Standing Out

Seeing light in the pearl of Indian Ocean - Sri Lanka, I grew up with various circumstances and developed various ethics that differentiates me from others. In addition to experiences in Sri Lanka, various circumstances in the United States after migrating in 2006 contributed to standing out from other applicants.

Furthermore, during the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, living in a Sri Lankan coastal city and witnessing the tsunami waves caused me to grow and develop a perspective that not many high school seniors possess. Additionally, seeing thousands of scared men, women, and children running away from the giant waves that stole their households instituted a sense of horror and sympathy. Moreover, after the tsunami waves receded back to the ocean, witnessing the damaged buildings and houses left an indelible mark and developed sympathy for others. Learning about the deaths of known friends and acquaintances only helped develop a perspective of the cruelty of the world - which further matured me as a 9-year-old boy. In addition to developing a unique, mature mentality, the tsunami also developed a sense of community service. Being a witness to the devastating outcome of the tsunami, I understood the necessity to aid the community that I lived in - the one that the tsunami ravaged. Moreover, as a young boy facilitating refugees at the local Buddhist temple and fundraising to help rebuild the community, I performed my civic duty and realized that community service requires helping others in a time of need. Due to this profound sense of community service that I developed at a young age, I stand out among others by knowing the true definition of community service and experiencing the need for community service in a horrific situation. ...

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...a portion of the earned income to family, easing their crisis by a bit, I undertook more responsibilities. However, by continuing to maintain straight A's in school, I did not allow financial difficulties impede success. Even when 12th grade lurked around and a realistic me knew that a costly university education stood far away from my grasp due to financial difficulties, I continued to stand out in school. For succeeding despite facing a myriad of hurdles, I stand out among the majority of applicants.

Coming from a diverse background that shaped aspects of life, I stand out among others with unique circumstances. Adversity faced in Sri Lanka to adversity faced in the United States allows me to stand out among others. Despite achieving the best I can through various impediments, I continue to thrive and stand out from the applicants to Proton OnSite Scholarship.