Regent Scholarship Essay!

I just finished my Regent Scholarship essay! They wanted students to write an essay explaining how they are going to change the world and the winner will receive a full scholarship for four years of school including books! I wrote the original draft and my wonderful mother (who is a professional writer) edited it for me and it took a few more drafts but I just finished it! We will see if by God's grace I win. But regardless, I am proud of my essay.


“How I Will Change the World”
By Ryan Burgett

I was getting nervous. My sixth-grade teacher was going from desk to desk asking each of my classmates what they wanted to be when they grew up. Soon she would be at me! And I didn’t have an answer.

I listened as the other students told her how they wanted to be things like movie stars and sports players. I couldn’t believe it. The last thing I wanted my life to revolve around was a ball and a hoop! But what did I want to do?

Then the answer came to me.

When the teacher stepped up to my desk, I summoned all my 12-year-old courage and told her the truth, “I don’t know exactly what I want to be when I grow up, but what I do know is that I want to make a difference.”

That was how I felt back in sixth grade, and that is how I still feel today - I want to make a difference. But how?

Once again, I knew the answer.

Who is the most significant person to have ever walked the planet? Who made the biggest difference of any one human being? Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. I believe the best way I can make a difference, and ultimately change my world, is to model and communicate the life and work of Jesus to my family and to the people around me, regardless of the job I hold.

But that is a tall order. How do you narrow that down to put it into practice? I decided to read the book of Mark to find out. This book focuses on Jesus’ humanity and how He lived his life practically. I knew it could give me valuable insight.

As I read, I made a list of the qualities that most defined who Jesus was. According to Mark, His life was characterized by: Prayer - He rose up very early in the morning to pray; Humility - He never took personal credit for His miracles; Empathy - He deeply felt the pain of those around Him; Patience - He always calmly explained truths to his confused disciples; Faith - He trusted in God His Father to do the miracles; Teaching - He taught in the Synagogues and everywhere else He went; Wisdom – He truly understood what He felt, saw and experienced; Power - He worked incredible miracles that had never been seen before; Authority - He embraced the authority given to Him by the Father; and Mission – He was always trying to bring people to Himself and to the free gift of salvation.

If any man wants to change the world, these are the qualities that need to define his character. They need to define my character and I am actively taking steps in that direction. But how does changing me, change my world?

It’s called the ripple affect. And the entry point needs to be my family.

I am happily married with a five-month-old daughter. She is hopefully the first of many. But with children comes the responsibility to raise them “in the way they should go.” This involves more than just teaching them the alphabet or how to tie their shoes. It requires clearly communicating through both my life and my words the message I most want to give my children - the truth of the Gospel, so that they can trust in Jesus and live as He lived.

Then, like a pebble dropped in a pond, I will be raising up a family to carry on the communication of these values both during my life and after. And as the circle widens, it will change, affect and make a difference not only in my world, but in their world and the world to come. That is how I can amplify my voice.

Changing the world is a monumental task and communication is essential to all of it. I do not want to be unprepared! Learning to better communicate will give me the skills to clearly and articulately present my message to my family and ultimately, the world.

Can one man make a difference? Yes. Can one man with his family make an even bigger difference? Absolutely. Jesus said to, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” I hope to spend the rest of my life with my family by my side communicating the wonderful message of Jesus and living His life to the world. That, I believe, will make the biggest possible difference in this world.