A Special Thank You to the Village

I’m sure you have heard the ole saying “It takes a village to raise a child”. This saying is what keeps running through my mind while I try to think about a person who has been a great influence on my life or think about an event that has had an impact on my educational decisions.
My life would be described by many as monotonous. I wake up, go to school, come home and go to sleep. I was born, went to school all of my life, and now I am ready to graduate. Nothing traumatic has happened in my life and nothing extra-ordinary. Now, I am trying to decide what my future holds.

A lot of my decisions thus far in life have been made by my mother. I couldn’t wait until I turned eighteen so I could make my own decisions; however, that day came less than a month ago, and I’m still uncertain about the many decisions that are thrown my way, daily. I’m sure many people would think that my mother has had the biggest impact on my life; however, I cannot find the words to put on paper to write about her.

I also looked to my older sister for guidance. As I watched her accomplish her goals and make her mistakes, I secretly followed (or avoided) her paths. Strangely enough, my sister and I are like daylight and dark. Quickly, I realized that the path my sister was taking led her to her happiness, but it wasn’t the future I wanted. I admire my sister because she is happily married, working full-time, and continuing her education at night, but I have no desire to travel down that road.

Thinking back throughout my educational career, many teachers have touched my life, some positively and some negatively; however, the end result was that it took the whole village to make me who I am today . . .

Today, I am an individual ready to go to college. I was taught to be creative, thoughtful, and independent. I was taught to use my gift of leadership and friendship, not just in the classroom but in my community also; and that I had athletic abilities that could help me in continuing my education. I was taught that I may have a chance in the medical field due to my interest in science classes; and that my peers and I have many different opinions and people are interested in hearing our voices.

My most memorable educational experience came from my theatre and drama class. I was offered drama classes in school from 3rd grade through graduation. I performed as a variety of different characters including: Snow White, The Velveteen Rabbit, Sandy from Grease, Barbie from A Redneck Wedding, Glinda in The Wizard of Oz, and the Wicked Stepmother in Cinderella. I loved the costumes and makeup, the hard work, and the applause. It is these memories and experiences that have dictated my decision to attend college in New York and pursue a career on Broadway.

In conclusion, I have had a wonderful educational experience. As I travel off to college, I vow to make my village proud! Again, it truly takes a village to raise a child.