Ashlee Swasey in her essay "Cut" describes for her readers her dreams of "a life that was perfect." (p.1) She "dreamed of college" (p.1) and she set her sights on making her dream come true. It was also the plan her parents had put in place for her and she did not want to disappoint them. But Ashlee lost her way academically as a Freshman in high school when she "stopped trying." (p.1)
"Cut" goes on to describe the tormented life of a young girl trying desperately to escape those difficult high school years; the sad memories of feeling invisible so many of us have also stored away in our hysterical archives of youth.
And then, like a gavel slamming down on a bench the rejection slips from colleges begin to roll in and with them the devastation of shame no child should bear. The verdict was in according to them: "Not good enough" was the message.
Although many would have thrown in the towel at that point, Ashlee did not. Instead, she discovered a future of possibilities. Granite State College was the beacon as Ashlee moved slowly but surely toward the light. Through Granite State College she has achieved her Associates degree as she diligently presses on with her studies to earn her Bachelor Degree in Early Childhood Education.
At twenty-one years old Ashlee is one of the brightest and the best in expressing herself in my American Literature class. It is an honor to have the privilege of knowing her and her story of perseverence. I am proud of her for never giving in to the negativity, choosing instead, to press on.
For now she is manifesting her own destiny. We could all learn a lesson from her.
We, at Granite State College embrace her as one of our own for she has learned at a very young age what many of us don't learn until we are much older: Our dreams are important. They really do matter. We can make them come true.
"Cut" goes on to describe the tormented life of a young girl trying desperately to escape those difficult high school years; the sad memories of feeling invisible so many of us have also stored away in our hysterical archives of youth.
And then, like a gavel slamming down on a bench the rejection slips from colleges begin to roll in and with them the devastation of shame no child should bear. The verdict was in according to them: "Not good enough" was the message.
Although many would have thrown in the towel at that point, Ashlee did not. Instead, she discovered a future of possibilities. Granite State College was the beacon as Ashlee moved slowly but surely toward the light. Through Granite State College she has achieved her Associates degree as she diligently presses on with her studies to earn her Bachelor Degree in Early Childhood Education.
At twenty-one years old Ashlee is one of the brightest and the best in expressing herself in my American Literature class. It is an honor to have the privilege of knowing her and her story of perseverence. I am proud of her for never giving in to the negativity, choosing instead, to press on.
For now she is manifesting her own destiny. We could all learn a lesson from her.
We, at Granite State College embrace her as one of our own for she has learned at a very young age what many of us don't learn until we are much older: Our dreams are important. They really do matter. We can make them come true.
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