Prompt Essay:

Since I was 13 years old, I woke up every day dreading bad news. As the terror in Turkey grew worse each year, there were many days where I received an alert from the New York Times describing another bombing of my country. I often panicked for the safety of my parents and friends. This helplessness was the worst thing about going to boarding school. When I was in Turkey, I found myself calculating the probability of being bombed by either Daesh or PKK that day. Worry became a constant in my life.

This fear reached its peak this past summer when a faction of the Turkish military made a coup attempt. As I heard F-16s flying over my apartment, barely missing the roof, deafening sounds were ringing in my ears. That day I saw people lose their lives for democracy. Throughout this experience, I learned to overcome fear by focusing on the difference I could make to improve the situation in Turkey. I believe that only education and economic prosperity can beat terror. As a result, I worked harder at school and did my best to help those unable, such as Syrian refugee children, get the educational opportunities they deserve. I am motivated to work harder each day because my experience does not let me forget that there are people who live with the fear of war and unrest, and they do not have the power to change things the way I do.