writing for money=impossible

so i'm trying to get this scholarship called the Flinn Scholarship that gives you an unbelievable $50,000 for college and into this exclusive group of Arizona students that gets special trips abroad, conferences and seminars with important people and the keys to a successful future... or at least that's what their brochures say. see look at them, they're all happy and successful.

all the students that were Flinn scholars are major involved in their school and do science fairs, play sports, are in the orchestra and are valedictorian or salutatorian in their class. and then there's me...

Applying for this Flinn scholarship will definitely make me feel less lame about not getting to apply anywhere out of state and still have that sense of accomplishment for being recognized. I'm looking forward to college because it seems like that's where you actually get to do your part in the world and start building your life.

Plus, it's free money.

filling out all the regular boring application stuff is easy like your grades, clubs, blah blah. but then of course they had to test your writing.

there are 3 essays you have to submit and they're all 500 words or less. the Flinn lady who came in said they spend time trying to come up with interesting, unique topics for us to write and for them to read and this is what came out of that:

1. Who are you? Tell us something not apparent in your application about your career goals, life experiences or an obstacle overcome. Use this response to differentiate yourself from the hundreds applying for this scholarship award.

-I basically want to write about being Eritrean and Muslim growing up in America and how that's shaped my perspective and what I want to do. It's all really messy right now , because I don't want it to be a pity, outsider story because that wouldn't be true. I'm lucky that I had a lot of friends in school and I wasn't isolated or anything. But I did feel pressure to be with the majority and experienced moments when I had to stand up for myself, so I want to talk about that in an intelligent way...

2. Eight objects reside in a box. Choose five of them and write a story. Story begins: It was a Wednesday morning and had rained all of Tuesday." Objects: baseball bat, empty Starbucks cup, detour sign, two wax bananas, a guitar, a copy of Einstein's Relativity:The Special and General Theory, skateboard, six toy soldiers.

- Yeah, I know, what? This one is really hard. I don't even know where to start. Should it be funny or serious? Which objects should I use? Help?

3. What is your view on genetic testing? Defend your choice. ( there was more to this one, but i'm too lazy to write it all out)

- this was really easy, i already wrote it up and uploaded it. Got help from Mom since she knows about that stuff and from Dad because he knows how to argue:)

I'm feel very anxious about these essays because they are my only opportunity to show my voice and make me not another application the board has to go through. They say not to try and impress them and just be yourself, but what if that's not enough? I think I'd do better in the interview. I'm more of a face to face person. You don't have to worry about hooking the audience with your opening sentence or sentence structure or transitions then.

so any advice on essay #2 or writing essays for scholarships in general, i'll take it :)