Overcoming Adversity - Jack Terry Memorial Scholarship

What really speaks to me about Jack Terry’s story is his ability to persevere through unimaginable loss. Losing his family, home, and everything familiar—alongside the trauma of surviving three Nazi concentration camps—he faced setbacks I can hardly fathom. It’s clear that Jack not only worked hard but likely harder than his classmates to achieve all that he did, especially having to learn a new language and catch up on the schooling he missed. His drive and lack of self-pity allowed him to accomplish great things and build the life he deserved, and he inspires me to do the same as I navigate my own adversities. Growing up in a single-mother household, I watched my mom work multiple jobs and side hustles to keep my brother and me fed and housed. When my brother and I were able to work, our family’s finances improved. But last year, my mom was attacked and robbed by a gang. I had to drive her to the ER, bloodied and bruised, and for the first time, I fully realized I could lose her. On top of that, replacing her stolen belongings and covering medical bills put my family back into the financial rut we had fought so hard to escape. We worked hard to recover—only for her to be diagnosed with breast cancer six months later. The fear of losing her consumed me, but so did something else: comparison. Attending school in a wealthy district, I was surrounded by students whose financial struggles I couldn’t relate to. I kept thinking that if my friends’ moms had cancer, they wouldn’t have to worry about how they’d afford college or rent. I often cried about how unfair the world felt to me, how the people around me seemed to have so much less on their plates. Through all of this, I learned that focusing on my disadvantages only made things harder. Dwelling on the unfairness of my situation didn’t change it—it just kept me stuck. Self-pity wasn’t just unproductive; it was a barrier that blocked me from gratitude and faith. Jack Terry faced unthinkable loss, yet he didn’t let his suffering define him. He didn’t just rebuild his life—he dedicated it to serving others, from his time in the U.S. Army to the countless students he inspired, proving that hardship doesn’t have to hold you back, and often can be the motivator to keep going. Next year, I will pursue a business degree in arts and entertainment management. I believe music and storytelling are powerful tools for connection and healing. Just as Jack used his experiences to uplift others, I want to use my career to highlight underrepresented musicians and create spaces where people feel seen and supported. Whether it’s amplifying artists with important stories, organizing benefit concerts for causes I care about, or mentoring young creatives from difficult backgrounds, I want to make an impact. Everyone faces hardships, but what we choose to do with them is what makes an inspiring story. Jack Terry lived that truth, I am on the journey of doing the same, and I hope to help others do so in the future.

What inspires me the most about Jack Terry’s story is what he chose to do with his life after the unimaginable things he experienced. It reminds me that it truly is up to you how your life turns out. I find it remarkable that he had no more than an elementary school education, spoke no English, and endured the beginning of his life to make his way to medical school. Again, it is a reminder to me that anything is possible. A person could start life in a horrendous situation, but that start does not define your future. My life started out being born to drug-addicted parents whose last priority was to parent their children. I was fortunate to be saved from exposure to that environment by my great-grandmother who did prioritize my life. She provided a safe and loving environment for me and my siblings for the first seven years of my life until she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and passed away. I was then fortunate to have a great-great aunt take over my guardianship, secured by my great-grandmother before her passing. I have resided with that great-great aunt for the last 10 years. This beginning of my life presented many adversities for me to overcome. I lost the person I loved the most, feeling different from my classmates who had intact families, having to change schools and leave friends behind, as well as having to adjust to a new home environment and a new parent. From the perspective of a 17-year-old looking back at the start of her life, I’ve learned the importance of having a strong support system that prioritizes me and my future. I learned the importance of surrounding myself with strong people with good intentions. I’ve learned what I want in my future and what I don’t. I’ve learned that service to others is important. I’ve learned the difference a single individual can make in another person's life. And like Jack Terry, I’ve learned the beginning of your story does not predict the end. I plan to be a Registered Nurse, focusing on the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). I have twin brothers who spent the first three months of their life in a NICU. In a way, it’s my way of giving back what they got. As a Registered Nurse, I will spend time at my job offering support to babies who have a similar start to life as I did, not only by providing medical care but also by sharing my story with parents. As a Registered Nurse, I plan to volunteer in my community, working with children born in similar circumstances as mine. I am also interested in serving on community committees and boards whose goal is to provide assistance and resources for children born into adverse situations and environments.

I believe the greatest adversity I have faced, and will probably continue to face is my health. I have been chronically ill for 7 years, and while I am doing pretty well right now, that has definitely not always been the case. When I was first diagnosed, I thought that maybe there would be a cure or at least a medication that could treat me so that I could be “normal” and functional again, but unfortunately, intractable chronic migraines and POTS have no cure, and most medications don’t work for me. I found that out through years of trial and error. This meant that I had to learn how to function while constantly being in pain. I had to learn how to be able to complete necessary tasks by pushing through pain, while also knowing how to pace myself so that I don’t get worse. I had to learn how to live a life that was guided by my conditions, and how to stay motivated even when times were hard. I realized that I could still dream big, and set goals for myself, but that I might have to adjust my life and the path to that goal, in order to achieve it. I am at a point in my life, where I have finally gotten past just surviving, and have actually started thriving again because I have learned about the importance of balance through my health. I still struggle sometimes, but I now have clear goals, and a plan on how to achieve them, without causing my health to decline. I believe facing this adversity made me a stronger and more empathetic person, especially toward others with invisible illnesses and disabilities. It also taught me how to set important priorities in my life. My goal for the future is to study childhood development and education and become a Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS), while also getting a master's degree in either early childhood development or education. I realized being a CCLS was going to be my goal after I was hospitalized myself at 15 years old for 10 days, due to my conditions. During my hospital stay, I met a Child Life specialist, and was immediately fascinated! I have always wanted to help people, I love working with children, and I believe I have a unique perspective for helping children in medical settings, seeing as I was a very sick child/teen myself. I fell in love with the job and the idea that I could help others like me. Hopefully, I will be able to put a little bit of the support, love, and guidance that I have received throughout my journey back into our society by helping not only my young patients but also supporting their siblings and their parents!