A Journey of Perseverance and Healing by Adrianna

A Journey of Perseverance and Healing by Adrianna - January 2026 Scholarship Essay

Imagine being 16 years old, being a mom, and still being in high school. That was my life. Although, it’s a little more complicated than that. In October of 2022, I received devastating news. My mother sat my two sisters and I down on our couch; all three of us were expecting some grand surprise. “I’m pregnant.” My mom’s words forever changed my life. I couldn’t believe her. It felt like she was the most irresponsible person on Earth. Working two jobs and taking care of three children was challenging, and my mother quickly began to rely on my older sister and I for help. When I found out she was pregnant with a fourth, I was devastated, although I learned to still love and cherish my younger sister. As a sophomore in high school, it was already challenging to attend school, participate in sports, volunteer, take advanced classes, and be part of a leadership program. The additional weight of taking care of a 6-year-old changed my view of the world. My mother was never supportive; I have constantly been urged to stop participating in extracurricular activities. However, my will to make something of my life and my desire to push myself academically outweighed my decision to stop. Even with a busy schedule, I work at Dick’s Sporting Goods to help support myself as an emancipated minor, no longer living with my parents to focus on school, future, and my mental health.

Going through the emancipation process was one of the biggest challenges I have ever faced. Looking my mother in the eyes through a court room and telling her I no longer wished to live with my family because of how unsafe and loved I felt was extremely difficult. On top of that, it broke my heart to no longer be there supporting my sisters through everyday life. I had always been the one taking care of my younger siblings, often putting them before myself. Choosing to put myself first was something I wasn’t used to, but my close friends and adults in my life from Phoenix High-school are what helped me finally advocate for myself and take the help from others. That is what makes me so different from others; I am a motivated and dedicated self-starter who constantly focuses on helping others, all while focusing on my own needs at the same time.

Phoenix has made it possible for me to make decisions that positively impact my future. Through the coursework I’ve been given, and the support from many teachers, I’ve learned to love the healthcare field. After taking numerous healthcare related classes, and shadowing multiple professions, I’m going into college with the hope to study medicine and become a physician's assistant. In five years it is my plan to be halfway through physician assistant schooling at Oregon Health and Science University after getting my bachelors degree in public health at Oregon State University. From what I’ve learned in the past four years, I have been able to use education as an escape to make myself feel worthy of a great future. I plan to continue using my perseverance for my education to excel in college and have a career I am passionate about. Throughout it all, I’ve learned that resilience isn’t about avoiding struggle but embracing it. I’ve gained discipline and perseverance while supporting my siblings and I, even from far away, and I’ve learned to be courageous and the ability to put myself first going through the emancipation process. I’ve walked a path with obstacles and let them make me better, and I’m not afraid of hardships because I know I can get through them; My only fear is settling for less.