More Than a Test Score

Congratulations to Peyton Brown, our latest Weekly “Three Sentence Essay” Scholarship winner!

There’s days when every student wishes they could run their school. So we wanted to know if you were in charge of your school’s curriculum, what elective would you make a graduation requirement? Peyton’s answer was chosen for enabling students to develop a set of life skills that all young people need to have.

Here is her winning essay:
A class known as Life Preparation. It would teach the basics of human finances–how to develop a good line of credit, how to save money, how to budget. Through simulation we can teach [students] how much money to save for bills, grocery shopping and prepare them for life on their own.

Here is a bit more about our winner:
I have been an honors student throughout my entire high school career. I am a Senior at Williams Field High School, National Honors Society President, Keyclub, Link Crew, Student Council, and Christian Club. I have performed over 200 hours of community service and volunteer with Catholic Healthcare West as well as Desert Cove nursing home. I attend a college formally known as the East Valley Institute of Technology (EVIT) for nursing and I hope to major in nursing in college and eventually become a labor and delivery nurse.

Here’s a few of our favorite runners-up:

Alejandro B. – I would make Public Speaking an requirement. Every professional has to encounter a moment when they have to stand in front of people and give their opinion on something. Giving that first impression of yourself while giving a speech will enable others to view you for what you can do.

Imani S. – If I were in charge of the school’s curriculum, I would make the elective Marketing Education a requirement. Upon taking the class I realized it has the fundamentals of life. Everyone buys, sells, and distributes goods as a part of living so it’s something essential to be educated about.

Michael F. – I think students in senior year should be mandated to take Current World News. Students graduating will soon be able to vote and most do not even know the state of the world and what the candidates stand for. Understanding the problems in the world can inspire students to act!

Peyton scored an extra grand towards her college education and so can you. Apply for our Weekly “Three Sentence Essay” Scholarship and you could find yourself $1,000 richer and featured right here on our blog!

Congratulations to Brian Batts, our latest Weekly “Three Sentence Essay” Scholarship winner!

We all have moments and experiences that shape us forever, so we wanted to know what historical event of the past twenty years has most influenced your perspective on the world. Brian’s answer stood out to us because it hit him close to home, both literally and figuratively.

Here is his winning essay:
The Virginia Tech Massacre has had an huge impact on my life. It just made me realize that life is too precious because those students’ lives were cut so short and anything can happen at anytime anywhere. It was just so crazy because that’s my home state and I plan to attend there.

Here’s a few our favorite runners-up:

Lindsay R. – The turn of the millennium brought a dramatic thrust in technological advancement. The most novel innovation, the iPod, changed my mindset about what can be accomplished by technology. With every new model released, a future for technological savviness becomes evermore apparent.

Tyler Y. – The overwhelming rise in gasoline price over the years has most influenced my perspective on the world. I took for granted the need for gas until oil mines ran out. This helped me realize that our planet has a limited amount of resources that we must use sparingly and wisely.

Cassandra B. – The inauguration of Barack Obama changed my whole view on the world. As a little girl growing up I thought nothing was possible in this world. But when I heard the words coming from my television screen “Barack Obama elected as president of the United States” I was lost for words.

Another experience that could change your life? Scoring a $1,000 through our Weekly “Three Sentence Essay” Scholarship. There’s a new prompt every Monday, so every week is another chance to win!

Congratulations to our latest Double Your Money Winner, Bethany Goff! Bethany was awarded The Garth Q. Briggs Scholarship for $1,250 and because she found and applied for it through Zinch, we’re matching it dollar for dollar. We spoke with Bethany about her award and ambitions, and here’s what she had to say.

What is your strategy behind applying for scholarships?

Apply, apply, apply. I figure, the more scholarships I apply for, the greater chance I have of winning one. That being said, I try not to be working on more than one research-based scholarship at once. For such scholarships, I feel that I need to keep my focus narrow in order to produce my best work. So far, thisstrategy has worked well.

What is your ultimate career goal?

I will finish college with a degree in special education, and if I stay in the United States, I will probably become a habitation specialist. However, my primary goal is to become a missionary to Kenya. There, I hope to bring life-saving food and medicine to remote villages while starting self-sustaining education programs in those villages. My intercultural studies minor will be helpful in achieving this goal.

Would you rather own a lightsaber or a Quidditch broomstick?

I would, without a doubt, rather own a Quidditch broomstick. For one thing, Quidditch broomsticks are less often used for violent pursuits than lightsabers, and I strongly believe that there is a non- violent solution to every problem. Additionally, Harry Potter has been my childhood companion. I
learned to read with Harry Potter; I got my confidence from Harry Potter. The series started as I started kindergarten and ended as I graduated high school. For me, it trumps all other series.

How are you more than a test score?

I am more than a test score because I, and not my test score, am going to make a difference in the world. Test scores don’t matter where I’m going. What matters is a heart for the Lord and a willingness to help others. That is what defines me, not my academics.

Check out our scholarship search where you’ll find nearly $2 billion worth of financial aid posted online. Remember to invite your friends to Zinch too, cause with our Win Your Friend’s Scholarship feature, any scholarship they win will earn you a check for the same amount!

Congratulations to Susan Walker, our latest Weekly “Three Sentence Essay” Scholarship winner!

Everyone loves watching a good bio-pic, but what if you had one your very own? We asked if a film was being made of your life, what would be the film’s name and story line? You Zinchers were more than eager to share your silver screen fantasies, and Susan’s essay caught our attention for bringing her passion to the forefront.

Here is her winning essay:
The name of my film would be “Break Through.” The story line would follow the life of a young girl who was driven by her passion for film and media, who never let anything get in her way. She broke through every barrier in her way to succeed and come out on top as a film editor.

Here is a bit more about our winner:
I have always been the outgoing one in my bunch, always ready to laugh and joke. I do know when to settle down and get serious, though. I am among the top in all of my classes and rather proud of that fact. I have 4 stepbrothers and I would like to think I stand out by being the one to succeed in school. I treasure my friends and love to explore all subjects in school. Film and writing particularly interest me, though.

Did this last prompt fly just under your radar? Don’t worry, cause with our Weekly “Three Sentence Essay” Scholarship there’s a new opportunity to win $1,000 every Monday! Just click the link, fill out the form, and hit apply––it’s that easy!

Earlier this month Lauren Loper was named the winner of our Zinch My Summer Photo Contest, and after basking in her scholarship glory, she took some time to answer our questions about herself and her aspirations–here’s what she had to share.

What was your strategy behind entering the Zinch My Summer contest?

Garnering votes for this contest was not as easy as it looked. Along with constantly bugging all of my Facebook friends reminding everyone to vote each day, I created an Event on Facebook to reach other people outside of my network. Many people were gracious to help out my cause, which allowed me to be successful throughout the contest.

If you could have one super power, what would it be?

If I could have any super power I would choose to have some sort of superhuman intelligence. I really enjoy learning about a vast amount of subjects. Retaining the information however, is a bit trickier. If I had a brain that could recall any information in an instant, then maybe I could create my own ideas and inventions that others may not have thought of before.

What’s something you’re passionate about that people wouldn’t expect at first glance?

While many kids are spend a majority of their time on Facebook, if you were to check my browser history you would find page after page of news articles and research websites. I love to read about current events and other things that are going on in our country and throughout the world. I believe that staying informed of events that are happening around you allows you to realize that our world is much larger than what it may seem.

(Finish this sentence) My greatest goal in life is to ____.

I know this may sound a bit cliché, but my greatest goal in life is to be happy. Too often do I hear adults talking about what they should have done in school, or a career path that they should have chosen. I hope to make the best decisions regarding my future so I can look back at any moment and know that what I did was worth all of the effort that I put in.

How are you more than a test score?

In school grades should defiantly be your number one priority. However, when you only focus on school, things tend to become a little dull. I am more than a test score because I choose to involve myself in extra curricular activities that allow me to be a well rounded person. Not only do I strive to do my best in school, but I also love to compete in speech and debate competitions, as well as involve myself in community service projects around my community. Intelligence will get you far in life, but showing interest in outside activities will be something that sets you apart from the crowd.

Lauren won $1,500 through Zinch, and so can you! Head to our scholarship search where you’ll find more than $2 billion worth of financial aid in our database. New scholarships are added all the time, so be sure to visit often!