My life story is a testament to how you can overcome obstacles with prayer, hard work, grit, and determination. Life took a turn for the worse when my dad was diagnosed with Stage 4 Lung Cancer at the age of 35. Before his diagnosis, he had been ill for several weeks and had gone to the doctor several times. One day he decided to visit an urgent care clinic, where the doctor performed a chest x-ray and noticed numerous tumors in his lungs. He underwent several treatments of radiation, chemotherapy, and clinical trial medications to prolong his life as much as he could. After two years of my dad suffering from lung cancer, my father had passed away. It felt like I lost my mom and dad at the same time, due to my mom going into a depression. Fortunately, I was attending a religious school that was very nurturing and loving at the time my dad passed away. They encouraged me to continue to pray and rely on my faith in God. As I started to heal from my father's death, I began to work extremely hard on my academics and excelled in school. Due to my academic achievements, I was able to join the National Beta Club and the National Honor Society. Volunteering and providing service to the less fortunate, through these organizations, have been some of my greatest memories in high school. Serving others brings me joy and gives me a purpose. I have recently graduated high school with honors and a 3.7 GPA. This is a true testament to having a gritty mindset. As I look back on my life's journey, I am grateful that I overcame so many obstacles and look forward to my future. I have chosen to pursue a career in nursing. There are several reasons that I chose this career path. One of the main reasons I chose nursing is the characteristics nurses display. During my father's illness, he stayed in the hospital for several weeks and I was able to witness wonderful nurses who cared for him. They were nurturing, compassionate, and optimistic even though he did not have a good prognosis. When families are experiencing health challenges, I want to provide a compassionate and nurturing environment while caring for my patients, just as the nurses displayed in my family's time of need. Unfortunately, cancer took my dad away but I know that I am making him proud by pursuing a degree in a field that helped him and so many others when they were in need. I know that if I stay focused with a gritty mindset, I will achieve all my goals in life no matter the circumstances. Lastly, I want to encourage other students facing adversity to remain focused on their dreams and seek a relationship with God. Unfortunately, everyone will experience adversity at some point in their life, but you can not allow it to detour you from your goals in life. Establishing a relationship with God, having a positive mindset, and working hard are important when pursuing your dreams. Remember with God all things are possible!

One of my favorite bible verses includes, "Love each other as I have loved you." There are many ways to show love, such as gifts, acts of service, and affection. As a young African American teen, I choose to show love and kindness to my family and the community and embody the B.A.B.Y.L.O.V.E. spirit by volunteering as much as possible. It brings me joy and fulfillment to serve others without strings attached. As a young girl, I grew up serving my community alongside my grandmother, where we volunteered to clean the church weekly. I remember vacuuming the carpets and dusting the pews, while my grandmother would wash the windows. It was something that I looked forward to doing and I was so proud of how nice the church would look once we were done. In middle school, I joined the Beta Club, which allowed me to continue serving my community through volunteer work. I would pick up trash at school, tend to the school's flower bed, and help raise money through various fundraisers to support our school. I took pride in these activities because I wanted to ensure our school was being maintained and it was also a way to spend time with my classmates. During my high school years, I continued to excel academically, so I volunteered to tutor other students in need after school. We would meet in the school's library for an hour a few days a week. The students' parents were so grateful for my services and would even offer to pay me. Of course, I refused because I was doing this out of love and my passion for helping others. Another service that brought me joy during my high school years was participating in various activities with special needs children. I have always attended school with special needs children, however, because I was enrolled in honors classes they were not in any of my classes. Volunteering with the special needs learning adventure days and Easter egg hunts allowed me to engage with these students amazingly. They were so fun to be around and appreciated all the activities we provided for them. The smiles on their faces were priceless. Those encounters are some of my best memories of high school. Lastly, I have also volunteered with food and toy drives, which consisted of collecting and distributing, food and toys to the less fortunate in the community. With the rising cost of living, these services are vital to the community and I am so blessed to have the opportunity to serve others. After graduating high school, I plan on attending college to pursue a nursing degree. As a nurse, I want to be able to continue my passion for helping others in need. I want to provide my patients with exceptional care while treating them with kindness, love, and compassion. I will embody the B.A.B.Y.L.O.V.E. spirit as long as God allows me to breathe.

One of my favorite bible verses includes, "Love each other as I have loved you." There are many ways to show love, such as gifts, acts of service, and affection. As a young African American teen, I choose to show love and kindness to my family and the community by volunteering as much as possible. It brings me joy and fulfillment to serve others without strings attached. As a young girl, I grew up serving my community alongside my grandmother, where we volunteered to clean the church weekly. I remember vacuuming the carpets and dusting the pews, while my grandmother would wash the windows. It was something that I looked forward to doing and I was so proud of how nice the church would look once we were done. In middle school, I joined the Beta Club, which allowed me to continue serving my community through volunteer work. I would pick up trash at school, tend to the school's flower bed, and help raise money through various fundraisers to support our school. I took pride in these activities because I wanted to ensure our school was being maintained and it was also a way to spend time with my classmates. During my high school years, I continued to excel academically, so I volunteered to tutor other students in need after school. We would meet in the school's library for an hour a few days a week. The students' parents were so grateful for my services and would even offer to pay me. Of course, I refused because I was doing this out of love and my passion for helping others. Another service that brought me joy during my high school years was participating in various activities with special needs children. I have always attended school with special needs children, however, because I was enrolled in honors classes they were not in any of my classes. Volunteering with the special needs learning adventure days and Easter egg hunts allowed me to engage with these students amazingly. They were so fun to be around and appreciated all the activities we provided for them. The smiles on their faces were priceless. Those encounters are some of my best memories of high school. Lastly, I have also volunteered with food and toy drives, which consisted of collecting and distributing, food and toys to the less fortunate in the community. With the rising cost of living, these services are vital to the community and I am so blessed to have the opportunity to serve others. After graduating high school, I plan on attending college to pursue a nursing degree. As a nurse, I want to be able to continue my passion for helping others in need. I want to provide my patients with exceptional care while treating them with kindness, love, and compassion.

One of my favorite bible verses includes, "Love each other as I have loved you." There are many ways to show love, such as gifts, acts of service, and affection. As a young African American teen, I choose to show love and kindness to my family and the community by volunteering as much as possible. It brings me joy and fulfillment to serve others without strings attached. As a young girl, I grew up serving my community alongside my grandmother, where we volunteered to clean the church weekly. I remember vacuuming the carpets and dusting the pews, while my grandmother would wash the windows. It was something that I looked forward to doing and I was so proud of how nice the church would look once we were done. In middle school, I joined the Beta Club, which allowed me to continue serving my community through volunteer work. I would pick up trash at school, tend to the school's flower bed, and help raise money through various fundraisers to support our school. I took pride in these activities because I wanted to ensure our school was being maintained and it was also a way to spend time with my classmates. During my high school years, I continued to excel academically, so I volunteered to tutor other students in need after school. We would meet in the school's library for an hour a few days a week. The students' parents were so grateful for my services and would even offer to pay me. Of course, I refused because I was doing this out of love and my passion for helping others. Another service that brought me joy during my high school years was participating in various activities with special needs children. I have always attended school with special needs children, however, because I was enrolled in honors classes they were not in any of my classes. Volunteering with the special needs learning adventure days and Easter egg hunts allowed me to engage with these students amazingly. They were so fun to be around and appreciated all the activities we provided for them. The smiles on their faces were priceless. Those encounters are some of my best memories of high school. Lastly, I have also volunteered with food and toy drives, which consisted of collecting and distributing, food and toys to the less fortunate in the community. With the rising cost of living, these services are vital to the community and I am so blessed to have the opportunity to serve others. After graduating high school, I plan on attending college to pursue a nursing degree. As a nurse, I want to be able to continue my passion for helping others in need. I want to provide my patients with exceptional care while treating them with kindness, love, and compassion.

I am a recent graduate of Ovey Comeaux High School. I have always had a passion for helping others. Throughout high school, I have volunteered for many toy and food drives, tutored students after school, and participated in several activities for special needs students. My greatest memories from high school are from helping others. The future career goal that I have chosen to become is a registered nurse. There are several reasons that I chose this career path, however, the characteristics that nurses display are what ultimately led me to choose nursing. Unfortunately, several years ago I lost my father to lung cancer. During his illness, he stayed in the hospital for several weeks and I was able to witness wonderful nurses who cared for him. They were nurturing, compassionate, and optimistic even though he did not have a good prognosis. When families are experiencing health challenges, I want to provide a compassionate and nurturing environment while caring for my patients, just as the nurses displayed in my family's time of need. As a healthcare professional, I want to make sure that I listen to my patients carefully and address all of their concerns to provide the best care possible. When my father became ill and complained of chest pains, his doctor said he just needed to eat healthier and lose weight. My dad continued to feel ill for months without proper tests being provided. Then he developed a lingering cough and was only prescribed cough syrup. When my dad could no longer deal with the pain, he visited an urgent care clinic where tumors were discovered in his lungs from an x-ray of his chest. Unfortunately, by that time his cancer was stage 4. I am determined to be an advocate for my patients to prevent these incidents from occurring. My decision to pursue nursing also transpired from my relationship with my aunts. I have two aunts who have been nurses for over twenty years. Both of them have inspired me to pursue nursing due to their passion for helping others. I admire these two women because of their work ethic and desire to care for others. I pray I can become a nurse as great as they are one day. After obtaining my nursing license, I would like to work as a labor and delivery nurse at a local hospital. My dad's passing has made me realize how precious life is and I want to be able to help others when they bring a new life into the world.

My life story is a true testament to how you can overcome any obstacle with prayer, hard work, grit, and determination. Life took a turn for the worse when my dad was diagnosed with Stage 4 Lung Cancer at the age of 35. Before his diagnosis, he had been ill for several weeks and had gone to the doctor several times. One day he decided to visit an urgent care clinic, where the doctor performed a chest x-ray and noticed numerous tumors in his lungs. He underwent several treatments of radiation, chemotherapy, and clinical trial medications to prolong his life as much as he could. After two years of my dad suffering from lung cancer, my father had passed away. It felt like I lost my mom and dad at the same time, due to my mom going into a depression. Fortunately, I was attending a religious school that was very nurturing and loving at the time my dad passed away. They encouraged me to continue to pray and rely on my faith in God. As I started to heal from my father's death, I began to work extremely hard on my academics and excelled in school. Due to my academic achievements, I was able to join the National Beta Club and the National Honor Society. Volunteering and providing service to the less fortunate, through these organizations, have been some of my greatest memories in high school. Serving others brings me joy and gives me a purpose. I have recently graduated high school with honors and a 3.7 GPA. This is a true testament to having a gritty mindset. As I look back on my life's journey, I am grateful that I was able to overcome so many obstacles and I am looking forward to my future. I have chosen to pursue a career in nursing. There are several reasons that I chose this career path. One of the main reasons I chose nursing is because of the characteristics that nurses display. During my father's illness, he stayed in the hospital for several weeks and I was able to witness wonderful nurses who cared for him. They were nurturing, compassionate, and optimistic even though he did not have a good prognosis. When families are experiencing health challenges, I want to provide a compassionate and nurturing environment while caring for my patients, just as the nurses displayed in my family's time of need. Unfortunately, cancer took my dad away but I know that I am making him proud by pursuing a degree in a field that helped him and so many others when they were in need. I know that if I stay focused with a gritty mindset, I will achieve all my goals in life no matter the circumstances. Lastly, I want to encourage other students facing adversity to remain focused on their dreams and seek a relationship with God. Unfortunately, everyone will experience adversity at some point in their life, but you can not allow it to detour you from your goals in life. Establishing a relationship with God, having a positive mindset, and working hard is important when pursuing your dreams. Remember with God all things are possible!

I am a recent graduate of Ovey Comeaux High School. I have always had a passion for helping others. Throughout high school, I have volunteered for many toy and food drives, tutored students after school, and participated in several activities for special needs students. My greatest memories from high school are from helping others. The future career goal that I have chosen to become is a registered nurse. There are several reasons that I chose this career path, however, the characteristics that nurses display are what ultimately led me to choose nursing. Unfortunately, several years ago I lost my father to lung cancer. During his illness, he stayed in the hospital for several weeks and I was able to witness wonderful nurses who cared for him. They were nurturing, compassionate, and optimistic even though he did not have a good prognosis. When families are experiencing health challenges, I want to provide a compassionate and nurturing environment while caring for my patients, just as the nurses displayed in my family's time of need. Receiving this scholarship would help me achieve my goal of becoming a nurse because it would help ease the financial burden of attending college for my family. I need more assistance to attend Nicholls State University and unfortunately, my mom does not have the funds to assist me. My mom has been a teacher for over twenty years, however, she does not earn enough money to fund a college education. Any scholarship money that I receive will allow me to continue to focus on my academics and not worry about paying for college and acquiring a large amount of debt. I have done my best to earn a partial academic scholarship, however, several other expenses have not been accounted for. I also work a part-time job while in high school, however, I am not sure if I will be able to do so while attending college. I realize that I will have to spend more time studying and preparing for my exams to get accepted into nursing school. Earning this scholarship will allow me to keep my academics my top priority. Also, receiving this scholarship would benefit me in achieving my goal of becoming a nurse because it will provide me with the confidence and motivation to work hard knowing others are investing in me. If I am chosen for this scholarship, I promise that I will continue to do my best to make every dollar invested in my education count. I will take full advantage of this incredible opportunity to pursue my dream of becoming a nurse. Hopefully, one day I can return the favor and invest in someone’s future after achieving my career goal.

My life story is a true testament to how you can overcome any obstacle with prayer, hard work, grit, and determination. Life took a turn for the worse when my dad was diagnosed with Stage 4 Lung Cancer at the age of 35. Before his diagnosis, he had been ill for several weeks and had gone to the doctor several times. One day he decided to visit an urgent care clinic, where the doctor performed a chest x-ray and noticed numerous tumors in his lungs. He underwent several treatments of radiation, chemotherapy, and clinical trial medications to prolong his life as much as he could. After two years of my dad suffering from lung cancer, my father had passed away. It felt like I lost my mom and dad at the same time, due to my mom going into a depression. Fortunately, I was attending a religious school that was very nurturing and loving at the time my dad passed away. They encouraged me to continue to pray and rely on my faith in God. As I started to heal from my father's death, I began to work extremely hard on my academics and excelled in school. Due to my academic achievements, I was able to join the National Beta Club and the National Honor Society. Volunteering and providing service to the less fortunate, through these organizations, have been some of my greatest memories in high school. Serving others brings me joy and gives me a purpose. I have recently graduated high school with honors and a 3.7 GPA. This is a true testament to having a gritty mindset. As I look back on my life's journey, I am grateful that I was able to overcome so many obstacles and I am looking forward to my future. I have chosen to pursue a career in nursing. There are several reasons that I chose this career path. One of the main reasons I chose nursing is because of the characteristics that nurses display. During my father's illness, he stayed in the hospital for several weeks and I was able to witness wonderful nurses who cared for him. They were nurturing, compassionate, and optimistic even though he did not have a good prognosis. When families are experiencing health challenges, I want to provide a compassionate and nurturing environment while caring for my patients, just as the nurses displayed in my family's time of need. Unfortunately, cancer took my dad away but I know that I am making him proud by pursuing a degree in a field that helped him and so many others when they were in need. I know that if I stay focused with a gritty mindset, I will achieve all my goals in life no matter the circumstances.

I am a recent graduate of Ovey Comeaux High School. I have always had a passion for helping others. Throughout high school, I have volunteered for many toy and food drives, tutored students after school, and participated in several activities for special needs students. My greatest memories from high school are from helping others. The future career goal that I have chosen to become is a registered nurse. There are several reasons that I chose this career path, however, the characteristics that nurses display are what ultimately led me to choose nursing. Unfortunately, several years ago I lost my father to lung cancer. During his illness, he stayed in the hospital for several weeks and I was able to witness wonderful nurses who cared for him. They were nurturing, compassionate, and optimistic even though he did not have a good prognosis. When families are experiencing health challenges, I want to provide a compassionate and nurturing environment while caring for my patients, just as the nurses displayed in my family's time of need. As a healthcare professional, I want to make sure that I listen to my patients carefully and address all of their concerns to provide the best care possible. When my father became ill and complained of chest pains, his doctor said he just needed to eat healthier and lose weight. My dad continued to feel ill for months without proper tests being provided. Then he developed a lingering cough and was only prescribed cough syrup. When my dad could no longer deal with the pain, he visited an urgent care clinic where tumors were discovered in his lungs from an x-ray of his chest. Unfortunately, by that time his cancer was stage 4. I am determined to be an advocate for my patients to prevent these incidents from occurring. Receiving this scholarship would help me achieve my goal of becoming a nurse because it would help ease the financial burden of attending college for my family. I need more assistance to attend Nicholls State University and unfortunately, my mom does not have the funds to assist me. My mom has been a teacher for over twenty years, however, she does not earn enough money to fund a college education. Any scholarship money that I receive will allow me to continue to focus on my academics and not worry about paying for college and acquiring a large amount of debt. I have done my best to earn a partial academic scholarship, however, several other expenses have not been accounted for. I also work a part-time job while in high school, however, I am not sure if I will be able to do so while attending college. I realize that I will have to spend more time studying and preparing for my exams to get accepted into nursing school. Earning this scholarship will allow me to keep my academics my top priority. Also, receiving this scholarship would benefit me in achieving my goal of becoming a nurse because it will provide me with the confidence and motivation to work hard knowing others are investing in me. If I am chosen for this scholarship, I promise that I will continue to do my best to make every dollar invested in my education count. I will take full advantage of this incredible opportunity to pursue my dream of becoming a nurse. Hopefully, one day I can return the favor and invest in someone’s future after achieving my career goal.

A time that I demonstrated resilience and worked to overcome life's challenges was when my father died from cancer at the age of 35. I was only eight years old at the time and my younger brother was four. My mom did her best to cope with the reality of becoming a widow at only 35 but she grieved for my dad for about three years after his passing. This life-altering tragedy forced me to become resilient as I continued to excel in school. I remember being determined to stay focused no matter how hard life would become. I wanted to make my dad proud even though I knew that he was no longer with us. I also tried my best to comfort my mom and brother through their difficult moments. I knew that was something that my dad would've wanted me to do. I remember when my mom would go into her bedroom and cry for hours after my dad passed away. She tried her best to hide it from us but the pain was unbearable. I would go into her room and pray with her and also put on faith-based music to comfort her. I hated seeing my mom in so much pain and would do anything to ease her pain. I knew I needed to be resilient to support my mom through these difficult times. I also recall having to support my brother after my father's death. He was only four at the time so he didn't understand what had happened. My father had been sick for two years before his passing but my brother and I didn't realize that he would be gone forever. My dad always played outdoors with my brother and me until he was physically unable to do it because of his illness. I remember trying to keep my brother entertained and occupied after my dad could no longer play with us or give us much attention due to the amount of pain he endured. I had no other choice but to be resilient to support my family. In addition to supporting my loved ones, I have also shown resilience by excelling in school. Earning good grades was always important to my dad and I did not want to let him down. I continued to study and work hard to earn good grades after his passing. I know that he would be proud of me for graduating high school with honors and 3.7 GPA. Having to experience the death of a parent has affected my life tremendously. I can honestly say that because of this tragedy, I am a strong and resilient young lady. I wish that my dad was still here but I will not let his death keep me from achieving my goals in life. The future career goal that I have chosen to become is a registered nurse. There are several reasons that I chose this career path, however, the characteristics that nurses display are what ultimately led me to choose nursing. During my father's illness, he stayed in the hospital for several weeks and I was able to witness wonderful nurses who cared for him. They were nurturing, compassionate, and optimistic even though he did not have a good prognosis. When families are experiencing health challenges, I want to provide a compassionate and nurturing environment while caring for my patients, just as the nurses displayed in my family's time of need.

I am a recent graduate of Ovey Comeaux High School. I have always had a passion for helping others. Throughout high school, I have volunteered for many toy and food drives, tutored students after school, and participated in several activities for special needs students. My greatest memories from high school are from helping others. The future career goal that I have chosen to become is a registered nurse. There are several reasons that I chose this career path, however, the characteristics that nurses display are what ultimately led me to choose nursing. Unfortunately, several years ago I lost my father to lung cancer. During his illness, he stayed in the hospital for several weeks and I was able to witness wonderful nurses who cared for him. They were nurturing, compassionate, and optimistic even though he did not have a good prognosis. When families are experiencing health challenges, I want to provide a compassionate and nurturing environment while caring for my patients, just as the nurses displayed in my family's time of need. As a healthcare professional, I want to make sure that I listen to my patients carefully and address all of their concerns to provide the best care possible. When my father became ill and complained of chest pains, his doctor said he just needed to eat healthier and lose weight. My dad continued to feel ill for months without proper tests being provided. Then he developed a lingering cough and was only prescribed cough syrup. When my dad could no longer deal with the pain, he visited an urgent care clinic where tumors were discovered in his lungs from an x-ray of his chest. Unfortunately, by that time his cancer was stage 4. I am determined to be an advocate for my patients to prevent these incidents from occurring. My decision to pursue nursing also transpired from my relationship with my aunts. I have two aunts who have been nurses for over twenty years. Both of them have inspired me to pursue nursing due to their passion for helping others. I admire these two women because of their work ethic and desire to care for others. I pray I can become a nurse as great as they are one day. After obtaining my nursing license, I would like to work as a labor and delivery nurse at a local hospital. My dad's passing has made me realize how precious life is and I want to be able to help others when they bring a new life into the world.

When life gives you lemons you have to make lemonade! The loss of my dad has been incredibly challenging and has impacted me in several ways. Unfortunately, my dad was diagnosed with Stage 4 Lung Cancer at the age of 33. I was only six years old at that time, however I remember him being in bed most of the time and going in and out of the hospital. My dad was like a hero to me so seeing him go through this was devastating. He suffered from this illness for almost two years and passed away on January 3, 2015. After my dad’s passing, my mom went into a depression. My brother and I would comfort her by putting on gospel music to lift her spirits. As soon as she got home from work, she would fix us supper, take a bath, and go to bed. It felt like I lost my mom and dad at the same time. One good thing that came from this tragedy is that I was able to form a closer relationship with God. I attended Trinity Catholic School at the time my dad passed and I am thankful that the school was very nurturing and loving throughout this time. They encouraged me to continue to pray and rely on my faith in God. I am a witness that God is a healer and will see you through the difficulties in life. Of course, after my father's death, my mom could not afford to pay for a private school so I had to transfer to a public school. I didn't want to leave my friends but I had no choice. Thankfully, my mom encouraged me to continue to excel in my academics. I recently graduated from high school with honors and a 3.7 GPA. I plan on attending Nicholls State University to obtain a bachelor of science degree in nursing. There are several reasons that I chose to pursue a career in nursing. One of the main reasons I chose nursing is because of the characteristics that nurses display. During my dad's illness, he stayed in the hospital for several weeks and I was able to witness wonderful nurses who cared for him. They were nurturing, compassionate, and optimistic even though he did not have a good prognosis. When families are experiencing health challenges, I want to provide a compassionate and nurturing environment while caring for my patients, just as the nurses displayed in my family's time of need. Another reason I am pursuing a nursing degree is to help my mom financially. Due to my dad passing away from cancer, my mom has raised me and my brother alone. I have watched my mom sacrifice daily to make sure that me and my brother have everything we need. I will have the opportunity to treat my mom to certain things that she could never afford as a single parent. My mom is the reason I continue to fight to achieve my goals in life.

When life gives you lemons you have to make lemonade! My life seemed almost perfect before my dad became ill. My mom and dad were happily married and were raising me and my brother in a middle-class neighborhood. My mom worked as a teacher and my dad was a truck driver. They had met in high school and continued their relationship throughout college before getting married. My parents were like best friends with each other and did almost everything together. After several years of a successful marriage, my dad developed chest pains. He tried many different remedies and medications, however nothing helped. He was told by his family doctor that it was heartburn and that he should eat healthier, exercise, and lose weight. Several months later the chest pains continued and then he developed a nagging cough that would not go away. Again, after visiting his family doctor he was given cough medicine and was told to lose weight. My dad continued to work in pain until he could not stand it any longer. Instead of going to his usual family doctor, he decided to go to an urgent care clinic. It was there that the doctor performed a chest x-ray on my dad and discovered several tumors in his lungs. My dad was only 33 years old at the time and never smoked, so of course this news was not only devastating but very shocking. At this point, my life began to change. My dad was unable to work and my mom was busy working and caring for my dad with his new cancer diagnosis. Our lives for the next two years revolved around caring for my dad and taking him to doctor appointments. We didn't have any money to go anywhere fun like we were used to and my dad was usually in bed feeling ill. After two long years of battling cancer, my dad passed away. It felt like I had lost both of my parents because my mom went into a deep depression. Although my mom was depressed, she still made sure that we were well cared for. She also taught us the importance of forming a relationship with god. As I said earlier, my mom is a teacher so she always made sure that we focused on our academics. Me and my brother persevered and continued to earn good grades in school. Last week, I graduated from high school with honors with a 3.7 GPA. I did not let my circumstances defeat me. After my dad's passing, I realize the importance of an education. If my mom had not earned a college degree, she would have had a much more difficult time providing for me and my brother. I am so thankful for all the sacrifices that my mom has made and I can't wait until I can treat her to something nice after I earn my college degree.

My life story is a true testament to how you can overcome any obstacle with prayer, hard work, and determination. Life took a turn for the worse when my dad was diagnosed with Stage 4 Lung Cancer at the age of 35. Before his diagnosis, he had been ill for several weeks and had gone to the doctor several times. One day he decided to visit an urgent care clinic, where the doctor performed a chest x-ray and noticed numerous tumors in his lungs. He underwent several treatments of radiation, chemotherapy, and clinical trial medications to prolong his life as much as he could. After two years of my dad suffering from lung cancer, my father had passed away. It felt like I lost my mom and dad at the same time, due to my mom going into a depression. Fortunately, I was attending a religious school that was very nurturing and loving at the time my dad passed away. They encouraged me to continue to pray and rely on my faith in God. As I started to heal from my father's death, I began to work extremely hard on my academics and excelled in school. Due to my academic achievements, I was able to join the National Beta Club and the National Honor Society. Volunteering and providing service to the less fortunate, through these organizations, have been some of my greatest memories in high school. Serving others brings me joy and gives me a purpose. I am currently a senior who will be graduating high school with honors in a few weeks. As I look back on my life's journey, I am grateful that I was able to overcome so many obstacles and I am looking forward to my future. I have chosen to pursue a career in nursing. There are several reasons that I chose this career path. One of the main reasons I chose nursing is because of the characteristics that nurses display. During my father's illness, he stayed in the hospital for several weeks and I was able to witness wonderful nurses who cared for him. They were nurturing, compassionate, and optimistic even though he did not have a good prognosis. When families are experiencing health challenges, I want to provide a compassionate and nurturing environment while caring for my patients, just as the nurses displayed in my family's time of need. Unfortunately, cancer took my dad away but I know that I am making him proud by pursuing a degree in a field that helped him and so many others when they were in need.

My life story is a true testament to how hard work and determination can lead to success. After two years of my dad suffering from lung cancer, my life went from what seemed to be perfect in my eyes, to devastating from the death of my father. It felt like I lost my mom and dad at the same time, due to my mom going into a depression. Fortunately, I was attending a religious school that was very nurturing and loving at the time my dad passed away. They encouraged me to continue to pray and rely on my faith in God. As I started to heal from my father's death, I began to work extremely hard on my academics and excelled in school. Due to my academic achievements, I was able to join the National Beta Club and the National Honor Society. Volunteering and providing service to the less fortunate, through these organizations, have been some of my greatest memories in high school. Serving others brings me joy and gives me a purpose. I am currently a senior who will be graduating high school with honors in a few weeks. As I look back on my life's journey, I am grateful that I was able to overcome so many obstacles and I am looking forward to my future. Receiving this scholarship would help me achieve my educational goal of obtaining a nursing degree. It would help ease the financial burden of attending college for my family. I need more assistance to attend Nicholls State University and unfortunately, my mom does not have the funds to assist me. Any scholarship money that I receive will allow me to continue to focus on my academics and not worry about paying for college and acquiring a large amount of debt. I have done my best to earn a partial academic scholarship, however, several other expenses have not been accounted for. I also work a part-time job while in high school, however, I am not sure if I will be able to do so while attending college. I realize that I will have to spend more time studying and preparing for my exams to get accepted into nursing school. Earning this scholarship will allow me to keep my academics my top priority. Also, receiving this scholarship would benefit me in achieving my goal of becoming a nurse because it will provide me with the confidence and motivation to work hard knowing others are investing in me. If I am chosen for this scholarship, I promise that I will continue to do my best to make every dollar invested in my education count. I will take full advantage of this incredible opportunity to pursue my dream of becoming a nurse. Hopefully, one day I can return the favor and invest in someone’s future after achieving my career goal.

The future career goal that I have chosen to become is a registered nurse. There are several reasons that I chose this career path, however, the characteristics that nurses display are what ultimately led me to choose nursing. Unfortunately, several years ago I lost my father to cancer. During his illness, he stayed in the hospital for several weeks and I was able to witness wonderful nurses who cared for him. They were nurturing, compassionate, and optimistic even though he did not have a good prognosis. When families are experiencing health challenges, I want to provide a compassionate and nurturing environment while caring for my patients, just as the nurses displayed in my family's time of need. To achieve my goal of becoming a registered nurse, I have been focusing on my academics throughout high school. My freshman year of high school was affected by COVID-19, which was very challenging for me and many other students. I only attended school two or three days a week but I still managed to maintain good grades by completing all of my assignments on time and studying daily. I realize that to get accepted into nursing school, I will need to have a competitive grade point average, so I plan to prepare and study for my classes daily. I have always prioritized my academics and plan on continuing to do so throughout college. With hard work, dedication, prayer, and the support of my family, I believe I can achieve my goal of becoming a registered nurse.

The loss of my dad has been incredibly challenging and has impacted me in several ways. Unfortunately, my dad was diagnosed with Stage 4 Lung Cancer at the age of 33. I was only six years old at that time, however I remember him being in bed most of the time and going in and out of the hospital. My dad was like a hero to me so seeing him go through this was devastating. He suffered from this illness for almost two years and passed away on January 3, 2015. After my dad’s passing, my mom went into a depression. My brother and I would comfort her by putting on gospel music to lift her spirits. When she got home from work, she would fix us supper, bathe, and go to bed. It felt like I lost my mom and dad at the same time. One good thing that came from this tragedy is that I was able to form a closer relationship with God. I attended Trinity Catholic School when my dad passed, and I am thankful that the school was very nurturing and loving throughout this time. They encouraged me to continue to pray and rely on my faith in God. I am a witness that God is a healer and will see you through the difficulties in life. I am thankful that God has allowed me to persevere despite my situation and I will be graduating with honors in a few months. I realize that family and friends are important in your life to encourage, motivate, and support you, especially during challenging situations. In addition, the loss of my dad has influenced my choice to pursue becoming a registered nurse. There are several reasons that I chose this career path, however, the characteristics that nurses display are what ultimately led me to choose nursing. During my father’s illness, he stayed in the hospital for several weeks and I was able to witness wonderful nurses who cared for him. They were nurturing, compassionate, and optimistic even though he did not have a good prognosis. I will always be appreciative of these nurses. I admire their ability to form relationships with their patients as well as their families and caregivers. When families are experiencing health challenges, I want to provide a compassionate and nurturing environment while caring for my patients, just as the nurses displayed in my family's time of need.

A time that I demonstrated resilience and worked to overcome life's challenges was when my father died from cancer at the age of 35. I was only eight years old at the time and my younger brother was four. My mom did her best to cope with the reality of becoming a widow at only 35 but she grieved for my dad for about three years after his passing. This life-altering tragedy forced me to become resilient as I continued to excel in school. I remember being determined to stay focused no matter how hard life would become. I wanted to make my dad proud even though I knew that he was no longer with us. I also tried my best to comfort my mom and brother through their difficult moments. I knew that was something that my dad would've wanted me to do. I remember when my mom would go into her bedroom and cry for hours after my dad passed away. She tried her best to hide it from us but the pain was unbearable. I would go into her room and pray with her and also put on faith-based music to comfort her. I hated seeing my mom in so much pain and would do anything to ease her pain. I knew I needed to be resilient to support my mom through these difficult times. I also recall having to support my brother after my father's death. He was only four at the time so he didn't understand what had happened. My father had been sick for two years before his passing but my brother and I didn't realize that he would be gone forever. My dad always played outdoors with my brother and me until he was physically unable to do it because of his illness. I remember trying to keep my brother entertained and occupied after my dad could no longer play with us or give us much attention due to the amount of pain he endured. I had no other choice but to be resilient to support my family. In addition to supporting my loved ones, I have also shown resilience by excelling in school. Earning good grades was always important to my dad and I did not want to let him down. I continued to study and work hard to earn good grades after his passing. I know that he would be proud of me as I am preparing to graduate high school with honors. Having to experience the death of a parent has affected my life tremendously. I can honestly say that because of this tragedy, I am a strong and resilient young lady. I wish that my dad was still here but I will not let his death keep me from achieving my goals in life.