Description
A Catholic high school male from Indiana, applying to several Indiana and Ohio colleges. I have chosen the prompt Number #5 that discusses an event that led to a “moment of my personal growth” or transition into adulthood. The significant event for me, was being selected by our high school faculty to represent our school at The Student Leadership Program in Indianapolis. Only 50 students out of over 1000 students from Catholic High Schools in Indiana are selected. I was selected in the winter of my sophmore year (2015) to attend. The people who surround me recognized my actions and behaviors as an adult and selected me for this program. I am the third child of five kids, middle child. We live in a small, low income community. My dad’s family business is based in our town. I have a large extended family (over 25 cousins and I am the third oldest). I have always been lucky to be a strong athlete and had many accomplishments with sports and socially in high school but this meant the most to me because of its longlasting goal. To lead students to be better people in a diverse community through faith. My Junior year, I applied to be a leader. This was a very long and detailed process. I wrote an essay and was interviewed. I was one of five students selected. I was humbled and nervous that I was honored enough to lead the next students through this program. This program helped me to lead, get out of my comfort zone, help problem solve, speak in front of hundreds of people and gain a better understanding of who I am and what the “bigger purpose” is in life. I was teaching, guiding and leading younger students. I was so nervous, this was something so important to me. My faith is extremely important to me. My family raised me to be a good person, to serve and to give back. I have a sister who was born with dwarfism. I have been fortunate to come from a community that is humble and small that doesn’t judge who she is or who we are. Our family gives a lot back to the and is very humble. Being a leader in this program was an honor and the responsibility that I was given helped me realize that I had crossed the line into adulthood. I was in the position to influence others and what I said would make an impact on their lives. I won’t be 18 for another two months, and i do believe adulthood is an ongoing process. My first thoughts for this essay were moments I thought I had reached adulthood: First hairs under my arms, passing driving test, taking a girl to mcdonalds for a “kids meal”, babysitting four kids under 7 when I was only 12, being the oldest kid in the house when my two older siblings left for college. I believe that this event helped mold me and gave me the tools of confidence to make me a more mature adult.
