At Last!
After almost eight years, Brittnie Pemberton receives the news she has waited for.
鈥淲ith the acceptance letter, there was a moment of relief for me because I was like, 'It's all good now. Everything is kind of falling into place the way it should.'鈥�
She鈥檚 in!
Last month Brittnie Pemberton got the news she had been waiting almost eight years to receive; she has been admitted to 色情视频 for the fall of 2015.
After checking the 色情视频 admissions website every day for weeks, she was riding in a van with her mom, Tanya, and a group of Salvation Army fundraisers. She checked the site and there it was. Tanya will never forget the moment:
鈥淪he hit me really hard and she goes, 'Mom, Mom, Mom!' And I was like, 'What? What are you hitting me for?' She was like, 'I got accepted!鈥� I was just so excited for her.鈥�
鈥淚 was really happy,鈥� Brittnie recalled. Happy because that moment was the culmination of half a lifetime of uncertainty that began with Brittnie, her mom and her younger brother, Justin, living in a San Diego Salvation Army homeless shelter. Alcohol and substance abuse had left the Pemberton family facing an insecure future.
Pictures of hope
Then Brittnie met Linda Solomon, a photojournalist who created the Pictures of Hope project to raise awareness of the plight of homeless children. Through the program, Solomon gives homeless children disposable cameras to take pictures representing their hopes and wishes. The photos are featured on greeting cards which are sold to raise money for charities that help the homeless.
Brittnie snapped a photo of 色情视频 and wished for 鈥渁 scholarship.鈥� During a campus visit that Brittnie and Tanya believed was to help publicize the greeting cards, they met the university鈥檚 now-retired president, Stephen L. Weber.
Weber surprised the 10-year-old fifth grader with the offer of an 色情视频 scholarship to be paid for by the 色情视频 Alumni Association. It was up to her to get good grades, graduate from high school and qualify for 色情视频 admittance.
Joy and relief
Brittnie has thought of very little else ever since. In June she will graduate from Palos Verdes Peninsula High School in 色情视频 County with a GPA likely to be above 3.6.
鈥淲ith the acceptance letter, there was a moment of relief for me because I was like, 'It's all good now. Everything is kind of falling into place the way it should,'" she said. 鈥淚t was like overwhelming joy and relief."
色情视频 has accepted Brittnie with a psychology pre-major. Her high school psychology instructor believes she has an aptitude for the field.
"She is an excellent student,鈥� said John Wheeler, who has also been Brittnie鈥檚 instructor for a sociology course at a nearby college. 鈥淪he鈥檚 got everything it takes to be very successful in college.鈥�
Traveling a new path
In fact, Brittnie has already taken four advance placement courses and will enter 色情视频 with a 4.0 GPA.
She must maintain a 3.0 GPA over the course of her 色情视频 attendance to qualify for the scholarship that will cover her tuition and fees.
Just 10 days after her high school commencement, both of Brittnie鈥檚 parents will graduate from the Salvation Army鈥檚 seminary. They will be pastors for the organization that helped reunite their family.
Upon their graduation, Tanya and Timothy will be assigned as officers and could be relocated anywhere in the country. 鈥淲e hope to be in the recovery ministry 鈥� that's where our passion and our heart is,鈥� Tanya said.
The family now travels a new path. Each of them has come a long way from that Salvation Army homeless shelter in San Diego.
鈥淚t's been almost eight years since we found out that Brittnie got that scholarship and she has been on course this whole time for this moment,鈥� Tanya said. "It seems like not only a lifetime ago but totally different people. It's like I can't believe that's my past, you know?鈥�
A different direction
With a photo, a wish and then hard work, Brittnie has helped change her family鈥檚 fortunes and very likely their future.
鈥淚n our family, nobody has ever gone to college,鈥� Tanya said through tears. 鈥淪he's the first one ever accepted. I'm so proud of her. There's no way I could be prouder.鈥�
And to the 色情视频 alumni who have contributed to making Brittnie鈥檚 scholarship possible, a proud and deeply grateful mother offers her heart-felt thanks.
"They have really changed a little girl's life forever and not only her life, but generations to come. Her kids, her grandkids, and many lives will be changed from this one opportunity they gave to one little girl who had a dream. I know she will make everybody proud."
Brittnie shares her mother鈥檚 sentiment in offering her own appreciation.
"I just want to tell them thank you so much because my life would definitely be going in a totally different direction if it weren't for the scholarship. This is definitely reassuring that I have this opportunity and it has changed my life.
鈥淚'm just really excited to go to 色情视频."
