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An Unlikely Genius

My story is a simple one. First of all, I'm the youngest of six children and I don't live in the best part of town. I started out at a school where 93 percent of the student population lived in poverty and a report card was simply a bunch of letters to most kids. This school was known for its bad test scores in both reading and in math. For several years while I attended school there it was on the verge of being shut down because "it failed to meet the standards set by the state board of education." It would have been very easy for me just to slack off like almost everyone else there. To tell you the truth, I might have done exactly that if one thing in my life hadn't happened.

At the beginning of second grade, my aunt bought me the first Harry Potter book. Here for the first time I began to read. I loved that book so much that I read it over and over again. It encouraged me to read other books which all amazed me. I also discovered the story behind J.K. Rowling's success. How she had started with nothing to her name and then, due to her incredible inspiration and sheer brilliance, worked her way up the ladder and became one of richest women in the world. I can't put into words what this did for me and how much motivation it gave me.

From then on I began to work harder than ever in school and started to receive A's in every class. I didn't limit my learning just to the classroom either. I went out and found out more about the world we live in and I was determined to work hard so that one day I would be able to share a similar story as Ms. Rowling. Today I'm in the top one percent of the nation in both math and reading. I continue to receive straight A's and also still love to read; Harry Potter is still my favorite.

I'm writing this story to tell you that you don't have to live in the best neighborhood or go to the best school to be successful. Anyone can do anything—it is the foundation of the American Dream. I also want to express how one book or one person can change a life. I owe all my accomplishments and achievements to J.K. Rowling and her outstanding books. She is truly the one responsible for getting me interested in reading and in my school work. I would just like to say, thank you Ms. Rowling for inspiring me to be my very best and for helping to create an unlikely genius.

Story was submitted anonymously