<p>Good advice from the other posters. I really enjoy essays that start with a story or use a story to illustrate the theme. So…if there is an incident that demonstrates their fine qualities and how the incident/watching your parent’s response impacted you and how you see the world, this can be really memorable for a reader. Try this out as an approach for the essay.<br>
Your essay may be helpful for scholarship applications related to your family circumstances so please make sure that you are signed up on fastweb and indicate your minority status, first gen college student, chicano, etc. I think it is important to invest some time in an essay that can be tweaked for multiple applications. I know that Ohio State’s application for the Morrel (spelling) scholarship would have required this type of an essay. Perhaps other posters can refer the OP to other scholarships or programs that are relevant for this student.</p>