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Money Mondays
By Imagine Scholarships
Sherri Ross
August 19, 2024
“Imagine where you can go with a scholarship and a dream!”
Subject: Missed Opportunities
Happy Monday, Imagine Family! We want to welcome all 15,000+ students, parents and educators to Money Monday this week.
I’ll get straight to it. I’m here to do 2 things for you:
Give you valuable information to help you find money for college and be smart with your money
Give you tips on how to be your best self as a student, parent or educator
Think of me as your own personal cheerleader through the college admissions, scholarship and life success process. Ready ? Let’s Go!
Student Section
I have a quick story to tell you about a missed opportunity that happened to me a few years ago. I was traveling abroad and had a week in Ireland. I stayed in a lovely hotel and enjoyed it very much. However, the food was very expensive everywhere I went. I was careful to not spend too much and watched my budget. Every morning I’d eat my granola bar and start my day.
As I checked out of the hotel at the end of the week, the concierge asked how I had enjoyed the free elaborate breakfast buffet each morning.
What? I had access to an elaborate breakfast buffet each morning for free? How did I not know this? I could just picture it…pancakes, whipped cream, strawberries, bacon, eggs, fruit…I can’t believe I missed this free valuable opportunity I would have loved.
The same could happen to you this school year if you’re not careful. There are likely many wonderful resources at your disposal but you have to be an advocate for yourself and seek them out. Do this favor for yourself. Seek out every opportunity your school has to offer and then choose which ones will benefit you.
Examples:
Free tutoring | Free counseling | Academic help | Writing Labs
Use of electronic devices | Scholarships | Internships
Career Opportunities | Resume and Interview help | Wellness Programs
Crisis Intervention | Food and School Supplies
Parent Corner
Your student’s challenges can be their greatest strengths. One famous story that highlights how something often perceived as a challenge can be seen as valuable by others is that of Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps and his experience with ADHD.
As a child, Phelps was diagnosed with ADHD, and he struggled in school because of it. His inability to sit still and focus led to difficulties in the classroom, and he was often sent out of the room or reprimanded by teachers. Some people, including his classmates, made him feel ashamed of his condition. They saw it as a weakness or a reason to exclude him socially.
However, Phelps' mother recognized that his hyperactivity could be channeled positively. She enrolled him in swimming classes, and Phelps quickly found that the sport allowed him to focus his energy in a way that felt natural. What others saw as a limitation, Phelps and his family saw as an opportunity.
Phelps went on to become one of the most successful athletes in Olympic history, winning 23 gold medals. His story demonstrates how something that is often stigmatized—whether it's a learning difference, ADHD, or needing extra help like tutoring—can actually be a source of strength and value when approached from a different perspective.
This story resonates with the idea that what some might view as a reason for shame, such as needing extra support or being different, can be reframed as a unique strength that leads to success. As a parent, you have the valuable opportunity to help your student reframe their challenges and find a way to use them as strengths.
Educator’s Edge
The Ripple Effect of Your Impact:
In a small town, there was a high school teacher named Mr. Thompson who taught English. Over the years, he became known not just for his excellent teaching but for the genuine care he showed for his students. He would often stay after school to help students with their essays, listen to their problems, and encourage them to pursue their dreams. He believed that education wasn’t just about passing tests but about helping students discover who they were and what they could achieve.
One year, a new student named Emily joined Mr. Thompson's class. Emily had a difficult home life and struggled with self-confidence. She rarely spoke in class, kept to herself, and her grades began to slip. Many teachers had written her off, thinking she was just another quiet student who wouldn’t amount to much.
But Mr. Thompson saw potential in Emily. He began to leave encouraging notes on her assignments, praising her creativity and ideas. He invited her to join the school’s writing club, and though she was hesitant at first, she eventually agreed. Slowly, Emily began to open up, not just in her writing but in class as well. She started to believe in herself.
Years later, Emily became a successful journalist, and she often credited Mr. Thompson with changing her life. She said that his belief in her made her believe in herself. In her acceptance speech for a journalism award, she thanked him publicly, saying, “Mr. Thompson didn’t just teach me English; he taught me that I mattered. He showed me that someone believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself.”
What Mr. Thompson didn’t know was that Emily had been on the verge of dropping out of school that year. She had felt invisible, lost, and hopeless. His encouragement, his willingness to see her when no one else did, saved her in more ways than one.
Mr. Thompson’s story is a reminder that educators have a profound impact on the lives of their students. Every kind word, every moment of extra help, every time you believe in a student when the student struggles to believe in themselves—it all creates a ripple effect that can change the course of a student’s life.
Message for Educators
As you start this new school year, remember that your role goes far beyond teaching curriculum. You are shaping lives. There will be students, like Emily, who might feel invisible or unsure of their worth, and your encouragement could be the turning point in their lives.
You may not always see the results immediately, but your impact is real and lasting. The effort you put in, the extra time you give, the patience you show—it all matters. You are planting seeds of confidence, hope, and resilience that will grow in your students long after they leave your classroom.
This year, take heart in knowing that you make a difference, even in ways you may never fully see. Keep believing in your students, and keep showing them that they matter. Your work is important, and you are shaping the future, one student at a time.
Scholarship of the Week
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Imagine Family, I hope you have the best week this week. Again I’ll encourage you to be curious this week. Read something new and find a new quote from it. Write down the quote and post it on your bathroom mirror. Don’t miss an opportunity to be successful. Do something kind for someone else and most importantly, be kind to yourself.
We want to know you!
We look forward to hearing from you soon!
Sherri and Team Imagine
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