By Valerie Sallee
When I was sixteen years old, I made a move from Katy, TX to small town High Island. This was one of the hardest things I have ever experienced. However, this move challenged me and forced me to grow. While in Katy, I attended Faith West Academy, a private school and was faithful to a church youth group. The summer after Hurricane Ike, my youth group did a mission trip to High Island. We did some clean-up work and some basic painting at the First Baptist Church. My younger sister and I went home and said that we could never let our dad visit as we knew he would fall in love. Little did I know, one year later my dad would accept a job as the Pastor of First Baptist High Island. My dad accepted the pastorate job the day after my sixteenth birthday, making the transition extremely rough on me. I had the worst attitude about moving to High Island, but that quickly changed as I saw that there was a need that I could meet.

I started school in High Island my junior year, and decided that I would play basketball and would get involved quickly so that I could meet people and make friends. When we moved, the church did not have a very strong youth program, so I asked if I could lead. I began leading and as I did, my heart began to soften. I was forced to live what I was teaching at church. See, it isn’t hard to live a good life if you place Jesus at the center, everything else just comes naturally. Over the course of my two years in High Island, I received numerous awards and was involved in Basketball, Cross-country, Volleyball, One Act Play, Fellowship of Christian Students, Student Government, and National Honor Society. I received the “student of the year” award my senior year and served as Senior class secretary as well.

Valerie Sallee receiving scholarship check from George Strong (L), Chamber of Commerce Treasurer, and Mac Mc Donald, Chamber of Commerce President

As I continued leading Bible Study and youth activities on Wednesday nights, I felt God’s calling for me to continue my life in that general direction. When we moved to High Island, I met a young man who had graduated from High Island and had decided to pursue a degree in Biblical Studies. He told me about the little school he attended in Dallas called Criswell College. He knew I was gifted in ministry and urged me to check it out. I visited Criswell College during the Fall of my Senior year. When I walked through the doors of that place I knew I was where I belonged. I graduated from High Island School on May 25, 2012 and received an abundance of scholarships and grants. The Lord really does provide, as my tuition is paid for at least two years. However, that does not include my housing, books, food, or bills. I am so grateful to be receiving this scholarship, as this can help with my food, books, gas, bills, and housing. I am currently attending Criswell College and am pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Biblical Studies and Religious Education. I am forever grateful to God for blessing me with the people I’ve come in contact with and for the influences in my life. I am thankful to Gwen Edgar, the counselor at High Island School and a past recipient of the “Bolivar Peninsula Educator of the Year” award for recommending me as the recipient of the “Bolivar Peninsula Chamber of Commerce” scholarship.