Alex Haro Memorial Scholarship

“It doesn’t matter what they did to you. What matters is how you react,” this is the sentence that has haunted my mind since I was a little girl. Though it played in my head endlessly every time I was reprimanded by my father, I never knew how to apply it to my life. At every irritation, I would blow up in a rage that was unimaginable for a seven year old, and the fallback was always on me for not controlling my temper. In an attempt to manage my reactions, I started to approach situations more carefully. I try to see where a person is coming from before I judge why they think or feel something. This has caused me to become very independent. Taking an outsider's opinion would taint my true feelings, and I will not accept myself to be anything but honest. This year, I am taking Chemistry. Through every lesson, I breeze through and understand the content easily. I’m a quick learner. My table-mate has not had the same experience. He often struggles with concepts being taught. After seeing his confusion, I was able to help him and reinforce the lesson being taught in class. Seeing the expression on his face of “I get it now,” is always rewarding. Rather than brushing off his struggle and ignoring him, I used empathy to see things from his perspective and found intrinsic value from seeing him succeed with my help. This experience has reinforced my desire to help and educate people in my future career. I plan to attend OTC and complete their Radiography program. After I graduate with my A.A.S, I will attend MSU to obtain a higher education and degree, and soon become an MRI Technologist. Helping patients understand what is wrong and why it’s wrong is something I know will be challenging and rewarding knowing they have peace of mind about their health. Empathy is not a trait everyone learns. I, however, am lucky enough to be one who values it. Benefiting from food stamps the entirety of my childhood has contributed significantly to fostering my empathy for others and understanding what it’s like for others to be going through financial hardship. It’s provided me with the mindset to be grateful for what I have now, and show gratitude to those who are trying their best to be their best. I’ve come to appreciate others more, and try to put myself in their shoes as much as I can. As I’ve grown as a person, I’ve realized that it isn’t the adversity one has faced that defines them, but rather the steps they’ve taken to conquer it. I am not defined by my academics, my mental health, or my childhood. I am defined as a person with patience who seeks to understand others with sincerity. I am defined as one with integrity, who is independent and resilient, able to provide for herself and those around her. Character is about an individual’s moral and ethical qualities, and I believe that the ones I showcase are essential to being a good human being, and it will aid me in my future endeavors in the medical field.

When I was young, I swore to myself that my mother would never have to drive herself. From the backseat, I'd watch her push through a migraine on long drives home- Her hands would grip the wheel tighter, the radio silenced, and all I could hear was the sound of my thoughts. In those moments, I promised myself, “When I’m sixteen, everything will be different”. The first time I had to drive her was when I was fifteen, after getting my permit. I felt like I could single-handedly cure her migraines. Maybe if I drove carefully enough, she wouldn't feel the sharp turn onto our road. I thought I could ease her pain, just by avoiding the potholes on the road. I was naive, but I felt grown up. It wasn't because I could drive; it was being able to show her that I could take care of her. I learned then that kindness isn’t always grand gestures- it's choosing to ease someone's burden, even in small ways. I notice now, more and more often, the opportunities we all have, to ease someone's pain. My mother has a smile that lights up the room. Even when wracked with pain, she continues to smile, continues to give kindness, even when life hasn't been fair to her. She's crafted a way of life that I aspire to obtain; always patient and kind, even when hurting. She is a positive and sweet soul, always encouraging me. If I could embody even a fraction of her warmth and resilience, I would know I'm on the right path. My path has been paved by my mother's encouragement. On long car rides, I would wield a pencil, sketching whatever I could see outside- trees, clouds, the occasional bird. My mother would flip through my doodles, always gasping in awe until I was convinced I was the next DaVinci. My drawings weren't particularly impressive; but to her, they were masterpieces. Never once has she stopped encouraging me, not even when her headaches drove her to be bedridden for months. This constant reassurance and love has helped me become confident in my passion for art. Because of her support, I’ve felt comfortable enough to consider making it a career. In college I plan to pursue industrial design, to utilize my skills in research, communication, and drawing. It’s a difficult program, but I know that my mother will support me through it all. My mother is my superhero. She has given me love, kindness, and encouragement, even in pain. I could never repay her for everything she's done for me, never truly make her understand how much she's taught me, with her quiet strength. The only thing I can do is to take care of her in small ways, like driving her when she can’t. It's a simple act, but she's taught me that the small things mean the most.