Julius Quentin Jackson Scholarship

There's a time in every child's life when they believe that magic and superpowers are a reality, that if they got bitten by the right spider, they could climb walls, that if they wore a cape and put a big S on their chest, they could fly. To them, being a superhero meant having powers and defeating evil. I was 6, riding in my Dad's car, looking out the window, imagining Spiderman swinging from the buildings. However, this world that I conjured disappeared at home. Luckily for me, the car was our home; we were evicted and sleeping in our car. To a child who couldn't grasp the severity of our situation, it was just fine by me. I'd watch Superman save Lois from Lex Luther on top of whatever building we parked next to until I fell asleep. I woke up ready for the rematch, but this time, it was on top of an Army recruitment office. My father was walking into the building, and I jumped up and down with excitement. My Dad was going to be a superhero; like Captain America or Wolverine. They even gave us a house, which meant no more car rides, but I didn't care I had a real superhero at home. What powers did he have? What monsters did he fight? Usually, I would receive whatever fake response he could make up to excite me. Then, he finally answered truthfully. He told me he didn't have powers; he had a gun. He didn't fight monsters; he fought people. He wasn't fighting to save the world; he was fighting so my family would never have to sleep in a cold car again. With only human abilities, he could still defeat even the worst of evil. Yes, there comes a time in every person's life when the magic starts to fade, and powers start to become unfathomable. But thanks to my father, I realized that learning is the greatest superpower anyone has. So, I expand my knowledge, take every opportunity afforded to me, and forge a work ethic that helps me overcome academic obstacles. With this scholarship, I will be able to continue the expansion of my father's teachings by going to college. My academic career has given me a passion for helping people and fostering change in my community through an innovative, entrepreneurial, and business-oriented mindset. By being accepted into my dream school and the number 2 undergraduate university for Business at UC Berkeley, I am one step closer to achieving that dream. However, the price of that dream is $80,000 a year. My family is in extreme financial disparity with my unemployed mother being the sole caretaker of our family of 6, living in section 8 housing, and having a twin brother who is also entering college this year. I am prepared to commit to my dreams no matter the cost. I am asking for you to commit to me, and make an investment So that I can invest in others.