High school was made to break your spirit, at least that’s what Claire thought as she zoned out in her AP English class. Her mind drifted to other more important topics like what college she would go to next year after she graduated, if she graduated. Her grades were good but not great, she knew she didn’t stand out as an applicant. She hadn’t done any extracurricular activities since freshman year because she was working a part-time job. Claire had received acceptance letters from multiple colleges as well as letters inviting her to apply. The problem was, she needed money. Somehow, working a part-time job during school, and the small trust set up by her parents still wasn’t enough. She had applied for countless scholarships, but they all seemed to depend on where she decided to go. The problem was she didn’t know where she was going to go.

The letter was on the counter when she got home, Claire settled into her favorite chair and opened it up. Her jaw hit the floor as she read it.