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Our Scholarship Winners Page
Superpower Scholarship Winners
“All About Education” $5K Scholarship Winners
Do-Over Scholarship Winners
Shout It Out Scholarship Winners
“Education Matters” $5K Scholarship Winners
Top Ten List Scholarship Winners
Superpower Scholarship Winners
Our 2007 Superpower Scholarship question was: “If you could have one superpower, what would it be
and how would you use it?”
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Garrick B.
Bergen, NY
English Major
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The Power of Shoes....
Shoes, you ask? What kind of superpowers could shoes have?
Consider the power to give a young girl born without sight the chance to
walk in Neil Armstrong’s shoes, allowing her a view of the world that
few of us will ever have. The power of shoes could benefit a boy with
cerebral palsy. I could give him the control he so desperately desires
in allowing him to walk, or rather, run and jump in Michael Jordan’s
Nike's or to glide along the ice in Michelle Kwan’s skates.
I could easily turn the anger and violence of prominent KKK and pro-Nazi
organizations upside-down in making them wear the shoes of a poor, 19th
century black man stripped of his clothes and dignity, or perhaps those
of a young, Jewish mother who watches her children starve to death in a
German death-camp.
I could give the drug-addicted the freedom of rehabilitated shoes.
Well-fed shoes would rain down on the poor. Young-at-heart shoes would
wait in the mailboxes of the elderly. Shoes of peace could march war
veterans out of their inescapable memories.
And to the young child left paralyzed because of a drunk driver, I would
simply give walking shoes.
We come from all walks of life, traveling different paths to infinite
experiences. We could share with each other these experiences of our
humanity by the mere sharing of our shoes.
That’s the power I want.
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Viktoria C.
Fayetteville, NC
Criminal Justice Major
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The ability to morph into anything is my superpower.
Why you ask?
Have you ever had five kids?
I am the nurse, the doctor, the
cook, the taxi, except at prom...then I am the limo driver. I am the
banker, I am the teacher, I am the doll the girls dress up and the
wrestling dummy for the athlete. I am the maid, the pool cleaner, the
warden when they are grounded and the handyman when they break things. I
am the referee, the coach, the beauty consultant, and fashion designer.
I am the psychologist, the prenatal coach, the wedding planner and the
caterer.
And when I am tired of hearing “Mom, I need you,” “Mom,
take me to the mall,” “Mom, I need money,” I am the dog.
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Melissa L.
Basking Ridge, NJ
Biology Major
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“Stop! I command you to stop in the name of chocolate ganache
meringues!!!”
Slowing first to cast a curious glance behind them, the thieves finally
turned, shooting me a scoffing, scornful smirk. Admittedly, my
fruitcake-Kevlar composite flak vest was a poor complement to my
beer-battered beef ball earmuffs, but shouldn’t fashion be abandoned in
the face of danger? Besides, a superhero has got a job to do, and with
my considerable cooking superpower, I had set out to do just that,
fashioning weapons from preposterously punning alliterative accessories,
and vowing to battle not only the injustice of wilted arugula and
deflated soufflé, but also the immorality and depravity of crime. So,
against the unwitting criminals, I launched the first of the peppermint
brittle grenades with my Bazooka machine gum, and followed it
frantically with flaming fruit fricassee. And thus ensued a fierce
struggle--Operation Dessert Storm.
Once the final Korean-BBQ-smoke bomb cleared, the victor was immediately
obvious; the two thieves flailed fruitlessly, ensnared in a mire of
Black Forest torte and raspberry cabernet glace. Their eyes watered with
what I had hoped was repentance but, I reluctantly conceded, could
probably be attributed to the stinging kimchee tear gas coupled with the
indignity of being beaten by a honey-cured ham bludgeon. And so I once
again triumphed against evil--today criminals, tomorrow the tyranny of
overcooked steak and burnt caramel fudge.
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Greg L.
Willowbrook, IL
Biology Major
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A Superpower Short Story
Last night, I dreamt a haunting dream. I dreamt that there was a machine
that could give people any one thing they wanted. Lines instantly
formed. Some asked for precognition. They predicted tumultuous times
ahead. Others asked for money. But money was rendered useless due to
abundance. People asked for power. Soon, many wars broke out among them.
Others asked for ignorant bliss, and lived a life nullified from any
pain.
Soon there was no death and no pain. Life was hauntingly surreal. Most
wandered aimlessly, having accomplished what they thought were their
wildest dreams. In this sense, everyone was lost in their quest to do
what the thought they truly wanted.
Suddenly it was my turn. I thought for a while, and I knew. My
superpower, then, was the ability to illuminate peoples’ true desires
and the paths they should take, but had otherwise forgotten.
I set out, discovering that at the heart of everyone was the desire for
good, and that each had a singular dream to fulfill. People soon
recognized that the machine had stolen the significance of this dream.
Realizing the evil of the machine, the population soon began to
dismantle it. People dropped from the skies, losing the ability to fly.
Others died, the natural equalizer of life being back in power. As I had
always wanted to know my own path, I turned introspectively to ask
myself, but I too had lost my power. I woke up, disappointed.
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Holly W.
Portland, TX
Communications & Marketing Major
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WARNING! The contents that you are about to read contain multiple
secrets that, if revealed, could result in bad luck for the rest of your
life. You have been warned, so continue reading if you dare.
No one in the world knows the huge secret that I am about to reveal to
you. I have kept this a secret for seventeen years from my friends and
family. You are the lucky person who gets to know the ultimate secret of
the universe. I am a Superhero! If the world found out about my powers,
my life would be destroyed. I would never get to experience a normal
college life. My happiness lies in your hands.
I am a superhero with the power to turn into steel. This steel is
sturdy, bullet proof, and unbreakable. Because of this ability, I have
never broken a bone in my entire life. This steel will come in handy in
college because it will always serve as a reminder to me. When I am
being peer pressured, the steel will symbolize the steadfastness of my
beliefs and allow me to say “No!” with conviction. It will remind me
that I am impenetrable, and no words can break my spirit. In times of
immense pressure, this reminder comes in handy. I hope to use this power
to be a symbol and a leader for other college students. I want to show
them that they too can be “steel-proof” and just say no to peer
pressure.
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Our 2008 Superpower Scholarship question was: “If you were granted the superpower to manipulate time, how would you use it and why?”
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Megan A.
Kokomo, IN
Communications
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"It's too soon, Mom. I can't do it alone." There was no response, no word of comfort as I stared at the grey headstone. A fat drop of rain hit me on the nose, cold and unpleasant. The downpour broke as I turned to go. Every street was dark and empty. I proceeded down a narrow alley in hopes of a little more shelter, not that I could feel much anyway. The numbness from the inside had soaked its way outward.
"I can give you what you're looking for." An unfamiliar voice broke through my daze. In a ramshackle doorway leaned a woman in strangely bright dress.
"What?"
"Come inside." Without thought I followed. The room was dim and lined with shelves of bottles and jars. She handed me a tiny cup and motioned for me to drink.
"What is this?"
"Time. That's what you want, isn't it?" My face clenched as the bitter liquid worked.
"What are you doing, Dear?"
"Mom? Is that you?"
"Of course it is."
"But you . . . you're dead."
"Only physically. Now, wasn't there something you wanted?"
"I need your help, Mom. I need your advice; I don't know what to do."
"Don't be silly. All you need to do is. . ."
"Mom?" I sprang forward. Gone. The strange woman stared at me. I held out the cup.
"I need more time!"
She put her finger to my heart. "The power over time is in here."
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Jason M.
Owings Mills, MD
Linguistics
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It‘s a cold, crisp New York City morning. Head guard Joe Schmoe at the Museum of Modern Art has just started his morning rounds and, much to his surprise, he finds a certain masterpiece by Salvador Dali has gone missing. A light outline of dust remains where the classic melting clocks once were portrayed in all of their decomposing glory.
Meanwhile in 1907, on a very similar day in Vienna, a young Adolf Hitler walks down the street with his less-than-decent portfolio tucked snugly under his arm. Suddenly, a curly-haired teenager bumps into him, sending young Adolf‘s paintings flying every which direction. Muttering an apology in a strange accent, the boy helps him pick up all of his papers, and young Hitler continues on his way down the street towards the Vienna School of Art for his hopeful admission into the University‘s prestigious ranks.
Thumbing through self-portrait after self-portrait, the Dean of Admissions can‘t help but think that this young boy is much wirier and droller than he drew himself. Reaching for his giant red “denied” stamp, the Dean suddenly stumbles upon something extraordinary. Stuttering with amazement, the Dean asks the apparent prodigy what he calls this f-f-fine work. Confused but elated, Adolf Hitler is accepted.
So as the Holocaust never came to be, we eternally enjoy the classic painting “Deez Clocks, Dey Are Melting Ja” by Adolf Hitler, 1907. A fair trade off, most would say. All thanks to a boy, a boy with a very special power.
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Marussia R.
Hartsdale, NY
Biology
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You‘re Blushing!
My health teacher entered the room on that fateful day in eighth grade, holding a plastic bag brimful of immense plantains . . . and condoms. I squirmed nervously in my seat. My then heart-throb sat with his friends looking utterly calm. The teacher demonstrated the process of “deploying” a condom using an enormous plantain, and then passed out the remaining giants to pairs of students. My friend and I sat immobilized, each attempting to convince the other that she should do the deed. Finally, I snatched up the plantain and attempted to slide on the tiny piece of latex. Suddenly, I felt the condom rolling back up under my fingers. I let go -- the condom sprung off the plantain, bounced off my forehead, and plunged down my blouse. My face blushed intensely as I fished out the condom, my friend laughing hysterically and my crush grinning. Still, I summoned my resolve and completed the task.
How would I use my ability to travel through time? I would travel back to this event and others like it -- not to erase them but to record them. These are the moments that have shaped my character the most -- many related to sexual identity. Today I am committed to the fight for ready access to birth control. If I were able to re-experience these pivotal moments, it would strengthen my confidence and deepen my passion for reproductive freedom. At the very least, I would have a good laugh.
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Aryan S.
Windermere, FL
Psychology
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In my mind, there‘s no greater tragedy than the death of an artist. History‘s greatest artists, in the era they lived, were thought as indestructible, impervious to sickness or death. Looking at a Dali replica, or reading Emerson, or listening to John Coltrane, my heart sinks as I realize that I won‘t have the privilege to meet them. If I was given the gift of time manipulation, I would use it to go back in time and give that morose old fool Edgar Allen Poe a hug or two, and tell him to “for God sake, lay off the whiskey.” Or perhaps trade sax mouthpieces with Paul Desmond and make sure to leave him a few nicotine patches after a short chat with Brubeck over coffee, discussing what in the world inspired him to write in a nine-eight time signature. I‘d go back and introduce Walt Whitman and Henry Thoreau to an amazing invention called the Gillette razor, hopefully get rid of their grizzly beards. If I want to satiate my curiosity, I would go way back to George Orwell‘s childhood and leave him a copy of the Communist Manifesto, just to see if he‘d still write Animal Farm. But of course I would be but a villain if I didn‘t travel backwards in time and tell Shakespeare to stop shoving apostrophes and accent marks in words where they don‘t belong, before I get HIM to a nunnery!
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Tiffany S.
Brooklyn, NY
Animal Science & Biology
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The skies are piercing blue, pristine and cloudless. The weather is balmy and comfortable, what is expected for the start of summer. Yet to the crowd gathered here today, everything is a shade of gray, and all around is suppressing heat. Funerals tend to feel this way.
We stand with our heads bowed, pretending to listen to the epitaph but in actuality busy with our own thoughts. I only hear traces of the speaker‘s words: kind and caring? mother of three? was only 43? lung cancer?
And I imagine that these kinds of things happen everyday, that people die and leave a lot behind. But then I think to myself, why does it have to happen to someone I know? And then I feel very selfish indeed.
I clench my fists and squeeze my eyes shut, blocking out all sounds around me, compressing myself until there is a ringing in my ears...
Then, I see her, lying on the couch, cigarette held casually between two fingers. She sees me and smiles warmly, and beckons me over with a wave of her arm.
I will be brave today. I approach her and place my hand in hers. “Please, put down that cigarette...”
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“All About Education” $5K
Scholarship Winner for 2008
ScholarshipExperts.com is pleased to announce the winner of the
“All About Education” $5K Scholarship Program in 2008. The topic was: “How will a $5,000 scholarship for education make a difference in your life?”
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Tiffany S.
Brooklyn, NY
Animal Science & Biology
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My mom looked at me, her face glowing with pride. “So, honey, are you ready for Harvard?”
I grin back at her and answer, “You bet!”
Dad came over and put his arms around the both of us. “I‘m so proud of you. I knew from the start it was worth sacrificing our retirement funds for you to go to college!”
I was about to reply when frantic barking cut through our tender family moment.
“Oh, looks like the mail has arrived!” commented Mom.
She was right. For a second later, Fido raced into the room and deposited a soggy letter at our feet. I recognized the prestigious logo on its front: Harvard.
I opened the letter with shaking hands. My eyes grew wide with horror as I scanned it. “Mom? Dad... I... I won't be able to go to Harvard...”
They gasped simultaneously, “What, why?!”
I answered, “The tuition is $145,765,000 a year...”
“No! I thought it was only $145,760,000,” was Dad's reply.
“We‘re 5000 dollars short,” I said numbly.
“Let‘s remain calm.” Mom fanned herself with the envelope as she reached for her wallet. A paperclip fell out of it. “Ohhh! We're broke! We have no money left! Oh, injustice! Oh, shattered dreams!”
Dad shook his head, “If only you had gotten that 5000 dollar scholarship.”
I hung my head as the letter falls out of my hands. A sigh escaped my lips, “If only...” |
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The Do-Over Scholarship Winners
The 2007 Do-Over Scholarship had the following topic: "If you could
get one ‘do-over’ in life, what would it be and why?"
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Lauren A.
Lake Forest, CA
Journalism Major
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I am Me. There is no almost there or half-way done. There is not
a second chance and there is no re-do. I have said goodbye to start-overs
and done away with regrets. I am Me and there is nothing I would change.
My story may be filled with triumphs or it may be filled with despair,
but it doesn’t matter. There is beauty in every story and purpose with
each line on each page…regardless of how tragic or magnificent each
chapter may be. I am Me and that is enough.
My mistakes are not regrettable. My imperfections are obvious and unavoidable,
but they are beautiful because they are mine. I embrace who I am and I love
all of me, even my flaws. I am vulnerable in my weaknesses, but vulnerability
gives me power. I am powerful because I am imperfect?
It is not my past that should concern you, but my future. I am Tomorrow
and I am Change. What good is it to chase after regret? Why long for a re-do?
Yesterday is already gone, but there is hope in tomorrow. It is tomorrow
I can change? So I regret nothing, because it was my yesterday that gives me
the courage face my today and to change my tomorrow.
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James G.
Clio, MI
Audio Arts and Acoustics Major
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Author George Elliot once said, “The strongest principle of growth lies
in human choice.” Over the years, I have made as many bad decisions
as any other teenager, and I would be a dishonest man if I said that I have
never wished I could change any of them. It was only after reading Mr. Elliot’s
words that I realized that I should not be concerned with the past, but with the future.
God giving us another day on this earth is the closest to a “do-over” that
we will ever receive. To rise with the sun each day and have a second chance at all
the choices we had made previously is a true gift. I do realize that not all choices
can be relived each day, but learning from our mistakes and taking the lessons that
they teach us in stride will make us better people in the long run. If every time I
made a mistake I sat down and cried, where would I be today? The decisions
I have made and dealt with throughout my life have become an integral part of the man
I am today. To change them would make my entire struggle for naught. Dealing with
hardship is what makes individuals grow into strong, functional members of society
and while America’s youth sit around wishing about their “do-over,”
I revel in my choices. I love the man I have become, and I wouldn’t take
a hundred “do-overs,” let alone one.
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Rebecca G.
Waialua, HI
ER Nurse Practitioner
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Behind the Wheel
What a morning it was! Bright, crisp, and so full of excitement, the air was electric.
It was almost summer; our junior year in high school soon to be a distant memory.
“To the lake, to the lake!” was the call, and we couldn’t wait to heed it.
The anticipated laughter, the sparkling water…magic awaited us.
Seven of us jumping in--a toss of the keys, an egging to drive, and
a moment’s hesitation lost forever. If only I could do it over. If
only I hadn’t gotten behind the wheel.
Hitchhikers picked up along the way, now there were nine. As we
crossed the dam, the group yelled, “Faster!” Pounding on the
windows, “Faster, faster!” A foot atop mine on the gas
pedal and the words in the wind, “We have to hit 80!”
We hit 80. Slowing now, curve ahead, panic, the brakes locked. We didn’t make it.
So numb I can’t feel the glass under my feet. Running. People hurting.
My friends on the ground. Her beautiful face is gone. Help. Help us.
A hospital. A funeral. A courtroom. The judge decides--a “group”
action. But me, I will never accept that.
If only I could do it over, I wouldn’t have gotten behind that wheel.
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Laura H.
Denver, CO
Elementary Education
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The year is 2070, the location is heaven. I sit across from the grandfather
I haven’t seen in almost eighty-five years, and ask myself why? Why hadn’t
I asked him the questions which now wander through my mind so repeatedly when
I had been given the chance? Why had I been so content with never knowing
the deep history and incredible experiences which he had witnessed?
As if he can read my mind, my grandfather reaches across the space between
us and pats my leg the same way he did when I was young.
“Laura,” he calmly says, “there is no sense in regretting the past.
What is better is to learn from your mistakes. We missed a special time
in our relationship, but your other grandfather is still alive today.
Although you may not be as close to him as you were to me, time is a
gift which needs to be treasured. Learn from him, Laura. He is a
fountain of wealth. Take advantage of what you are given.”
Slowly, as the fog clears and I awake from my dream, I realize the
significance in what I have just witnessed. I can never get back lost
time, for it is exactly that--lost, but I can learn from the past and I
can change my future. Time is wasting, and I will let no more pass before
I do-over the relationships I have with those around me now.
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Ian S.
Olympia, WA
Education Major
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It’s near the coast. In a space of sea-salt air and sailboats. It’s a
cold day, cloudy. She sits facing inland. She doesn’t hear his approach.
They embrace. The embrace is for his sake not hers, though she pretends.
She is the first to release. They’re not old friends, though they did
love. More than she’ll admit. Slowly, he releases, tracing the backs of
her arms to her fingertips letting his hands fall useless into his pockets.
They wander the streets. He misses her. They stop and order coffee.
Black and midnight strong for him. Iced, blended and sugar-creamed
for her. They continue on to the waterfront and sit. He tries to laugh
at her jokes and confusion, letting her gossip and pretending to be interested,
when really all he wants is to hold her quietly. They live disconnected lives,
countless miles and lifetimes away. Their own past remains unspoken while
those of strangers fill the air between them. He watches the stark lambency
of the blue peter on a nearby ship. I have to go, she says. He nods. Another
hurried embrace that she is the first to forget. A fog has set in. He lingers
as her car recedes. Soon, the first rains of the season will come to wash away
the dust and dirt off the streets. He soon begins to wish he had not let
her leave. She crashed on her way home. Dead at seventeen.
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The 2008 Do-Over Scholarship question was: “If you were given one do-over, would you: (a) use it for yourself; (b) give it to another person; or (c) choose not to use it? Please explain your choice.”
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Paul A.
Nashville, TN
Business Administration
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I have met people who limp through life, silently nursing splinters of regret. These painful shards, driven deep into peoples‘ psyches whilst they walk barefoot over the rough-shod boardwalk of experience, take many forms.
To one person the shards symbolize historical wrongs that they long to retroactively transform into rights. To another they represent forks in the metaphorical road, long-since taken, which in retrospect appear to have led to less than prosperous endpoints. For yet another the psychological splinters are indicative of an overwhelming desire to visit one‘s former self, and to impart a fraction of the accumulated knowledge gleaned over the years.
For me, there are no splinters.
Were there times when I unintentionally inflicted mental or emotional hurt on my loved ones? Yes! Were there decisions that my past self made that changed my life‘s path in such a way, that at the time my course seemed to have been altered for the worse? Definitely!
But I do not desire a do-over, a mulligan, or a take-back. Yesterday‘s failures, last month‘s disappointments, last year‘s pain - the bad times, along with the good times, have inextricably woven themselves into the fabric of my being, making me who I am today, and allowing me to unflinchingly return a proud look to that strange-but-so-familiar-face staring back at me from the mirror.
For me, there are no splinters - there are only experiences; and those experiences are me.
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Tovah G.
River Edge, NJ
Commercial Art
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Jordan‘s platinum blonde hair caught the light streaming in through the window. Her eyes, rings of electric blue lightning bolts, stared determinedly at the pink plastic Pretty Pretty Princess game sprawled out on the floor between us. She had just rolled a four, but her six-year-old hand stopped mid-air before setting her playing piece down on the designated spot. The four would take her just one space short of the last adornment she needed to complete her royal ensemble: the purple clip-on earrings.
“No, no,” she tutted, shaking her head and immediately re-flicking the disobedient spinner. “I get a re-over.”
A re-over? What in the world was a re-over? Oh, of course: a re-do/do-over hybrid. In Jordan‘s one-track, naive mind, a simple "re-over" could fix just about anything. But I (older, though not necessarily always more mature) had grown to learn better; no mistake could be mollified by redoing it. What‘s done is done. Words once spoken cannot be rescinded. Yet consider this: why even make the mistake at all if erasing it was as easy as that? No, mistakes are necessary to live and, more importantly, to develop a sense of self. Regret, of course, is natural (we are only human, after all). But regret is the best teacher.
“Sure Jordan,” I smile knowingly. “Try again.” The purple clip-on earrings match her Dora the Explorer pj‘s, anyway.
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Coleen N.
Springfield, MO
Psychology
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I watched him suffer daily; I could see the torment in his eyes and in his movements. I followed him every day because what happened after the incident fascinated me. He only blamed himself, and that is why I gave him another chance.
He was driving in the rain, and he wasn‘t alone, there was a girl in the car as well. I could see him tightly holding the girl‘s hand; he turned and faced her, smiled at her. In that second, another car hit them. Everything happened too fast for him to even react; in the end one died.
Everything he cared about, he no longer did, everything he once enjoyed, he no longer does. This one girl meant that much to him? I wondered.
I never spoke to a human before and I doubt he has ever spoken to a thing like me before. I came up to him and told him that he could have one more chance. A second chance for a different life.
Bewildered and confused, he took out a box and inside it was a ring. He slowly smiled a very sad smile and said, “How I wish I could re-live that day, how I wish it never happened. But, I've learned my mistake; I can‘t take advantage of anything because life is short and unexpected. I have grown and I have learned; I can‘t, even though I want to, accept the offer.”
I smiled. What a captivating human.
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Madeline S.
Virginia Beach, VA
International Relations
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It only took once.
One time.
She was hooked. On the fast track to nowhere. Cravings, obsession, destruction. Heroin. It ruined her life and her children‘s. They were without a mother and a home, just two innocent babies left to the world of welfare and foster care, and all because of that one time.
If a do-over would make the difference, I would give it to her, if only the next time around she would say, “No, drugs are not for me.”
My cousin was once my idol. She was confident and successful. Little did I know, her life would come toppling down. When she had her twins, I prayed that they would not have deformities and would be healthy and happy. Unfortunately, “crack babies” are cheated of the chance to develop properly, and her boys were no exception. They were slower, possibly mentally handicapped, and possibly deaf.
If only she could make the decision again and think about her children and how much they needed her. If only she could live without drugs. If only she had thought about the consequences. If only she could change that one time.
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Kathryn S.
Mesa, AZ
Nursing
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My train of thought:
First stop (selfishness and rationalizations): Oh yeah, that do-over is definitely mine. I have made so many mistakes in my life I want to fix. I mean, who wouldn‘t keep it for themselves?
Second stop (guilt and compulsory altruism): Hmm. But there are so many people out there who have it worse than me. Darn, I will feel like a jerk if I keep it over something so silly as sleeping through a math final. I would definitely give it away.
Third stop (skepticism): Wait a minute. Accepting a do-over means ditching responsibility, right? People don‘t take their actions seriously enough already nowadays. The last things we need are do-overs.
Fourth stop (maturity): Nobody should be able to do-over. Everyone blunders sometime in his or her life. We should deal with these mistakes by learning from them and growing as human beings. It may be painful and I might have to face the consequences of my actions, but I will end up a better person in the end.
Fifth stop (human nature): Geez this train is slow. Where am I anyway? Ack! I missed my stop! I want a do-over!
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The Shout It Out
Scholarship Winners for 2007-08
ScholarshipExperts.com is pleased to announce the winners of the
ScholarshipExperts.com Shout It Out Scholarship Program. Each of the
following $1,000 scholarship winners creatively answered the 2007 scholarship question: “If you could say one thing to the entire world at once, what would it be and why?”
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Christi B.
Gilbert, AZ
Pharmacy
No photo available. |
I stand looking down at seven billion pairs of eyes drilling a hole through me as they wait for me to make my voice heard. I have one shot to inspire, to move each one of those seven billion hearts, but I know exactly what to say. Just as his words once reached my heart, I anticipate those words will again penetrate through the rough human exterior to the very core. I open my mouth to speak the words of the legendary Mahatma Gandhi, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” This quote packs a punch full of meaning and depth and leaves a mark that could last a lifetime; it emphasizes the power of the concept of leading by example. The way to make the difference you want to see is not by putting endless efforts towards arguing your views or trying to change others because these labors will be futile. The best way to see your idea flourish is to put it into action; be a leader and see if anyone will take your lead. For instance, take a look at the mustard seed. Once someone plants this tiny seed, it can blossom into a very large and thriving tree which will lend more seeds to the barren earth. Leading by example is much like the ripples in a pond. It starts out very small but grows larger and larger until it has covered the entire pond; all you need is someone to start it.
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Kathleen F.
Saint James, MO
Creative Writing & Film Studies
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As I climb onto my slightly worn soapbox, I smooth the wrinkles in my black skirt. I lift my head up high, and shout, “World, LISTEN UP! Life does NOT stand for Liposuction, Injections, Facials, and Eating Disorders. Why have so many of us thrown away our personalities and independence for a pair of Jimmy Choo shoes? Why have we sold our souls for a skinnier waistline? WHY CAN I NOT EAT CARBS AND STILL BE ACCEPTED IN HEAVEN??! Life is about LIVING! We should focus on what’s important! Love, friendship, conversation, higher learning, and congeniality should fill our hearts and minds while doughnuts fill up our stomachs! We only have a few years to live, so why cheat yourself by giving up happiness so others will look at you and think, ‘Dear God, I wonder how many hours she spends in a gym every day?’ Should someone ever tell you that love and happiness are based on how bleached one’s teeth are, that person should be drug out and shot, while the unhappy recipient of that comment shouts, ‘Friendship is loving someone for who they are and not their number of Botox injections!’ Come on World, look at yourselves! Feel slightly guilty? Well, you should. Live life fully so at some point you can look at your sad, roadmap of a face, touch your skin, and think, ‘I’ve done it all… and boy can you tell from all the wrinkles.’“
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Morgan G.
Damon, TX
Communications & Public Policy
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The truly unprecedented opportunity of speaking to the entire world--to share with it a thought that defines who one is--is incomprehensible to the finite human mind. One would most undoubtedly speak of the object, or idea, closest to himself.
My personal statement to the world would reflect my allegiance to my Savior, Jesus Christ. Perhaps this seems
cliché, or divisive, but it truly is where my heart is. Specifically, I would quote John 14:6 from the Bible. As the verse reads, “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” Using a verse that defines Christ as the sole route to heaven might appear to both religious skeptics and pluralists to fan the flame of intolerance, but to me the verse presents the truth.
Some might argue that a statement of self-empowerment or peace might be more helpful to today’s world, but I beg to differ. While the phrase “believe in yourself” wins all the accolades of the twenty-first century, it does nothing for eternity. Today is too short - and eternity all too long - to settle for a comfortable, safe, and acceptable statement.
Perhaps quoting Scripture rocks the global boat. Perhaps it steps on the proverbial toes. But the opportunity to share Christ to the rest of the world is too great to ignore. Who I am is defined by Him; and that is something I want to the entire world to know.
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Tacoma M.
Cincinnati, OH
Biology & Pre-Law
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One thing. The whole world. Six billion six hundred two million two hundred twenty-four thousand one hundred seventy-five people. A daunting task that would require one heck of a PA system. And I’m the one who gets the microphone? It’d have to be something meaningful, something that would touch lives, every life. “Higgibity ridicuubo blisatz plumbforad yibtunkel jequivox,” followed by a most ridiculous face to be seen by those lucky enough to catch it on television. No language barriers to overcome. No chance of offending anyone. The only consequence would be laughter. Pure, contagious, and inexplicable laughter. Have you ever been in a room and someone started giggling, and before you know it, the entire room is rolling on the floor hysterical for absolutely no reason? Imagine that times a million. Everyone could use a good laugh and nothing is better than shared laughter. The whole world united in one minute of absolute joy. What could possibly be better?
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Rosalie O.
Sierra Vista, AZ
Journalism
No photo available.
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“Friends, family, women, and girls everywhere (and even some men): I call a strike against flip-flops! The age of naked feet is no more. I plead with you to stop the unholiness of your treacherous crimes of wearing thong sandals with not-so-beautiful feet. If you decide you would still like to continue wearing these wretched shoes, there are a few rules I at least ask of you to follow.
*Rule number one: make sure it is the right season for flip-flops. When it’s 35 degrees outside and your feet are purple from the cold, you only appear to be lazy and ignorant of the weather.
*Rule number two: do not get dressed in the dark; at least, that is what it looks like when your flip-flops do not match your outfit.
*And lastly, rule number three: do not walk out in sandals UNLESS your feet are clean and fixed up. No one wants to look upon feet that are crusted over, caked in dirt, and have chipped, unpainted toenails.
So I call all of you to take action, take a stand for all that is good in this world--end the flip-flop craze and cover those monsters up.”
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“Education Matters” $5K
Scholarship Winner for 2008
ScholarshipExperts.com is pleased to announce the winner of the
“Education Matters” $5K Scholarship Program in 2008. The
winner will receive a $5,000 scholarship:
[Please note: The winner has not yet been selected for this program.
The deadline to submit an online
application for this scholarship is October 31st, 2008 at 11:59 pm
Eastern Daylight Savings Time. Check back at the end of January 2009 to find out who won.]
To see the complete scholarship program rules, click here.
The Top Ten List
Scholarship Winners for 2007-08
ScholarshipExperts.com is pleased to announce the winners of the
ScholarshipExperts.com Top Ten List Scholarship Program. Each of the
following winners will receive a $1,000 scholarship for his/her creative response to the 2007-08 topic: “Create a Top Ten List of the top ten reasons you should get this scholarship.”
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Ariel D.
Oconto, WI
Engineering, Chemistry
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Applications and test scores don't give an accurate description of who a person really is. I hope this helps you understand who I am and why you should choose me for this scholarship.
1. I am Aragorn, Caspian, Eleanor Roosevelt - a good leader and a positive role model.
2. I am Mother Theresa - humble, helpful, and dedicated.
3. I am Anne Sullivan - guide, teacher, and friend.
4. I am Meriwether Lewis and William Clark - I want to explore new, unfamiliar lands.
5. I am Andrew Carnegie - I'll work hard, earn money, and then give it back to my community and my country.
6. I am Spiderman - determined to use my talents and intelligence for the public good.
7. I am Scrooge on Christmas morning - joyful, generous, and appreciative.
8. I am Hermione Granger - studious, hardworking, friendly, and empathetic.
9. I am NASA - I value teamwork and creativity.
10. I am Ariel - a child of the past and a leader of the future, a believer in integrity, equality, generosity, and dreams. The future is a gift and I give myself to it.
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Derek E.
Wakefield, MA
Communications
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My reasoning may be far-fetched and illogical.
My conclusions may seem unnerving.
But with support that is true and biological,
I will tell you why I am deserving.
I was born without wisdom teeth (1)
A true sign of natural selection.
And I frequently use Purell on my hands, (2)
To resist communicable infection.
My mitotic process can go on for days (3)
And meiosis is another story.
Although I'm always in S1 phase,
Somatic cells are all my glory.
I have mastered the art of cellular respiration(4)
My metabolism is faster than yours, (5)
With some ADP and phosphorlyation
My energy always restores. (6)
I synthesize proteins (7), I hibernate (8) and molt (9)
But there is one analogous structure I lack
If you look in my pockets, you won?t find a bolt (10)
This is why I deserve that big fat stack.
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Sarah H.
Brooklyn, NY
Engineering
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The Top Ten Reasons why the ambiguous you should give me $1000.
1. (bribery): After I become filthy rich and the owner of multiple companies, I shall remember this in our future dealings and will be generous.
2. (blackmail): I know what you did last summer.
3. (flattery): I think whoever came up with this idea of a scholarship is a genius with a cool sense of humor. I also think ScholarshipExperts.com is absolutely amazing.
4. (appeal to emotion): I've worked and fought so hard (figuratively) that I have a 96 average and a perfect 1600 SAT Score on the Reading and Math Section. I really deserve a college experience without the college expense. With the $1000, I wouldn?t have to worry about paying for textbooks.
5. (reasoning): I've recommended ScholarshipExperts.com so many times that giving me the scholarship is like paying me for being a salesperson.
6. (guilt part I): Trying to be creative is giving me a headache, so you should feel bad.
7. (guilt part II): However, if you give me the scholarship, I'll be happy and my headache will go away, and you will be left with a warm fuzzy feeling. Warm fuzzy feelings are always great.
8. (fairness): I've saved the world (and your lives along with it) so many times that it's only fair that I get the $1000.
9. (pleading): Please, please, please, please, may I please have the $1000?
10. (truth): I really need the money.
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Shannon M.
Bucyrus, OH
English
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Top Ten Reasons I Need This Scholarship
10. I'm not having any success finding all the money I need between the cushions of my couch.
9. All of my bedroom furniture is made out of empty pizza boxes and soda cans; thus, my friends joke I give a whole new meaning to the word 'recycled.'
8. I tried publishing a novel I wrote for extra cash but almost got in trouble for copying J.K. Rowling. (I swear Marty Hopper the psychic boy with a magical raven named Sparky does NOT resemble Harry Potter. At all.)
7. My parents are right: Money DOESN'T grow on trees. I searched all over the local nature preserve. Nada.
6. Panning for gold is a lot harder than it looks.
5. Saying, "Show me the money!" three times in the mirror does not evoke the spirit of Cuba Gooding, Jr. with a bag full of cash.
4. No one is bidding on my eBay auction of an empty bottle of soda I found at an NSync concert almost a decade ago, despite the certificate I'm including that states Lance Bass drank from it.
3. I've already sold all of my teeth to the Tooth Fairy. (Eating nothing but mashed potatoes and pudding is getting REALLY old.)
2. It's difficult selling lemonade in my neighborhood, especially for $15 a cup, plus tax.
1. Getting a good education is priceless.
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Amanda P.
Carson City, NV
Anthropology & Environmental Sciences
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Sitting at my computer, I digest the knowledge that within these brief sentences rests my sole opportunity to impress upon a panel of perfect strangers the reasons why I could possibly deserve this scholarship. I ask myself: how can I cajole and convince? What theatrics with the written word am I to perform? What elements or anecdotes do I have at my disposal that I could employ to turn their thoughts in my favor? Drama, comedy? Would any of it help my cause?
It seems that I have not found those answers. I realize that all I have is the simple truth of my desires, which speak eloquently enough and without pretense.
I am a child that wishes to be heard. I am a student that longs to learn. I am a teacher of the heart. I am an artist that craves an audience. I am a daughter that loves my mother. I am a girl that dreams of pursuing realities. I am a woman that refuses to be victimized by gender stereotypes. I am a humanitarian that holds with the adage that actions speak louder than words.
I am distinct, not a faceless applicant.
I am an individual.
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scholarships, ScholarshipExperts.com can help you find other
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students throughout the year. Create a free scholarship search profile at ScholarshipExperts.com for fast, easy and free scholarship information. Good Luck!
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