Lessons from a Golden Ticket by Liana

Lessons from a Golden Ticket by Liana - October 2025 Scholarship Essay

My biggest ambition at five years old was to read myself a chapter book. Sure, I could tackle picture books (my favorites being “How Do Dinosaurs Do Bedtime” and “The Mine-O-Saur”), but pages filled entirely with words? Stories that spanned more than 20 sheets? That was a momentous task.
My book of choice was "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" by Roald Dahl. The cover was colorful and, although it had chapters, it was still much thinner than some of the other books on the shelf. It was an easy introduction to the world of long form reading.
It was a cool fall day and I had permission to bring the book outside during recess to begin. As I sat on the yellowing grass leaned against our pile of tires, I became fully immersed in the world of Mr. Wonka and his magical factory. I could see the chocolate waterfalls, smell the warm sugar of the taffy, and practically taste Wonka’s famous chocolate bar. In that same vein, I could feel the greed wafting off of Augustus Gloop. I shared Charlie’s distaste for the hyper-selfish Veruca Salt and technology-obsessed Mike Teevee, and I could see the look on Violet’s hyper-competitive face as she chewed the gum that turned her into a blueberry.
Charlie’s character provided a stark dichotomy to the other fundamentally flawed children. He was a kind and quiet boy who truly appreciated the opportunity to tour Mr. Wonka’s wondrous factory. He was gracious to the candy maker and his workers and he got to reap the benefits.
It took me two weeks to read those 160 pages, and by the end of it I was a changed person. Not only had I completed a chapter book (a feat that gained me unimaginable status in my kindergarten class), but I also saw who I wanted to be in Charlie. I wanted to be humble and kind. I wanted to have fun while still remaining well-behaved. I wanted to be loyal to and help my family. But most importantly, I wanted to be resilient. And hey, if I could hunker down and finish a whole chapter book, the sky was the limit for that little girl.
These days when I have to take on a daunting task, I think back to that little girl on the playground, determined to finish her first real book. That perseverance and humility has carried me far. Whether in a cross country race, a challenging new class, or when acting on stage, Charlie taught me how to open doors to worlds even more magical than Mr. Wonka’s.