My name is Chrystal Rogers and I am a senior at A&M Consolidated High School. I grew up in a family filled with love, hard work, perseverance and a sense of moral and ethical obligation. We did not have or get everything that we wanted, but we did have all that we needed. Because of the "sacrifices" that my fan3ily made to make me and my sisters' lives safe and rewarding, I have learned many essential lessons.

Because of my upbringing I have always worked hard in everything that I do academically, athletically, and personally. My current GPA is 4.06, 1 am ranked in the top 10.90/o of my class and I am a National Honor Society Member. While striving to achieve academic excellence I have taken many AP and honors courses, pushing myself by not taking the easy road to graduation.

From my earliest days I have remained physically active, with activities ranging from dance to soccer, and girl scouts to softball, with volleyball and track thrown in between. Athletically I have concentrated on soccer and have worked hard from my recreational days to a tournament team and now varsity at my school.

My commitment to excellence does not stop at my own personal activities but yet transcends to the other areas of my life where I try to benefit others. I thrive in the service of others through school and church. I volunteer at my school through an organization known as Tiger Friends that befriends handicapped students. I also volunteer with a non-profit organization called Junction 505, which helps mentally and physically handicapped people to become productive community members. These activities are extremely important to me. Everyone is created equal, but oftentimes people who are not "normal" are treated different or even rejected by today's society, not openly welcomed by the public. I do my best to treat them as if they have no imperfections and to make them feel like they do belong and they are perfect. My heart longs for there to be no judgment, no discrimination, toward anyone because of their imperfections. As a 'Helper," I am able to stand up for that belief and take action. I can make amazing new friends who actually end up teaching me about my less noticeable imperfections.

I also hold dear to my commitments at church. After spending every Sunday and Wednesday of my entire life at First Baptist, I was finally old enough to help. I have been dedicated to our youth group by being a prayer leader and praise band vocalist, and have enjoyed participating in the drama department and television crew as well. Now it is time for me to find a church home in Waco, where I will spend the next four years as I earn my teaching degree. Becoming a teacher is an aspiration of mine that I cannot escape. Goosebumps form when I picture introducing myself to my first class of smiling children. My heart melts when I imagine scribbling a spelling word on the chalkboard or working out a math problem on the overhead. I am even already excited about getting to go to those tiny shops for teachers and picking out the posters for my classroom. Often, I find myself down in my journal the interesting method of learning that my teacher used that day so that I may use it when I am in their shoes.

The best job is to be doing something that you love, something you would do as a hobby on the weekends if it were not your occupation. I love being with children, I love playing with children, and I love giving experience to the innocent. Teaching brings all of those affections of mine into one setting every single day. It is the only job that I will never regret having and, at the same time, never grow tired of. There will be no waking in the morning and moaning about the lesson of the day because I will know that, no matter what, I am making a difference.

A good collegiate education is essential to my reaching my lifelong goals, becoming successful, and making that difference. Also, it is something that I have looked forward to and prepared myself for since I graduated from the sixth grade. I know the importance of having a career that you enjoy, and I have learned that salary should not be a deciding factor when making that decision. An enjoyable career is what comes out of a great college education, which is what I am asking you to help me to receive.

Financially my parents have sacrificed the luxuries of the "good life" to make me and my sisters better people. There is virtually no savings except for what is in the retirement plan that my father's work provides for him. Without the generosity of scholarship donors in its efforts to provide a college education for students, I would not be able to attend.

My family may not have a lot of fancy things, but we have each other and an appreciation for the small things in life, which really are not small at all. I know for a fact that money cannot buy happiness, peace, or love, but it can buy a college education, and I am seeking any opportunity for financial assistance. A college education is my dream, not my right, so I am working hard and praying for the privilege to earn my degree.