Overcoming the Odds - A Bronx Woman's Incredible Story of Success - Part 2

I was able to leap over some pretty high hurdlessuccess were not particularly enviable where I
that appeared in front of me during my life. Igrew up. However, I refused to allow my
would not have been able to soar over theseenvironment to influence what I wanted to
obstacles if I did not have the support of myachieve and I maintained a steady focus on my
wonderful family - my father, mother andgoal at all times. In life you have choices to make.
brother. They not only supported me, but moreYou are the major contributor to the outcomes
importantly they believed in my ability to reachof events in your life. It is up to you to decide
my seemingly unattainable goal to become ahow you respond to issues that face you and
veterinarian. My father was the quiet gentlemanyou must determine how you will allow these
that laughed in the background in our house andcircumstances to affect you.
always held a newspaper in his hand while heMy environment did not quench my zeal to learn
watched golf, basketball or some other sport on(because I chose not to allow it to) and I
television. Dottie, my mother, took me and Celiaperformed well scholastically in high school. I
Martinez to many activities in New York City,ultimately wanted to attend Cornell University
including roller derby training in Staten Island. Webecause they had a veterinary school and I just
traveled four hours roundtrip from the Bronx oncould not envision myself anywhere else.
the subway and ferry every weekend for severalOccasionally there will be people on the sidelines
months.that will attempt to get you to change your vision
The long trip was definitely worth it because Celiafor your career. They will scream from bull horns
and I enriched our friendship and laughed heartilyto get you to accept their philosophy on the best
when we repeatedly fell on the steeply bankedprofession for you and they will tell you that you
roller derby track. My younger brother had acan not accomplish your own career goal. A prime
bedroom that continuously overflowed with pets.example of this happened each time I informed
He had a piranha that would cause his friends toothers that I wanted to be a veterinarian and
erupt into raucous laughter each time they fed itthey promptly replied, "You know it's hard to get
fish and he also had gerbils that constantlyinto veterinary school." Maybe they did this
propagated pink babies that were buried underbecause they could not achieve this feat and they
the wood chips in a small glass cage. You woulddid not want to celebrate someone else that had
think that my brother was the one destined tothe guts to go for her dream. I did not allow
become a veterinarian instead of me!others to change my vision and you should not
But if it was not for Aunt Loretta, I never wouldeither!
have begun my journey to become a veterinarian.During my high school years my belief and focus
She uncovered my deeply buried desire tomixed with a strong dose of desire were the
become a veterinarian, a desire that was coveredperfect blend that propelled me closer to my goal
by many layers of fear - a fear of animals. Myof getting admitted to veterinary school. In my
family frequently visited my Aunt Loretta andsenior year I was admitted to a mighty bastion of
after some time she sternly informed me thatIvy League excellence, Cornell University, despite
she would no longer put Taddy and Dinky in thehearing about the difficulties of gaining admission
basement while I was there. Aunt Loretta insistedto this institution. However, no one told me about
that I become more familiar with her two dogsthe enormous odds that I needed to overcome in
that would be allowed to freely roam the houseorder to graduate from Cornell University - the
during my future visits. I absolutely cherishedintense competition to excel academically, the
going to her house, so in a very brief time Istark reality that my graduating class was less
became accustomed to having Taddy and Dinkythan 5% African American and the pressure to
circle around me to smell the curious scents thatbe the first person in my family to graduate from
accompanied me into the house. A sudden turn ofan Ivy League university. Even though I was
events occurred for me. The more that I wasconfronted with all of these issues, I graduated in
around the dogs, the more my fascination with allthree and a half years from this university that
animals grew. The fear that had me running frompeople had difficulty graduating from in even four
animals transformed into an obsession that hadyears.
me running to read all the animal related booksThere are several points that I would like you to
that I could find.take away from this portion of my story. I truly
By the time I was thirteen years old I wasbelieve that anyone can achieve their dreams if
absolutely certain that I wanted to become athey adhere to these five essential practices.o
veterinarian. I began to plan how I could begin myBelieve that you can attain your goals.o Surround
quest to achieve this goal. My plans includedyourself with positive supporters and refuse to
attending a premier academic high school andlisten to the naysayers.o Make sacrifices even at
college. After being admitted to several hightimes when you may not want to.o Always
schools, I decided to attend one of the topremain focused on your goals.o Envision and
ranked high schools in New York City, the Bronxactually feel how it will be when you reach your
High School of Science.goal.
Now that may sound great, getting accepted intoYou are the one in control of your destiny, no
one of the top schools in New York City, butone else is. It is now time for you to move
having a love of science and achieving academicforward toward your self defined destiny!