Scholar Stories and Letters
Aurora K | Kensington High School
Most people would understand if Aurora K had trouble achieving in school. After all, her family only arrived in America from Albania in 1997. However, upon speaking with Aurora, you notice immediately the determination that drives everything that she does. "If you really want to be successful and do something, you can. Don't make excuses," she says. "It doesn't matter where you come from. You just have to have the will."
As in many immigrant families, Aurora's parents sacrificed their own well being to give their children a chance at a better future. Aurora said, "It would be much easier for them in Albania, but they knew that we [their children] would have a better chance of being successful here." Aurora had earned straight A's since first grade and was not about to stop when she got to America. Thanks to English classes in Albania and a natural talent for languages, she integrated immediately into regular high school classes. She is now bilingual in English and Albanian, won a national foreign language award for Spanish, and understands Italian and French as well.
Because of her gift for languages, Aurora is considering studying international affairs in college after she graduates from high school this June. "Ever since I was little, I've dreamed of being successful," she said. "Not just going to college and getting a bachelor's degree, but getting a Ph.D. I want to be someone who can have an impact on people's lives." She hopes to attend her first choice, Georgetown, or the University of Pennsylvania. She knows how competitive those schools are, though, and has worked hard throughout high school to become the kind of student those colleges accept. "If you go to a school like Kensington, you have to work harder and get involved in more things because it can't compare with a school like Central (an academic magnet school). People aren't going to push you hard here." She asks her teachers to give her extra work when she finds her courses too easy. "If you really want to learn, you can learn in any school," she said. "Blaming it on the school is just an excuse."
Although Aurora is extraordinarily motivated to succeed, she is encouraged by the support she has received from White-Williams Scholars since ninth grade. Her monthly stipends pay for tokens for the two buses she takes to get to and from school. She has also been able to save a small amount for college.
The thing she appreciates most about White-Williams Scholars is the support she receives from the Peer Academic Development (PAD) group at Kensington. "The meetings are great," she said. "You get advice. You find people like you who have the same perspective and you can make friends who have the same goals. Students with White-Williams Scholars are going to do something after high school. We'll go on to college and do well because we're trying hard now."
Aurora is grateful to all those who support her through their gifts to White-Williams Scholars. "I want to thank them," she said. "It's a wonderful thing that they're doing, not just for me, but for all the Scholars. We don't want students dropping out and this pushes students to keep achieving."
