Undergraduate / "The Vietnamese Language", my common App essay [2]

Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.

When I first came to America, I knew no English, and the only language I was equipped with was my native language Vietnamese. First few years of elementary school were horrible. I was the only Vietnamese kid there. I could not make friends with other kids my age because they don't speak Vietnamese. Some have tried but our friendship didn't last long because we could not connect, or they got frustrated of the confused look on me whenever they tell me something. Others did some hurtful imitations and teased me whenever I spoke Vietnamese. This made me hated my native language; I kept wishing I knew English instead.

By the time I move up to middle school, I got some decent English under my belt and was content. I made a few friends, participated more in class discussions, and I felt more like an actual student in an English school, not just a foreigner anymore. Still I despised my Vietnamese language; believed that it had no use in a country like America, and used it less frequently, except when speaking with my parents.

One day, during class, I was called into the counselor office. I was scared. I thought I got into trouble. Once I got there, I saw a group of 3 students sitting behind a desk across from the counselor with confused looks on their face that I was surprisingly familiar with. A wave of déjà vu hit me; their rural clothing, their neat hairstyle, and their slippers... they were Vietnamese students. I said hi to them in Vietnamese, and they greeted me back with a look of relief. The counselor said that they don't speak English and needed my help to explain to them the schools paper works. I spent the rest of the day getting together with the three students and their parents to work on the school forms, and they were all ready to go the next day. Afterwards, one the student's mom came up to me and said in Vietnamese, "Thank you so much for helping my son, you are like his big brother." I was shocked, because it was the first time a stranger considered me their close relative. I was also happy because it was such a genuine show of gratitude.

After that day, I had a realized that my Vietnamese was not useless after all; it was more like a gift, to help others of my kind in this new country. My Vietnamese helped the three families transition their child into school. The counselor grouped those three students in my classes so I can help translate for them. I knew how they felt, just like how I felt back in elementary school. The only difference is now they have a big brother who can make their transition less difficult and stressful. To this day, I have embraced my Vietnamese language, am proud of it, and use it to help those that are in need.

Scholarship / 'It is not a tool' - What Does Leadership Means? Scholarship [3]

What does leadership means to you?

"When an effective leader is finished with his work, the people will say it happened naturally." Leadership is a tool, for people who are courageous, cunning, and persistent enough to use it and carve a path to greatness for others to follow. Yet, still be humble enough to deny the glory that it offers. In order to lead effectively, a leader must have the ability to influence, to motivate, and to teach his people. More importantly a passionate, dedicated, and authentic leader will be able to use these skills more effectively.

A good leader must have conviction. He must truly believe in himself and his people that they will succeed. Conviction is a tight bond between the leader and his group. It is the key to influence his people to do their best and strive for success. Without it, doubts will grow and the group will question their purpose. A good leader also fully dedicates himself to the process of achieving their goals. He sacrifices his own interests for the group's interests. He takes responsibility for any consequences that stems from their actions. He dedicates his life for the success of the group. Lastly and most importantly, a good leader is authentic. An authentic leader has nothing to hide and everything to give. His true self will shine through and people will follow. He shows that he is comfortable in his own skin, and this vibe gives permission for others to be themselves. When people are comfortable, they will appreciate the leader and work hard to achieve the goal their leader had envisioned. This last important idea derived from a quote I was fond of: "People may not remember exactly what you did, or what you said, but they will always remember how you made them feel." -- Dr. Thomas L. Garthwaite

Leadership is not a tool that can be crafted overnight or a skill that can be mastered through shortcuts. There is no one style of leadership that everyone can follow and duplicate: Abraham Lincoln and his Gettysburg Address is his and his own; Martin Luther King Jr. and his "I Have Dream..." speech is his and his own. Barrack Obama and his style of speech is his and his own. There is no duplicate of a great leader. But through learning and experience, a person can develop his or her own style of leadership. It is a discovery of one's trues self and purpose, and motivate others to adopt the same purpose. That is the true greatness of leaders.

This is an essay for a scholarship. I wrecked my brain trying to think of something unique to say about leadership but can't find anything that has already been said. Any feedback will be extremely helpful, thank you.