For Creede Phillips, a senior at Salida High School, finding out he got the Daniels Scholarship was an unbelievable moment. “Finding out that I was a Daniels Scholar was surreal,” Phillips said. “I couldn’t believe it for the first two weeks.” What started as disbelief turned into excitement as this big opportunity began to sink in, something he never thought he would receive.
The Daniels Scholarship is a highly competitive program that provides significant financial support and guidance for future college students. For Phillips, it’s more than financial aid, “It felt like an opportunity I never thought I was going to get,” he said, “Being able to continue my future in a positive way with this huge amount of help is really awesome to me.”
His journey to this achievement was shaped by both challenges and personal growth during his high school years. He mentioned how tough social situations helped him develop good communication and confidence skills. Learning how to stand up for himself and express his emotions really shaped how he is today. “Being able to express things like, ‘Hey, I’m frustrated with you’ or ‘I don’t think that this is right’ is really important,” Phillips says.
One of the most impactful moments in Phillips life came when his grandmother passed away, after he got the chance to care for her. That experience changed his perspective on life fully. As Phillips put it “I used to be the most evil person ever, everyone at Salida High School knew that I was terrifying because I was crazy, and I feel like when my grandma passed away and I was taking care of her, it really just made me understand how precious everything in life is.” He explained how this tough experience made him a kinder, more thoughtful person and helped him build connections with more people. He believes personal growth played a big role in him getting opportunities like the Daniels scholarship.
For academics, Phillips says his success with this scholarship was mainly because of his writing and communication skills. Classes like creative writing taught him how to write strong, meaningful essays. He also received lots of support from Ms. DeMoss, a teacher at Salida High School who helped him refine his application. “My writing skills took me to the finish line,” Phillips said.
In addition to his strong writing skills, Phillips believes his authenticity sets him apart from the other applicants. During his interview he made efforts to make genuine connections with the judges. He also wanted to align with the values of the Daniels scholarship rather than just seeing it as financial aid. “You can’t fake it,” he said. “You have to be honest and vulnerable with who you are.”
Phillips also credits his close support system for his success. He highlighted Ms. DeMoss as a mentor and his mom, who has a background in journalism and supported him throughout the process. He also expressed gratitude for his close friend Lily Modeszki, a past graduate of Salida High School, who supported him during the stressful and scary moments. “Having people who are close to you and rooting for you is really important,” he said.
Looking ahead, Phillips has committed to University of Colorado Boulder, where he plans to study political science. His long term goal is to attend law school and ultimately start a law firm in New York.
Phillips advice to other students pursuing scholarships is simply be yourself. He encourages everyone to focus on how they have grown from experiences instead of trying to gain sympathy. “Dont try to make people feel bad for you,” he said. “Talk about what you’ve achieved because of what you’ve been through.”
Receiving the Daniels scholarship has completely changed Phillips outlook on the future. In fact, he admitted he wasn’t planning on going to college before applying, and he applied on the last day. Now his perspective has changed. “It gives me hope,” he said, “I’m going to accomplish things I never thought I could.”
Phillips’s story is a reminder that growth, authenticity and taking chances can lead to life changing opportunities.
