In the major leagues, baseball players can fall into slumps. During my sophomore year of college, I hit a heavy slump. My grades were subpar, my time management was awful, and my focus was on everything but my major classes. Being 5 hours away from home made everything even more difficult while attending college. I didn’t have too many people to talk to or reach out to for help, but with BEST, I had my home away from home. The mentorship program, the kindhearted members of the board, and the man that runs the show (Billy Staples) were all HUGE impacts in turning my college slump into my college success. This group has an amazing network and helped guide me through my four years of college. BEST became more than just a scholarship program to me. It became a second family. 

 

I am now a BEST graduate with a full-time teaching job at a middle school in Oberlin, Ohio. The passion and the drive to help students in need is built into this group and there is no doubt in my mind that it goes unnoticed. I can’t wait to give back to this group and help others in need, like how I received help of my own.