I Want Everyone to Know What

“I found out I was pregnant the summer before my freshman year of college. This was the most shocking news to me, as I never thought I would be 19, about to start college, and pregnant. I was so scared to tell anyone and felt ashamed of myself.

When I told my parents, they were the ones who first brought up the option of adoption. Up to this point, I had never really thought of that, however, I also never considered abortion an option.

The father of the baby and I had a very unsteady relationship. After thinking for about a month, I began to strongly consider adoption, and I informed the father of my intentions. He strongly disagreed, and we went through many conference calls with our social worker and meetings to get to the final result of placing our baby for adoption.

I had heard from a support group I attended that you get a “feeling” when you see the parents’ profile. Well, I got this feeling when I received my first set of profiles. The parents were everything I wanted my baby girl to have and had the means to provide everything I could and much more. After many struggles and strife, my beautiful baby girl was born and placed a few days after her birth.

The biggest challenge as a birth mother student so far for me has been the initial getting back into school. I felt as though I was different than everyone for a while after the birth and was reluctant to go back to school. However, as life went on and continued to get better and people accepted me with my adoption story so well I became stronger for myself. When I finally decided to go back to school, it was a relieving and positive feeling of accomplishment I got. I want to make my daughter proud. I want her to aspire to be an amazing woman, and I hope to be an example of that for her. I still have inhibitions about school, but as I get to know more people and I continue to share my story with some, I am surprised by their positive reactions.

Without my family I would have never made it through the pregnancy, needless to say placing my first child. I continuously hope this will be the hardest decision I have to make but feel it is the strongest one at the same time. My choice to go back to school has made everyone including my immediate family, church family, and friends so happy. They all want to see me succeed and be the best person I can be. According to me, my education means a future and an example to all girls who find themselves in tough situations that they can recover and continue their lives in a positive and uplifting manner.

I feel I should be awarded this scholarship because it would be a tremendous motivation to me and those around me. I want to continue to share my story with those around me. This scholarship would help me go to school and be able to share this story with girls who made need to hear it the most. This would be just another blessing and positive outcome to my placement.

This scholarship will not only make a difference in my life, but it will make a difference in others lives. It will make an impact in my life by helping me continue my education, and I plan on studying social work in college so I can give back to the system that did so much for me. Also, as I’ve said I would be able to inform and teach others about adoption on a daily basis. I want everyone to know what a blessing and good thing adoption can be. I would feel immensely blessed to be awarded this scholarship and be able to relieve my parents of some of the financial burden.”