Big Sandy Community & Technical College is pleased to announce
Daniel K. Jeffries has won the 2020 Student Essay Contest with his work entitled “The Power of Hope.” Jeffries will receive the $100 prize and an award certificate.

In writing his essay, in which he highlights the importance of forgiveness, Jeffries pulls
from his studies in Comparative Religion, Introduction to Sociology and Anatomy and
Physiology.

Jeffries insightfully writes,

“I learned that it is up to me what burdens I allow myself to carry through life. I cannot control what others choose to do, but I can control how I respond. Out of a place of brokenness, I came to believe that forgiveness is
freedom. Freedom from the bondage of bitterness and resentment, shame and regret.”

The guidelines of the contest stipulate the essay must derive from courses the student
is taking. Jeffries’s genius lies in his ability to tie three different disciplines to convey the
meaning of forgiveness.

Dr. Zylka, President/CEO of BSCTC, stated, “Mr. Jeffries
provides an inspiring understanding of what it means to let go of regrets, to forgive and
to live with vibrancy and light.”

The contest is facilitated by the Communications and Writing Division and sponsored by
the Big Sandy College Educational Foundation Board.

Jeffries, of Van Lear, Kentucky, is pursuing an Associate in Human Services degree at BSCTC.