Right C3 is proud to announce that Roberto Savage is our winner for the Essay Scholarship Contest! He was awarded $1,500 to help with his college expenses as he attends the University of New Mexico this year, where he plans to study biochemistry. His goal is to join the Navy and eventually go to dental school.
We asked our students about their favorite quotes and why they inspired them. The entire coaching team voted on the final winner, and Roberto’s essay proved to be both well-written and inspirational. Roberto wrote about the difficulty of choosing the proper path before him. He described his anxiousness in dealing with his current struggles, and the fear of his past dictating his future. The quote that spoke to him was from a guest speaker at his church, Kevin Gerald:
“A good life, like a good book, is made up of many chapters. A chapter is a chapter; it’s not the story.”
Roberto has witnessed a lot of tragedies; as part of a community with a large presence of illegal immigrants, he wrote “Families are ripped apart, and their lives to seem to fall in ruins.” Yet, Roberto’s taken the words from that sermon and embraced them, pushing to be a force for change and new chapters in his community. He says jokingly, “I almost preach to my friends. I encourage them to turn the page.”
But Roberto isn’t throwing away all aspects of his past. His mother was a dentist in Mexico before moving to the U.S., and Roberto’s very proud that he’s following in his mother’s footsteps. “It’s my turn to give it to a try. I want to keep the cycle going.”
In high school, Roberto took advantage of the advanced science courses that were offered, including AP Biology and an afterschool Pre-med program. He credits that program’s teacher with helping to further shape his future goals. “He was awesome and encouraged me to do better. He treated us like adults, and was helpful even with problems outside of school.” He also credits Right C3’s tutoring with helping keep his grades up during senior year; which he finished with a 4.0.
After participating in Naval ROTC in college, Roberto foresees his next chapter in the Navy. “I’ve always been a patriotic person. I love this country and would like to serve it. The Navy has the largest medical opportunities and they also have more opportunities to travel, which I’m excited about. I’ll be the first in my family to join the service.”
Roberto’s passion for encouraging others is evident when you talk to him. When asked of any advice to give to younger high school students, he couldn’t help himself: “Never give up. Go straight in. Don’t allow fear to overcome. Life is not easy. There will always be fear and struggles, but always have faith in yourself to press on to the next chapter.”
