For a student who was born and raised in the United States, I have one of the most interesting and unique academic histories. I was born in Wantagh, Long Island. My parents had moved there because the school district was one of the best in the area, and they wanted the best for me and my younger brother. The high-quality school district came with proportionally high taxes, so my parents, my brother, and I all moved into a tiny one-bedroom bungalow; we put beds in the basement and that’s where my brother I slept. I attended Forest Lake, the local elementary school when it came time for me to start Kindergarten. I did the same for first and second grade. The summer before third grade, however, serious change made its way into my life. My parents told me they were sending me to a different school next year. An extremely small private school known as Grace Christian Academy.

Grace Christian Academy, when I was enrolled there, included grades K-5, and totaled 26 students. Yes, you read that right, twenty-six students. What I didn’t know at the time, was that the friends I made that year would end up being some of the most trusted and precious people to me in the upcoming years. My years at GCA were easily the best of my childhood. I was surrounded by a group of kids who were like family to me, and teachers who helped me cultivate an active and diligent mind. GCA was my home; until the summer after fifth grade. My parents could no longer afford tuition at Grace, but they weren’t sending me back to public school. My mom had decided she was going to homeschool me.

The year I was home schooled was an interesting year of my life. My mother worked very hard making sure I was still getting a quality education, and I did. I stayed on pace with my curriculum, I learned a lot, and I maintained good grades; I even got to see my friends from GCA. But, homeschooling wasn’t for me. I needed to be around more students than just my brother. My family still couldn’t afford a private education, but they understood I needed to be in a real classroom. They decided they were going to send me back to public school. Seventh grade was a fun year, I was in a big school with a lot of opportunities. I made a lot of friends and was very active at my school. But still, I felt that I didn’t belong. As good a time I was having, I knew I shouldn’t have been there. I fit in, but not in the same way I did at GCA. I knew I had to get back there, somehow. Seventh grade came and went, summer kicked in, and I began to prepare for the next school year. One of the benefits of attending public school was the much lighter summer readings. As I was preparing eighth grade, my mom came home one day in mid-August with news she knew I’d enjoy. She had been hired as an art teacher at Grace Christian Academy, and as a result, my parents could afford tuition for me and my brothers. I would be attending the tiny private school I could come to love with the people I had come to treasure.

Eighth grade started and I was suiting up in the khakis and blazer  uniform at my “new” school. I was with my closest friends in my second home, and I couldn’t be happier. My high school years came with problems and challenges like anyone else’s, but looking back, I realize those were some of the best years of my life. The bonds and relationships I made will last a lifetime, and the things I learned and the ways I grew propelled me into a bright future. A future that includes Baruch College.

So, where am I going? Forward. Baruch College offered me something I never would have dreamed: debt-free education. There are little words to express my gratitude for that. So, I’m taking advantage of this gift, and am devoting myself to this school and my career. Wherever my future lies, I plan for it to shine a positive light on Baruch. Part of giving back to the community is being a respectable representative of that community. I only hope that my actions here at Baruch and my community service can accurately reflect how grateful I am to this community.