The Sound of Common Ground by David

The Sound of Common Ground by David - March 2026 Scholarship Essay

As a cadet at a miliary academy I can guarantee I know a thing or two about hard work and challenges. I find these issues to be intertwined. Hard work is the cornerstone of effective leadership and at Riverside Prep Academy, it is not just a virtue instilled in the Corps of Cadet, it is a component of my development and each cadet’s. As a cadet, I have learned and observed being a leader is not just about marching orders. It is about being the person who puts in solid effort, shows up early, and leaves last. This sense of responsibility, and the understanding of its challenges, actually began much earlier. Even before Riverside, I had examples of good leadership as well as challenges at home from my mother. At a young age, I also faced my own internal challenges. I loved to lounge around the house, but my mother had chores listed on the refrigerator ever since I was seven or eight. I would always try to get away with, "I forget to take the trash out" or "I forget to put away my dish." These small, early lessons in accountability, and the consequences of "forgetting," laid a groundwork. Hard work pays off is another phrase I heard a thousand time. I begin to see what she meant in my teen years.
I have recently been promoted to the 2LT India Company. Let me briefly share what it means to be a 2nd LT for 30 other cadets. They are a handful. I am responsible for the training and proficiency of cadets in India Company. I check uniforms, dorm rooms, and right down to the shininess of the uniform shoes. Also, over the summer, I attended the Riverside Leadership Camp and took part in training new cadets on the blue book which addressed how the dorm room should look for inspection, how your uniform should look for drills, parades, or inspections and if shoes are shines and the tie is straight. The challenges I have had to endure deal with both racism and identity. While I am now a Senior and the upperest of upper classmen, I still deal with challenges in the Corps of Cadets.
As a biracial cadet deeply rooted in Black and Hispanic cultures, my journey through the academy presented an unexpected challenge: navigating the casual disrespect from certain wealthy, entitled, non-minority cadets. Their words and actions were not always overt but sometimes whispers and amongst themselves, but still presented as subtle dismissals, microaggressions, or assumptions about my background that felt demeaning. It was a constant, low-level hum of being seen as less than simply because I didn't fit their preconceived notions.
Last week, I had to get all cadets to clean. Some of the cadets stayed in their bunks and did nothing after my direct instructions to mop the bathroom and sweep the dorm hall. No one moved. Overcoming this required a blend of courage, strategic communication, and self-respect. Instead of reacting with anger, I chose to address instances directly, but calmly. Passing to individual dorm rooms, a cadet made an insensitive racial remark directed at me, I pulled him outside of his room privately. He had a bad and bitter attitude and I paused for a minute before I said anything to bring a moment of quiet to the situation. I explained, without accusation, how their comment was negative, unnecessary, and why it was not cool, emphasizing that our strength as cadets and school mates comes from diverse experiences. I can learn from him and he can also learn from me. I stopped and asked him what his favorite song was and to pull it up, He played a song, “Massive,” by DRAKE, a minority rapper. Interesting, I thought. I told him I wanted him to hear a song I like and it was by Doja Cat, titled, “Calabasas.” We started to chat about music and before I forgot, I asked him to please do not forget to sweep the hall and he did without question. From that moment, I learned if we can connect whether on music, food, or values, often we can relate just a little bit better.
I learned the power of speaking truth to power with composure. It taught me direction delivered with a relatable moment or finding some common ground, can be more effective than confrontation. What others can learn is that addressing disrespect will not and does not always require a dramatic showdown. Sometimes, listening, being quiet, and getting some ventilation can be profoundly impactful. For myself, this challenge solidified the importance of maintaining my identity with unwavering pride and advocating not just for myself, but for the principle that respect is a universal expectation, regardless of background. It taught me to stand tall, not just with strength, but with thoughtful communication.