The Moment I discovered a New Stregnth by Chilima

The Moment I discovered a New Stregnth by Chilima - January 2026 Scholarship Essay

I was excited about the newness happening in my life. My family was moving to a new neighborhood which meant new friends, new activities and a new school. For months, we researched communities and details of high schools in each neighborhood. The anticipation of where we would land had become commonplace in my day. Once my mom showed me the new community and told me about the high school in the area, joy filled the air! I got a chance to start in a new space and make the best of the next four years before heading to college. Never did I think my journey would take the course that it did.

During my freshman year, I joined several academic clubs, volunteer activities, and even started a club with classmates by my sophomore year. Also during my freshman year, I began taking dance classes as a part of my curriculum. These classes were a joy to have in the middle of the school day and I was learning a lot about the art form. While my mother prepared me for a path of achieving good grades and focusing on academics, I found myself excited about attending a varied style of dance courses.

One day, a teacher tapped me on the shoulder and asked if I would be interested in theatre. The school not only performed dance shows, but popular musicals. I was a bit shy about this opportunity, but intrigued that my teacher would recommend that I attend an upcoming audition. Overcoming the fear of the unknown about performing on a stage in front of my peers, I studied my lines, practiced and landed a role. My teacher required us to attend practice daily, and encouraged us to take in the training that the school provided. We would take voice lessons and practice for hours to make a scene its best. I grew to love the performing arts. Not only was I pushed to hone my skills by taking outside dance courses or volunteering at community theatre shows, I would seek advice from my teacher and learned a lot about performing and backstage production. Over the years, I continued with theatre and dance courses and landed the lead role in the musical productions of ‘Pippin’ and ‘Chicago’. I was amazed by all that I had learned and had fun acting alongside my peers in these productions. This showed me the importance of having a teacher that was willing to encourage me, educate me and then allow me to practice what I had learned. If it were not for the encouragement, I would not have the passion I have gained for the performing arts, which I plan to keep a part of my life and as a future career. Albert Einstein stated, “It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.” I agree with this and hope to one day pay it forward. I believe the Regions Scholarship will help to reach my goals.