and put my all into receiving my college education. Another reason is in my community, graduating from high school is a big deal for everyone because not everyone does it. Most people drop out at some point during the four years and get a job in either fast food or department stores. I not only graduated from high school, but I will be going into my junior year at Howard University in the fall. It amazes me when the younger children in my community see me coming home from school, shocked that I am in college because it's not something they normally see. There aren't many role models or people to look up to in my community. That is one of the reasons I am so passionate about receiving my education. So those little girls and even boys can see that this is something they can do too. So many doors can open for you when you have an education, and I want them to recognize and understand that there is more to life than just this neighborhood, they just have to be willing to go to school and learn, and take advantage of the education their receiving because it can change their lives.