A host of “outsiders” have been my passport to educational opportunities that are otherwise rarely discussed. I am deeply appreciative of the knowledge and understanding of what is possible they have given me.
While my family has little time to explore Maine’s trails, living on less than $16K/year, I normally trek everywhere, just not in as beautiful settings. In camps people from any and everywhere join our campfire meals. Frequently populated with college aspirants and graduates who paint glowing pictures of their alma maters and how their education translated into future success are the most interesting to me. Maine peers’ families with incomes below $30k/year rarely have such tales. They created a drive within me to achieve the education needed to create a success story of my own. …show more content…
If it were not for their stories and acts of encouragement, I would be looking at a life no different from my extended family, of which some never graduated from high school, and most have never left Maine. The Quarry Hill retirement home job frequently has me sitting, before and after I cleanup, in discussions with wealthy out of state retirees about a vastly different world from the fringes of town where I live.
My educational history, initially spotty for lack of pride, encouragement, and bullying by once good childhood friends turned mean girls, changed with a freshman roundtable college discussion. Like the campfire tales, I was encouraged to own my pride and recognize as an American, regardless of being female, the world is my oyster. I came to know I thrive in an interactive community where I can experientially demonstrate my talents in classes with active, attentive classmates and constant interface with challenging, dedicated teachers who know us
While my family has little time to explore Maine’s trails, living on less than $16K/year, I normally trek everywhere, just not in as beautiful settings. In camps people from any and everywhere join our campfire meals. Frequently populated with college aspirants and graduates who paint glowing pictures of their alma maters and how their education translated into future success are the most interesting to me. Maine peers’ families with incomes below $30k/year rarely have such tales. They created a drive within me to achieve the education needed to create a success story of my own. …show more content…
If it were not for their stories and acts of encouragement, I would be looking at a life no different from my extended family, of which some never graduated from high school, and most have never left Maine. The Quarry Hill retirement home job frequently has me sitting, before and after I cleanup, in discussions with wealthy out of state retirees about a vastly different world from the fringes of town where I live.
My educational history, initially spotty for lack of pride, encouragement, and bullying by once good childhood friends turned mean girls, changed with a freshman roundtable college discussion. Like the campfire tales, I was encouraged to own my pride and recognize as an American, regardless of being female, the world is my oyster. I came to know I thrive in an interactive community where I can experientially demonstrate my talents in classes with active, attentive classmates and constant interface with challenging, dedicated teachers who know us