Amor Eli Estrada
Application Essay – Reaching Farther Distances
Hello! I am Amor Eli Estrada, welcoming my sixth and final year in Quezon City Science High School. I reside in a small subdivision in Rodriguez, Rizal. I spent most of my childhood attending a local elementary school that was a two-minute walk from home. However, everything changed when I was accepted into Quezon City Science High School. Suddenly, the short walk to school turned to an hour and a half commute; I found myself in a completely new environment with different people, challenges, and opportunities.
Despite these changes, my main goal throughout High school has remained the same: to focus on my studies and apply my learnings not only in answering tests, but in real life. As my mother always says, “Aanhin mo ang pagiging Scientian kung hindi mo ia-apply ang mga natutunan mo sa mga praktikal na bagay?” She taught me not to aim for “better grades” in general, but for a deeper understanding of what I learn, and how it can be used to solve real-world problems.
With that in mind I have been focusing my efforts in preparing for my dream of studying Agribusiness Management and Entrepreneurship at UPLB. I envision a future where I can create and promote healthy agricultural products, and even collaborate with local farmers and agri-entrepreneurs to conduct research to help improve our agricultural systems and practices.
However, many hurdles lie in front of that dream, and that includes financial problems. My mother, who is the only breadwinner; works an online job to keep up with expenses. Meanwhile, my father is busy renovating our house by himself. Apart from our daily expenses and house renovation costs, another big drainer of my family’s monthly budget is my school commute. I spend approximately 300 pesos a day just to get to school, excluding lunch money; that’s about 6K per month. Another strain in our budget are medical expenses. My mother has been taking maintenance medication and check-ups to prevent the recurrence of her breast cancer. Additionally, my family is also supporting my grandmother’s schizophrenia medication.
It seems that with every new chapter of my education, I move farther away from home. From a two-minute walk in elementary school, to a two-hour commute in high school, and possibly, to living four hours away in Los Baños for college. My world continues to expand; but so do the costs and responsibilities that come with reaching my dreams.
But with ANI, the seemingly distant future I’m aiming for can get closer. It would greatly ease the financial burden on my mother, and allow my family to start saving up for my college education. With your support, I can keep moving forward, reach farther distances, and contribute to more people.
Thank you!
Exit Essay – The Journey’s Harvest
After six years of failures, triumphs, and the lessons that come along with them, I proudly announce that I am officially an alumna of Quezon City Science High School! I am excited to see how God’s will will shape my future as I embark on the journey of higher education. However, this also marks the end of my journey in QueSci, and I can’t help but feel a mixture of emotions.
Of course, I am overjoyed to have overcome what once felt like never-ending responsibilities and obstacles. Im glad to have survived all the group projects, research defenses, tests, and of course, the notorious full-length plays that make us jokingly call QueSci “Quezon City Performance High School” instead. It feels fulfilling to see my endeavors come into fruition. Even if there were many moments of frustration, helplessness, and stress, I am glad I pushed through and reaped the fruits of resilience along the way.
With that said, it also saddens me to say goodbye to my alma mater, along with beloved peers I grew, laughed, and cried with, and the caring mentors who taught me the value not only of scientia, but also virtus. I will definitely miss the wonderful community of QueSci, as they have shaped my identity, my values, and my dreams. These people made all hardships tolerable and even when we’ll be taking our separate paths, the moments we shared and the wisdom I’ve learned from them will forever remain in my heart.
And above all, I feel immense gratitude for everyone who has helped me throughout this journey. Especially to God, for His divine guidance that made this milestone possible; to my parents, for their love, support, and their hardwork to ensure my education; to my teachers, for their dedication in sharing both academic and life teachings; and to my friends, for staying with me through tears and laughter.
And of course, I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to the people behind ANI, especially to Tito Philip, Tito Arnaldo, and Tita Tere, for easing the financial burden of my education. Thanks to the ANI scholarship, my parents were able to save more and invest in my future education.
With ANI’s help, I stand here today with a fruitful harvest, not only of medals and certificates, but also of cherished memories, irreplaceable friendships, and life-changing learnings.
Once again, thank you ANI!
