Growing through Trauma by Emma

Growing through Trauma by Emma - May 2026 Scholarship Essay

Football games, meeting new friends, homecoming, field trips are all normal high school events. However, hospitals, rehab centers, funerals, therapy are NOT the normal high school events. For some, including me, the high school experience has been far from easy.

My sophomore year my brother was in a tragic ATV accident almost ending his life. For months I was hopping from house to house, with only myself and my thoughts to deal with. Although this was an extremely dark time, it also taught me how to become the true version of myself. I learned that with this experience I can now help others get through their hardships and just be for them. After my brother’s accident came more trauma. I spent 14 months visiting my friend Janna– reading books to her, sharing the latest high school gossip, and painting her nails. Then in August we lost her. 13 days later, I lost my best friend Maddie. I decided I would play volleyball for them, even getting custom shoes made in their memory. One day after my verbal commitment to play collegiate volleyball at Chowan University, I tore my ACL. One month later, I went through reconstructive ACL surgery to start my journey of healing. Then my friend, my idol, Cloey took her last breath on Earth.

Through all the years of trauma during high school, I have achieved many awards such as A/B honor roll every nine weeks, scholar athlete every year, player of the game for varsity soccer multiple times, and server of the year award for volleyball. All of these awards go to show my character and how instead of falling behind I learned how to manage my trauma and use it to help me with everyday life. I focused on giving back to a community that gave so much to my family during my brother’s accident. For example, I helped raise money for Janna’s scholarship fund by working in her lemonade stand. Also, I helped with Maddie and Cloey’s Christmas tree building and attended multiple events with their families to honor their memory.

All in all, the one thing that changed the most was my drive to live my life to the fullest, you never know when you will take your last breath. Although the idea of dying is extremely intense and almost insufferable to most people, I hope they can learn to truly let go of that fear and spend every waking moment with their loved ones, because I truly, deeply regret the time that I can never make up with my friends who have passed, which is why I will live for the people who died believing in me.