Describe the world you come from — for example, your family, community or school — and tell us how world has shaped your dreams and aspirations.
I am the seventh child of two farm working parents and a first generation American. I feel that I am self motivated to pursue my academic goals and am relentless when it comes to attaining the highest grades in my school. I will do whatever it takes to succeed. I have grown up in a household where education was valued, but not pursued. For this reason, I am setting a different standard for my life. I will attend a prestigious university. I have managed my academic life since fourth grade. I have been my own educational advocate. This was out of pure necessity. My parents labored extremely long and arduous hours in the agricultural fields of central California. In fact, I have worked along side my mom and dad since the age of 10 and helped to harvest olives and blueberries. This work is painstaking and has given me constant motivation to pursue a university education so that I might avoid this work for the rest of my life. As the youngest member of my family, I have watched my older siblings try to succeed in our educational system. The reality is, that for my siblings, school was secondary to earning money. This is a fact of life for the majority of migrant families in central California. They have to sacrifice their educational goals to start working and help their families earn a living wage. Thanks to my parents and the strong work ethic instilled in me by my Hispanic culture, I know that the hard work that I have learned will open up doors for a better life. I will break barriers and prove that it is possible to work hard and earn a prestigious education. I will make an excellent living for myself and my family. My parents have struggled to provide for us and give me the opportunity to be able to finish my studies and accomplish my educational goals. The physical labor and financial struggles of my immigrant parents have come with a cost. My dad is an alcoholic and battles this serious disease every day. Growing up with an alcoholic father has really affected me. I have had to take on a leadership role in my family since my older siblings no longer live in our household. I am often the mediator between my mom, my dad and the alcohol. I believe that my dad views alcohol as an escape from years of back breaking physical labor and my parents’ personal problems. My dad’s alcoholism has shown me that education is my only way to success. Education can lead me to a better life. The work ethic I have acquired from my parents and my culture can lead me to a better life. The community of Lindsay and my activities at Lindsay High School have been inspirational and have also taught me to be diligent in my pursuit of a better life. |