West Lowndes student discusses strive for excellence while facing hardship
LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – The “Accepting the Challenge of Excellence” Award is for students who excel in the classroom and overcome hardship in their lives.
Amanda Stewart is the winner of the 2024-205 A.C.E. Award. She is graduating from West Lowndes High School in just a few short weeks.
As she looks ahead to the future, she remembers that the road to get here was not always easy.
Amanda grew up faster than her peers. Her mom dealt with mental challenges, and Amanda had to learn to deal with things that most kids her age didn’t have to worry about.
“I outgrew her at a young age,” Stewart said. “My mom was as supportive as she could be. She was trying her best.”
Amanda said overcoming these challenges in her life has helped shape her into the person she is now.
“It made me grow up earlier than most kids. It’s a blessing and a curse because now I’m pretty independent,” Stewart said. “My mom is a very great woman, and she did the best that she could. She’s not in any way neglectful. She’s very supportive. And I do have a strong support system around me now.”
Despite all the obstacles, she always knew she would get to where she is today.
“I became better than I ever imagined myself,” Stewart said.
Amanda said she hopes other students hear her story and become inspired to always be the best they can be, and know that their circumstances don’t define them.
“Their future is what they put the work in for, that their future is what they make out of their present,” Stewart said. “Because I know at a young age, I didn’t have the best circumstances, but I’m still very ahead now. And so if other kids could just not focus on their circumstances and use what resources they do have, they can be better than what they imagine themselves to be.”
Amanda plans to continue her education at the University of Mississippi and study radiology. She plans to keep using the same method that’s gotten her to where she is today – put in the hard work, and it will pay off later.
