Bick NYC Public School Graduate Scholarship

Growing up in the New York City public school system taught me early on that you don’t always get the newest books or the biggest budgets, but you learn how to make the most out of what you have. My family never had the money to send me to a private school, and honestly, at times I wondered if I was missing out. But looking back, I’m proud of the path I took because it shaped who I am. At Herbert H. Lehman High School, I saw firsthand how hard teachers and staff worked even when resources were tight. There were so many things they wanted to do for us, but the answer was usually “there’s no budget for that” or “we don’t have enough supplies.” Sometimes we shared worn-out textbooks, or teams would have to reuse the same equipment year after year. It wasn’t perfect, but instead of letting it hold me back, it pushed me. I realized that if I could succeed in that environment, then I could handle a lot more than I thought. I stayed focused on my goals. By the time I graduated, I earned a 3.9 GPA, ranked in the top 10, and completed several college credits. But honestly, some of my biggest lessons came from sports. Being captain of both the soccer and lacrosse teams taught me how to keep people motivated, how to stay calm when everything feels chaotic, and how to lead by example. I learned how to be dependable, even on days when I was tired or stressed. There were challenges the whole way. Crowded classrooms, old materials, and watching students at better-funded schools get things we didn’t made it easy to feel like I was behind. But every time I faced something like that, it just made me want to work harder. I learned how to advocate for myself, how to pay attention even when there were distractions everywhere, and how to squeeze every bit of opportunity out of a system that didn’t always have a lot to give. Now, what pushes me forward is my goal of becoming a civil engineer. I want to help New York keep up with the future. Growing up here, I’ve seen what happens when infrastructure is stretched too thin. I want to be part of the solution, helping build safer roads, stronger bridges, and systems that can handle the needs of this huge city. This scholarship would make a real difference for me. Paying for school is not easy for my family, and having extra support would let me focus fully on my classes, internships, and building my career without constantly worrying about money. The NYC public school system taught me resilience and showed me that where you start doesn’t decide where you end up.

My journey through the NYC public school system has been shaped by resilience and a determination to achieve what many believed was impossible for me. I entered a New York City middle school after transferring from Spring Valley in upstate New York, where I had been placed in advanced classes and was on track to take my Regents exams before entering high school. Education had always been a space where I felt challenged and supported. When I transferred, I was placed in classes far below the level I had previously been studying. Instead of continuing in advanced biology, I was moved into earth science with only four months left in the school year. I went from being stimulated to feeling unseen. The shift was so drastic that I failed the Regents exam and had to attend summer school. I was also unable to sit for some of the Regents I had spent months preparing for simply because I was no longer in the classes that aligned with them. That experience taught me a hard lesson: sometimes, even when you work hard, the system still determines the worth of your efforts. High school brought its own obstacles. I began experiencing severe seizures almost every time I entered the school building. Despite my best efforts, accommodations were limited and unrealistic. Eventually, I was placed into online schooling. Instead of receiving the support I needed, I often felt forgotten. Teachers missed assignments, grading, and even attendance for me. I was enrolled in four AP classes, yet several teachers never registered me for the AP exams. Although discouraging, these experiences strengthened my resolve to pursue higher education. Socially, high school was just as challenging. Bullying made it difficult to feel comfortable in classrooms. Still, I pushed myself to participate in as many activities as I could—equity groups, journalism, debate, robotics, culture club, wrestling, Still I Rise, and student council. I refused to let negative experiences take away my ambition. Ultimately, I graduated a year early by taking my Regents exams ahead of schedule, proving to myself that while I cannot control others’ actions, I can control my own path. What motivates me now is my aspiration to provide children with the support I did not receive. I have spent years working in childcare supporting children with developmental and behavioral needs while studying psychology. I plan to earn my master’s degree in social work and special education. My goal is to become a licensed social worker and special education teacher focused on child development and family systems. I want to work as a teacher during the school day and as a play therapist after school, creating nurturing environments where children can build the life skills they need to thrive. My experiences have shown me how deeply school support impact a child’s life. This scholarship would provide the financial foundation I need to continue my education. I am determined to transform barriers into opportunities, just as I did for myself, I will do for my students.

Growing up in the NYC public school system taught me early on what it means to adapt, to keep going, and to believe in a future I couldn’t always see yet. My journey was never the smoothest, but it shaped me into someone who refuses to settle and who understands the power of education, opportunity, and resilience. In school, I didn’t always have the perfect environment or the most stable circumstances at home. There were times when money was tight, when responsibilities piled up, and when I had to balance school with helping my family. Even now, as I work to support myself, deal with housing issues, and try to keep up with bills, I’m still pushing forward with my education because I know it’s the key to changing my life. These challenges taught me to be resourceful, patient, and stronger than I ever realized. One of the biggest obstacles I’ve faced recently was trying to continue college while dealing with financial struggles. At one point, my balance with CUNY held me back from registering for classes. I felt stuck wanting to move forward, but unable to because of something out of my control. But instead of giving up, I started doing everything I could to find scholarships, reach out for support, and keep myself focused on the long-term goal. That experience showed me that asking for help is not weakness it’s part of climbing higher. What motivates me to keep going is the life I’m building for myself. I want to start a career in cybersecurity, a field where I can combine my interest in technology with the drive to solve problems and protect people. Coming from where I did, there weren’t many role models in tech around me, but I’ve learned to become the example I never had. I want to show that you can come from a public school in NYC, face setbacks, hit walls, and still break through. This scholarship would do much more than help me pay for classes. It would give me the chance to finally move to the next step without constantly worrying about falling behind because of money. It would allow me to focus on school, earn the degree I’ve been working toward, and move closer to a career that will change my future. It would lift a weight off my shoulders and open a door I’ve been trying to push open for a long time. My story is still being written, but everything I’ve been through has made me determined, grounded, and hungry for success. I’ve learned that even when things feel impossible, I can push forward. I’m proud of where I come from, and I’m even more proud of where I’m heading.

My motivation to pursue higher education comes from my desire to support my parents and build a stable future for me and my family. My parents have worked tirelessly for years, often putting their own needs aside so that I could have opportunities they never did. Watching their sacrifices, quiet, constant, and sometimes painful, has shaped me to be the woman I am today. Their determination has inspired me to aim higher, to use every chance I’m given not just for myself, but as a way to repay the love and resilience they’ve shown me. Throughout high school, my family faced several financial challenges that affected nearly every part of my academic life. I hated coming home to find my mom slumped on the couch during another depressive episode, weighed down by stress she tried so hard to hide. I remember my little sisters asking why there was only rice and stew in the fridge again, or why we couldn’t try something “new” like their friends did. And I remember my dad handing me a few dollars every morning, money I knew he needed far more than I did, but still offering it with a smile he hoped I wouldn’t see through. My friends never fully understood why I always had to rush home after school, why I rarely hung out, or why I avoided conversations about weekend plans. But the truth was simple: my family needed me, and I needed to make sure I didn’t make things harder for them. These experiences sharpend me. They made my path clearer. I want to earn a degree in Computer Science because I see it as a bridge: a bridge from instability to security, from surviving to thriving, and eventually, from receiving help to giving it. Technology is power connect communities, and create solutions where none existed. My dream is to become a software engineer who not only transforms my own circumstances but helps build systems and tools that empower people, and the countless families who struggle quietly in the background. This dream feels big, sometimes almost out of reach because it requires more than talent; it requires stability, focus, and opportunities that my family has always struggled to afford. This scholarship would relieve a burden that has followed me for years. Instead of worrying about tuition, textbooks, or whether I can afford basic necessities, I could focus on learning, growing, and pushing myself toward the future I want so badly. To get there, I will continue working hard academically, seek internships that challenge me, build projects that matter, and surround myself with mentors and peers who believe in thinking boldly. I know my dream is ambitious, but so were the dreams of my parents when they chose to build a life from scarcity and hope. Their courage fuels mine. And with support like this scholarship, I believe I can turn what feels just out of reach into something real, something that lifts not only me, but the community that raised me.