My Life in a Letter

Dear Appalachia,

Life can be hard.

Growing up in southeastern Ohio near the center of Appalachia can make it harder.

Rather than let my life be scarred, I’ve used my experiences to make myself smarter.

The lack of entertainment in our small town forced me to develop a strong sense of creativity.

As I’ve gotten older, that inventiveness transformed from a child’s imagination into a young adult’s determination.

Most of my friends would say this drive is the first thing that comes to mind when they think of me.

Settling for simply getting things done is not good enough; I strive to exceed expectations.

My parents, who are divorced, have high-school diplomas, hold blue-collar jobs, and make less than $50,000 combined annually.

I am thankful to have learned to seek happiness from friends and experiences rather than from money and material things.

Attending college will be a first in my family.

I am eager to learn and improve my skills for my career and other future undertakings.

The Appalachians are often suspicious of new people and resistant to change. Instead of conforming to this social norm, I have learned to be open-minded.

My ultimate goal is to turn arrange

A business that can help improve life in underprivileged countries, and by God I will be guided.

So, thank you, Appalachia.

From you, I obtained the creativity that will lead to innovation, the wisdom to know what is important in life, and the ability to appreciate the differences in people.

You have prepared me well.