Jordan

The sounds of customers chatting and plate clattering filled the restaurant, with the dishes being washed, as I tried to do my homework while taking someone’s order. Growing up in my parents' restaurant, I learned firsthand the meaning of diligence and hard work. My parents, who are immigrants with no college degrees, uprooted their lives to give my siblings and me greater opportunities. Arriving in America when I was only two years old, they came from Vietnam, leaving family members behind, for the American Dream. Keeping this in mind, I actively try to “repay” their sacrifice by assisting in any way, such as washing the dishes or taking orders.

For most of my childhood, I’ve worked at my parents' shop. Though some people might not think that this is a healthy environment for a child to be in, I would have to disagree. This experience forged in me a deep work ethic and determination to make my parents proud, working overtime during a full house or cleaning table after table for god knows how long. I also developed strong social skills— one of them being a server. This experience taught me to communicate with others and stay calm even in high-pressure situations. What ended up helping me the most from this experience wasn’t just learning the value of hard work or improving my ability to communicate with others— it was witnessing my parents’ unwavering dedication. Seeing them slaving away while still trying to encourage me in school changed something inside me. From that moment, I figured that it was all for my future. To not throw away the opportunities that were given to me, I would start to apply myself to my studies as well as my extracurriculars.

Motivated by the sacrifice of my parents, studying hard was one of the biggest goals back then. The thought of getting good grades was always at the back of my mind. My parents were always asking over and over why this grade was too low or why I didn’t get an A on a certain subject. Throughout middle school, I tried my hardest to keep all A’s, which was mainly the case with some B’s slipping from time to time. Entering my freshman year was a whole different story. The workload was changing, as well as all my extra curriculars, and I got burnt out. My grades suffered from it, ending with a 3.5 GPA at the end of my freshman year. I would say this is one of the lowest points of life. The fact that I knew how much my education meant to my family made it hurt so much more. Not to mention, the thought of the fact that I was squandering the opportunity that my parents worked so hard for made me more disappointed in myself. I refocused my efforts on making sure that I wouldn’t get burnt out as well as managing all my different activities. Now I'm currently taking AP and honors classes like AP Biology, AP World History, Honors PLTW of Engineering, and am on track to end the semester with over a 4.0 GPA.

I believe that success doesn’t only come from academics— I know that various extracurriculars matter just as much. Last year, I joined the Community Service Club (CSC), and now I’m currently doing Key Club, for which I am the spirit commissioner. In addition, I am a part of the Asian Pacific Islander Club (AAPI) to ensure I stay connected with my community’s and family’s culture, and the Body Improvement Club, which encourages students to stay fit. Even with these clubs, I also volunteered at a lot of events my church hosted and took up a role as a youth leader for 6+ years now. I plan to apply the skills I learned from working at the restaurant to contribute to my clubs, climb the ranks, and hopefully serve as president of several clubs in the coming years. I aim to continue growing my extracurricular involvement and add even more opportunities over time.

In the midst of my academics and service, a hobby that I have discovered is badminton. A sport that I grew to love and want to get better at has helped me grow into a better person. This extracurricular helped me meet others that I wouldn’t have known otherwise, go to fun places before and after games, and have days where we reflect on ourselves to improve how to get better. These actions ultimately helped me balance my mental health and achieve my goals in academics. There were times when I’ve wanted to quit, days when I would play my worst and think, “Why am I even doing this?” After losing one bad point, I would think I had already lost the game, but my teammates were able to pull me from this rough spot. Their encouragement helped me stay focused and get better. Then, training after training, I saw myself improving alongside my friends, which motivated me to work even harder. This effort eventually paid off when I won a trophy for men’s doubles. Similar to my experience in school with my academics, badminton helped me realize to stay focused on the bigger picture. Even though there were many hard times, many cries shed, I grew as a person; I became a better person, learning how to maintain everlasting relationships with my friends, how to effectively organize my time between my extracurriculars and academics, but also putting myself first and ensuring that I take rest in between my life. My coach told me once, “There is no losing, there is only learning,” which resonates with me till this day

Looking back at my journey so far, I see a young man who has been shaped through hardships, resilience, and ambition. My childhood working at my parents' restaurant taught me to appreciate the small things in life and to understand that the harder I worked, the better the results would be. I take pride in being able to get this far, and hopefully one day to honor my family. By overcoming many challenges that helped me grow from the slumps of my academics to the low points of badminton, I’ve found that they’ve all shaped me in some way or another. These experiences helped me realize what I want to do with my life. I've always been captivated by buildings, especially houses. For years, walks home with my friend became a study in design, discussing everything from the thoughtful placement of a window to the deliberate lines of a slatted roof. When I realized I could become the person to create such an intentional and beautiful piece of art, the idea was mind-blowing. Next school year, I will begin taking architecture classes to pursue this dream. I hope to attend UC Berkeley or Cornell, which I admire for their great architecture programs-where I can develop my skills even more. Thus, a reason for me to apply to this scholarship. I have the motivation and the determination to meet my goals, to pursue what I enjoy in life, to eventually achieve my personal goals. However, money is the only thing that's stopping me from thinking further ahead; I am unsure if I can afford those colleges. The position I am currently in—being able to pursue my dreams and apply for this scholarship—is a testament to the challenges I have overcome. I hope to still be able to push through and achieve my dream of making my parents proud. Thank you for reading my personal statement. My name is Jordan, and I’m currently a sophomore at Patrick Henry High School.