Keenas College Fund
Donation protected
While I grew up in a loving and nurturing home, finances were always tight. My parents worked hard to meet our basic needs, but an excess of income was never existent in our home. Though they knew the importance of, and taught my siblings and I the value of, a good education, the cost of it was simply beyond our households means.
I spent much of my school career worrying about finances. Would there be enough money for lunch, gas, school supplies, and extracurricular activities? The stress of these concerns hindered me from being a successful student and rising to my full potential.
In my adult life, I have worked hard as an early childhood educator, bringing lots of passion and creativity to my work. I have even worked multiple jobs to expand my income, fulltime teaching as well as after school care yet these long days still only covered little more than the cost of my basic needs in a city that now ranks in the top 10 for most expensive cost of living. Though seen as an intelligent and diligent educator by my cohorts, advancement in my career as an Early childhood educator is limited due to higher degree demands. I desire to continue my education at a college level, but I do not have the finances it takes to do so.
My mom was my biggest support system both emotionally, and when she could afford it, financially. She taught me to be strong and to never give up. She believed in my abilities as an educator and always knew that my place was in the classroom.
When I was 27 years old, my mom was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. The thought of losing this beautiful woman was further burdened by my financial limitations. Because we lived in separate states, the cost to visit her was often more than I could handle financially. My mom passed away two years later, and the limited time I could spend physically by her side due to travel cost still sits with me today.
I look now to create a life she would be proud of, and I hope that one day I can give my future children the love and support she gave me, as well as the financial stability she wished she could have provided. I know the first step in securing this better future is a higher education.
It is my hope that my future will one day only be limited by my imagination and not my bank account, that who I am and what I can accomplish is the outcome of my hard work and not the price tag someone has put on success.
It is through the generosity of scholarships and donors such as yourselves, that I will be able to reach full potential. The investment made in me today will not only be beneficial to my education but the education I will go on to import upon others. Through your kindness I will be able to access the education necessary to remain a passionate dedicated educator. As I move forward I want my focus to be put back on what it should be, which is my learning in the classroom and not the stress of my cost of living.
I spent much of my school career worrying about finances. Would there be enough money for lunch, gas, school supplies, and extracurricular activities? The stress of these concerns hindered me from being a successful student and rising to my full potential.
In my adult life, I have worked hard as an early childhood educator, bringing lots of passion and creativity to my work. I have even worked multiple jobs to expand my income, fulltime teaching as well as after school care yet these long days still only covered little more than the cost of my basic needs in a city that now ranks in the top 10 for most expensive cost of living. Though seen as an intelligent and diligent educator by my cohorts, advancement in my career as an Early childhood educator is limited due to higher degree demands. I desire to continue my education at a college level, but I do not have the finances it takes to do so.
My mom was my biggest support system both emotionally, and when she could afford it, financially. She taught me to be strong and to never give up. She believed in my abilities as an educator and always knew that my place was in the classroom.
When I was 27 years old, my mom was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. The thought of losing this beautiful woman was further burdened by my financial limitations. Because we lived in separate states, the cost to visit her was often more than I could handle financially. My mom passed away two years later, and the limited time I could spend physically by her side due to travel cost still sits with me today.
I look now to create a life she would be proud of, and I hope that one day I can give my future children the love and support she gave me, as well as the financial stability she wished she could have provided. I know the first step in securing this better future is a higher education.
It is my hope that my future will one day only be limited by my imagination and not my bank account, that who I am and what I can accomplish is the outcome of my hard work and not the price tag someone has put on success.
It is through the generosity of scholarships and donors such as yourselves, that I will be able to reach full potential. The investment made in me today will not only be beneficial to my education but the education I will go on to import upon others. Through your kindness I will be able to access the education necessary to remain a passionate dedicated educator. As I move forward I want my focus to be put back on what it should be, which is my learning in the classroom and not the stress of my cost of living.
Organizer
Keena Gentry
Organizer
Renton, WA
