My Education, My Plan:Getting from here to There.

For the majority of people, planning for their futures start in high school. The high school counselor starts discussing college, the military, or other possible career options after high school. Focusing on the college route was my goal. I am from a very poor family, so scholarships were a must for me. Looking through some major ones is where I began. I knew I wanted to be a teacher, so that choice helped me choose what scholarships were right for me. My counselor suggested I apply for Teaching Fellows which was one of my goals in the first place. I was in teacher cadet throughout high school, and the only purpose of the class besides training you to be a teacher was helping you prepare for this scholarship. I also looked for adversity scholarships since I came from a rough family. I also decided to apply for the Horatio Alger scholarship. The Horatio Alger scholarship was a greater undertaking then that of the Teaching Fellows because only one hundred and four students are accepted from the United States and its' providences each year. I also considered local ones but for the most part these two were my goal. My next step was finding a university that fit me. At first I dreamed of attending Dartmouth, but reality interfered real quick when I checked the price tag. So, I looked at in state schools and UNC-Greensboro was definitely the one that fit me most. I applied and was accepted. Then Spring came and time for results from my major scholarships came back. I had made it to finals in Teaching Fellows and then was denied. However, I was named one of the national scholars for the Horatio Alger association. Horatio Alger changed my life. With the scholarship I was asked to come to Washington D.C for a week long conference. I cannot express how much this one week of my life leads my every day choices. I was able to meet Supreme Court Justice Thomas and enter buildings that the public has no chance of seeing without connections. I discovered myself and where I wanted to go. When I arrived here at UNC-Greensboro I was sure I was going to do amazing. I could never have been more wrong. This first semester for me has been nothing but more discovery and difficult situations. I don't really have a supportive family at all which requires me to pay for everything myself which I knew was a must, but my family doesn't really are at all anymore. This week has been a very good one though. I have finally decided who I am and where I want to go in my educational career. I am going to graduate from UNC-Greensboro with a Bachelor's degree in Anthropology. The reason I choose Anthropology is very apparent when you meet me. I love people and I love culture. I want to help anybody and everybody which usually leads to me not helping myself. I am so intrigued by the lifestyles of others. I don't understand why people are so ignorant to others. People are all different and come from different places. Afterward, I plan on teaching at a high school near where I am going to Graduate school to pay for my education. I want to earn a masters degree in Cultural Anthropology and contribute to research in that field. My overall dream is one day working for the United Nations helping to find solutions for society's largest problems. During all this I plan on donating the majority of my money to the Horatio Alger foundation to help kids like me who wouldn't be here without them. I know that the only person that can achieve my dreams are me. There is no one out there that can do anything for me except me.