An Unpredictable Pause by Brooke

An Unpredictable Pause by Brooke - January 2017 Scholarship Essay

Too many of my fellow classmates breezed through senior year, without realizing the infinite opportunities they overlooked; and eventually lost completely. I refused to spend my last year of high school this way and instead turned towards a mentorship program in order to understand and define my future. The Mentorship Program is implemented by the Licking County Educational Service Center and allows for a student to be paired with an adult in the career field and profession that they are interested in pursuing. The program requires 20 hours of work and a final project which embodies everything learned from the experience and is ultimately presented at a banquet. Although this seemed like a daunting task- I elected to focus on environmental science and decision ultimately changed my life.
My initial meeting with Mrs. Denise Brooks was intimidating and somewhat scary. However it opened my mind to the possibilities of environmental scientists in the world and how essential a voice for the earth is. She talked about her background studying the Delaware River during college and focusing on water quality. She also traveled across the country to six different National Parks in different positions to study the ecosystems, habitats, and seasonal variations. Denise detailed a trip to Thailand where she studied at a Monastery and compared the monk’s ways of life to connectivity with the earth and her story lit a fire that was missing my entire high school career. The opportunity to meet such an inspiring figure prompted a stark realization for me to pursue my passions and allowed me to witness numerous individuals doing what they love while simultaneously improving the environment.
Preparing to start a whole new chapter of my life is stressful, but this program comforted me in so many ways. I was no longer “undecided” but suddenly had a direction. The experience made me willing to devote my education to developing urgent solutions to combat pressing environmental issues and discover innovative methods for success. My character has been transformed from this experiences and continues to grow every day. I have learned to appreciate every aspect of my life and never take meaningful relationships for granted. Nature is connected to everything and this unity strengthens my understanding of family, friends and community support. I never absently toss plastic waste into the garbage and I am constantly using less in my life while encouraging my community to utilize multiple perspectives and think about all their actions. I have grown as an individual and this progress continually amazes me. I am actively fighting to expand a land lab in my home town because I believe that the best classroom is one that is outside. I have proposed this idea to the Board of Education and this project will positively affect everyone in my small town. My involvement with Denise has only revitalized this sense of fulfillment and has inspired me to take action.
Environmental work is truly done behind closed doors because progress is not immediately noticeable. It is difficult to measure success but extremely easy to witness the detrimental effects of climate change, pollution, food scarcity, and poverty. The professionals who dedicate their lives to battling these hardships are heroes and I cannot imagine planet earth without them. As humans we cannot continue our way of life without adapting to the environment and it takes an army of passionate voices to promote this essential change. My mentorship has fueled a side of me that demands action and works to improve the reality of all individuals; despite extensive challenge. I am not intimidated by the hardship, and I know that my efforts to advocate for our planet will be critical for the future.