Spring 2025 Winner of the Adopted Child Scholarship
Angelina Sanchez
Read her essay here:
The odds of academic success are minimal for me and my fellow foster youth with research showing that foster youth have a 50% chance of graduating highschool and a 3-4% chance of graduating college. Despite these statistics, I am in my sophomore year pursuing a double major in Psychology and Business at my dream school. I can confidently say that my success stems from my experiences with and the sacrifices of my adopted mother (For the remainder of this piece I will address her as “my mother”, because that’s who she is to me).
My mother is my inspiration and saving grace. From the very first day I came into her care as a scared 7 year old she showed me patience, love, kindness, dedication and empathy. I was a difficult child with heavy baggage, the events I witnessed and endured skewed my young mind’s perception of life. I had zero knowledge in school and a good deal of anxiety. Within the first summer of being in my mothers care I was the highest reader of my class, the best at math and enrolled in gymnastics. During this time I had no idea just how much patience it took to teach me; but I look back and am truly amazed at how she kept her composure despite the fact that I never sat still, and often refused to do tasks that appeared daunting. I had been diagnosed with ADHD, but my mother worked hard to learn how to manage it without medication. She didn’t want me to rely on the same thing that had begun my biological parents’ addiction, and in doing so she dealt with more behaviors and struggles than she needed to simply to protect me. Because of her redirection at a young age my academic success was not only redeemed but able to flourish, and without her patience and dedication I would have never seen my potential.
The process of adopting my siblings and I was no easy fight. My mother was in court for over a year fighting to keep us. She had to put forth money, take off from work, and sacrifice her own mental health, and we still never experienced a day where the stress overcame her. Day in and day out she reminded us of our importance, beauty, and intelligence, never letting us feel less than or burdensome. Even after adopting us, my mom continued to foster and this is where my love and passion for children like me began. My mother devoted all her time and energy to heal and teach children she didn’t break. As I got older my adoration for my mother grew as I was at an age of fully comprehending how much love she poured into me. It created my dream of changing foster youth life just like her. Not only do I strive to become a foster parent but my goal is to work in Child Protective Services. Her wholesome uplifting attitude towards life changed my experience in the foster system, creating a woman of passion and dreams. She’s the reason behind why I was able to strive for more, for something meaningful and important.
Not only did my mother teach me, push me ahead, and help me create goals she’s showing me first hand what hard work means as an adult. My mom is currently getting her masters degree while working a full job as an Art teacher, while managing a household. She doesn’t just tell me to work hard in school and pursue my dream career, she shows me! Her schoolwork is turned in weeks before the due date despite her packed schedule, showing me that my procrastination has no excuses. She’s responsible; always taking on extra tasks without second doubt so when the time came around for her to apply for a masters, her coworkers jumped on the opportunity to write a recommendation bragging on her. She showed me that being reliable gets you far and always benefits not only the people around you but yourself too. She does all of this and takes care of her family, never letting her attention focus elsewhere or make us feel unloved. She created a healthy space so that my future could flourish.
In conclusion, my journey to academic success and my passion for helping foster youth are deeply rooted in the sacrifices and unwavering support of my mother. Her patience, love, and dedication is behind all my achievements and my dreams. She not only helped me overcome my struggles but also instilled in me the values of hard work, resilience, and compassion. Her example continues to inspire me to push beyond limitations and strive for more, and that even the most challenging circumstances can be overcome just as she has done so. I pursue my goals of becoming a foster parent and working in Child Protective Services because of my mother who is my role model, my source of strength, and the reason I am able to dream and achieve beyond what I once thought possible.
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