More Than a Test Score

Last week’s Weekly “Three Sentence Essay” Scholarship winner is Cierra Kaler-Jones! Her essay showed her passion and interest in making a difference in this world.

Here is her winning essay:

“Dream no small dreams for they have no power to move the heart of men.”  An effective and influential leader is what I aspire to be; if I could have exceptional skill in one area, it would be having the power to inspire others to work towards their goals.

Here is a little more about our winner:

First and most importantly, my name is Cierra. I am a junior at Absegami High School, where I participate in many activities. I’ve always been a hard-working, determined person & my drive has gotten me this far. My number one passion is dance; I’ve been performing ever since I could walk. Field hockey is another love of mine and I’ve fallen in love with the sport over these past three years. I’m the kind of person who puts their everything into what they’re passionate about. I see a bright future ahead of me and I hope you see it as well.

Congratulations Cierra!

Here are some of the other essays that came close:

Adeline Matayer: If I could be exceptionally talented at something it would be to be able to persuade people and influence them in a positive way. Our world, is deteriorating with war overseas, mothers killing their children, and hatred amongst our society; with that gift  my words will persuade and change our world.

Damial Fletcher: If I could be exceptionally talented at something I would be teaching the unteachable. If I could do this this would prove that everybody can learn no matter who you are our what circumstance you are in.

Karina Vado: Breathing spiritual and mental beauty into the lives of people would be a talent that could perhaps help alleviate the myriad of maladies that plague us globally. With this, I would be able to give others the ability to see and accept others ideals and beliefs. Although idealistic, it’d bring peace.

Seantasia Twiggs: If I could be exceptionally talented in something, it would be the ability to make a positive influence on someone’s life. There is nothing like the feeling of knowing that you helped make a difference in a person’s life, a difference that can possible determine their future.

Lydia Younger: Change.  I desire the ability to inspire change and to be the force that encourages people towards a more fulfilling future.  If I can do this, I will be able connect with and change the lives of those around me, starting with my family, my friends, my teachers, and my classmates.

Emily DeMent: Though not always the case, I personally feel that talent sometimes cheats a person out of working hard. Therefore, I feel it’s better to be flawed and work my hardest to gain some exceptional skill with a craft rather than to be born talented and potentially lazy. Hard work can make good character.

Jasmine Preciado: If there was one thing that I could be exceptionally talented at, I would be able to have a lasting affect on the lives of people today. With this, I would be better equipped to share my knowledge, hopes, and dreams for a better tomorrow. The world is ours; sharing myself is where I would begin.

Noreen Chaudry: If I could be exceptionally talented,I would choose to be an expert at stem cell researching. My step-brother suffers from cerebral palsy and I’d do anything to help him and prevent other children from suffering with his illness.  This talent would benefit me emotionally while others, physically.

Alexandria Rainwater: If I could be exceptionally talented at something it would be helping others realize their self-worth. Most people, especially students my age, look down upon themselves for not “looking” just right or making perfect grades. I want to help them realize it’s what on the inside that counts most.

If you’re feeling a little envious of Cierra right now, go over to this week’s essay and start writing! You never know, next week you could be featured on our blog.

Introducing yet another Weekly “Three Sentence Essay” Scholarship winner, Mica Mathison! Her essay was from the week ending in May 16; deciding was a tough decision but her essay was inspiring and we knew she deserved this scholarship.

Here is her winning essay:

Many Americans wrongfully value security more than freedom. It is freedom that has given Americans the opportunity to value security. As Ben Franklin stated, “Those who desire to give up freedom in order to gain security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one.”

Here is a little more about our winner:

I’m Mica, and I am going to be a sophomore at Butler. I spend most of my spare time working and babysitting my 2 year old cousin this summer. I love volleyball, I love shopping, and I love my friends! I surround myself with great people and I have a lot of support from my family and friends in everything I do. Because of that, I have set high goals for myself, and I plan to achieve them, but I need a little help financially with that :)

Congratulations Mica!

Here are our runner ups with some great essays:

Patrick Grant: As Americans we value the security of our freedom. Once that security is tested we will roar like a lion to stand up for it and allow no one to take it from us.

Tameishia Peterson: I simply believe Americans value security more because without security, freedom is at risk.There is a sense of security in freedom therefore security is needed in order to be free.

Berrett Deming: To claim that America values either freedom or security more would be a simplistic outlook on the issue. In truth, freedom and security are concepts dependent upon one another. If we are not secure, our freedom is at risk, and if we are not free, we are not truly secure because we lack privacy.

Jessica Heiden: It is commonly believed that Americans value freedom but, without security, our freedom wouldn’t be completely possible. Therefore, we value security wholeheartedly and happily reap the benefits. It just so happens that one of those benefits is freedom.

Caleb Latimer: Americans value security the most because without security for our freedoms we would be savages struggling for our own existence. Our security is the reason why we all live such comfortable and easily un-oppressed lives. Our freedom coexists in our security.

Abigail Howard: When we are accused of breaking laws, we feel the system infringes on our freedoms. When people are hurt, we feel laws are not restricting enough. We want freedom when it suits us, but individual freedom may restrict the freedom of others, and so security maintains the balance.

Martin Lynn: This heroic question implies a binary. I don’t think I could group the entire nations opinion under one answer, but personally, I reminisce about my childhood scrapes and scabs. I think that many Americans who value security over freedom, are not aware of what freedoms they are truly sacrificing.

We really enjoyed the essays from this week, thanks for participating! There are always chances to win scholarships at Zinch.

Sophomore Amanda Reed is charged up about John Brown University’s renewable energy program. When she started her freshman year, she was not unlike many students who haven’t quite figured out their life plan. So, she prayed for direction and the answer came in the form of a newspaper article announcing a new major. Reed joins a growing number of JBU students in the renewable energy program, which focuses on wind, solar and biomass (using organic matter to generate energy) renewable energy systems.

The renewable energy program at JBU provides students with a bachelor’s of science in renewable energy. Students choose one of three emphasis areas: design, international development or management. The design emphasis has a math and engineering focus. Students are trained to design and integrate the systems used to create renewable energy. The management emphasis is essentially business courses combined with renewable energy. These students may go into sales, marketing or management — areas of the business that involve renewable energy beyond the technical aspects, Professor Fernando Vega says. The international development emphasis combines renewable energy courses with courses in intercultural studies. Students interested in international development may want to help impoverished communities develop safer water or find energy sources that won’t be harmful. 

Brian Moresman, a senior renewable energy major, doesn’t hesitate to discuss the program’s appeal, citing a hands-on approach to instruction (such as learning how to make biodiesel in class), and the impressive knowledge and field experience of the professors. He also appreciates the biblical applications of what he is learning. “We live in a world with a growing population but a finite amount of resources, and renewable energies are going to be one of the best ways to provide for people. I would love to be involved with closing the wasteful loop of throwaway culture, creating a holistic view of environment, people, and product.”   

About John Brown University 

Founded in 1919, John Brown University serves over 2,000 students from 49 nations and 42 states, and offers nearly 50 undergraduate degree programs, three degree completion programs, and six graduate degree programs. JBU’s mission is to provide Christ-centered education that prepares people to honor God and serve others by developing their intellectual, spiritual, and professional lives.

Click here to learn more about the Renewable Energy program at JBU.

You’ve got the grades. You’ve got the activities. You’ve got the wide array of interests, the killer essay, and the teacher and neighbor who will tell every college in earshot how great you are. But, if you’re like a lot of students, when it comes time to fill out that “Volunteer” section of your scholarship and college applications, you may be stretching to come up with a few good examples. Well, don’t worry – not only is volunteering a painless way to help out in your community, it’s also easier than ever to find volunteer opportunities that you can do today, tomorrow, or anytime.

Scholarship America’s Dollars for Scholars program is just one organization that’s always looking for student volunteers. Many of our chapters, led by adult volunteers, need student help for events, awards nights, and general chapter business, and a lot of them even give scholarship consideration to their student volunteers. And they’re not the only ones; check out volunteermatch.org or createthegood.org to find volunteer opportunities that are tailor-made for your interest and availability.

Once you get started, you may find volunteering to be addictive, too. When you find a cause you’re passionate about and start working on it, even for a few hours a week, you’ll have a wider, more worldly perspective on it almost immediately – and when your awesome application gets you into your favorite college choice, you can check out the same resources and connect with people on campus who’ll help you take the next step.

Whether it’s helping fellow students, supporting younger kids, or serving those who are less well-off, volunteering can be much more than a field to fill out on your application.

Building a resume can be very intimidating but it is a critical part in getting hired for that perfect job.  

HR professionals and hiring managers often receive hundreds of resumes for any given position.  With hundreds of resumes to sort through at a time, they will likely only spend 10-30 seconds per resume, which means you have to make your resume stand out. 

The very first thing that you need to do even before starting your resume is to determine your objective.  Your objective should clearly state what type of job you are looking for and the skills necessary to do that job well.  For helpful questions to determine what type of job you are looking for, refer to our article Finding a Summer Job.

Once you have determined your objective you can start building your resume around that objective.  Remember that the most important roll of the resume is to obtain an interview.   You need to be clear and concise.  Think of it this way, if you were the interviewer what job qualifications would you be looking for?

Now that you’ve determined what you need to include make sure you use bullet points and short sentences in describing your skills and qualifications.  Having key phrases will help the reader see the most important information at a glance.  Don’t worry about listing the specifics; you’ll be able to discuss that in the interview.

Also be sure that you use action words.  Words like: prepared, managed, and developed will help your resume to stand out. 

By following these guidelines you will be able to build a resume that will stand out among 100’s.