<p>I’ll be applying to the UC’s this fall. Dream school is Berkeley. Please criticize my work for the following prompt:</p>
<p>Describe the world you come from – for example your community, family, or school – and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations. </p>
<p>All I was able to hear in the dark room was the constant beeping of the machines, all I was able to see was an innocent, motionless, 2-day-old boy injected with needles, and all I was able to think was why this was happening to a boy who hasn’t even seen the world yet. </p>
<p>He was the most beautiful boy I had ever seen, my brother named Inaam which means gift in Urdu. Indeed, he was a present for all of us. I was ecstatic about becoming an older sister. At a naïve age of 10, I never quite understood what death meant until I experienced the loss of a weeks-old boy who took my soul away.
The years following the absence of my brother felt incomplete. The doctors would always say that it wasn’t possible for my parents to have a child anymore; even if, by some miracle, they had a child, he/she would be disabled. Although, on May 19, 2008, our lives completely turned around. I felt the presence of my Inaam in my hands when I held my healthy baby brother, Abdulhaye. Of course, he grew up to be an active, playful, and silly boy who currently is in 1st grade. We have an imperishable relationship.</p>
<p>When he began Kindergarten, he was having difficulty learning basic skills, such as his ABC’s, 123’s, etc, while other children were identifying everyday words. Initially, I assumed he would grow out of it; however, it became serious when his teachers said he had to repeat Kindergarten. </p>
<p>My parents did not pay much attention, and did not think it was a big deal; however, I knew I did not want my brother to waste another year learning the same concepts. My father works full time and my mother has a high school diploma from India so language is a barrier. Therefore, it became my responsibility to teach my brother in 3 months what the teachers were not able to do in a school year. I decided that no matter what the circumstances were, I needed to tutor him for 2 hours every day so that he could catch up to the rest of his classmates. To teach a 6-year-old something that they are not very fond of is a challenge all alone. Initially, he would cry to get away with completing the homework I assigned him. He would not sit still for even 10 seconds. I tried to think of different and unique ways of teaching a child ABC’s. So, we made ABC cookies, played ABC Go Fish, and downloaded educational games on my computer. I taught him how to stretch words out and look for hidden sight words in the more complex words he reads. He reads a couple books to me every night, and I read his favorite books to him. To motivate him to continuing doing better when he did an excellent job, I would give mini Hot Wheel cars from the corner store as presents. Today, he is in the 1st grade and on track. </p>
<p>One of the many dreams I have today is for my brother to be the best person he can ever be educationally and as an individual. I want to see him be successful in whatever path he chooses to follow. I will continue to inspire and hold his hand throughout the whole process to stay beside him when he needs me, but I will move back to force him to learn from his mistakes. </p>