Dialog

Rohm and Haas operates with the philosophy that maintaining open lines of communication with neighboring residents about all aspects of manufacturing processes and community issues is the responsible way to do business.  We participate in the Rubbertown Community Advisory Council for this reason.

http://www.rubbertowncac.org/

Education Programs Overview

Junior Achievement has long been a corporate priority at Rohm and Haas. In addition to significant cash donations to support JA, about 20 employees teach Junior Achievement classes mainly at St. Denis School on Cane Run Road. The children from first through eighth grade are introduced to the free enterprise system and how business works. JA's board of directors has included Rohm and Haas employees for many years. (Additional contacts: Ann Montgomery, principal, St. Denis School; Elaine Wnorowski, president, Junior Achievement)

Over, Under, Around, Through

How some highschool seniors have overcome life's obstacles.

WBKI-TV came up with a great idea: Create a scholarship program and the station would help promote it. Rohm and Haas employees have for years mentored students at Cane Run Elementary School. Many of these children have enormous mountains to climb to reach success. Wouldn't it be appropriate, then, to recognize some high school seniors who have conquered their own personal mountains and are pointed toward college feeling all the stronger and more confident?

That's how Rohm and Haas created an essay contest about overcoming obstacles. Students from Butler, Doss, Holy Cross, Pleasure Ridge Park, Shawnee and Western High Schools - the schools closest to the Rohm and Haas plant - were eligible to compete. One $1,000 scholarship was available to a student in each school. Employees and members of the plant's Citizens Advisory Council judged the essays, and scholarships were presented to the seniors at their respective awards programs.

What the judges read was an outpouring of emotion and courage from students. Some overcame poverty. Others, broken homes. One was dealing with paralysis. Their stories were too good not to share with other students. That's why Rohm and Haas created this booklet. We reprint the essays, with the authors' permission, so that others might be inspired to conquer their own mountains.

Rohm and Haas, with headquarters in Philadelphia, manufactures plastics additives and coatings at its louisville plant. These materials are used in plastic pipes, vinyl house siding, plastic bottles, car bumpers, auto and boat finishes, acrylic paints, adhesives, floor polish, inks, tissue paper, highway paints, and much more. The plant employs 510 people at its facility on Campground Road. Rohm and Haas seeks to be a good neighbor in part through its support of education and after-school programs for kids who live in the vicinity of Rubbertown. Visit the plant’s website at www.rohmhaaslouisville.com.

Student Essays

Feeling alone.

As Mrs. Leep whispered my name and motioned for me to follow her, my eyes began to water. I wiped away the forming liquid which caused my vision to blur, and obeyed the command. From prior experiences, I knew what was about to occur. I trailed behind and pulled the door closed as I stepped into the hushed hallway. My palms were sweaty, my hands shaking, and then came the analytical glare I feared most. I broke down. Silent tears streamed down my cheeks.

“Are things alright at home?” my teacher asked in a concerned tone. I stood a moment, trying to force out a “Yes” without it sounding too shaky. I shifted my eyes to the floor and began picking at the side of my thumb.

“Yes,” I mumbled as I glanced back up and met her eyes. I quickly returned my gaze to the ground, which gave me a feeling of security.

"Well then," she continued, "Why don't you talk to anyone? I've noticed you talk to Magen and Leslie and that's it. And why won't you read your papers aloud when I ask you to?

I continued to stare at the selected spot on the ground as I answered each question with a shrug of my shoulders. After a moment, I managed to squeeze out an "I don't know." This conversation made me uncomfortable and the only thing on my mind was to end it. Mrs. Leep realized she wasn't going to get my cooperation and led me back into the classroom.

I can remember this happening several time throughout elementary school. As a child, I was extremely shy. I had my two close friends that I talked to and that was it. I only talked to my teacher if it was a must and I wouldn't have even dreamed of talking to a boy. I was so incredibly shy that my teachers came to the conclusion my parents abused me.

Third grade was the first time I was questioned in the hall. After refusing to read my story aloud to the class, I was bribed with candy and extra credit, and then taken out into the hall for still refusing. My teachers constantly asked how things were going at home and how my parents treated me. Even though my mother was very active with my school and participated in every event possible, my teachers still questioned her.

Even now, I don't know what made me shy. I definitely was not abused and I was never picked on. I've tried to figure out what made me so shy and the only answer I came up with was that it was just a stage I went through. I was shy all the way until middle school. My mother made me realize after years of trying to boost my self-confidence that there wasn't any point for this kind of behavior. In the sixth grade I began talking to my teachers and had conversations with my classmates. By the time I reached the seventh grade I was no longer shy. Over the years I have worked on my shyness and am now very confident with myself. Today, I carry on full-length conversations with anyone and everyone. Since overcoming my shyness, I have developed into the outgoing, goal-driven individual that I am today.

Jenny Shircliff, PRP High School

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Many define hardships as obstacles in life that disable one to excel. Throughout my life I found that this is not true. Rather, I have discovered that life's victories are those in spite of hardship and are made sweeter because of it. During the course of my life terms such as hardship and opportunity have become synonymous.

Throughout my entire childhood I never had someone in which I could look up to as a role model. Instead my predominant examples were those of drug use, alcohol abuse, lack of motivation and despair. Being the second child born to a seventeen year old girl, and the environment that I was surrounded by my mother had little hope for my future and placed no expectations on my life. Although I was a child, I realize that because no one expected anything of me, and I had to strive to prove them wrong. I knew from watching their daily lives, that I wanted to be different. I wanted to get a good education in high school, eventually go to college, and live a good moral life, but this was easier said than done. Because nothing was ever expected to become of my life, when I told my mother about my aspirations she never seemed to take me seriously.

There was always a lack of inspiration in my life, yet I knew what I wanted and would go to great links to achieve my goals. My mother barely expected me to graduate from high school much less make something of myself. I find it very important to stay in school and graduate as I will be the first generation to graduate. At times I have often got discouraged because no one even encouraged me to make something of my life. It was more along the lines of my being constantly put down for unrealistic goals. Because no one set expectation for my life, they never set apart anything that may help me achieve my goals, and because of this I have financially been on my own since I was fifteen years old, and will continue to be throughout college. All of my life I was told I couldn’t when I did, and this will only add to the list of achievements that were never thought possible.

Though victory has never come easily, in the midst of my struggles I have gained many life long lessons, and have come to the point in my life where I know that all things are possible through tenacity, diligence, virtue, and sacrifice. Though I have not arrived at my final destinations, I know I am on my way.

Heather Poole, PRP High School

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Ding, ding, ding. That was the tone to clarify that school was out. It was the beginning of my sophomore year. It was a warm August day with clear baby blue skies. I was really excited because my soccer team was playing our first home game, against none other than Doss. After school I had to return home because I left my gear there. On the journey to my home, I was focused on our big game.

When I got home, I sprinted up the steps and opened the door. I went to get my gear that was lying by my bed. Suddenly my phone rang. I had no idea this phone call would affect the rest of my life.

"Hello" I said with excitement. Then a voice that I had never heard, said, "Mark, grandfather passed away last night, you need to be on your way out here." The voice belonged to my aunt on my father's side, the side of the family that I'm not close to at all. My heart dropped into the bottom of my stomach.

When I was born, my father left my mom. Quite frankly, he wasn’t a good person. So it was best for him to leave. I therefore, grew up without a father. Instead, my papaw (grandfather) took his place. Papaw taught me everything from hunting, driving, and fishing. We were like father and son. We spent a lot of time together, even though he ran his own business. Not having that “real” daddy at home taught me a lot of things, some of which I probably wouldn’t have learned if he would have been there for me. For one, I am always going to be there for my future child and wife. No matter what. I don’t want my child to feel the pain of not having a father.

With the death of my grandfather, I was left to live the rest of my life without a "male role model." I thought I would never pull out of this feeling of darkness. I was stuck in a valley, only hoping to be saved and rescued. Rather than being in despair for years, God lifted me up. My church family was there for me.

Not only did I overcome this hardship in my life, I conquered it. I have been blessed with the ability to play sports. I have played soccer since 1989, and I have always been on a track team. I wanted to play something else; I wanted to honor by papaw by playing football, the sport he cherished. I ended up being the punter and place kicker, via playing soccer forever. I earned all-district in football, and earned all-region in soccer. Now I am going to be playing football at Murray State and majoring in Pre-Med. I hope to honor my papaw even more by getting a good education. I am blessed to honor my papaw. At one time I thought I would not even be able to bless myself. I would give up all of the awards that I have received to get my papaw back. I know that he is watching me from up above. "Everything is done for a reason."

Mark Lucas, PRP High School

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January 29, 2002…I will never forget this day. This is the day my father committed suicide. My father was a wonderful man, with some problems. He was a high school teacher for 30 years, and recently retired to help the Kentucky Coal Council with an elementary education program that he started. My father loved to work, and loved being around kids, especially my brother and me. My father had a lot of medical problems the doctors couldn’t get under control. He had heart problems, blood pressure problems, as well as problems with his eyes, jaw, and neck. I know that my father didn’t kill himself on purpose; it wasn’t him doing it. He was on a lot of medication and when he took it this caused a chemical reaction in his in his brain that made him act funny. I know that he wouldn’t have gone through with it if he had not been on the medication.

Since my father committed suicide my family has gone through the heartache of losing someone we love very much. There are no words to describe how much I loved my father; we were so close, and had similar interests. My family has also had to deal with a significant financial loss. Since my father was retired and still working, he provided two incomes for our family. Since he died, we only get the remainder of his retirement, which is not very much. My mother has also been forced to go back to work; she is also a retired school teacher. She works alternate days every week at an elementary school.My brother was in college when my father died, and since then he is having lots of problems. He started having anxiety attacks and has been put on medication to help with these attacks. He has been out of school for the past two semesters so he can deal with things. He is planning on returning to college in the spring of 2003.

I myself have numerous problems. The last part of my junior year (right after my father died), I had trouble concentrating on my schoolwork, and started meeting with a therapist. Having a therapist has helped a whole lot, but it will never take away all the hurt and loneliness I feel. Sometimes I just can't help but think about my dad, and how much I miss him.

I just want to make my father proud and do things I know he would have liked to see me do if he were still alive. I am planning on attending the University of Kentucky in the fall of 2003. I know my father would be proud to know I am going to college and I am studying to become a pharmacist. I want to be a pharmacist so that maybe I can help other people that have problems with reactions to medication, and make a positive impact on their lives.

 Kristin Walker, PRP High School

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Have you ever wondered what it's like to have a twin? Well I have had the privilege of having a twin brother. Believe it or not, I actually like it. Yes, at times he can be annoying or incredibly mean, but what brother isn't? There are many things that I like about having a twin brother, like getting help with my homework, having the same classes and getting advice whenever I need it, but out of all these perks, the best is having him there to help me when I have those scary moments in my life. Kindergarten through fourth grade we were in the same class. I was always the scared, timid one out of us and he was the strong, brave type, or so he looked. I rememberbegging him to walk me to my class on the fist day of fifth grade. I was terrified. This was the first year we had been separated and I didn't like it one bit. Being a twin means that you have someone else with you. You have a special bond with someone that no one else could possible understand or comprehend. It's a different type of relationship than you have with your regular brother or sister. This twin has been with you from day one and that's a bond that could never be broken.

My whole life, I have never had to worry about being alone. I never have to go anywhere like school or just your basic life events by myself. My brother is always in the same situation or going through the same things.

This has become a safe haven for me. I hate to have to do something by myself and I’ve never known any different. Now that we are growing older, we are starting to get involved in different things and we won’t be able to go through everything together. We have to soon get jobs, go to college, get married and then raise families. We won’t have each other to lean on all the time. Being a twin is definitely something that I value, but I have to learn to start doing things on my own, to become more independent and be my own person.

Being a twin has its perks, but when in comes down to being independent I tend to suffer a little. As we’ve grown I’ve had to learn to depend more on myself now instead of him. I feel this is a very big obstacle that I have had to overcome. Now that college is approaching and I’ll be moving away, he won’t be able to always be there for me and I’ll have to depend on myself more than ever. He has always been there for me and understood what I’ve had to go through and being without him is something that I’ve learned to deal with. I feel God has given me a twin to help me learn the importance of being independent as well as depending on others.

Jennifer Likes, Doss High School

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Throughout a person's life, they will have to go through many hardships. For me the one I remember the most is the one that happened in the beginning of my school years. When I was in kindergarten, I attended Jacob Elementary. Our school building was very old, almost scary looking. The building was so old it was actually the same building that my father went to when he was in grade school. If anyone remembers their first year of school, They will recall how they were very uncomfortable for the first few weeks of school because they were used to having Mom and Dad around. I went through this same phase when I began elementary school. It was such a big school and I didn't feel at home.

Before the year began, the school system told the students that at the winter break, the school would move a few blocks away to a brand new building. This was not good news for me! I didn't want to have to make the change, when the time finally came, because I had become comfortable at the old building.

The first day back from our break was really nerve-racking because I had no idea where I was going. I know that most of the students there were very uncomfortable, but at the time I felt that I was the only one. I had become so accustomed to the old school, I just dreaded entering the new building.

The first day, my Mom walked me down the hall to my classroom. I would not let her hand go. I was so upset that I began crying and pouting in front of the entire class. My teacher then grabbed my hand and got my attention while my mother slipped out of the door. That day, I was very unhappy. It was probably the rudest that I have ever been to a teacher. I didn’t want to be there and I thought if I showed that I was unhappy, the teacher would let me move back to the old school. Of course, that didn’t happen.

I attended the rest of the school year in the new building and I grew to love it. I had not wanted to be there, thus, I had not seen how much nicer it was than the old school. It was much more up to date and it was a lot easier to get around because it was all on the same level. This was by far the toughest hardship that I have ever had to overcome. After I had adjusted to the old building, I had to start all over again. As a young child, my emotions ran high and every change regardless of how slight, made a huge impact on me. I realize change is sometimes necessary and that all change is not so bad. After all, I did spend four more years at Jacob.

Derrick Johnson, Butler High School

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Great literature often provides me with quotes to encapsulate the difficult times in my life, and one such quote comes from Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. In Act 2, Scene 2, Caesar speaks this famous line: “Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once.” This statement means a great deal to me, for a good reason. For a long time, I was a very non-adventurous person; I generally stayed away from experiences that make me feel uncomfortable or challenged my limits. New situations often frustrated me, mostly due to my own fear of failure or rejection or embarrassment. Many times I was simply scared of what was unfamiliar. Regretfully, this fear led me to suffer a fair amount of emotional pain.

After a while, I began to notice the effect this fear of the unusual was having on my life. I seemed to be missing out on all of what certain experiences could offer. This effect was not confined to one area of my life, either. For example, in school, I was formerly the type of person who would shy away from a challenge, even if I knew I could handle it. Out of a dread of failure, I held myself back from experiencing the joy of accomplishment. Outside school, this anxiety hindered my leisure as well. Often, family vacations would focus on an amusement park. Roller coasters there terrified me greatly, even though the people riding them were having a fabulous time, as I could plainly see! However, this fresh experience still frightened me to no end; I again held myself back from full enjoyment of these times. My dating life was miserably squashed as well; I was so terrified of being rejected that I dared not ask a girl out.

Considering these experience as a whole, I began to see one effect that was quite detrimental to my life. My fears of new experience were causing me to miss out on the best life had to offer! Be it at school, on vacations, or in relationships, my alarm at unfamiliar events was getting in the way of me experiencing life to the fullest. Nearly every day, I watched all around me as people would take risks, and they seemed to be having the time of their lives. Powerful yearnings for such delight filled my heart and soul.

As it is with many struggles in life, this one was conquered by a simple decision. I became so sick of missing out on life that I made the conscious decision to try new things when they came about. As Caesar put it, I decided to be one of "the valiant' and since then, I have ceased to "die many times before (my) death." For example, I have pursued the most challenging courses possible at school, and have been blessed with the thrill of accomplishment. This is but one instance, yet truly, I have vanquished my dread of the unknown, and have consequently been rewarded many times over.

Jacob Jones, Butler High School

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Parents.

What memories do you have of your father? Most would say they remember being taught to ride a bike, or how to play basketball. Not I. I have one significant memory of my father, due to his ignorant decisions. I can remember receiving a plain cardboard box, unwrapped, full of toys and books. It supposedly came from my father while in jail, but he doesn’t remember sending it, so I guess not. Sad isn’t it?

What happened to cause this absence of treasured memories? While he was in jail in Memphis, he was guilty of being a thief, an alcoholic, and a drug addict. Later, at age nine, my father read me two letters he wrote to "Mr. Crack" and "Mr. Alcohol." These letters described the origin of his addictions. As my father read, a man from Alcoholics Anonymous arrived to take him to a home for men in recovery. Afterwards, his girlfriend told me that he previously sold some of her valuable possessions. My imagination began to wonder, "Would he sell me for drugs?" and I became afraid to be alone with him. At this point, I didn't have a strong bond, nor strong love for my father. I didn't understand the sickness, his absence, and all the broken promises. The only parent I knew was my mother; she was my heart, my soul, and my life.

The decision to go to the Alcoholic Anonymous was a major step for him. But my father told me the story that initially prompted his sobriety. He said that he and I were supposed to go Christmas shopping, but he squandered the money on drugs, so instead we went to McDonalds. He continuously walked to and from the bathroom of the restaurant, to get high and to drink, which I wasn't aware of at that point. The last time he returned, I looked up and casually said, "Daddy, why do you keep going to the bathroom?" He thought that I knew what he was doing; he felt like he had poisoned the mind of an innocent child.

Later, while he was in the basement of his mother’s home that night, he overheard his family saying how worthless he was, and that he would never amount to anything. This put him over the edge, so he decided to confront his ignorance. He knelt on the floor and handed his sickness over to God. Once he started to sober up, he became a minor part of my life, at first. It wasn’t easy because I understood dependency and trust, and he didn’t possess those qualities, neither as a man nor a father. Through our own “Trail of Tears,” we began to spend time together and communicate. He was behaving like my daddy and we gained a mutual respect for each other.

I can presently talk to him about anything and call on him at anytime. It's simply beautiful to see us together. I thank God for the wake-up calls to my father. As for his personal life, it's wonderful. He is 37, the CEO/President of a local company, engaged, and playing a leading role in the lives of others. I couldn't be more proud to call him my daddy!

Name Withheld, Butler High School

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A hardship is something that causes suffering. Every person in the world has experienced some form of a hardship. In some cases the hardship could have been so intense that it may alter the person's whole life. I believe that is the case in my situation.

My name is La'Donna White and I am a senior at Doss High School. I'm 17. My intentions are to go to Murray State University and my goal is to be a first generation college graduate.

My hardship initially began at birth. My mother was 15 years old when she had me. She gave up custody to my auntie when I was six months. I lived a happy life until one day my birth mother called. It was not unusual for her to call; however it was what she said that disturbed me. She was crying hysterically, shouting do you think it's fair I'm going to have to pay child support. Which at the time I was a freshman in high school and didn't understand child support.She was all right and she would get me gifts for Christmas and my birthday. She would sometimes take me to the movies. So I asked my Auntie, who I call my mom, what she was talking about. She told me that the state was requiring her to pay child support and owed child support. So in turn my mother wanted to get custody of me after 16 years because she felt like she didn't want to work just to pay child support. I was heart broken because not only was she trying to take me from the only mother I've ever known, she was not getting me back because she wanted to, or because she felt she was able to take care of me. The fact of the matter was she didn't want to pay child support. She felt by getting extra food stamps, and government assistance, she would still come out able to provide the necessities without working.

I was very hurt by her selfishness. I was in the middle of a pep rally when Mr. Geary told me they needed me in the main office. When I got in there they told me I had a phone call. I was thinking that it must be an emergency because I was in the middle of a pep rally. It wasn’t, it was a social worker telling me that I had to move in with my mother. I was crying, I didn’t understand, how could they just make me live with her after 15 years.

I had tried to stay with her when I was in the sixth grade. It was from Christmas break until I got out of school, while my house was being remodeled. It was a nightmare. She didn't treat me the same as my little brothers. She would take them out to eat, or to go shopping, and leave me at home. I had to clean the whole house by myself, wash and hang everyone's laundry. No matter what I did to help out, she still verbally abused me. She would call me fat, say I was stupid and that she should have aborted me at birth. If I didn't get ready fast enough for her in the morning, she made me wear the same clothes as the day before to school.

I tried to explain to the worker that I had tried to stay with my mother and that she verbally abused me, and treated me as if I wasn't her child but a maid. The worker refused to believe what I told her. I even tried to stress the point that she only wanted me because she didn't want to work to pay child support. Nothing I said helped, there was no way out. I was gong back to a nightmare and not even my auntie could stop it. The social workers promised me that everything would be different. Mom had been to counseling and parenting classes.

When I first arrived, things were okay. School was out and my brothers were gone almost the whole summer. It seemed the day they returned, things went bad. She began to repeat her old action except to the 15th power. I was hardly ever at home but she still found reasons to say nasty things to me. This time it wasn’t just the material stuff, it would be whatever she felt would make me mad. She would cook for them and not me. She wouldn’t take me to my doctor’s appointments. She would always say she was busy, when I would come home and she would just be sitting there with one of her many friends. Then she began to constantly verbally abuse me. She would call me everything known to man. I was in a state of total depression and my self-esteem was at an all time low. One day I couldn’t take the abuse anymore. I told her how I felt. I told her, she hadn’t really been a mother, that by verbally abusing me everyday and treating me nasty, just made me dislike her even more. She then hit me. I tried to hold her hands and she bit my arm so hard that I was forced to let go. My face was scratched and my arm had teeth marks on it for about two months.

I walked up the street to my granny’s house and the police came. They took me to my aunt’s house. I stayed there for a while, then I had to move in with my granny. My auntie’s husband felt that he had taken care of me for 16 years and two more was too much. So Then I moved with my granny. There was no food there and not much of anything for that matter, but I was not being abused. Some days I couldn’t eat because there was no food and often would have to ask neighbors for things I needed. I lost a lot of weight. I had to go to court, but the workers really were unable to help unless I was in a home. I didn’t want to keep being abused but I didn’t want to go to a home either. I was stuck between a rock and a hard place.

After several court dates, there was no way out of going back. The judge told me that my mother had gone to counseling. That a worker would check on me every week to make sure I was all right. I had nowhere else to live and I didn’t want to go to a home. They promised, once again, that things would change, and she would have to go to counseling and with me, too. I knew that things would never change; that this is just the way it was. The sessions never worked, they always ended up nowhere. She would talk to them most of the time and make them believe that it was just me, that she hadn’t done anything at all. At this time, I had a job and basically took care of myself. I am still very depressed and often try to figure out what I had ever done to make her hate me so much. I was stressed out and any little thing would make me cry. I just couldn’t understand why my life had to be this way. I needed some help but there was no one to talk to, my worker was only focusing on my mother.



Help wasn't too far away. I talked to my career planner at school daily. He showed how to just let the past go and to ignore my mother's behavior. Any time I needed a little help he would be there. He also helped me talk about my feelings and told me that by keeping them all locked up in my heart, I was getting even more depressed. Soon after that, I talked to my school counselor about what was going on. He told me I was a very intelligent young lady who had overcome a lot. He gave me the confidence and the inspiration to let all my negative feelings go. I knew he would help me get into college and overcome the odds against me. I would show my mother she could no longer hurt me with her pettiness. I would no longer give her the control to make me depressed or feel that I was a nobody.

With the help of my school counselor, and other family members, I was able to go on and live with my mother. They showed me how not to get upset and cry, but to just kill her with kindness. I no longer let her get me depressed or even make me mad. Now she sees she can't hurt me anymore, things are better. I don't argue with her or even talk back. I just say "yes mom" and go on my way.

Today, I am very happy and excited about going to college. I don't talk to my mother much but I still know that she is my mother. This doesn't excuse the way she treats me. I don't let her get to me at all; I guess I really learned how to overcome her madness. By being strong and independent, I know I will be successful in life and prove everything she said about me was absolutely wrong. There is a saying that I live by today, "If it doesn't kill you, it only makes you stronger." I take it each day at a time and strive for my goal of going to college. I know I had overcome a hardship and it made me a better person after all.

LaDonna White, Doss High School

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A major obstacle I have overcome in my life is being a foster child. I have been in foster care since I was a toddler. Probably close to seventeen years. I was placed in foster care because my parents are both disabled. My father suffered from Multiple Sclerosis, and my mother suffers from epilepsy. I have spent my years traveling from home to home. From my recollection I have been in over sixteen different homes.

I did not fit in the average foster child category. I do not have a bad reputation, I have never skipped school, and have not been moved to so many different homes because of bad behavior. In case you didn’t know these are common characteristics of my foster acquaintances. On the other hand, I hold a favorable reputation and I am successful academically.

I attend Holy Cross High School. Although I love my school, I have had many of my hardships while in high school. My freshman year my father passed away. My sophomore year I was removed from a home in which I had lived for five years - due to some unfavorable circumstances – for which I had not control.

During my junior year, I lost my grandfather, he was the only person in my life that has been there for me unconditionally. He is my greatest loss so far.

Now I am a senior. I found out in November of 2002 that I have Hodgkin's Lymphoma cancer. This is extremely difficult to deal with. I am currently going through chemotherapy and have lost my hair. I miss a lot of school due to treatments but attend as many days as possible. I have been extremely fortunate and have responded well to the chemo. I have had the support of a lot of people including my school. There is a chance I will soon go into remission, which is the first step to being cured. I have a long road ahead of me yet but I am hopeful and look forward to college.

Marium Garber, Holy Cross High School

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My mom and my dads’ mom have always been the most important people in my life. However, for some reason they never got along very well. In fact they didn’t get along at all. My grandma thought my mom was an unfit mother, because she had a job. When I would stay over at my grandmas’ house she would spoil me with her last penny. If I ever mentioned my mom around her she would lecture me about how my mom didn’t care about me enough or she would be around me more. So when I stayed there I learned to avoid the subject. I knew my mom loved me.

According to my mom, avoiding my conversations with grandma wasn't good enough. So mom said I couldn't go over there as much as I usually did. As a six or seven year old girl, I didn't understand the tension between the two. One rainy night, when I was about nine years old, grandma pushed my mom's last button. After staying at my grandma's for the weekend, mom called to say she was coming to pick me up. Grandma didn't want me to leave, and neither did I. So we put on our raincoats and left the apartment. We walked down the winding road near her house, opposite of where my mom was coming from. To say the least, my mom was furious. Looking back I could see her point. My punishment was no more grandma for two months.

Why would my mom do this to me? Taking away the only place that I am an only child. I was my grandma's favorite, out of 12 grandchildren. I hated to leave her alone in that apartment. Sometimes I would wonder what she did when I wasn't there. She didn't have a car, or know how to drive.

Then on Thanksgiving, when I was about eleven years old, I saw the hate in both their eyes. I walked upstairs to get seconds and I heard my mother screaming at my grandma. My grandma was yelling stuff like "If you really cared about your kids, you'd stay home and take care of them" and "No real mother needs a babysitter." I screamed at both of them that they were both good. Then I hugged my crying mom, to protect her from my grandma's harsh words.

The next year my grandma was diagnosed with cancer. She was only sixty years old. While she was sick she had to move out of her apartment and into my aunt’s house. Even while she was staying there, Mom wouldn’t let me see her. I only got to visit her twice over there, and once in the hospital. I felt like I was abandoning her, but it wasn’t my fault. She passed away October 31, 1997 at 2 a.m. After her death, mom told me how her and grandma were good friends when my mom and dad met. While my dad was in boot came and over seas my mom stayed with my grandma. So I felt responsible for their relationship crumbling. The hardest obstacle in my life was understanding how the two people I loved most in the world hated each other, or so it seemed. It took me a while to realize it wasn’t my fault.

Name Withheld

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Many years of my life can be traced back to the place where my family has resided for nearly a century.. on what I, and many others refer to as "The Hill." It all started in 1979. My mother was pregnant, and obviously my grandmother was some excited. It was my mother's first child and a blessing from the arms of Jesus himself. My memories bring to my mind the sight of an elderly lady that stands about 5'4", 120 pounds, a lady of significant character, and one that can see through you no matter how hard you try to hide yourself. She has curly gray hair and glasses and is always moving, trying to get everything done,and please everyone at the same time.

My mom was working in insurance at the time, and was “bringing home the bacon” so to speak. My father was working like a mule, hardly making ends meet. In August of 79’ my brother was born, and that caused a lot of problems within the family. Recently it was said that my grandmother didn’t want to raise the grandkids while the parents went to work. So my mother was forced to find another baby sitter while they went to work.

Josh is blind, and what was significant about that, is the fact that my grandmother didn't want him to be sent to any "daycare." What kind of people would be there? Did they have proper training? These are some of the thoughts that came to mind. So she took him in.

Their bond was born. Everyday Josh would get up tremendously early, and go to maw maw's doing God knows what. All this was great until 1984, when I came into the picture. Now that maw had taken in Josh, she had a change of heart, and decided that it wouldn't be right to turn me away. So she decided to take me in. If it hadn't been for my brother's disability, I wouldn't have had such a great childhood.

At an early age I grew tired of the smell of burning tobacco, and began to eat breakfast as far away from maw as possible. Across the room to be precise, until she would finish, then I would tell her to dispose of the ashes because the sight of them made me sick.

She was the one to raise me until the age of 11 or 12. I would get up early, go to maws, and head straight for the couch where I would try to get some sleep. Then at about 7:30, maw would wake me up, and prepare me for the day ahead. Afterwards, we would get in the car, and go to the end of grandmother’s road, to wait for the bus. At times, she would pretend that the birds around us, usually on the power lines, could talk through her. I would talk to the birds, and tell her secret things I wouldn’t normally tell anyone but these magical birds. Silly things I thought were important at the time, until the bus arrived. Then I would get on the bus and venture off to my daily ritual of learning the basics. When I got back from school, I would eat a snack, watch T.V., and wait for my mom to pick Josh and I up.

In 1994, when my mom decided to retire, I was separated from the person I knew and loved, and was forced to go home after school. I felt like a part of me had died, deep inside. She was the only motherly figure I really knew. Maw had taught me manners, how to sign my name and many essential things vital to the survival later on in life. My mom never had time for that.

It took a long time to accept the wanted role of my mother. Finally I learned to love both. I know now that I am very lucky to have gone to my grandmother’s instead of the traditional daycare. It made up a great deal of my personality. But this also made me sad that I missed so much time with my “other mother.” I also was just acquainted with my great grandmother whom is also a great person.

Every now and then I go back to "The Hill." I'll always cherish those memories, but it was really hard for me to get into my mind that my mother had no other choice. I thought, at times she abandoned me. But now, after much observation, I see what was done and why, and I am really happy that I got to know my grandmother like most children never do. I have both now.

Jared Caplinger, Doss High School 

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You wouldn't' know it if you saw me (because I always have a smile), but the hardship I overcame was poverty. I grew up moving from house to house until I was six. My mother, sister, and I had lived in two different apartments, my aunt's house, and another house down the street before we settled in the lovely green home we have now.

My mother worked various jobs as I grew, from sitting in the hot sun at the Kentucky Fair & Exposition parking lot, to work at Drug Emporium stocking and managing, to working in a factory with a company that soon laid her off and finally her current job, heavy work with an insulation company. She has struggled for many years to put a roof over my head, food on the table, and for that I am grateful. My sister and I never got the things we wanted for Christmas, but we dealt with it, for living in a home was our greatest gift, with a mother who wanted to give us the world but could barely help to keep hers together.

Therefore, my mom saw education as the early option to ensure my success. My sister helped me read books and learn math before I was in Kindergarten, so once I got there I was quickly learning and very adept at schoolwork. I was put into a first grade class, and read with them often so once it came time to actually go into first grade, I was moved into advanced classes. I held my own and was exceptionally prudent. Once in middle school, I improved my abilities even further. I went to a college for a camp (VAMPY at WKU), participated in quick recall, and excelled in many ways. However, I would soon have a downfall once I started high school.

In my first year at Pleasure Ridge Park, I failed. Everyone wore nice clothes, yet I couldn't get them. Everyone had rides to school and things to do, but we didn't have a car. I had no social life as a freshman, and I barely maintain one to this day (more on that later). I had less that a 2.0 after my first year at PRP. My mother talked to me and helped me during this time. She got me focused back on what was important; education, learning, and employment. No longer was I concerned with not having, I was concerned with appreciating what I had now.

The beginning of my sophomore year I did a complete turn around. Since that year, I have kept all A's and B's, even garnering straight A's for a couple of semesters. Furthermore, I became a Kentucky Governor's Scholar, participated in the Courier-Journal Round Table, and got a 31 composite on my ACT, all without a car. I have a job now, and I am saving up to pay for my own car. Poverty was my hardship, and I jumped as high as I could over that hurdle.

Joshua Beld, PRP High School

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Learning difficulties.

Being a senior in high school, I have run into many obstacles in my life. Many of them I had to grow and learn from. The trials vary anywhere from money I need to attend college, to pondering why my friends did not invite me to the "weekend hangout" site. Obviously, tribulations come at anytime in one's life, small or large, and force a person to be formed into what they are today.

Some obstacles you are able to overcome with a lot of strength and determination. I have conquered one large area in my life – A.D.H.D. (Attention Deficit Hyper Disorder), which I was diagnosed with my freshman year of high school. Many times my disorder held me back, even causing me to leave my comfortable settings and go to a Christian school my sophomore year of high school.

A.D.H.D. causes a person to have a short attention span, which is not good in a class where people are trying to learn. As I was trying to concentrate and listen to the instructions in school, my brain would only hear other classroom conversations instead of my teacher. I would constantly have to be clicking my pencil on the desk or looking around for something that was not boring. Not paying attention in school made me lose all knowledge of outside classroom work needing to be completed. Basically, I lost track of school work as a whole and my focal point was on many other minuscule things. My grades in my freshman year verify my statements to be true.

The result of my disorder was to transfer to a Christian school, where class size was almost half that at Pleasure Ridge Park. With the smaller classes, I could have a one-on-one learning atmosphere; therefore, I could bring my grades up and have a better understanding of my education. With a lot of patience from my parents and a lot of effort on my part, I have finally overcome my obstacle this year as a senior. The one year of concentrated studies, at the Christian school, helped to put me back on my feet. My grades have dramatically improved and I am pleased with my behavior as a student. Now, the only problem is scholarship money due to my previous years G.P.A.

I have been extremely dedicated to improving my disorder (including medicine, doctor's visits, transferring schools, etc.) and it would make my family and I ecstatic to see some type of reward for our efforts. College is going to require a lot of money and if I won this scholarship, I would put it directly towards that as a compensation for my labors. Please consider me, I am in need and would be grateful for anything I could receive.

Jessica Peercy, PRP High School

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"So much to do and so little time," has been my motto these past three years. As an ambitious student and diligent worker, I strive to be at the top. However, trying to squeeze in so many events at once has been quite an obstacle.

By challenging myself to maintain good grades and get involved in my school and community, I clearly exhibit the characteristics of an “ideal” student. Unfortunately, finances and new responsibilities in the real world dramatically altered my “ideal” way of life. At sixteen I faced the pressures of buying a car, opening a bank account, and inquiring the dreaded college costs. How was I ever going to pay for it all? Then it hit me like a ton of dollar signs; I needed to get a job.

I applied to several local businesses hoping for an interview, but no calls ever came. Desperate, I called them instead. Walgreens Pharmacy was the only place that seemed somewhat interested in what I had to offer. I went for an interview and was hired as the youngest pharmacy technician at the store. Excitement flowed through my body - until the first day on the job. I was expected to learn how to use the newest pharmacy computer equipment, fill prescriptions, and send claims to insurance companies. I didn't even know how to work a cash register! Overwhelmed, I thought I was in way over my head. If I had only known what other complications would arise ..

Problems came about when planning school and community events, while trying to manage 17 hours a week in the pharmacy. I have always been an active member of the church by teaching Sunday School and singing in the choir. I give back to my community by volunteering at the Harbor House of louisville, a workshop for the mentally disabled. In addition to these weekly volunteer activities, I also have National Honor Society, Student Council, and Fellowship of Christian Athletes that I must keep up with at school. As editor-in-chief of The Paw Print, the school newspaper, I am required to meet deadlines, edit stories, and keep the staff on task. With all these activities going at once, a job forced me to develop miraculous time-management skills. I had to pick and choose which activities were most important. Setting my priorities was a difficult task. While school and church were always at the top of my list, I was unsure whether to squeeze in more work time or more activity time.

After months of frustration and chaos, I realized I could not go on trying to do everything at once. It was time for me to overcome that obstacle. I learned that it was important to make money and take on extra responsibilities, but a person can only do so much. When you try to get too involved, it ends up making things worse for everyone. Though it took precise time-management skills and the determination to save every penny, I finally decided to cut back my hours in the pharmacy and spend more hours with my family and community; an important decision I do not regret.

Miranda Ludtke, PRP High School

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Personal embarrassment.

To look at me, no one would have guessed that lying behind the façade of confidence, strength, and security was pain, fear, and embarrassment. My obstacle was not visible yet it confined me like a shackled prisoner. As a young boy my problem was whispered among mothers if there was to be an overnight. But by the age of four I went from having accidents to being a bed wetter, the scarlet letter for a child. As I look back my parents were so patient with me, they understood my problem.

I did not want to wet the bed night after night, but I did. We spoke with the pediatrician and he explained jus how common a problem it was and I remember thinking, “well if it’s such a common problem then why am I the only one I know who can’t go on overnights or campouts?” The doctor stated that the problem usually stops by school age. Well, there I was having my 10th birthday and still dealing nightly with this curse. We had been through a regiment of cure-alls from waking up hourly, cutting back on any fluids after dinner and even devices to alert you. My mother read everything she could find about the problem. We tired some practical and many outlandish remedies to help, but none did. I showered each morning after stripping my bed and placing it in the washer daily.

We also learned that bedwetting was thought to be genetic, and after learning that I thought, "Why of all the family traits, curly hair, brown eyes, long feet, big noses, why did I have to get this one?" I got bunk beds when I was ten so that I could have friends over. My schedule was the same; my mother would wake me up early so that we could handle the bedclothes then shower, all before my friends would wake up. I was terrified that they would find out but we had gotten really good at hiding the problem. As I got older, it became harder and harder to hide and the fear of discovery created much anxiety.

Bed-wetting is acceptable and sometimes even expected from little kids but, as a teenager, the outlook was much different. Every time there was a campout, retreat, or overnight my anxiety would begin to mount. Pampers came out with a product called “Pull-Ups” when I was about seven and they were great for a few years until I got too big so the next option was Depends. In order for me to experience campouts and overnights, we bought a bulky sleeping bag. My mother sewed a pocket on the inside where I could hide the cover-ups and small black trash bags. I would get up early, take one of the bags, put the wet garment in the bag, stuff it under my shirt and go to the bathroom, discard the bag, then shower. This worked really well and we even joked about patenting the idea and selling it to help others.

One September afternoon we got a call from the doctor's office. He said there was a drug that had been developed for juvenile diabetes, but one of the side effects was continence during sleep. We set an appointment for the next day. I started the drug that night. It took about a month of playing with the dosage until we got it perfect, and that night I was DRY! That's right I was dry, dry for the first time, and night after night. I can't even begin to tell you how great it felt. I took DDAVP for three years.

Even though the medicine worked it had not cured the problem. I had planned a career in the military and a bed-wetter does not meet the health requirements. I still need to conquer this thing once and for all. Just as we started the drug, increasing the dosage, this time we would decrease it over a six-month period, and it worked. I no longer needed the medication and I no longer feared embarrassment and ridicule from my peers.

Even though I have been dry for three years, going public with this problem was not by any means easy. But I feel I am a stronger person for having shared my story. I only hope and pray that I don't pass this trait to my son, but if I do, I hope that I'm as understanding and patient as my parents were with me.

Name Withheld

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"Boy, what's that smell?" my mom asked me almost every morning. She'd wake me up for school and my sheets along with my clothes would be soaking wet. My mom had to wash my sheets everyday along with my clothes. When I was a baby until 6th grade, I used to wet my bed. Bed wetting kept me from doing a lot in my childhood.

As a little boy I always wanted to stay the night over at friends but I couldn’t because I was scared I would wet the bed. I could never have my friends stay at my house because my room smelled like urine and I was afraid I would wet the bed. Sometimes I would go to school and get joked on because people know I wet the bed and they could smell it on me. I had to take a bath every night and soak for twenty minutes because the urine would make me get a rash in between my legs. Sometimes it would be so bad I could hardly walk. I would also have to take a bath in the morning to get the smell off. As a little kid I hated to take baths all the time. I used to go to a bladder doctor and he said that I needed to have surgery or I could just take a chance and see if I would outgrow wetting the bed.

I decided to take the chance and see if I would outgrow it. Knowing I could have this habit for the rest of my life I started to see how to get rid of it. First, I tried to see if I quit drinking liquids after 8:30 if it would help me not wet the bed. This did not work. I would still wake up to a wet bed. Next, we tried to see if my mom woke me up in the middle of the night if this would help. As she woke me up around 3 a.m. to use the restroom, I would still end up wetting the bed. My mom and I had no idea of how to get rid of it, so we just gave up. I finally overcame the problem in the sixth grade.

Now that I have overcome this obstacle, I have gone on with my life and can now stay at my buddies' house or have them stay with me and I don't have to worry about if I'm going to wet the bed or not. I think this was my biggest obstacle because without overcoming it I would never have been able to have people at my house or have been able to go to sleepovers with all my buddies.

David Goff, Butler High School

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“The most notable winners usually encountered heart breaking obstacles before they triumphed. They won because they refused to become discouraged by their defeats.” – B.C. Forbes. These words may not mean much to any other person, but for me, these words describe my early childhood.

When I was young, I had what seemed a huge barrier in my life. Beginning as early as kindergarten, I would be pulled out of class every day for an hour at a time to work on my speech impediment. This impediment made pronouncing words that seemed simple for my peers, extremely difficult for me. Because of this speech defect I was absent from many classroom activities. So while fellow classmates were learning skills and lessons essential for further learning, I was learning to speak so people could understand. These classes did not end when the school day did; it was imperative for me to continue practicing and performing exercises at home.

Without the ability to effectively communicate, I was often labeled "the shy girl." But in fact, I really was not shy at all, only afraid to be misunderstood or teased. Instead of freely participating in classroom activities or discussions, I stepped back and kept to myself. My grades continually hovered around the barely passing mark until, through a lot of frustration and hard work, I was finally "cured" in the fifth grade.

In the end, I have found that for everything you miss, you gain something in return. I am now nowhere close to that “shy girl.” I am an active participant in many school and community activities, clubs, and service projects. I have been a member of the Butler High School softball team for the past four years and also play for my local Babe Ruth league, earning national recognition as a top player. Beyond athletics, I carry a 4.0 grade point average while taking an honors course load. Over the past four years I have been involved with National Honor Society, Beta Club, Pep Club, Future Business Leaders of America, and the Big Bear program. I also volunteer my time to many school activities such as registration, hall decorations, food drives, peer tutoring, open house, and band competitions. My most notable volunteer effort is at a local elementary school where I have been a mentor and friend to a student for the past two years. The new attitude I have gained is reflected in my recent selection as Kentucky Governor Scholar.

By overcoming this one milestone, I have been able to enjoy many more moments in my life. Obstacles are things that every person has, and how we overcome them can shape who we become. By refusing to let defeats, keep me down, I overcame my obstacle and came out a winner.

Erin McPherson, Butler High School

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We all have differences; they may be physical, spiritual, or intellectual. It seems some differences are ore obvious than others, like the way we look. Physical differences can create obstacle if we allow it. Dress has always been a major issue with teens. Everyone wants to look “hot” among peers. Because of my religious beliefs I have strong opinions on appropriate dress.

Though long dresses, no make up, and uncut hair are seen as old fashioned, it is who I am. When other girls wear blue jeans and low hip pants, I wear long skirts to the knee or below. Eye shadows, mascara, and pretty colored lip-glosses are adornments used by others. My face is natural, which is a reflection of my purity. Living in a world where vanity is glamorized, it is obvious that I stand out from the crowd.

This used to leave me in sometimes-uncomfortable positions at school and in society. "Why do you wear skirts all the time?" "How come you can't cut your hair?" "Are you poor?" All of these are questions I have been asked time and time again. I have been laughed at, stared at, and made fun of in the hallways at school. Friends have dared me to wear pants and cut my hair on many occasions. When I was younger, these suggestions were tempting, I must admit. I desired to be with the "in-crowd" and not be known around school as the "different one" or "the girl who wears skirts all the time." Why couldn't I be normal like everyone else?

Through involvement in church and the love of my parents, I have grown into a more confident individual. I have taken on leadership responsibilities at school and at church and have fulfilled the expectations of those positions with integrity. Through involvement in leadership activities like secretary of the Student Council, Who’s Who Among Doss High School Seniors, and involvement in two church choirs, I have earned respect from peers and they no longer just view the outside. They accept my differences because of the confidence I have and the faith and beliefs I stand for. I now feel good about me. The questions, strange looks, and comments of others no longer offend me. I continue to hold true to my convictions, no matter the opinions of others. I feel honored to be different because of my dedication to my religion. I am proud of who I am and I look forward to a future of success and happiness. I will always stand strong in what I believe. Strong people change the world.

Emily Emerson, Doss High School

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Health problems.

In one’s life, he or she has overcome many hardships and obstacles. The manner in which this person deals with these hardships helps determine who and what this person will become in the future. Encountering a hardship in one’s life can be disastrous, if he or she is not up to the challenge. You can either choose to overcome it, or fail to even try.

Like many other students of my age, my life has had many hardships. However, one stands out from the rest. I was born with a hearing problem; one that if not treated could have potentially devastated my life. I was born partially deaf. The doctors said that it would be hard for me to overcome the hearing loss and that it may take numerous years for my hearing and speaking intellect to catch up with others. Nevertheless, I would strive to conquer my problem until it would be gone.

In the beginning, it was challenging for me. I tried to be like other kids, yet I was very different. I could not communicate with them, so I was cast aside as a social outcast. From then on, I began to form a close relationship with my mother, the one person that could understand me. She could read my lips and I could read hers. We made up signs for things she or I needed, and we began the road to overcoming my speech impediment.

Within a few years, I began the surgeries that would change my life. The doctors began to implant “tubes” into my ears; these “tubes” are what I would call my “social lifesavers.” With these “tubes” in, I began to take speech classes. It was challenging for me in the beginning; yet, I would triumph over it. Striving to learn more I would let nothing get in my way. Setbacks would come, yet in spite of these setbacks, I would forge on. After all, I had learned that I was a never-ending person proving to others, and myself, that I could do it.

After many years of speech class, I know now that I have surpassed my hardship with many leaps and bounds. Today my life has many complications and hardships but nothing like when I was younger. Whenever I may think I cannot overcome a problem, I just look back to the past and remember. I can overcome any dilemma I may have because nothing could be vigorous or difficult as structuring my speech and hearing.

Nathaniel Sanders, Butler High School

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There are many trials that I have faced since I was a little girl. One of them is being my weight. I have struggled making friends and fitting in. Most people are not willing to accept someone who is different than them, especially in the weight department. Many are not willing to see me as only being seventeen, but a lot older and having experienced a lot more things than I really have.

For being such a big girl most of my life I have also been very tall. I stand 5'10 as of now, but when I was eleven I was 5'7. I grew extremely fast as a child. When I was eight I was only 5'0. This caused a lot of problems with being around my friends. I always towered over them. It was hard to be around shorter people.

My weight has always been my biggest problem. It has kept me from continuing my sports career in high school. I played basketball, volleyball, and softball from first to eighth grade; I also played basketball as a sophomore at my church. It has been great trying to convince others that I have played sports and that I am well diverse in many of them.

Being overweight has kept me from having a lot of friends and being part of an accepting group of people. It is challenging and difficult to be out shopping for clothes with others because I am embarrassed of my size. Even though weight has kept me from dating and being with a lot of people I have accomplished many things. In 2001, I was in a musical called Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. I am a ‘A’/’B’ student, president of Students Against Destructive Decisions (Butler’s chapter), in Beta Club, in National Honors Society, and I do the Adopt-a-Bear program at Butler. I am also very involved at church in youth group and choir.

Although my weight has kept me from having a lot of friends, I still follow my dreams. I want to go to Cumberland College and major in Theatre Arts and take music courses. After graduation I would like to be able to go to the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. There I plan to really start my career in singing and acting. Those dreams I’ll never give up, no matter how much I weigh, how tall I am, or how many friends I have.

I hope this essay has helped you look inside me and let you know of my biggest hardship. I want to overcome this hardship and I need all the help and support I can get. So many people have told me that I’ll never succeed in anything because I am too overweight. Please have faith in me and help me follow my dreams. I appreciate you taking your time out and considering me. Thank you very much.

Laura Sivado, Butler High School

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On May 25, 2002, I was involved in a life altering car accident that left me paralyzed from the chest down. Spending almost the entire summer in the hospital and rehab, I learned to live life as a paraplegic. After relearning to do even the most basic tasks, I was released and entered school at the regularly scheduled time.

I have been determined not to let this injury bring me down, so I am enrolled in a very tough schedule. It includes college math and English, and excel classes that include pre- calculus. For the first semester, I received an A in the college math class and a B in the college English class. I also received an A in the pre-calculus class and have been on the honor roll, while still attending physical therapy after school. Earlier this month, I was accepted into the University of louisville's Speed School, where I plan to major in computer science and engineering.

Academics are not the only thing I have not given up on. I have attended almost every one of the home football and basketball games. Not every place is very handicap accessible, but that doesn’t stop me. Luckily, I have good friends that help me around. I was also involved in the football homecoming activities as a powder puff cheerleader. It was different being a cheerleader in a wheelchair, but I didn’t and won’t let being in a wheelchair stop me from achieving any of my dreams.

This year I have also been involved in many school activities. Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) and Fellowship of Christian Athletes are two of the larger organizations. I also find joy in participating in the Chess and Checkers clubs. Reading is one of the things that kept me busy in the hospital and rehab, and science fiction is one of my favorite subjects. As a result, I am the president of the Science Fiction club this year. My organizations are not limited to school, though. I am involved in a computer game developers club, which I thoroughly enjoy due to my love of computers. I am also a member of the Derby City Chapter of the Spinal Cord Injury Association, where I give and receive support from fellow people with spinal cord injuries.

Living with a spinal cord injury is not easy, but I have kept a positive outlook on life. If you ask any of my friends or teachers, they would say that I have not let this injury change my personality. If anything, it has inspired me to become a better person and to never give up. This year I was one of two people nominated for the senior superlatives of most humorous and most humanitarian. Being nominated for most humorous shows how I have kept my sense of humor despite this tragic injury. I plan on leading a long and happy life and being a productive member of society no matter what it takes. I think that receiving this scholarship will help make that task a little easier. Thank you for considering me for this scholarship.

Gary Hyberger, Jr., Butler High School

Click on the link below to get the pdf file of student essays

- best choice for printing.

studentessays.pdf

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