My Hopes for This School Year and What Keeps Me Going by JaKarr

My Hopes for This School Year and What Keeps Me Going by JaKarr - August 2025 Scholarship Essay

This school year is really special to me. It marks the end of one journey and the beginning of another. I have a lot of goals I’m working toward, and each one means something deeply personal. I plan to finish my Associate degrees in Science and Art by April, graduate high school in May, and hopefully get accepted into the nursing program at the University of South Carolina. It’s a lot, but I’ve worked so hard to get to this point, and I’m determined to finish strong.

One of my biggest academic goals is completing my associate degrees. Balancing college and high school classes hasn’t always been easy. It’s taken a lot of discipline, sacrifice, and late nights, but I’m proud of how far I’ve come. Earning those degrees before even graduating high school is something I never would have imagined a few years ago. I’ve proven to myself that I can handle a challenge, and that confidence is helping push me toward the next step: getting into USC’s nursing program. Becoming a nurse has always been my dream, and getting accepted into that program would be a huge step forward in making that dream real.

But it’s not all about academics for me. This is my last year of high school, and I really want to make it count. I hope to make memories with my friends—laughing at lunch, cheering at games, and celebrating the little moments that we’ll look back on one day. Senior year only happens once, and I want to be fully present for it. I’m also focusing on applying for as many scholarships as I can. I know college is expensive, and I want to do everything I can to help take that weight off my family’s shoulders.

What motivates me most is my family, especially my parents and grandparents. They didn’t grow up with the same opportunities I’ve had, and that’s something I think about often. Their hard work and sacrifices have made it possible for me to be where I am today. I want to make them proud. I want to show them that their efforts weren’t for nothing and that everything they’ve done has helped build a better future for me.

This year is about finishing what I started, reaching for the next chapter of my life, and honoring the people who got me here. I’m excited, a little nervous, but mostly just grateful and ready to give it my all.