Yaoqin Yang (杨耀琴 )

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I have a younger brother who is also studying at the Taian Middle School, so there are only two people in my family who are working, my mother and my father. In addition, my mother is getting older and her health is deteriorating, so sometimes she can’t work. There have even been times when our income has not been enough to pay for her medicine. My father works long hours in the fields, but still there are years when we can’t afford to buy anything, since we have little land and low income. Our family has no income except what is earned from farming. Sometimes my family can’t afford to pay my living expenses, and this becomes a problem.

Even though their lives are so difficult, my parents have never said they don’t want my brother and me to go to school. They only continue to say that we only have one chance to do well in school, so we must do our best and not miss this opportunity. These words really touch my heart. Since the school is far from home and our parents have no car to bring us to school, many other students have cut class, but I’ve never done this. It is better to study well so I can one day leave our mountain village and see the rest of the world. My parents often say that the farmer’s life is very difficult and farmers work the hardest. They say they would even be willing to sell the house to ensure that we can continue to study. When I get good grades, they are very happy, even though they themselves never went to middle school. They tell me, “An open mind leads to improvement, but pride causes a person to fall behind.” This gives me the strength and confidence to continue to work hard.

With my teacher’s guidance and my classmates’ help, my grades have really improved, and I have become more and more engaged in my schoolwork. Even though I am not as well off as the other students, I feel that as long as I can live and study at this nice, quiet campus, I am satisfied. I won’t be upset because of material goods.

I am never going to forget my parents’ struggles. When I grow up, I will work hard to help the people of these mountain villages to change their fate. I will contribute to society to show my dedication to my family and my country.