My faith has enabled me to handle life challenges from my past and present. Some of these challenges have been series of events that I could hardly believe were happening, while others came with great joy. At five years old, my younger brother, Chandler, died unexpectedly. This was a tough challenge for my whole family to face. This challenge could have easily torn my family apart but together, as a team with God, we worked hard at picking up the pieces and moving forward even when there were days that seemed to be impossible. In the fifth grade, I was diagnosed with a common learning disability known as Attention Deficit Disorder. I am faced with this challenge on a daily basis. I have learned to cope with this disorder over the years by making prayer and patience priorities in helping me conquer this challenge. This challenge was especially difficult during my SAT and ACT tests. Certain scores on these tests were required to get into college and play NCAA football. The stress and pressure of taking these tests felt unbearable at times. While studying and before and during each test, I would remind myself that, through God, all things are possible. With God by my side, I was able to achieve the scores needed to reach my college and athletic goals.
Varsity football has had an enormous impact on me during high school because it taught me how dedication and determination would help me succeed in academics as well as in extracurricular activities.