Growing up in a low-income household has its difficulties but also its benefits. I grew up alongside eight other children in a single-parent household which was very tough at times. I moved around, house to house a lot due to money issues and there is so much violence in our community. I’ve been to eleven different schools since I began schooling. That made it very difficult to make and keep friends. It was also very difficult for my mom to maintain, especially because she's disabled and was trying to raise nine kids. Sometimes, we worried about where the next meal was coming from or how the bills would get paid. I remember praying to God constantly for better days and asking him to keep delivering strength to my family and me. With all the bad that happened growing up, I learned many valuable life lessons that will help guide me throughout my schooling and in life. By going through all this, I saw many situations that I never want to be in again. I learned that the only way for me to never be in certain situations again is to work hard, be determined, stay focused, and never give up because one day I'll reflect on the past and realize all my hard work was worth it. This is why I value my education tremendously. It's like an opportunity to escape from the past and become the best version of yourself possible. One important lesson I learned in life and continue to follow is, “Many things are expensive but an education is free, and being educated is truly a gift”. That’s why I plan to further my education in the most excelling way possible by going to college to receive my master's degree in psychology, then going back to school to get my PsyD.It will be a vigorous journey but I'm ready for anything that comes my way. I’m beyond grateful for the opportunity to be considered for this scholarship. A chance to earn 5,000 dollars would help tremendously. College is really expensive so being able to win this scholarship would take the burden of how I'm going to afford college, off of my shoulders. My mother wouldn't have to worry so much about helping me through college either. Winning this scholarship will also show my younger siblings that when the time comes to go through the college process, there are resources all around them that will help pay for their education.