We’re thrilled to have received so many student entries for the Fall 2021 Scholarship Contest! We loved learning how EVERFI’s real-world learning courses have had a positive impact on these students’ lives, and we look forward to sharing their thoughtful and inspiring stories in the coming weeks.

• Allan V. – Eleanor Roosevelt High School | EVERFI Financial Literacy
• Siena J. – Lincoln Park Middle School | FutureSmart
• Ny K. – East Hampton High School | Mental Wellness Basics
• Maria A. – Rio Grande High School | Keys To Your Future

Allan V., California

Although my goals for the future are still too foggy for me to see and claim here; this EVERFI course has enabled me to be more open-minded to all of the possibilities that I can become, or career paths that I can take. If there is so much to learn about business, and I imagine so much more that couldn’t fit in the course, it makes me realize the vast amount of options I have for my future. So as I near the end of my K-12 experience with an unknown future, I don’t feel so lost anymore.

Siena J., Minnesota

This course helped me understand what challenges I have to prepare for in the future. I learned how to make money, save money, and spend it on things that benefit me. I also learned basic things I will need to know about college and career paths. This course opened a path of excitement and made me less nervous about crucial choices I have to make in the future. I one day would love to have a career surrounding art. I have loved creating things since I can remember and being able to use that passion for profit would be a dream come true. I used to doubt that art would be a career that could support me, everyone I’ve asked says artists make little profit off of their work. For a while I was convinced art would have to be a hobby, or a side gig, but after taking the “Futuresmart” course for my computer class, the dream of pursuing it as a career didn’t feel so far away anymore. The course made me more confident in my future and more excited for it to come.

Ny K., New York

What Will I become? Throughout my years in school, I have never thought about what I would actually become. I am in my junior year of high school and I still haven’t decided. I see so many other students have specific goals and going out of their way to stand out from the rest, however, I continue to focus on grades and completing assignments. At first, I thought this was enough, but I question myself, Is this really enough? I have a strong passion when it comes to art, drawing and painting. I have been taking art courses for my whole school career. When I think about the jobs that come with art, what are the chances that I become successful doing the thing that makes me happy? I am fine with a job in the office, my parents don’t pressure me to do the things I don’t want to, but this society is heavily based on money and class. The EVERFI course based on mental health showed me that I should put myself first. I thought it was common sense to do so. I thought that I didn’t need to be told that to actually put it into consideration. But, maybe I did need to be told. In middle school, mindfulness was my class theme, I always kept that in the back of my head and whenever a teacher asked what being respectful is, I always wrote mindfulness. Teachers always told me and other students to be mindful of our surroundings and try not to hurt others. The courses had heavily reflected mindfulness in a different light. When it comes time for me to decide what I want to do in life, I will be mindful of myself and acknowledge my feelings. I have come to learn to respect myself and doing so can be difficult at times. I don’t want to feel rushed and believe that my decision of what school or major I want to go into, will ruin my life, because that really isn’t the case. Everyone’s life can be turned around whether it be positive or negative. Taking a step back and looking at my life from a different perspective, I can go at my own pace. I don’t know what I will become now. I might figure it out tomorrow or next year. Nevertheless, putting myself first is what makes me content with the situation I am in and that’s really what makes the people around me happy as well.

Maria A., New Mexico

Saving lives, helping others, and being successful without depending on my parents. My parents have given me the world and have been supportive in everything I decide to do. They have never missed any of my games/meets, even though they are on early morning Saturdays or late afternoon on Thursdays. They have always shown me that If I want to achieve something I can do it, and they will be right by my side. I just started high school and I want to say that when quarantine started, I was so sure of what I wanted to be. I knew that my existence, my path, would help others and my family. But coming out of quarantine and starting my first year of high school, I wasn’t sure of what to do anymore. I want to travel the world, but then I want to help everyone, but then again, I want to help shape the minds of younger generations, or maybe I could even be an influencer/celebrity of some type. I was really confused, and I thought that that was bad and had it hard because I had no idea of what to do with myself. Looking back, thinking like that was selfish of me and I realize that now as I see the world with a wider view. I feel as if I can see almost every corner of the world, where there is injustice, death, inequality, racism, even countries that swear that they are a free place to start over and have a better life, but yet still banish others trying to support themselves or their families. I have seen it all. But what did it mean? I still didn’t know how I could help others. Until my teacher assigned Everfi “keys to your future”. At first, I honestly thought it was going to be one of those programs where you have to read a lot and then answer questions. But to my surprise, it was interactive and helpful. Everfi “keys to your future” helped me lay down the keys to doors I didn’t even know existed and would need. Everfi’s course helped me understand how I can help others. It also showed me how to stay organized and get good grades to achieve my goals. I learned what I should do with my future and help save others one by one, and it is all thanks to Everfi. I’ve decided to be a lawyer to help those that have been wronged and deserve peace, justice, etc. I want to help those struggling to make a home here because they are from another land. Everfi to me isn’t just a course, it helped me realize bits of me that were locked up and hidden. I have risen as a person and have the keys to my future. I can help others now because of Everfi.