TAMIU GEAR UP IV 2015 Essay Contest

I set aside my quitting contemplations and decided to make a change for my own good. Every day after school, I would walk back home to my legal guardian and study. I dedicated most of my time into making myself an academically better person. The progress started to become evident as my grade average increased. I was now more comfortable with this drastic change in my life. Perseverance and optimism improved my character, both academically and socially. This gave me confidence to strive harder and accomplish all my goals. Shortly thereafter, I received the President's Award for Educational Excellence and was accepted into the Jackson School of Geosciences GeoFORCE program by the end of my 8th grade. In High School, my sense of leadership, my optimistic attitude, and my ability to gather groups into working together got me elected as the President of the Sophomore Class of 2017. At first, I doubted my parents' decision of sending me to the United States, it was something that I definitely did not want, but I am glad that it happened and I do not regret it at all. It is amazing how this decision profoundly impacted my life. It was a challenge that I managed to overcome, and it has taught me numerous life lessons. I learned that a positive attitude and a confident mentality can take you to unfathomable places; through perseverance and determination, anything is possible. Gear Up has been with me since the first year I moved, and it has provided me with the tools to build a better future for myself. Without Gear Up, I would not have had opportunities that have allowed me to succeed since seventh grade. Gear Up acted as the catalyst between me and my goals, for it gave me a reason to keep striving and do my very best with my head held high up. - Daniel Garcia