Gomez Family Legacy Scholarship

As a young child and one of two daughters to a single mom, many of my childhood memories are owed to my community. My mother was very young when she had my sister and me, and every week was a struggle to make ends meet. She was just a carhop at Sonic Drive-In, so her pay was not sufficient to take care of two children. Through community efforts, my sister and I were able to remain safe, warm, and well-fed. Places like the High Plains Food Bank and Snack Pak 4 Kids provided us with a reliable source of food. Due to these efforts, I feel a need to contribute to my society, not only to give back, but to triple their impact. I know what it was like to grow up in less-than-desirable living conditions, but I also recognize that with the help of our community, children can be shielded from their harsh reality. For this reason, I want to pursue a career in accounting, specifically for nonprofit organizations with a mission to send low income students to higher education. My goal is to help underrepresented and underfunded communities propel themselves forward so the next generation can break the cycle. Unfortunately, underfunded communities must work 10x harder than their counterparts. Though hard work and dedication can get you far, it is often not enough. In places of poverty, money comes first. Gifted students may lack the proper amount of sleep or focus due to working to provide a second income for their families or taking care of siblings while their guardians work. This has sent impoverished communities into an endless cycle that has become increasingly difficult to break. Without proper guidance and funding to allow students to focus on their education, my community is bound to remain in the status quo. This is why I have set my sights on the University of Texas at Austin where I will study accounting through the McCombs School of Business. However, achieving this goal comes at a cost. UT Austin has set my tuition at $36,000 per year, leaving me with up to $180,000 in debt by the time I achieve my masters degree. This number feels insurmountable given my family's financial situation. My mother has worked tirelessly to provide for me, but with her existing debt due to previous financial circumstances, she cannot contribute to my education. I have taken it upon myself to seek every possible scholarship and financial aid opportunity because, without them, my dream of attending the University of Texas at Austin will be just that, a dream. This scholarship is more than just financial aid to me. It is the key to my success. You will not only be awarding me financial assistance but also a chance. A chance to attend a school some students can only dream of being admitted to. A chance to make a difference in my community. A chance to break the cycle. It will represent an opportunity to continue breaking barriers and create a path for all the children who once lived like me. Throughout my academic journey, I have learned to embrace my identity, stand firm in my ambitions, and use my experiences as motivation, not as baggage. I have worked relentlessly to overcome adversity, and I have committed myself to becoming the first student in my family to obtain a college degree. Help me continue my academic studies, uplift my community, and achieve what once was thought to be impossible. Thank you for considering me for this scholarship and helping me break the cycle.

My name is Miranda Alvarez, and I am from Amarillo Texas. I attend Caprock High School, and currently I am ranked in the top 5% of my class. Grades have always been an important aspect of who I am now. With my strive for good grades, I have been provided with many great opportunities that have helped shape my future career goals. I am the middle child of a 5 person family, and due to that, I'm very family oriented. I plan to attend either Amarillo College or WT in order to achieve my goal of graduating with a Bachelor’s in Science of Nursing and ultimately become a travel nurse. I am applying for this scholarship for the purpose of earning enough money to be able to attend college full time and accomplish my educational goal of earning my Bachelor's degree. This scholarship will help me carry out that goal by providing financial assistance for the many expenses that are incurred during the journey, seeing as neither my parents or I have the immediate money for it. To be able to attend college, means having the financial resources available to do so and to be able to succeed academically without having much worry over how I will pay for college. All throughout my high school years, I have been very involved in community service based organizations. These organizations have only expanded my love for volunteering and helping those in need that are in my community. I am currently in the National Honor Society with a leadership position, National Technical Honor Society, vice president of Student Council, and as well as Key Club, and Akademia, Caprock High-School’s own honors society. Both NHS and NTHS are community based volunteering organizations. To volunteer out in my community wherever help is needed brings me great joy. As a part of the Student Council, we help around our school and offer help to students in need. We also work in partnership with small businesses to provide clothes, hygiene products, and blankets for the homeless and local pet shelters. Aside from school related organizations, I have currently sought out another volunteer opportunity that I can do every month on my own. This organization is called Fill With Hope, and their end goal of providing elementary school kids in need with snacks has really inspired me to continue with them. Another important aspect of my life has been my drive to improve my social skills greatly. I would still be the quiet and reserved person if it weren't for my realization that being a shy person wasn’t going to get me very far in life. I have been actively improving that with every day that passes by involving myself more with my community and taking every opportunity that is offered to me. I can now say that I’m confident in my social skills. Lastly I would like to take this opportunity to thank the donors for contributing to this scholarship and providing opportunities that would help students accomplish their educational goals. I would also like to express my gratitude towards the selection committee for their time, effort, and consideration of my application.

I am a first generation, and I come from an immigrant family where they never got the chance to get an education higher than an elementary level. For as long as I can remember my parents have constantly reminded me what a blessing it is to get an education in order to strive in my life, so I don't end up working a job that can only make ends meet just like my dad is right now. For years that is what he has been doing. He has always made sure we have had enough food, clothes, and a roof over our heads for my family. My mom is a full-time mother to me and my two younger siblings. She lacks the ability to read, write, and speak English fluently which denies her the opportunity to find a good-paying job for her in order to help my dad with bills and payments. Since I was eight years old, I was the one to interpret everything for my parents. My dad understands a little bit of English but he still needs help and I am always open to help him because that is the kind of person I am. No matter how big or small the task is, I won't deny someone needing my help. As soon as I turned 15, I started seeking any job that would take me in so I could at least help my family out in any way. It was never enough, but it was at least a small amount to have a good meal on the table. Even with those kinds of struggles, I still remember that I am the eldest setting an example to my siblings. I try my very best to give them advice of any sort, teach them right from wrong, and prepare them for what's next to come in their lives from the past experiences that I have learned. My academic goal is to be an impactful educator to those in need of guidance. I want to become a teacher to not only teach them what the State of Texas wants them to learn but acknowledge their personal lives and help them in any way I can. I take time out of my own personal life to put others before me and look forward to making a safe, learning environment for my future students. It brings joy to my heart when I help others and can bring them a little light. I have had many great teachers in my past who have all taught me something different, including how to be there for others. Those teachers inspired me to become a teacher just like them. I always hear from other people that the pay isn't good and that I should pursue something different, but I want to prove them wrong. I want to be a teacher. I can’t wait to go to college and become a teacher, but I have financial constraints that will make this goal difficult to reach. Receiving your scholarship award would mean the world to me (and my family). I am a hard worker who is used to managing numerous activities while upholding my grades. I am ready to continue my learning and to benefit students’ lives in any way I can. Thank you for considering me for your award.