On the wall of my parents’ house hangs a black and white picture of me at the age of four, taken from the front page of Florida Times Union. In the picture the wind has blown my hair out of my face to reveal a fierce look of determination as I push my way through the crowd with an armful of bumper stickers that proclaim “Skinner’s a Winner.” The setting: a summer barbecue in rural North Florida . My role: the baby to be kissed, the innocent to defend, the poster child for a campaign built on the platform of ensuring a brighter future for Florida’s children.
My father is a farmer and a small business owner in a very small town, but during my childhood he was constantly involved in political campaigns, and I grew up in the footsteps of some of Florida ’s most innovative leaders. During the day I went to a public school that taught to the bottom, and as I grew older I felt cheated that so little value was placed on intelligence or education. At night and on weekends my dad would take me to various fund-raisers, speeches and parties where I was introduced to progressive ideas and independent thought. Even as a small child I remember knowing that there was something different about the way these people spoke; a look of purpose in the eyes and a sense of importance in the tone. They gave me books to read and put into my head ideas and dreams that helped me to transcend my environment. They encouraged me to get an education, no matter what it took for me to attain it.
My school didn’t have AP classes. Our books were outdated and many of our teachers apathetic, so I taught myself. I begged my mother to drive me to the next town every few days so that I could bring home big bags full of books from the library, and I managed to wiggle my way into any situation I could think of that would give me a chance to meet people and learn new things. I was the only kid at the county commission meetings, the youngest Page in the Florida Senate chamber, and the youngest staff writer for the local weekly newspaper.
I was invited to leave high school a year early to begin college at the University of Florida . I immediately began taking the maximum number of credits allowed by the school; some because I needed them, the rest because I had a burning desire to learn the material. Walking around campus those first few months, I felt that I was in heaven. I was so thankful to be able to sit in a classroom and hear new ideas and concepts. I didn’t understand the people who skipped class. As opportunities presented themselves, I began to take jobs and internships that seemed likely to broaden my perspective and offer intriguing experiences. Maintaining a heavy course load at school put me in the position to graduate with my bachelor’s degree in just three years, while my extra-curricular activities had me holding an average of two jobs as well as an internship at any given time during my tenure in Gainesville, doing work as varied as tele-fundraising, teaching preschool, and assisting in the coordination of art shows and cultural events. Through merit-based scholarships, need-based loans and my jobs, I funded my own education. I needed the money from the jobs, but I was very careful in choosing where to work. Each position introduced me to different people, skills, and concepts, and each provided its own invaluable hands-on learning experiences. I was able to work closely with business, community and political leaders. I wrote for campus publications, volunteered to raise money for different charities, tutored underprivileged children in summer school, and took leadership positions within my jobs. My grades were high, but when it came to the choice of giving up a job or taking a B, I decided that the things I was learning in my extra-curricular pursuits were more important to me than a few fractions of a point on my GPA.
I consider a legal education the ultimate form of learning. I want to understand the world in which I live. The best way to do that it to study its history and the codes by which it is governed. A comprehensive knowledge of the laws that form the foundation of our societal structure and an appreciation for the thought processes that influenced those laws will help me develop more insight and discernment. I’m not sure yet which course of study I intend to pursue or exactly what I want to do after acquiring my law degree. I feel that I can have the most positive impact on the greatest number of people by working in the public sector. I would like to be able to help improve the quality of life and availability of opportunities for people like those who live in the area where I was raised, people for whom a post-secondary education is not a guarantee and experiences that many Americans take for granted are not even a possibility.
I got lucky. My family did not have a lot of money, but we were well off compared to the abject poverty around us. My parents couldn’t teach me everything or give me all they would have liked to, but they pointed me in the right direction and encouraged me to make my own way. The word “can’t” was off limits in my house. If I said I couldn’t do something, my mom said I must not want it badly enough. There was nothing beyond my reach.
Henry Ward Beecher said, “Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anyone expects of you. Never excuse yourself.” I have always known I could do more than anyone else thought possible, and I have consistently proved myself to be more than they bargained for. I love a challenge, and do not let even a hint of an opportunity go unclaimed. If I want something, I go for it and give it all I have. I succeed because I aim high and work hard, and a legal education will put me one step closer to achieving my goals.
