My name is Agnes Javier Manahan, I am 19 years old. I’m born on August 29. 1999.

currently reside at Brgy., Casongsong, Guimba, Nueva Ecija. I’m studying at Wesleyan

University-Philippines pursuing the degree of Bachelor of Secondary Education, major in

Mathematics. I am second of the three siblings. Namely, my sister, Angelica M. Santos and my

younger brother, Arvie J. Manahan. Arvie is a grauating student from senior high school. He

dreamt about going to an Army school. And that is my dream as well, to send him in the school

that he wanted and to pursue his biggest dream in life. My mother is Mrs. Zenaida J. Manahan

and my father is Mr. Almario M. Manahan Jr. He is the one who supports us in our daily needs,

such as shelter, home and food. Our family is simple. We do not have a fancy house that

everyone wanted but I am happy for the family that God blessed me with.

I know that life is hard, and I know that my parents are financially struggling in

supporting my everyday needs. Hence, I communicated to Ma’am Mae that I like to apply for

this scholarship because I know that it can help me a lot and that it is the only way that I can

succeed. From the day that I got the scholarship from Scranton Women’s Leadership Center, my

life has changed. I became the student that I dreamt to be. I see myself more focused in my

studies and in the things that I love to do, such as teaching the kids in our church and to

becoming one of the leaders of the young generation in our barangay. Also, I see myself

excelling in the class, from the day that I got the scholarship, I became one of the dean’s lister in

our college. Now, I’m a third-time dean’s lister. My parents became proud of it, and I felt more

moral support, love and care from them. It was not that easy to become a dean’s lister. First, I

know that failure comes easily, your ups and downs. And all the people around you can have the

mentality that you don’t ever wanted. Second, the challenges that the world can give you, the

things that you keep in mind that you can do that, you can’t do it. The problems of your family
that you may carry inside the classroom. Have the mentality that “have my parents done enough

for our payments?”. But behind all of that, a student like me can encounter, I always keep in

mind that I have God who loves me unconditionally, who supports me all the way and who

always carries me through towards the success that he prepared for me.

My grandfather who was diagnosed with colon cancer last December 2016 already

passed away last October 2018. I felt lost, unloved, and everything that maybe felt by a

granddaughter. Because he is the one who supports me in everything; from my pocket money, to

my tuition fees and in buying the things that I need in school. He was my hero, then. Since I lost

him, I dedicated all my success in life to him. Before his passing, I promised to him that I will

finish my studies no matter how hard it may be. And when died, my mom got obligated to pay

everything, our water consumes and electricity bills and even for the payment of the motorcycle

that my father got. For now, we don’t have enough money to pay all the payables that we have.

Because my father does not have work, currently it is the side lines of my mother that do support

us today. I had the sister of my father and his husband who supporting me in my finances in

school. They give me money for buying the projects and for the instructional materials when I

have demo teachings. I know that they are blessings for me, because if I don’t have an uncle and

an untie like them, I don’t know how college life world be. They let me stay in their house

during weekdays and I come back to Guimba, my home town every weekends. I know that I

cannot pay back all the good things that they done for my welfare, but somehow, may it be in

little ways such as helping them in doing the daily household chores. I still do my part to help

them. I know that such things are very simple, but aside from having good grades, it is the only

thing that I know to pay them back.

 I am very blessed to have you guys. I know that God used you to shower his

immeasurable love to his children. I am very thankful that you give me the privilege that I

dreamt from the start. I see the graduation roaming from near, it took three semester classes and I

will become a bachelor’s degree holder. A teacher that I dreamt most of the time. I am very

thankful that I met wonderful people like you. And I am so blessed in every moment that I open

my eyes, because in every minute that I have in my life, I know that God never fails to love me

unconditionally. All I can say to you guys, to my College of education family, to my Wesleyan

family and to all the members of Scranton Women’s Leadership Center, thank you so much that

you changed my life for my better future. May the good God continue to bless you all the way.

Thank you for reading my story. God bless you all!