When people ask me what my favorite grade of school was, I always respond third grade, the year the training wheels came off. For the first two years, report cards had numbers that represented our level of achievement, but in the third year we got “big kid grades”.  It was all very exciting and I was determined to do well. I learned how to study, make flashcards, and take notes, and when the day came to get my first real report card, I learned the value of hard work and motivation. I had earned straight As. It was that moment, when the golden report card was placed on my desk, I knew I had accomplished something special. My determination to succeed was born and it was extremely powerful.

That day in third grade had a profound impact on me. I learned that if I was willing to work hard, there was nothing in the way of me pursuing my goals. Of course there were bumps along the way. In fourth grade, I earned my first F, on a science test. I remember crying as it was difficult for me to understand the concept that failing once along the way didn’t mean I couldn’t still achieve my goals. I worked hard and pulled up my final grade, learning a valuable lesson in the process; there will be times I will have to try more than once and times I will have to work harder than I thought I could, but the only times I will have truly failed are those when I could have done more to succeed.

Challenging myself has become a way of life. Throughout middle school and on into high school, I sought out the most demanding classes I could take. It wasn’t always easy and often required strong commitment and a great deal of time, but I always knew the end result would make up for the amount of effort I put forth. That attitude served me well when I discovered my high school did not have a well-established debate team, an activity I wanted to participate in. Undeterred, I chose a category, Oratory, and then proceeded to teach myself and compete successfully. I ultimately became speech captain during my junior year and president this year. Outside of school, I watched as many of my peers learned the minimum necessary to accomplish their Bar and Bat Mitzvahs. But I continued to study, and I am now able to read from the Torah at services and teach rising Bar and Bat Mitzvah students.

My life can be characterized by three different words: determination, perseverance, and dedication. I now know that hard work leads to opportunities for success and with my strong work ethic, look forward to embracing these opportunities as a Knight. College will be very different from the experiences I have encountered so far, but I have the confidence that I will do well because I am not afraid to challenge myself. I believe these characteristics will enable me to learn and grow and will eventually be the foundation for success in my future.