Hello my name is Elijah Begay i just graduated from Miyamura High school no one in my family ever went past high school education. Being a first-generation student to me means i have a chance to make a difference in my family allowing myself to have better education something that my family has wanted but couldn't. It means i can prove to my family that i have what it takes to make that change in my life by showing how bad i really want to pursue my education. This means so much to my family it means that all their hard work is going to good reason to let me live a good life that they always wanted me to have. The challenges i had to face were financial problems since i grew up in a single household with just my mom its hard trying to get by and my going to trade school its even harder not having the money. Also, not having a dad has a big impact on a boy's life not learning simple work ethics it has a big impact on me emotionally and mentally in the real world. This scholarship can help change the outcome of my life in a very major way allowing me to pursue the education i have worked so hard for all my life. This can help me and my mom with the tuition bill allowing us to be less in debt, giving us that helping hand needed to get by in this situation. My goal and dream of becoming a welder expanding my education is just a step away and this scholarship can help me reach my dream of becoming a welder and getting a better education something that me and my mom worked so hard for she pushed me in education telling me to learn more and be better than her its a dream that we both really want and we will both not stop until i make my dream come true. This is what drives me seeing that all my hard work really was worth it seeing my life light up like a spark something that my heart always loved to do. Working hard for what i want in my life is what really drives my to prove to my mom that all her hard work keeping me humble and i really want to prove to the people that doubted me i want to show them that no matter what i went through all the stuff i never had never affected my goals in life and that i will keep fighting for what my heart and soul wants proving that nothing can stop me except myself. As long as i can keep my head up and never give up like what my mother taught me. Making my and my family proud especially to the dad i never had i want him to know that i his son will reach his goals no matter what. Sincerely, Elijah Begay

Hello my name is Elijah Begay, i just graduated high school this past year and i will be attending Western Welding Academy in September to Pursue my welding career. Welding to me means everything its something special that my heart wants to follow, something that i was meant to do its what makes me so unique. What inspired me to pursue my education at Western Welding Academy is that i wanted to make something of myself like my family by working hard for what they wanted. I fell in love with welding during my sophomore year seeing welding for the first time seeing how the sparks fly, how the metal melts together its beautiful that's what i see in myself the sparks shining bright showing that they can soar and bringing the metal together. Welding is something that played a big part in my life teaching me lessons that no one else could, for example patience and control just like life learning how to adapt to how the metal reacts teaching me not to give up no matter how difficult it gets but to adapt. The obstacles that i had to face when i was growing up was that i was in a single parent home living with my mom trying to learn things that i need for my work ethic in the future trying to be the man i want to be. Its hard trying to do that with no father figure but it was never used as an excuse instead i used it as motivation making me want to learn from other parents to be the man i want to be and also working twice as hard. My goals for when i get my certificate is i want a good and stable job and be able to show that i worked for what i earned in my life and that all my hard work paid off no matter hand i was dealt with, showing that i never gave up no matter how hard it got because i wanted to follow that spark that my heart wanted. Skill work is like this learned from all the lessons you faced putting it to your advantage making you a better person because that show you get better by knowing what you did wrong and learning how to do it. This scholarship can help me not just with my funding but everything i need for example my learning options, tools, job placement, and getting certified. Yes this scholarship is money but it means something much more to me its a jumpstart for my life giving me the helping hand i need to start on the right path. Starting from a house barley making it by to making and giving me chance to reach my dreams and make them come true. This scholarship can also be motivation to anyone showing how much work you put in is how much you will get back its the hope everyone needs to make their dreams true.

Hello my name is Elijah Begay I hope this essay finds you well. I am a graduate from highschool Miyamura in Gallup NM and im going to a welding school in Wyoming. I start in September on the 21st the tuition cost $35 000. This scholarship can help in many ways more than I can think of for one it can help me get tools needed to weld and start my career and also teach me in many ways. It takes a lot to be a welder yes you get paid good but it takes a lot to start it up the equipment ain't cheap nothing is cheap we have to work for what we need and want. This scholarship can help jump start my career by starting in a trade school getting my certificate in pipe welding allowing me to live the life I have always wanted which is working for what I have and learn the lessons on the way. I grew up with a single parent and that taught me a lot learning to adapt to what we have and learn to be grateful for what I have teaching me that nothing is always given it can be taken away in an instant. This scholarship can help cover the tuition needed for the school that I want to learn from and get experience i want to do it no one is forcing me and that means a lot having the drive and determination to do what you want it shows how bad you want it. This is how I feel with Western Welding Academy I am doing anything I can to go to this school I want to learn i want to grow as a person. I want to make something of my life and thats by going to school for welding doing what I love for the rest of my life. Then I get my certificate at Western Welding Academy this scholarship can help get the tools needed, experience, knowledge and everything that is needed for welding. Yes its a scholarship its money but this scholarship to me means more than money its a sign of hope to say do what you want giving me the chance to work for the life I want. The scholarship can help me in the future too you never know it helps with job placements because I went to school showing I want this job in many ways showing im determined and a hard working individual. And when I said before I live in single parent household this scholarship can help my mom out too not having to worry so much about the bill cause we are barely getting by it can help not only me but my mom and everyone who supported me. I dont want to get into debt if you do its hard to get out of nothing is ever easy it matters how hard you want it like how im showing you typing out how much this can help in many ways showing you how bad I want to work for what I want. Thank you for reading my essay and reading how much of an impact this can have on my career and life in the future in many ways thank you again. Sincerely, Elijah Begay

Hello my name is Elijah Begay i graduated from Miyamura high school i am going to Western Welding Academy in September. I grew up with a single parent always having trouble with money and also trying to help provide for my family by helping my family out on the reservation. I help my moms side of the family by taking care of their cattle and fixing fences. This is how my life is living with little to no income just me and my mom trying to make ends meet but i want to change that and become some one who can be relied on someone who is successful and is proud to be where i want to be at. I first started welding when i started to fix my own fence by welding the fences together and this taught me many things teaching my how to work for what i want and i have to earn and work hard for things that i want and nothing is free in this life i have to learn to get it on my own. When i fixed my first fence my family was proud of me i was finally someone who they can count on the man of the house someone who can be the foundation of the family and i found that our from a very young age. And, its hard trying to balance a work life at home with school and sports. I used to run in high school i did track and cross country and this also taught me many things for example to focus on what i want to achieve and it will happen and i still live by that saying it keeps my mind right it keeps me balance and humble it taught me how to live life the right way. That's how welding is for me to keep going in life i have to stay focused keep myself in check stay humble because if you get to cocky you mess up and that's what welding means to me its my life it will always be in my life no matter what teaching me many things making me better each and everyday. This scholarship can help me achieve my goals in life by getting into my dream school and living the life i want by getting a job that can provide for me and my family so we don't have to live struggling to get by in life and working so hard for so little outcomes. Western Welding Academy can help me change my life around and this scholarship can help me get one step into life on the right track and not on the wrong foot something me and my family have worked so hard for this is what we all want especially me i want to live life comfortable not stressing no worries i just want to live life to its fullest having fun and being who i am meant to be. This scholarship can change me and my family's life around and my own family in the future allowing me to give my kids in the future the life they want without having the struggle to worry about me and the parents. Thank you for reading my essay and my life and how i had to live working for what i want and trying to earn what i worked for. Hopefully this essay makes you consider giving me a chance in life and giving me a opportunity to change my life around and make something out of it thank you.