DEFYING THE ODDS by Saint Thomas

DEFYING THE ODDS by Saint Thomas - July 2026 Scholarship Essay

I received letter after letter which was mailed to my home warning me that I would be dropped from the Fort Hamilton High School Honors Program if my Chemistry grade didn’t improve. The letters informed me and my mother that I would be on probation and would be removed from the program if I didn’t pass the class. My mother’s signature was required and I would have to return the letter to my guidance counselor a.s.a.p.; however, my mother wouldn’t sign the letters because she had full confidence that I would rectify this matter. I have been determined to do well in school since I was in elementary school. At that time I received these warnings I was a sophomore and wanted to ensure every grade was above a 90%. My drive and mind told me I would not fail!

I was taught at a young age there is always a solution to any obstacle. The solution to this issue was to get support via tutoring both in school and outside resources to help improve my grade in the class. In addition passing the Chemistry Regent exam was imperative to fulfill my graduation requirement (June 2027). Sadly, due to my school schedule I couldn’t attend the Chemistry tutoring session at my school because it was offered during a period in which I was in a class. Also, this class wasn't offered for Saturday tutoring at the school. Therefore, my option was to explore tutoring services outside my school. The answer to this issue was Varsity Tutors! Although my mom was on a strict budget, she registered me for an hour-long tutoring session every week with a Chemistry tutor for approximately two months.

Every week I presented my failing test scores to my tutor as well as the specific areas I didn't understand. With every session I gained clarity on the connection of concepts and math/problem solving. One of the more important things I learned is that it wasn't just about memorization but about using logic and evidence to calculate chemistry problems. It wasn’t easy trying to balance studying, homework and tutoring but I was focused on improving my grade to remain in the honors program. Ultimately, the tutoring helped me achieve my goal to remain in the program and I earned 83% on the Chemistry Regents Exam. Even though I didn’t get a 90% or above, under this circumstance this score was an absolute success! I credit my hard work and the structured tutoring I received from Varsity Tutors. This lesson helps me to continue to believe in achieving my academic goals no matter obstacle may be in the future.