LET’EM LEARN
The Let’em Learn Scholarship Trust provides financial opportunities to help wrestlers thrive in the classroom at the start of their college careers.
Our first Let’em Learn Essay contest required Senior Let’em Wrestle Members to write a one page essay describing the life lessons they’ve learn from the sport of wrestling. The winner received $500.00 to go towards books/supplies during their first semester of college.
Our first winner was 2019 graduate out of Reading PA, Elijah Ortega who wrote about how wrestling has molded his character, his faith and his integrity. Check out Elijah’s essay and be on the look out the look out for more Let’em Learn opportunities in the near future.
What Wrestling Has Taught Me
Wrestling is by far one of the most difficult and challenging sports I have ever known. Since a young age, it was always more than just a competition on the mat, but more of a mindset for life. As I grew up in the sport, I have learned to always fight to be the best me that I can be; not just on the mat, but in every aspect of my life. Everyone has at least one thing that drives them to excellence. As the world offers a variety of options to entice a young mind, I am so thankful that wrestling has overtaken mine.
The mat has first and foremost shown me to respect myself – knowing that when I do everything right or even if I fail, if I can respect the choices I have made, then I have nothing to be upset at or regret. Acknowledging that not all of the choices will be understood by others or sometimes even myself, but embracing the fact that the choice was mine to make and I can stand firmly on it. So that win or lose, I can take full responsibility for the outcome and learn from it. Respect has to be earned and for me, I had to first make sure I had learned it.
Secondly, wrestling has taught me determination. I have experienced loss in many ways and I have also enjoyed many wins. The losses along this journey have been nothing short of heartbreak and frustration. I have learned that if I allow those emotions, that can set my feet on a path that leads to destruction, to rule me, then I will get exactly that. However, if I set my mind to determine to keep on pushing, then the opposite must be true as well. I have learned that truth by personal experience and can appreciate the success that it has earned me. When I stay determined to push through the circumstance or struggle, win or lose, I can appreciate the joy of what I learned through it and can stay focus on the next step in front of me and not lose direction.
Finally, but definitely not the last thing that I have learned from wrestling, is who I am. My academic ability and my athletic skill are two of some of the most amazing gifts that I have been blessed with. I have learned that though those things are largely what make me who I am, they are not the only things that define me. My character, my faith, my integrity, my future security get challenged every day in one way or another. An injury, a death, a bad day, a failed attempt can all be that one thing that changes everything. No one can predict or even plan for the best tomorrow possible – there are just too many variables. What I can do is plan for the best me that I can offer to the world. No matter where or go or what I do, because I know who I am as a person and the kind of person that I want to be, any circumstance that the world throws at me just allows me to showcase that person. The good and the bad will come and who I present through it all is what will add value to my character, my faith, my integrity and my future. I cannot be shaken because I have learned who I am and who I am becoming.
Wrestling will always be the thing that has shaped and molded me and opened my mind to greater things. My mom often tells me when she sees my name in the paper, that she doesn’t see a talented young man doing great things in a place known as the poorest city in the nation, she simply sees the young man living the best life that he was created to live. I have learned to be that young man in each and every area of my life and hope to make a difference.
Elijah Ortega
Reading, PA
More about Elijah…
Elijah plans on pursuing a degree in biochemistry when he graduates high school. Some of his accomplishments
include: -2x Best of Berks County/All Division -2x PIAA AAA District Placer 1x Finalist -Ranked 1 out of 812 students in his Sophomore and Junior class. -On track to achieve Valedictorian-Inducted into the National Honor Society- Selected for 2018 Music Educators of Berks County Senior County Orchestra – Violin II (played for 10 years) – Manages the Girls soccer team for the past two seasons – Member of the Mock student government project in Harrisburg. -Participates in a variety of community events and groups to include being a leadership member of the Youth Advisory Board that collaborates events and initiatives to create a better community, serve at my church’s food bank and soup kitchen, and other community activities to make a positive impact. I also hold a part time job at a local clothing store.