In the fall of 2019, the Brockport METS facilitated three, four-hour long sessions as part of their Scholarship Essay Workshop series for high school students. The sessions include small group breakouts, with one-on-one support and follow-up from a Migrant Educator.
The Scholarship Essay Workshop’s process aims to help students tell their story in a way that is empowering and cathartic for the students as well as effective in obtaining scholarships. The workshop begins with team building, reading and discussing sample essays, and learning the components for a successful essay. To be supportive facilitators, staff members receive training and work on personal growth prior to leading workshops. Participating staff each lead a section of the agenda and collaborate in planning the workshop details.
The format of the essay is based on June McBride’s book Path to Scholarships. Students write the essay in six paragraphs, which include
- Introduction;
- My Family;
- Transforming Obstacles into Strengths;
- Supporting Others;
- Service;
- My Dreams for the Future; and the
- Conclusion.
During the three sessions, students learn to write an expository essay or persuasive essay. To get them started with the writing process, students first write about their family, identify personal obstacles, and are then shown videos of others overcoming challenges. Students are encouraged to consider three strengths they have developed by facing their own obstacles. A list of 49 strengths is provided as a starting point to help students discover positive character qualities they have that make them resilient.
Students then discuss the importance and meaning of supporting and serving others. Migrant Educators start the Dream for the Future paragraph by helping students tie together how their goals and dreams are connected to their challenges, strengths, the story of their life, and their experiences. Then students start to work on the anecdotal introduction. They are asked to think about one moment from their life they could describe in a way that will grab the reader’s attention. Students read examples, watch video clips, and discuss how words can engage the reader’s senses. The conclusion is last and restates the student’s goal, how the scholarship will help to achieve the goal, and what strengths the student has that will carry them through to reach the goal. Staff members follow up with students individually to ensure they have a complete essay after the third session is over.
The following are Introduction paragraphs from two migrant students who participated in the workshop series.
I couldn’t sleep due to the hunger that I felt and the cold that seeped through the one sheet my parents and I shared. I had sat up on the reclined red seat smelling the van’s gasoline and musty odor. The bright signs and street lights seemed mystical and only made me sleepless with the sounds of cars rushing by. It seemed the most dangerous part were the people outside passing by without stopping to notice. My parents and I were worn out from living inside of that van. But I stared out the window and dreamed with a hope that maybe it would all change somehow, someday.
The tall silver gates which separated Mexico from the United States were just a few feet away from my parents, my sister and me. I could hear cars and people shouting in the streets, all kinds of vendors scattered throughout. There was a putrid smell from the garbage and exhaust from the bus terminal, it worsened as time went on because it became very hot and humid. Just a few moments before, my family and I had been enjoying the time we had left together before facing the most difficult thing, saying good bye to my parents for an indefinite amount of time as we were separated at the border.
Thank you, Brockport METS for all that you do! Keep up the great work!!
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