Education Extra

Congratulations to Angela Giffin from Homewood High School, the recipient of the Annual Birmingham Christian Family (BCF) Scholarship! Giffin receives a $2,000 scholarship to the college or university of her choice. Read her inspiring words on how her faith has guided her decision making throughout her high school career. 

“I was born in a tiny village outside of San Jose, Costa Rica. My mother was very poor and addicted to drugs. I never knew my father or eight of my siblings. My mother was unable to properly care for one of my younger brothers and me. At the age of five, my mother was turned into the authorities for child neglect. My brother and I were moved to a government run orphanage. I remained in the orphanage until the age of eleven. At age eleven, I was given the amazing opportunity to be adopted by a family from the United States of America. The Lord plucked me out of Latin America and brought me to Birmingham, Alabama to become a Giffin. Moving to the United States eight years ago taught me resilience as I had to leave everything that I knew and loved. My culture, my language, my food, my friends, the only family that I had ever known. As a young girl in Costa Rica, I was introduced to Jesus. However, my adoption experience and move to the United States required me to become dependent upon Him and showed me that God had an incredible purpose for my life. I gave my heart to Jesus and was baptized in 2015. All decisions that I have made throughout high school and as I prepare for college have been viewed through the lens of my Christian faith and God’s purpose for my future. As I have chosen friendships as well as my high school courses, I have sought His wisdom through prayer and Bible study. My faith helped me conquer learning a second language as well as other academic obstacles along the way. My Christian friends and mentors have encouraged me to remain pure and abstain from drugs and alcohol. I have allowed His spirit to guide me in choosing summer camps, school activities and clubs, and volunteer work throughout high school. I have received such joy from serving the Lord through my church and within my community. I have been called by God to attend the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) to become a travel nurse. I believe this career path will lead me to the mission field. I know that God has brought me this far and will not forsake me at this point or at any point in my journey. I will continue to trust Him in all things.”

Here are some additional inspiring words from the 2023 Finalists. Runner-Ups Jadyn Moreno and Chase Collins each received a $500 scholarship to the college of their choice.

Runner-Up Jadyn Moreno, from Gardendale High School, says, “I often ask myself why my God gave me a mom with cancer. But having such an impactful birth and family story has led my Christian faith my entire life. I put leadership and ministry in the forefront of my life. I have dedicated myself to serving others in my community. As soon as I could walk I was helping my mom volunteer breast cancer events and sharing my story. Today, as a senior in high school, I am a member of several organizations at my school. One that is dear to my heart is the student council. Each year we sponsor a “Christmas Visions” program, which provides Christmas presents to Jefferson County students in need. We organize donations and fundraisers and raise over $35,000 each year. The best part is shopping for the wishlist. I enjoy shopping for bikes and even toothbrushes thinking about the child’s smile on Christmas morning. I Samuel 12:24 says “..Fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you.” My desire is to serve with a servant’s heart with admiration for who created me- and gave me this testimony.”

Runner-Up Chase Collins, from Oak Mountain High School, shares, “Sin is something no (ordinarily conceived) person has ever been able to overcome, and I am definitely no exception. However, I am constantly striving to eliminate sin from my life, impossible as it may be. I lay in bed at night and go through my day with God, trying to pinpoint the exact moments where I chose to give into temptation instead of following his call. I then repent and ask him to align my will with his, in an effort to completely eradicate any decision that would lead me away from heaven. These Godly decisions are ones I have been prioritizing every opportunity I get, and my church has provided a multitude of outlets that allow me to put God at the forefront of my life. I altar serve, attend youth group, went all through Sunday School, and have logged hundreds upon hundreds of volunteer hours, all through God and the church. I have done yards; made meals; run church yard sales; assisted the elderly; worked VBS; cleaned up after tornadoes; worked church events; fed the homeless at soup kitchens, shelters, and by physically walking through the streets under bridges with friars; and participated in countless other activities through which God has used me to reach others. The decisions in my life have been a product of God’s love for me and my desire to reciprocate that love to him and others. Every decision I make is with God taken into account, as he is the very center of not only my life, but life itself.”

Top Five Finalist Riley Simpson, from Crossroads Christian Academy, says, “I am so thankful for God’s conviction and for loving parents who are willing to correct me and stress the importance of striving to be my best. I can never reach my full potential if I squander my time sitting in front of a screen. I have faced many challenges throughout high school, and I will undoubtedly face many more in the future. The Lord has brought me through enough situations to strengthen my faith and reinforce the fact that anything is possible through Him.”

Top Five Finalist Alex Brockmann, from Hoover High School, shares, “The moment sears itself in my memory. I’ll never forget standing at the peak of Tooth of Time in New Mexico with my Boy Scout Troop. It was a cold, windy evening in July, but as I looked out over the breathtaking landscape – craggy cliffs, winding rivers, and the vast plains of the Midwest on my right and the Rockies on my left – I felt a deep connection to His creation. As I remembered the verse from 1 Peter 4:10 that had always stayed with me. At that moment, I felt a deep sense of purpose – to serve others with my talents in God’s grace and name.”

Visit www.birminghamchristian.com/scholarship to read each finalist’s full essay. Thank you to the 159 applications who applied for the scholarship. Special thanks to our Scholarship Sponsors: American Village, The Center, and Vulcan Termite and Pest Control. All five finalists will receive a signed copy of Richard E. Simmons, III’s book, College with No Regrets. The 2023 Scholarship recipients will receive special recognition at the Baron’s Faith and Family Night on May 12, 2023 at Regions Field.