Blog #3: Personal Statement - Infuential Person

"Be the Star You Are" the card read as I Opened it. It struck like a cliche. I opened the card. It's stars vibrant and full of colors danced around the inspiring phrase. "Mynesha" it read. "You will amount to great things, be sure to reach far, You'll never stop shining brightly because you are a star". I very well could have continued reading the words. But that phrase was empowering enough, so I stopped reading there. I clutched the card dear to me and I began to cry.

Ronda Harvey-Shaheen had always meant every word she spoke to me. Every minute I spent with her was a prerequisite for knowing that I would succeed in my future. I realized that my time could not be spent doing anything better than listening to her inspirational thoughts or emotional lectures. The woman is devoted, responsible, overly organized and simultaneously, modest. She had been an educator for well over 30 years, my elementary school counselor and depending on what four year institute I attend, she could very well be my professor. She was boisterous, in a formal way, whenever I was blue she would encompass a sprinkle of drops of bright oranges and bold yellows on me. She was altruistic, her heart stretched further than the Pacific Ocean. She was profoundly humble, talented and full of "the works". She was dedicated; rarely would she call into work for family matters. Without doubt she had an overflowing amount of character with an optimistic attitude. This woman was special. Special because she was Ronda Harvey-Shaheen- and well she meant the world to me!

Mrs. Sheheen words were empowering and her heart was where the words had derived from. Her laudable examples had alone, encouraged me. Her reassuring cards and inspirational lectures had encouraged me just that much more! Knowing she always stood firmly advocating for me, I would never hesitate to dream big.

This woman taught me to work hard by demonstrating her hard working efforts to me. She taught me the courage to dare to be different, after all she was the only educator at her work who educated students differently than "the rule book". My particular qualities distinguish me from every other individual. My leadership, skills, intelligence, knowledge, adaptability and command all mocks the presentation of Ronda Haarvey Shaheen.

Mrs. Shaheen conveyed the importance of individuality to me and whether or not she knew it, I had become a diligent, persevering, goal-oriented individual who would dream big for the rest of my life!

Blog #4: Personal Statement - Infuential Person

As a child growing up, my father would always tell me and my older siblings to "Never cheat yourself." In reality, I never knew what he meant until I reached high school and became an all star athlete. He would tell me to take the same motivation and self determination I had on the basketball court and track and use it in the classroom. It wasn't until then that I made paying attention in class my focal point for doing well in high school. I found it necessary to study. Learning came relatively easy for me and I didn't have to use as much energy as some did with learning new subjects or getting familiar with new concepts, but I put forth the effort anyways. It's apparent to me that since high school, I've started to do the same thing with life.

I had always thought of myself as a mature, young adult, but now I do more than ever. I moved out of my mother's house my second year in high school, applied for many different job positions and improved my resume by getting involved in different service learning projects and extra curricular activities. Adding a child to the busy life of school and work didn't make life any easier, but definitely added value to all the little things that I usually took for granted. I promised my daughter our last day in the hospital that I would do all I could to make her proud of me, and to give her the best in life. As of our eighth month together, I have kept my promise. As I am a firm believer in Jesus Christ, I pray every often that God empowers the strength in me to uphold my promise. Unlike many others teenage moms... failure is not an option for me.