Discovering Strength in Unexpected Places by Juliana

Discovering Strength in Unexpected Places by Juliana - January 2026 Scholarship Essay

The moment I discovered a new strength in myself was when I began working as a babysitter. I was 20 years old, starting a new job for a family I had never met before. I remember the day like it was yesterday, we had set up a meeting to get to know more about each other. I learned they had a daughter and two sons. One of the sons was named Benny, and they explained to me that he was on the autism spectrum. I could see in their eyes that they were afraid to tell me that because they changed the subject fast. I got nervous when they told me that, as I believed I wasn’t equipped enough to be his babysitter. It was like he was this precious glass bird that was so delicate yet so beautiful, and I had to make sure it made it throughout the day on the display. The first day, the dad taught me the route to school and back. Everything went well at drop off, but when pick up came, it became chaotic. We had picked up Benny, and for some odd reason, we could not find the daughter. The dad started to panic and left me in charge of Benny and the baby as he went to look for his daughter. Long story short, I found his daughter and ended up calling the father to let him know. Once he got back, he started to ask his daughter where she was, and he was upset because he could not find her. As he is telling his daughter this, Benny begins to pull his pants down in front of the school and starts to use the bathroom. It was so fast, one thing led to another, and the dad was beyond upset. For the most part, I believe he was embarrassed, as it was my first day with them. When we got back to their home, the dad told me he was sorry, and hopefully I will be back tomorrow. I was a little worried that I wouldn’t be able to handle such situations on my own, but honestly, I love kids, so I decided to stay. Moreover, Benny taught me a lot of things, but most importantly, I discovered a strength that I’ve always had but was new to me in those moments. I discovered that I can positively impact people’s lives simply by being me. A strength I never thought I had because I’m just a regular person. I’m not famous, I’m not special, I don’t have superpowers. I’m just a normal, average human. Who would’ve thought someone who looks like me could make a change in someone else’s life? During that time, I was also recovering from a car accident, and it was hard to be happy and be positive when I could barely get through the day. In a way, I thought the kids would feel how I felt if I kept being around them, which worried me. I did not want them to feel how I felt. But it was the first job that I actually loved, and I wanted to stay. I remember the first time the mom said Benny kept saying “where’s Julie” and “I want Julie” the whole weekend. I was in shock and awe when she told me that, because he was usually in his own world. He did not talk much nor interact with people. I thought he didn’t pay any mind to me. I spoke to him as I would speak to everyone else, and asked him about his day despite not getting any response at times. I loved how unbothered he always was and full of energy. I think my favorite part was sitting next to him in silence when he watched something, because one thing about Benny was that he enjoyed his silence. Benny hated physical touch, but one time I was sitting next to him on the couch when all of a sudden he lay his head on my lap. He just lay there watching TV while his dad was sitting on the next couch. The dad was in shock when he saw that and even said, “he never does that”. I felt like a proud mom because I thought I wasn’t doing a good job with him. I thought I wasn’t doing enough to support him. After having this job, I learned that my strength is being me. Despite how I felt, I could still make a good change. I may not be famous or a billionaire, but I’m rich in other aspects of my life. The willingness I have when I do anything, I want to carry that on to other people’s lives. I want people to feel determined to do something new despite their doubts. Learning this has navigated the rest of my life in a beautiful manner. I now work for the Chicago Park District, and by being myself, I’ve built many connections with the kids in the after-school program. The kids range from ages 6-13, and each of them has taught me something special. It fascinates me that I was able to become a role model for the kids and someone they could rely on. I carry myself with grace and love. I want to spread the kindness I have to others so they can share it with the rest of the universe.