Help Me Attend College!

I am a senior at Mark T. Sheehan high school looking for an out-of-the-box way to raise money for college. The money donated will go to my tutution and books. I am not sure what school I am attending yet because I just recently applied. I am waiting for the results. With this donation, you can enhance my future. Debt from college can be a major problem in young people's lives. 

Here is an essay I have written for other scholarships:

The smell of sweet potatoes in the oven fills my nose. I can feel the warmth of the kitchen already. My mouth waters with the thought of fresh biscuits and crisp green beans. The table upstairs holds a gluttonous amount of food, all made with love. As we climb the stairs my sister mumbles, “Nothing beats Nana’s cooking.” When we’ve finally reached the top of the stairs, she’s standing there. Her sparkling eyes and genuine smile make me feel safe. All I care about is eating dinner with my grandmother. Today the dinner conversation deviates from the usual topics. Instead of talking about school, work or the weather, I take note of an old photograph displayed on the wall. The black and white photo shows my grandmother as a young woman with another female of about the same age. Their clothes are dirty and torn, but they have the same genuine smile that my grandmother flashes today. My grandmother explains that the other woman in the picture is her younger sister. The picture was taken on their farm in Brazil on a Sunday. She remembers the day of the week because Sunday was the only day they did not have to work. Their happiness together reminds me of my sister and me, which makes me even more interested in my grandmother’s life. My grandmother and her sister looked happy together in Brazil, so I wondered exactly why my grandmother moved to America. I never thought about the sacrifices my grandmother made for me before I was even born. She came here from Brazil with my grandfather, father, uncle and only a few possessions. I looked at my grandma’s rough hands. The arthritis and scars reveal a life of hard work. My grandmother left Brazil for the American Dream. She left her family to give future generations a better life. In broken English my grandma tells me, “You work hard all this time, mus it pay off if my granddaughters go to school an’ be happy. I leave everybody, my sisters and brother. I tell them America is beautiful and my kids make something of themself” and then she smiles. I look at the wrinkles in the corners of her lips. She has given up everything to give me opportunities, but I have taken this for granted. When Monday comes and school starts, I have a whole new attitude. I realize that I need to take advantage of the opportunities that I have been given. My mediocre grades are soon replaced with good ones. I ignored my personal issues and doubts that previously prevented me from receiving high marks. Instead of feeling bad about myself, I take on my grandmother’s attitude. I enrolled in more challenging courses. Now if my grandmother asks me how I am doing in school, I can tell her I am doing my best. Her story has determined me to succeed. I want to make sure that her sacrifices were worthwhile.