From C-team to confidence by Samuel

From C-team to confidence by Samuel - January 2026 Scholarship Essay

Who joins a demanding academic club in their junior year of high school? Somebody who craves intellectual challenge, but has always hung back in group settings. Somebody endlessly curious, but too nervous to join before then. Somebody who loves trivia, but didn’t know if they had anything to offer. Somebody like me.
The decision to join Fremd Scholastic Bowl as a junior, when most members had already spent two years mastering the buzzer, was terrifying. However, it challenged me, boosted my confidence, and became one of the most transformative choices of my high school experience. “This process is described by the Boussinesq…”, and before I could figure out the topic, someone buzzed in the right answer “Convection”. Rapid-fire buzzes continued while my confidence spiraled downward... and that was my first day at the club.
It motivated me to study for an hour every day to prepare, hoping to at least make the B team. But when the teams were made, I was disappointed to land on the C team filled with freshmen and sophomores. That was when I discovered a new strength in myself: I could lead, even when I was uncomfortable. And once I realized that, I managed to make a difference.
Initially, the atmosphere was extremely negative, with my teammates making insensitive jokes. One evening during practice, I finally told them that I was tired of this negativity. Surprisingly, the conversation went well with another teammate echoing my sentiments. We started working better as a team, and had extra practice sessions outside of school. During one of these practices, I noticed that our team lacked a comprehensive flashcard set, a vital tool in competition preparation.
Finally, it was time for Nationals, time to see if our practice had paid off, time to compete with 300+ elite teams! We became our own coaches: making substitutions, analyzing games and strategies, and keeping each other composed both in emotional losses and exciting wins. Near the end of the qualifiers, we needed two out of three games to qualify. The pressure was terrifying, but the whole experience taught me not to be overconfident or paralyzed by fear but to trust our preparation.
Joining Scholastic Bowl gave me a new perspective by helping me recognize that I had something to offer: leadership. I realized that confidence isn’t knowing that things will turn out well, it’s making the effort.