Seeing Myself in Leah Clearwater by Jordyn

Seeing Myself in Leah Clearwater by Jordyn - October 2025 Scholarship Essay

When I first read the Twilight series, I didn’t expect to find someone like me in a world full of vampires and werewolves. Then I came across Leah Clearwater, the only girl in an all-male wolf pack. She was strong, honest, and loyal, but people still called her “difficult.” The more I read, the more I saw parts of myself in her story. Leah was tough, but she also carried pain that no one seemed to understand. Her heartbreak really stood out to me. She lost the person she loved to her cousin, and because of how the pack worked, she had to hear his thoughts about it every day. That kind of pain, having to face what hurts you the most over and over again is something most people would never notice. Instead of support, she got silence. I connected to that feeling of being told to “stay strong” while no one really wants to hear what you’re going through. Reading about Leah changed how I thought about people and their stories. She wasn’t angry for no reason; she was grieving and still showing up for everyone else. I started to notice that same quiet strength in real life, too. When I volunteered at a nursing home, helped kids at church, or tutored at school, I realized how many people just need someone to listen or believe in them. Leah taught me that being strong isn’t about hiding how you feel it’s about showing up anyway, even when it’s hard.