Personal Narrative: My Determination

My determination is an attribute that distinguishes me from everyone else. I believe my parents and my cultural upbringing helped me develop this attribute. My father was born in Ghana, and my mother was born in New York to Ghanaian parents. Ghanaian parents are very strict. If you’re familiar with the book “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother”, Ghanaian parents are actually mentioned in the book. Ghanaian parents raising their children in the United States strongly encourage their children to look for opportunities themselves, take their education seriously, and most importantly work hard. My father came to this country, became a naturalized citizen, went to college, and worked hard to properly support my family. My parents have always told me that nothing
In seventh grade, I created a list of colleges that I wanted to go to and the GPA’s I needed to get into those colleges and from then on I was laser focused on getting accepted into an amazing university and going on to do great things. Throughout high school and the start of college, my determination landed me the opportunity to shadow a general surgeon, the ability to serve as the Dominion High School student school board representative on the Loudoun County School Board, the ability to intern with DC Senator Paul Strauss, the ability to work with and receive a college recommendation letter from the State Senator of Virginia, Sen. Wexton, the opportunity to volunteer hands-on with a doctor for over 100 hours, the ability to serve on the Loudoun County Youth Advisory Council, help develop a mentoring program at my high school, create my own affordable tutoring company and more. My determination has allowed me to meet and go places I would have never imagined I would go at such a young age. My determination has also helped grow my interpersonal