There is only 24 hours in a day.

About two months before the end of of my eleventh grade year, I heard that there will be a contest to win a free 3-1/2 weeks trip to England for deaf youth exchange program sponsored by then Gallaudet College. Only 10 deaf and 5 hearing participants (those hearing contestants had to prove their interests related to deafness) will be picked out from the contest.

Excitedly, I participated in the contest. It required two essays, grade transcript, recommendation letter from a teacher, and a project, along with a report, related to England. Sounded a lot? It did not deter me as I was quite eager to begin.

Laboriously, I worked on the contest, and on my school work, especially my upcoming end of the school year report, not to mention the final exams.

There were times I felt pessimistic about being able to finish all. Then my father said to me, "There is only 24 hours in a day. You have to learn how to make the best of those hours." Somehow I managed to finish both of them, on time.

Soon after I finished my final exams, I was eating a snack on the dining table when I saw my grandmother answering a phone call. She looked excited and beckoned to me.

"You won the contest!"

It turned out that I was one of the participants to be chosen out of 300+ in the U.S.

Honestly, I did not really expect to win. I merely enjoyed participating in the contest.

Perseverance and determination, without expecting the outcome, will eventually succeed.