Making a Difference by Emma

Making a Difference by Emma - January 2017 Scholarship Essay

In my freshman year of high school, I participated in an enlightening mission trip to Hurley, Virginia. Hurley is in far southwestern Virginia, close to the border of West Virginia. This town is an old coal mining district, and there is a high unemployment rate from the closing of the mines and very little money.

My church organizes a mission trip every year to this part of our state to help those less fortunate. Some of the work that I did included painting, cleaning, roofing, and rebuilding decks for people who did not have the means or money to repair their own houses. These people were immensely grateful for the help that they received.

This trip was a very humbling and inspiring experience. I realized that there are people in my own community who need help and even just participating in a canned food drives can brighten another persons day.

My love of helping others has propelled my in the direction of pursuing a nursing career. Working as a nurse, I would get to take care of my patients as well as bringing my experience out into the community. It has been my dream and passion to be able to aid others and maybe inspire others to reach out to the less fortunate in their communities.