2022 ELD Scholars- Off to University!

As we announce our 2022 Scholars we’d also like to wish them good luck in their journeys off to UNIVERSITY!!

Something so remarkable to see. Although we’re sure they had these plans before becoming ELD scholars, we’re so happy to be a big or small part of supporting that pursuit.

Congratulations Zenobia and Josiah, welcome to the ELD community!

2022 ELD Scholarship Recipients:

Zenobia

Zenobia grew up in Tacoma WA and is an alum of Summit Olympus High School where she attended all four years. Zenobia is grateful to the staff and supports Summit Olympus High School gave her as she navigated AP coursework, her unique learning needs, and finding her passions. Her future goals consist of attending Central University majoring in art and business. She plans to open her own photography studio after attending college. Zenobia can be described as a communicative, diligent, and determined student. She is also a very personable and fun person to be around who isn’t afraid to ask questions. The Everybody Learns Differently scholarship will be invaluable for her to be able to pressure her dreams in college.

Josiah

Josiah grew up in Seattle, Washington, and moved to Tacoma, later attending Lincoln High School. The transition from Seattle to Tacoma was difficult for him being in an unfamiliar environment and having to meet new people. During this time Josiah was coming off of a bad patella fracture and was told he couldn’t play football his freshman year. After learning this, he wasn’t concerned about taking school seriously, resulting in him earning a 1.9 GPA his first semester. 

Josiah had a lot of family members talk to him about how important school is and not to make the same mistakes they did and that resonated with him. Then, good news came in his sophomore year when he finally got cleared to play football again. Josiah readjusted his focus and ended that first semester with a 2.8. But then, the pandemic started and he was unsure what that meant for him. However, Josiah said:

“Getting away from the school setting and having to be forced to stay somewhere was my motivation to get right academically and mentally. I finished the second semester with a 3.6 gpa, that was the first time I ever had grades like that so after that having grades like that became my norm. Having school online helped me get through in a way and it taught me discipline by waking up every day to turn on my laptop and it also showed the teachers I cared so they would be more willing to help me. Finished out high school with a 3.2 accumulative gpa I worked really hard to get it higher but freshman year put me in a hole.”

Josiah came across this opportunity after his senior year football season when he realized he may not be getting into a division 1 school. This would probably mean that he’d have to find a way to pay for college. So his counselor encouraged him to apply for various scholarships and he completed all of them. For most of the remaining school year, Josiah hadn’t heard back from anyone. However, he was accepted to the University of Puget Sound and was awarded a scholarship from them! And soon after from Everyone Learns Differently as it was one of the last scholarships he applied for. Josiah is proud that after not hearing back from the first round of scholarships he applied for, that he didn’t give up and made a submission to ELD, and will now be going off to college with not one but TWO scholarships!

“Me having this scholarship will help my family and I a lot. This institution raised the general cost of attendance just this year and getting this money towards tuition would help save a lot of money. Some fun facts about me is I cook pretty good, I like making people laugh, I play a lot of different sports and I’m scared of heights.” - Josiah