Overcoming Stereotypes

One of the most significant challenge for anyone to overcome have to be the one of stereotypes and lowered expectations. As a developing child, I searched for myself along with the other neighborhood kids, we concluded that we were what their opinions stated; poor and limited in our future and destined for continued poverty. We would be a part of our parents recurring struggle.

My personal challenge began by observing the plight and circumstances I witnessed with my mother. I watched each day how my mother’s seemingly impervious exterior of steel unraveled before me, her shield and armor of strength clattered with a sickening thud to the floor with each failure; the sound as harsh as if it was a rifle near my ear. I saw an obvious impact of my mother’s life affect me.

A flash to the present and I wonder if the length of my life would also be marked and bound to shame, incapability, and tears? Would I always be unexceptional? I had made it to the top of my class and I was

I have accepted the task of fighting a negative perception cast over my school. I have fought hard against the negativity hurled at our school to create an environment where kids can truly believe in themselves.We tried to publicize the factors that truly matter. For example, after we were ridiculed in the newspaper, I took the liberty of meeting with the reporter who had written the story, so she could see the faces and not the myths. Currently, I even work with the local television station(KLRU-TV) to discuss and devise methods to reduce dropout rates and to inspire others to continue their education beyond high school. I am proud that I was able to convince my high school principal to add a challenging Pre Ap calculus class to our curriculum. I felt this course would provide more opportunities to excel and to be prepared for