If I were lucky enough to receive the Dr. William and Jo Sherwood Family Scholarship, I would be able to pursue my goal of becoming a Certified Public Accountant. However, pursuing higher education comes at a cost -- not just financially, but emotionally. I am a 17-year-old who has begun a relentless quest to acquire stable enough finances to attend college. I do not currently live with either of my parents; I have lived with a family member for over two years. While I am now in the midst of my senior year of high school, I had an epiphany at the beginning of my junior year: if I desire post-secondary education, I will have to work relentlessly to acquire the stability to do so, because I have to pay for rent and food before tuition. While I have always aspired to do well in school, my perspective on education has shifted dramatically within the last two years of my high school career. If I desire to send myself to college, I will have to do everything in my power to do so. Additionally, I have spent many nights toiling at work after school, studying into the late hours of the night, only to get a few hours of sleep and repeat. In addition to maintaining my job throughout the year, I return cans at local supermarkets and babysit to place further money into my college fund. I have also accumulated over 200 community service hours with various local organizations and students in need of tutoring. While working part-time with multiple side jobs can be overwhelming on top of my four AP (advanced placement) classes, I strive to put my education first. I have taken -- and passed with the highest possible score -- the AP Language and Composition test during my junior year and participated in a CPCT/A certification course, which allows me to perform multiple forums of care in hospitals to patients, such as phlebotomy, ostomy care, and post-mortem care. However, this year, I am taking AP Literature and Composition, AP Statistics, AP Psychology, and AP US History; I achieved a perfect 4.0 GPA for the last marking period, despite the rigorous nature of the courses. While my pursuit of higher education has started earlier for me than most, I appreciate the opportunities my high school has offered me to achieve preliminary success. Throughout my last two years of high school, I have recognized the importance of taking full advantage of the opportunities that may present themselves. While I may not have the financial foundation that others do to send myself to college, I hope that through the help of people like those behind the Dr. William and Jo Sherwood Family Scholarship, I will be able to build a life for myself and my future family that would not be possible otherwise. I am grateful for any opportunity that people as selfless as those behind this scholarship would be able to provide.