A Piece of Candy by Aiden

A Piece of Candy by Aiden - March 2026 Scholarship Essay

Last spring, as I was carrying out a box for a customer at a food pantry, a boy stepped out of the backseat of an old station wagon. He looked nine or ten, with big brown eyes and tousled hair, searching for the entrance. I opened the door for him and asked if he was here for groceries. He nodded shyly and motioned to the driver. Soon his father and younger brother joined him, and I guided them through the check-in process.

I saw him again inside the pantry, interpreting signs for his father. I recognized many languages from other visitors, but not the one he spoke. I was impressed he was leading his dad through an overwhelming process. When he passed the snack section I was stocking, we exchanged a hello, and I slipped extra fruit snacks into his cart. As he left, he turned back and gave me a smile and a wave.

The next week, he returned, once again guiding his family and calmly explaining the bakery limits to his dad. I added another pack of fruit snacks and smiled as he looked for me at the exit, just to wave again.

When I returned after several weeks away, I was restocking when I felt a tap on my hand. He placed a piece of candy inside, and sprinted away. As he left, I ran over for a high five.

Now in college, I’ve faced a few challenges and sometimes they have felt overwhelming. But, then I remembered how that boy had been forced to help his family survive, and still had a good heart. I’ve saved that piece of candy and it’s a reminder that people are resilient, and so am I. I know that I will continue to face difficult things and that I will be able to handle them.