2022 Winner: Rebecca Grunkemeyer

Congratulations to Beechwood Rebecca Grunkemeyer winner of the 2022 Jordan G. McFaull Memorial Scholarship!

Essay:

I gently knock on the door, and a dog shrilly begins barking, little footsteps excitedly start pattering, two little brown hands hesitantly open the shutters, and almond-shaped eyes curiously peek out the window. I wait until the kids throw open the door; then the Celis-Hernandez children surround me with hugs and laughter. Whenever I get the chance, I love taking Aggy, Mikey, and Boyan out to Graeter's, the swim club, or the park to get them out of the trailer park for a while. My passion for mentoring these kids began when I got to know them through the Hispanic Mentorship Program. I started the Hispanic Mentorship Program with my sister my sophomore year, and after school, we would play games, do crafts, read books, and just talk with Hispanic elementary kids in senior English teacher Ms. Fugate’s room. Tutoring these children allowed me to see how many of these immigrant children have been overlooked by the public-school systems. Although it makes me very sad to see so many children are at a disadvantage, I have realized that the best way to make an impact is to work hard and challenge myself academically so that I can become a lawyer or politician and speak up for the children. 

Jordan McFaull, as an accomplished lawyer, also realized the importance of embracing challenges in order to have a fulfilling life that impacts others. I wish I could have gotten to meet him, because he seemed like a genuine, caring person who sought not just a happy life, but a purposeful life. Happiness is a fleeting emotion, here one second and gone the next; but purpose can outlast even your own life. Yet without challenges, we can never find true purpose. I have found this to ring true in my endeavors as a track athlete, founder of a club, performing singer, captain of the debate team, and Christian. It isn't easy to run four miles at track when it's blistering hot; it isn't easy to organize cultural events for the community; it isn't easy to get up in front of strangers and sing your heart out; it isn't easy to debate complex foreign policy issues with peers; it isn't easy to stick true to your belief in God when many around you will ridicule you for doing so- but it is always worth it because struggle gives your life meaning. 

Because of my desire like Jordan to challenge myself in order to have a meaningful life, I will now major in Law, History, and Society at Vanderbilt University. As I continue my education, I hope to remember the words of Jordan when he wrote in a poem, “ Give me he who judges his step by… the interminable voice which says, press on, press on, and don’t stop.” In the face of trials, I will listen to the quiet voice that tells me to persevere and fight for Aggy, Mikey, and Boyan, and all those who cannot stand up for themselves.