Farrah Moore: Leading Students On The Right Path

Image+of+my+fellow+Chicago+Scholars+members+who+also+have+the+opportunity+to+work+with+Mrs.+Moore.+

Image of my fellow Chicago Scholars members who also have the opportunity to work with Mrs. Moore.

Joselyn Chavez, Editor

Over the course of the year, I had the opportunity to work closely with one of the most influential people in my college life at the moment. Farrah Ellison Moore has not only achieved so much for herself but gives back to her community and the youth around her through the Chicago Scholars Program. The Chicago Scholars program is a group of individuals who work to make sure that students facing all those application on the Common Application and are filling out the FAFSA are not completely losing their minds. The program focuses on first generation college bound students who need a little more guidance from an adult who has been there before.

I was very lucky to be assigned Mrs. Moore as my counselor. Through my interactions with her, I have seen how hardworking she is. She works as a College Counselor and, therefore, has the experience to help students like me who were completely clueless walking into her office for our first meeting. Danielle Balcita ‘19 said upon reflecting her first meeting with her college counselor, “I knew about college and that I had to get so many things done. My counselor makes the whole process more manageable.” Yet, Mrs. Moore goes above and beyond for her students. I struggled a lot in my college picking due to the fact that I did not know where I would fit in. She said something that has stood with me, “You can go anywhere and be happy. The university you pick shouldn’t be something you have to make comfortable for you. You need to walk into that room and just know you would be happy.” Examples like this is where she does not only help the students in their college endeavors, but she also helps their mind.

For a while, I never truly understood why she was willing to spend countless hours helping a bunch of crazy teens. I knew, from personal experience, that she would take calls from students after hours when they were stressing over a certain application requirement. I asked her one day why she did it. Her response changed my view on how I saw my own life and my future feats. She said, “I know how I struggled to apply to college. I know how hard it is. I just want to be able to give back and see your smiling faces after you have been accepted.” I want to enjoy what I do for the rest of my life which causes me to look at my career paths differently. She is truly an amazing woman who gives back to others, and I do not know what I would have done if I did not have her helping me to apply to college.