“The person who makes a success of living is the one who sees his goals steadily and aims for it unswervingly. That is dedication.” This quote by Cecil B. De Mille hits home. Dedication is a big deal pertaining to decisions that change your life. In my life I have not had the opportunity to make a life-changing decision… until now.

My life had been filled with decisions such as who I was going to hang out with that weekend or if I was going to attend practice that evening. The beginning of my sophomore year that all changed. I started thinking and caring about what I’m going to do after high school and what’s going to help me get there. With just one little motivation from Mr. Moore.

Upward Bound is a programam that I didn’t know about until my guidance counselor nominated me to be interviewed for admission. Morehead State University offers this program in Trio. It helps students excel in their academics and help them with getting into college. They attend class on campus one Saturday a month and in the summer for six weeks to attend classes and earn college experience and credits while earning money. When I was nominated I started thinking of how it could be beneficial to me. I was interested but I would have to make many sacrifices.

If I applied and got accepted, I would be making many changes: I wouldn’t be going to any basketball camps or hanging with my friends at home everyday like usual. I was always told to make a decision that I would be proud of in the long run. I pondered on it for a few days and applied. The next three days were miserable, I didn’t know if I got accepted or not until the next Friday afternoon. Mr. Moore came and got me and said, “You didn’t get in I’m sorry.” I felt so bad but the he came back and said, “Just kidding, you got accepted.
Upward Bound started in 2 weeks after I found out that I got accepted. The Counselor from Upward Bound comes to school a week before a return trip. The first time I went to a meeting I was nervous; I didn’t know what to expect. When I walked in the other students were just regular people like me, we joked and laughed but also learned what was happening that academic year. There were so many rules but so easy to follow. You couldn’t miss more than two return trips and I had to attend the summer programam. These were easy to follow.
Now that my junior year is starting and the new academic year is in motion, my advantages on my other classmates are unbelievable. I will get free college credit, a free ACT test and money that I don’t really have to work for. By the time, I get out of high school I will be halfway through my freshman year of college. That’s what I call dedication.