Scholarship Essay Examples

While lying in a hospital bed, waiting for my twelfth surgery to begin, the nurse struggled to get my I.V. to work. She had tried numerous times without success and as I was about to cry, a kind woman came in, held my hand, taught me techniques to help calm down and helped get me a numbing shot. The nurse was then able to get the I.V. in on her next try! I was in awe of this angelic person whom I have since learned was aChild Life Specialist. I decided right then I wanted to be just like her. Service is important to me because it is a way I can "pay forward" all the help and compassion I have received. I was born with Bladder Exstrophy. It is a rare birth defect in which the bladder and associated structures are malformed. I have endured fourteen surgeries to make my life as "normal" as possible. As a young child, I determined to not let this condition define me or to keep me from doing anything I wanted. One of my most difficult experiences has been going through school with an invisible disability and growing up with no one having the same birth defect living nearby....show more content...

The assistance I rendered in Peru last summer strengthened my fervent desire to help those less fortunate than myself. It was here during my 17–day service trip to Lima, Peru with the Humanitarian Experience For Youth group, where I realized how blessed I have been in life. I was able to help build a medical clinic in an area that lacked treatment for families. We built the walls with bricks and cement and I learned how to install rebar. I also helped local schoolteachers, twice a week in their classrooms, with their English program. I've learned to be more humble and grateful due to the sweet Peruvians offering us the little food they had, to show their gratitude. It felt rewarding to accomplish so much in so little time. The work was extremely exhausting, but I would do it again without