Why Not Me?!

            Coming from a relatively small town in Northern Arizona, it seems as if nobody cares, or even knows, about us.  It seems as if we are insignificant compared to the major cities in Arizona.  This is the mindset that I regretfully found myself having for as long as I can remember.  I often found myself not doing something and missing out on a great opportunity just because I thought that everyone else had a much better chance than I did, so why even try? 

            One day, in August I believe, I was sitting in my college readiness class, preparing my supplies for the day.  Mrs. Caffey was reading the announcements of new scholarships to the class and when she came across the Arizona Milk Producer’s Scholarship everyone let out a chuckle, including myself.  She read off that all we had to do to enter this scholarship was to submit a picture of our self with a milk mustache and some sort of dairy product.  Pretty simple, right?  Mrs. Caffey then announced that any student who wishes to enroll next fall in an Arizona university could apply.  Then, I immediately counted myself out.  Thousands of people would apply for this, and, with my past luck, there is no way that I would even have a chance of being considered for this scholarship!

            But, Mrs. Caffey, being the hopeful optimist that she is, urged our class to apply.  In fact, she did more than simply urge us; she required us to apply.  I assume that she saw all of us give her the “why do we have to apply if there is no possible way that we will when” look, because she then went on to say three of the most inspiring words, which I will never forget, “Why not you?”

            With her words as motivation, I came up with an idea for my picture, made it happen, and got it submitted for the first round of drawings.  I was pretty confident in my picture, but still, in the back of my head, I had myself convinced that I had no shot of winning the scholarship.  A couple weeks passed since I first submitted my photo, and I received a letter in the mail from the Arizona Milk Producer’s.  This was notifying me that I was one in thirty-six semi-finalists for the scholarship!  This gave me an inkling of hope, but I knew that there were still several weeks left for people to submit incredible photos.  A few months later, I received another letter.  I ripped the envelope open, and the first thing I saw, in bolded letters was, “1 in 15 finalists”. Without hesitation, I ran, actually more like skipped, to the kitchen, yelling and screaming, to share the incredible news with my mom.  We were both in utter disbelief!  Not only had one girl from Holbrook been selected as the top fifteen, but two!  I was soon to be informed that Samantha Smith had also been selected! Wow, we had already defied so many odds set against us! Before I knew it, we were at the Fiesta Bowl, sitting seven rows up from the field!

On the field at the Fiest Bowl!
Why not you?!

            On January 3, 2013, I made my way around the stadium, down the escalators, through the tunnel, and onto the thirty yard line at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.  There, in front of the 65,000 people who attended the 2013 Fiesta Bowl, it was announced, that out of thousands of applicants, I had been selected as the first place recipient of the Arizona Milk Producer’s Scholarship!  My mind and body were overwhelmed with shock, excitement, and awe.  65,000 strangers cheered for me as I was presented with an oversized check written in the amount of $12,000!   In that moment, I realized that I was no longer insignificant.  Holbrook was no longer insignificant.  In fact, the size of the town you come from, or the amount of people that go to your school are what are insignificant.  If at first you doubt that you will ever have the slightest chance of being able to accomplish something due to the fact that you come from a place with less opportunity than others, reconsider, and instead think, “why not me?!” and do it anyway!

Love always,

Kylie K.