Earlier this month, I was given the opportunity to assist Todd Burlingham at a community conference in Detroit. Although I spent 19 years growing up less than an hour away from Detroit, I hadn't really experienced the city of Detroit inside of a classroom. Two different groups of about 30 high school students in Detroit came to our presentation to participate in leadership activities through our organization. My experience facilitating and engaging with some of these students was eye opening in a way that has helped me understand my surroundings better. It was also unique in that it gave me awareness of diversity that will assist me when I become a certified educator.

As I sit here looking at my first college exam I can’t say that I’m too happy with the results. I think back to my days in high school when everything came to me so simply. I was able to study the same amount as I did for this exam, but earn a way better grade than what I just received. Earning this grade really has allowed me to reflect on what the idea of scholarship really means to me.

There may come a time in your life when someone tells you that you can’t do something. They can tell you that you aren’t smart enough, or athletic enough, or strong enough, or pretty enough. And in other instances, they can tell you that you believe in the wrong things. Is that something you are okay with? Or is this something you would fight against? In most cases, I would hope that you would fight this. Too many times people let others put them down and tell them that what they think is wrong or stupid and I think this needs to change. As we grow up, we start having our own beliefs and make decisions on our own, without the help of parents, family, or friends, and we must defend what we think. As we grow up, we must see the importance of this.