What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Stronger...

By: Stephanie Pawlyszyn

You can describe poverty. You can depict every physical aspect of it. You can talk about the filth, the hunger, and the social ostracism. But you can’t feel poverty unless you have lived through it. Dawn Loggins felt poverty as I am sure some of you have. She spent her childhood squatting in buildings that didn’t even have running water or electricity. Her parents were drug addicts and every few months, they would pick up Dawn and her siblings and force them to move to another “home.”

I first heard about Dawn at a summer enrichment program I’ve been attending this summer, Governor’s School East. Just last year, Dawn attended this same summer school in Raleigh. But while she was there, her life took a dramatic turn. She phoned home hoping to reach her parents but the phone line was disconnected. She later found out they had moved to Tennessee, leaving her homeless.

Dawn Loggins did not simply give up. In fact, she worked that much harder to keep her head above the water. During the school year, she adopted a grueling schedule. She would wake up at 5:20 a.m., travel to her high school, and work as a custodian. Following that, she would take vigorous classes, including AP U.S. History, AP Calculus, and Honors English. Following the dismissal bell, she would stay at school an additional two hours cleaning. At 2:00 a.m., she would finally blow out her candle after completing her homework.

Despite numerous financial and emotional hardships, Dawn Loggins was just offered a full ride to Harvard. Everything in her life tried to knock her down. But when she fell, she got right back up. And every time she got back up, she was stronger. She never allowed her circumstances or her negligent parents to define her. Dawn Loggins told WBTV, “If there is anybody at all who has a dream, then they can definitely make it happen. There are no excuses. It depends on you and no one else.” Regardless of the struggles you are facing, work hard academically and they will dissipate. Your education is your pathway to a better life. Take full advantage of that.

So as you start your NCVPS course this year, I ask that you make two pledges to yourself. First, promise yourself that you will work diligently right up until the moment you press submit the afternoon of your final exam. Don’t do it for your teachers or for your parents; do it for yourself. Second, dedicate yourself to following through on this endeavor. There will be those nights when it’s past midnight and you have been working on assignments for hours, but remind yourself that those are the moments that really make a difference. Those moments of unyielding ambition are the ones that craft your future and set you apart from other individuals. Dawn went from homeless to Harvard because she pursued her dream. Define the future that you want and strive to bring it to fruition. Good luck as you begin the 2012-2013 school year!