Black & Jones Scholarship

Over the first 18 years of my life so far, there has been one person who has always been someone I could depend on. Someone who has shown me the value and importance of hard work. We have been through some times where we didn't have extra. This person was my dad. It was in those times he showed me how important it is to be a well rounded, hard working person who lives a life of integrity and shows compassion. I remember a day when life was tense inside my house as a young kid and a family member showed up at the house who was very strapped for cash. They drove up to my house in their car that seemed to be falling apart. My dad talked to them in the midst of a rough day he was having and comforted them. He invited my aunt to come inside and spend some time with my sisters and I, so he could take a look at her car and see what he could do. After spending some time with my aunt, I went to the garage and saw my dad with the tires off her car. He looked over at me and asked me to help him finish up. I don't remember what he did to the car, but I remember that he made my aunt's day better and her car drove away that night with new life. That day, I saw my dad do something that he found to be simple, but overwhelmed my aunt. This wasn't my dad's career path, but it brought him joy and helped someone in a time of need. Over the years, I would help my dad in the garage fixing our cars, or neighbor's cars, or friend's cars and my dad was always giving me pointers about different ways to approach the repairs. I would love to use my abilities every day to make someone else's overwhelming problem seem like a simple issue. While I have learned quite a bit from working along side my dad, I know there is a lot of room for growth for me to become a legitimate technician. Without well trained professionals, whether auto mechanics, HVAC techs, welders, etc., our society would become reliant on YouTube technicians to try to keep appliances and machines functioning. My dad has taught me that you can guess at how to fix something and sometimes you will get it right, but most of the time, your attempted repair that you think is "good enough" will fail. In the wrong conditions, that failure could lead to someone else's injury or even death. I'm looking forward to making my passion into a career. Thank you for taking time to read this and for your consideration.

My goal is to be a certified A & P Airplane Mechanic. I am attending Rock Valley's Program this fall. Growing up I learned to wrench on cars with my grandpa, and it inspired me to work on cars. As I grew older, I realized that I like to work on anything. I find taking things apart and seeing how they work very interesting, so that is a big motivational aspect of being an airplane mechanic to me. Additionally, my cousin married an A & P mechanic from the Airforce, he told all about the career and how amazing it is. He is also a guiding hand to me because if I have questions about school or how certain things work on an airplane, he is a book of unlimited resources. My goal one day is to be a senior mechanic working on commercial airplanes for American Airlines. The opportunities and benefits of working at a big company is unmatched to any other path in the airplane mechanic world. Trade work is essential to not only our country but the world. Trade work lays the foundation for anything and everything to get done. It could come from leveling the ground buildings stand on, building the actual structures themselves, or running electricity inside. Without trade work, America would not be where it is today with the big cities and society. Society would not be able to function without trade work due to the fact that many of the luxuries people enjoy would not be possible. Furthermore, trade work opens millions of job opportunities for hard working citizens. Millions of Americans rely on decent living. The trades provide not only the opportunity for people to utilize their brains in a non book manner without going to traditional colleges.

My career aspiration is to become a certified welder and build a successful career in the manufacturing industry. Welding appeals to me because it combines precision, problem-solving, and craftsmanship. I enjoy working with my hands, creating something real, and seeing the results of my effort. Every project is unique, requiring focus and attention to detail, and I find that challenge rewarding. My goal is to continue learning advanced welding techniques and earn multiple certifications that will allow me to take on complex projects. Currently, I am taking Intro to Manufacturing and Intro to Automotive at Hononegah High School, which has given me valuable hands-on experience. These classes taught me how to measure accurately, use calipers, and follow precise instruction skills that directly relate to welding. I have also completed safety training and participated in the Hendricks CareerTek’s Construction Club, which provided exposure to real-world construction expectations, teamwork, and workplace safety. These experiences have strengthened my commitment to pursuing a career in skilled trades. Learning trade work is essential because it provides practical skills that keep our society functioning. Welders, fabricators, and other skilled professionals build the infrastructure we rely on every day—bridges, buildings, vehicles, and machinery. Without these trades, manufacturing and construction would come to a halt. Skilled trades also offer stability and opportunities for advancement, creating careers that support families and communities. By learning a trade, I am not only investing in my future but also contributing to the strength and growth of our economy. Trade work teaches responsibility, problem-solving, and teamwork—qualities that benefit society beyond the jobsite. Skilled workers ensure safety, quality, and efficiency in projects that impact millions of people. I take pride in knowing that welding is more than a job; it is a craft that shapes the world around us. This scholarship would allow me to continue my education, gain hands-on experience, and build a solid foundation for a successful career in welding. By starting my career through this opportunity, I will acquire the skills, knowledge, and confidence needed to succeed and make a positive impact in industry and in society.

Ever since I played the game "Need For Speed: Most Wanted 2012", I have absolutly loved everything about cars. I've always loved working on them in my spare time, as well as learning about them in class. Because of my love for the entire automotive field, I aspire to become a master certified automotive technician and one day open my own automotie performance shop. To me, trade work is the sturdy backbone that props up the entire world as we know it. You want a house to keep you safe? Thank carpenters and construction workers. You want Clean drinkable water at that house? Thank plumbers and waste treatment plant workers. What about power? Thank electricians and electrical engineers for all of that. What I'm tring to say is if we as a society just decide that trade work isn't as important as it used to be in, say, the Industrial Revolution, life as we know it genuinely would not be the same today. "Well, what about AI and the advancements of autonomous factories and workers?" Yeah? What about them? They will never have the delicate finesse of a plumber, carenter, or concrete layer. They'll never come close to the problem solving that we as humans have evolved over thousands of years. No AI or machine will ever, in a thousand years, be able to match one percent of the efficiency that humans can acheive. Think about the financial strain of a collapsing trade industry aswell. An estimated 12 million men and women are employed in the trades in America alone. If that number were to be halved, for example, there is a very high likely hood that the economy would crash, we'd run out of power, water, and food in the matter of a few years. Society depends on the hundreds of millions of trade workers in the world, more than 90%of people will ever know or realize fully. Trades need to continue to be fed employees to keep this world afloat. Thank you for your time!