Education is essential, and provides a better leverage in my life. I believe that because I would be the first person in my family to graduate college, I take great pride in doing so. Opportunities are endless when a degree is obtained, more so when you are passionate about what you do. I feel that many others would take part in college, if they had help in order to do so. This road for me has not been easy trying to sustain my everyday life, while trying to fund my own education. Having help would make this task a lot easier to maintain. Education has shaped my worldview because it has given me the opportunity to prove myself to myself and become my greatest version of me. The reward I strive toward is to know that even when the odds may have been against me, I came out stronger on the other side of things that once seemed impossible. Education is something that has given me hope to be better, and to highlight the fact that I can do anything as long as I put my mind to it. I believe that schooling for many is a tedious task, but when you know exactly what you’re doing it for , it makes it worth while. Changing the dynamics of the way I think has been all that I really have had to rely on throughout this journey. Teaching myself my own strengths that vary from prioritizing how I use my money, to my study habits has not only made me grow as a person, but use those skills to teach others along the way. I know many people who have decided not to pursue their education because of all of the stipulations that the world places around it , but when you begin and finally locate the light at the end of the tunnel your future gets brighter almost instantaneously. I decided to apply for this essay not only because the need for assistance, but also to draw attention to the level of importance that education has within my own life. I am now twenty five, with no children, working two jobs, and presently living 1400 miles from my family. I had to move to reinvent myself, and eliminate all codependency, and do this for myself, and not for anyone else. I would like to conclude by saying I am grateful for the opportunity to apply to this scholarship, and I hope that whoever receives it plans to do great things. Thank you so much for your time. Warm regards, Shaniah spinelli.