Louie Family Foundation Scholarship Essay
Each year, the Kim and Harold Louie Family Foundation awards over $100,000 in scholarships. If you are in high school and are interested in learning more, speak with Lauren or visit the Foundation Website.
Your essay should be 300–500 words. You should address in your essay: What’s the greatest mistake or failure that you have faced? How did you overcome it and what did you learn from it?
Life is full of mistakes, but mine wasn’t a one-instant-life-changing mistake — I grew up living this mistake. As a teenager in rural Pennsylvania, I took my life for granted. Unaware of my selfish condition, I continued to complain about whatever upset me and waste the resources I was gifted with. Little did I know that a week in the poverty-stricken country of Haiti, my eyes would be opened forever. The summer after my freshman year, I, along with a handful of other high schoolers, traveled to Haiti to help build a church for a community. I spent the week crunching numbers for the building’s foundation, redigging the foundation after it rained, bending rebar, entertaining local children, making cement, and organizing a box car (felt more like an oven to me) full of tools and supplies. However, the experience that changed my life came from the natives. Everyone is still heavily affected by the 2010 earthquake, and many people live in tent-like structures. Despite this situation, everyone was exceedingly kind and friendly. No one complained about lack of clothing, food, or carrying buckets of water from the local well. This population of people has something many Americans lack — pure joy. Since they had nothing, they expected nothing and were grateful for everything. The lure of fancy material objects did not consume them. They were not selfish. I watched a group of children play and share one broken toy, happy with the availability of something. We made their day by playing games with them. These children are not tapping away on electronic screens all day, concerned with the approval of others.
Even though they do not have much materially, these people still have dignity. They do not want pity from others but want to work for what they recieve. On my last day in Haiti, I conversed with an elderly woman and ended up giving her my sneakers; she needed them more than I did. In return, I received a small handmade, painted wooden box that sits on my dresser to this day.
Surrounded by destitution and rubble, I realized what a foolish of a mistake I made. I took my entire life for granted: my education, food, clothing, family, friends, etc. Somehow, the Haitians were more content than anyone in the U.S. I knew. How was that even possible given their situation? I found the answer: less is more. They put their faith in something greater than material goods, and this makes all the difference. These people are not caught up with the unessentials, including social media.
Sure, I do not have a lot at home, but I am blessed with a roof over my head, food on the table, and a family who cares about me. I will never underestimate my blessings again.

