A S C H O L A R S H I P

My grandmother has boxes filled of write ups from when my dad was in school that say things like: “Today, your son was sent to the office for running around the room and howling like an Indian.” Needless to say, my father didn’t finish school. He got his GED and went to welding school and has been welding and pipe fitting for my entire life. He makes great money when there are jobs he can go to, but it’s not very reliable and it’s evidently very hard on him. I don’t want that for my life. Now, when my father looks at me at awards day, or when I win writing contests, I can tell he’s proud of me. I graduate high school in ten days, and hopefully graduate college in four years—I imagine on those days I’ll be excited enough to run around like an Indian, and I really hope he is, too. My father has taught me to run around and act crazy when I feel like a need to, but work hard to be all I could ever want to be, too—and I will, and I do.