TAMIU GEAR UP IV 2015 Essay Contest

The End of a Journey: The Commencement of a New One At some point we all encounter adverse obstacles in our lives. What truly separates us though, are the skills we utilize to overcome them. We have to ask ourselves, will we remain where we are and fight against the impediment preventing us from reaching our desired goals? Or will we flee, and allow the obstruction to continue hindering our progress? When I was younger, my family migrated to the northern part of the nation, and as a student I was affected by the incessant move of schools. Fortunately, I proved myself competent enough to conquer these adversities. This accomplishment can also be attributed to Gear Up IV, a magnificent program that has remained by my side since the seventh grade. I vividly recall the first time my mother informed my siblings and I that we would be traveling to the state of Nevada to accompany my father who was to be working there. I've always been fascinated with the idea of visiting foreign places and connecting with new individuals. However, I came realize that this constant change would challenge my intellect due to the fact that I spoke a limited amount of English. Because of this concern, I gathered my courage and studied endlessly to master this new language. I am proud to say that that same year my teacher chose me as an alternate for the Spelling Bee. Adjusting to two different environments was not an easy task and as the years passed, it became obvious that the transition was not benefitting my family. Although many would have expected for a migrant student to struggle with the rigorous school curriculum, I was still able to maintain a position at the top of my class. Nevertheless, schools are comprised of different curriculums, and having to catch up with the material as well as keeping up with the new information was challenging. The hardships kept piling on when I realized that I wasn't as involved in school activities as my fellow students. They were all fortunate enough to participate in sports and other competitive activities. Of course, this would have been rather difficult when you're not in the same school the whole school year. Furthermore, the period of time it took to travel from one state to another deprived me from attending class and learning. I finally became aware that receiving a high school diploma would be complicated because of the high school credits required. Year after year, I kept on transitioning between schools to the point where I hated being a migrant student. I detested the fact of having to start anew each year and not always being able to fully demonstrate to educators, school officials, and classmates how capable I was as a student and individual. After gathering my courage, I opted to speak to my parents about this situation. Gladly, after presenting them with reasons as to why I wanted to stop migrating they understood my point of view. My parents have always been extremely supportive and prioritized my education. The final year that I stopped being a migrant occurred in seventh grade, the year Gear Up IV entered my life. Not migrating brought a huge transformation to my life as a whole. By remaining in a single place, I felt as if I were one step closer to achieving my goal of attending a top university. From this experience I learned that even the hardest situations can be surpassed if one is willing to fully set their mind and efforts to bring change. As an individual, I highly prioritize education, like the great Nelson Mandela once said, "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." My plans for the future consist of attending a top college in the United States and receiving a diploma in petroleum engineering and perhaps entering the politics world someday. Thanks to the obstacles that have been presented before me I believe that a Latina girl from a community that lacks resources like mine, can go to college and become a prominent leader of this nation.