Dan Leahy Scholarship Fund

I remember having high school students pick me up from my kindergarten class, telling me what they’re learning in my dad’s class, asking me how my day was, etc. Then, I would watch my dad teach for the last twenty-ish minutes of class. But those twenty minutes added up, and it left an irreversible mark on me. I desire to move onto higher education because I saw my dad inspire children with writing, and now I wish to do the same. However, my dad has inspired me in more ways than one . After my second parliamentary debate round at my first tournament, I met with my dad and I told him, “I feel like I’m just getting worse.” But at the end of the tournament, when they called my name for going undefeated, my dad dad was the first person I ran to, holding my trophy. Since then, my dad has never missed one of my tournaments. When I’ve felt tired or inadequate, he has been the one to give me the tightest hugs. Most of all, he has been the one to always encourage me to try—regardless if I win or lose. At some point during my first debate season, I became a little “burnt-out.” When I brought up my concerns to my dad, he told me to stop worrying about the wins or losses but rather the knowledge I’m gaining and the impact I have on the debate space. So, I started caring about my standing within the debate community, especially as a hard-of-hearing debater. The easiest part of debate for others—hearing the debate—is the most difficult element for me. Although I have been able to survive in the hearing world, debate made me question my abilities. Many times, my debate partner consoled me after rounds because I misheard him or our opponents, causing us to struggle or lose rounds. However, my partner and I realized that we had the power to change my accessibility within the debate space. We developed unnoticeable customs, like how I sit closest to our opponents. Moreover, because we cannot talk during a round like other debate teams can because I cannot decipher whispered words, he uses sticky notes to “whisper” his ideas to me. We configure our seats at an angle so I can read lips and, sometimes, politely ask quieter speakers to switch seating positions to be closer to me. Gaining accessibility opened me up to enjoyment in the actual field of debate itself, researching subjects from geopolitical issues in Iran to current projects in NASA. Debates about society and our reactions thrill me: “This house should prioritize optimistic art rather than pessimistic art” is one of my favorite resolutions because debaters must explore how we are affected by art. Supporting pessimism, I reviewed how Fahrenheit 451 (one of my and my father’s favorites) always reminds me of the importance of books—encouraging me to fight against banning them. My opponent responded, “No, we need more government censorship.” I found my opponent’s retort outrageous, but it reminded me of the importance of analyzing texts to better understand how we are connected or disjointed by it—just as I analyze my participation in debate and its possible effects of unifying the worlds of the hearing and deaf. Yes, I still win trophies. However, I cherish bridging the hearing and Deaf communities. Most of all, debate has strengthened my relationship with my father, reminding me I always have someone in my corner. That’s a reward that no trophy can replace.

My mom has always told me, 玉不琢，不成器. "If a jade is not polished, it cannot be made into anything." In Chinese culture, this saying means that only through education can someone become a great person. Growing up, I didn’t fully grasp what she meant. To me, school was just about grades and test scores. But over time, I began to understand that what she valued was the process: working through challenges, asking hard questions, and shaping myself into someone who could contribute something meaningful to the world. Her words pushed me to pursue opportunities that would stretch me, even if they scared me. I applied to elite opportunities and universities with the understanding that I was worthy of getting them. Because of my other, I believed education was the key to success, and I could do anything I wanted. Speech and debate became one of those opportunities. I started as a quiet freshman who could barely speak without my voice shaking. The first time I watched Michelle, our Public Speaking President, I remember thinking, "I could never do that." But my teammates believed I could, and they invested in me. Older students like Michelle took me under their wing, taught me how to research, and showed me how to stand up and own a room. I eventually realized that speech and debate wasn't just about winning arguments. It was about learning how to think deeply and connecting with others who share your passion for informed discourse. That community became my second family. I still remember sitting in a Mexican restaurant in the middle of Iowa during Nationals, laughing so hard my stomach hurt. We were exhausted and far from home, but I felt completely at ease because I was with people who understood me. We bonded over long hours prepping cases and debating obscure policy topics, and we celebrated each other's successes like they were our own. When I qualified for State, my coach hugged me and told me how proud she was. Moments like that made me want to give back. As I improved, I began to achieve success on a national level. Last year, I placed 14th in the country in Extemporaneous Speaking, something I never imagined when I first joined. Now, I help run team practices, mentor younger students, and manage logistics to keep our program thriving. Being able to coach and lead the team that once supported me has been one of the most meaningful parts of my high school experience. Now, as President, I get to create that same welcoming space for younger students. I help plan tournaments, guide nervous freshmen through their first rounds, and collaborate on our curriculum. Watching them grow into confident speakers reminds me of where I started. It also reminds me why I stayed. Speech and debate gave me a place where curiosity was celebrated and complex issues were worth diving into. It surrounded me with people who challenged me to think bigger and question my own assumptions. My mom’s proverb taught me that growth takes work. Speech and debate showed me that growth can also be shared. It’s not just about polishing yourself, but about helping others shine too. That’s the mindset I want to carry into college. I want to find communities where I can continue asking hard questions and surround myself with people who push me to grow, remembering how speech and debate were the original community that challenged me to do just that in high school.

The person I admire most is my dad. He never had the chance to go to college, but he’s always shown me the value of hard work and never giving up, no matter what life throws at you. Growing up, I saw him work long hours, make sacrifices, and do whatever it took to take care of our family. Even though he didn’t get the formal education he always wanted, he pushed me to make the most of every opportunity, especially when it came to school. He taught me that education is one of the most powerful ways to change your future, and I want to honor his sacrifices by working hard to create a better life for myself. Even though my dad didn’t go to college, he always made sure I knew how important it was to take my education seriously. He would talk about how difficult it was for him to get ahead in life without a degree, and he didn’t want me to face the same struggles. He often told me, “You have a chance to do things I never could. Don’t waste it.” Those words stuck with me, and they motivate me every day to do my best in school and make the most of my education. Seeing my dad work so hard for everything he has made me realize that getting a higher education isn’t just about getting a job—it’s about creating opportunities for yourself and breaking down barriers. My dad’s life has shown me that, with determination and the right tools, anything is possible. I want to take what he’s taught me and use my education to achieve things he never had the chance to. His sacrifices have made it possible for me to pursue college, and I’m determined to make the most of that opportunity. I chose to participate in speech and debate because my dad always emphasized the importance of being able to communicate clearly and confidently. He believed that knowing how to express yourself and stand up for what you believe in was key to making an impact, whether in school, at work, or in life. At first, I wasn’t sure if I’d be good at speech or debate, but I quickly realized how much I enjoyed researching issues, forming arguments, and speaking in front of others. The skills I’ve developed in speech and debate—like critical thinking, research, and public speaking—are not only helping me in school but are also preparing me for college and beyond. Speech and debate have also given me a chance to talk about things that matter to me, like social justice and equality. The more I practiced, the more I realized how powerful words can be, and I want to keep improving these skills to be able to make a difference. Whether it’s in college or in my future career, I know the ability to communicate effectively will be one of the most important skills I can have. My dad’s hard work and belief in me have inspired me to aim high and make the most of the opportunities I’ve been given. Participating in speech and debate has helped me build the skills I need to succeed, and earning a college degree will give me the chance to turn my dreams into reality. This scholarship would help me take the next step toward achieving those goals, and I’m excited to keep working hard to make my dad proud.

My grandfather is someone I admire, and inspired me to pursue further education. He was the first person in our family to be a college graduate and have a successful business career. He attended the university of Notre Dame. He always told me about the importance of education, and how college would help me to achieve my dreams. Another thing that we had a connection with his sports knowledge. We both have great memories and can remember details and facts when it comes to the world. This made a great connection for our relationship. We always spoke regularly about school and sports. He played baseball, his whole life, including while he was at Notre Dame. This helped me make a connection to the sport of baseball. We would attend baseball games together when I was younger. Before he passed away, he told me to continue to make education and sports priority in my life since they were my passions. I have always been good at public speaking, even though I get very nervous when I do it. I started my public speaking career in the fifth grade when a teacher noticed that I was sitting in the stands commentating the game for the fans. I had this natural ability to explain what was going on while adding a little humor to the commentary. For some reason something comes over, and even though I am nervous and scared on the inside what comes out very confident and organized. I feel my grandfather has motivated me in this area by being by my side, even though he is no longer with us. In high school I participated on the mock trial team. This was a great experience because it gave me practice in public speaking and debate. I really enjoyed participating in mock trial and feel it is something that has given me a good experience to know what a career in law could be like. I would love to focus on sports law and hope negotiate contracts for professional athletes. This would allow me to combine two things that I am passionate about and work with professional athletes at the same time. I would love to pursue a career in law through higher education. This will be a long and expensive educational journey and any support I can get to help me achieve this dream would be greatly appreciated. I enjoy participating in debates, and the scholarship could help me reach my goal.

Outspoken, educated, and kind-hearted are all qualities of my speech and debate coach, Ms. Barboza. Barboza is beyond just a teacher I admire, but a role model. She pursued her education by all means by going to every college that offered her a financial opportunity, making no excuse to not be educated and successful. Every day I walk into her classroom and there is a newspaper on her desk. I am always amazed at how educated she is on worldly issues. When I ask her about an issue, she speaks so passionately. Simply hearing Barboza speak makes me want to be passionate just as much. I never realized how important perspective was until she highlighted every perspective of an issue and its importance. With her, no voice goes unheard. She is continuously there for her students. At times when I felt I had nowhere to go when my personal life consumed me, I found myself in her office, where I did not have to ask for her support because she always made it clear that she was ready to support me at any given moment. I felt listened to and understood when all adults looked like figures of authority. I believe that to do something in one's life, one must seek the qualities Barboza has. To contribute to the greatness of humanity one must be outspoken on what must no longer be overlooked, one must seek education to thrive for the sake of themselves and others, and most importantly, one must live with a kind heart as that is the most human aspect one should crave. Ms. Barboza has inspired me to pursue further education as I want to follow her example. I want to be the the best possible version of myself. A version of myself where I take every opportunity to improve myself. I want to contribute to our world by using my voice to share the importance of our issues across the planet. Further education will help me achieve this as it will develop my ability to understand issues such as environmental impact, and then develop solutions which I could then share with the public. At times when I wanted to give up on school as one obstacle led to another, Barboza always knew what to say to make sure I never gave up, whether it was enlightening me on ways I can avoid financial burden or some encouraging words to assure I can do what I dream of. Ever since I entered her classroom, I have been inspired. My motivation to participate in speech and debate started in my sophomore year English course. It required that we write and present a speech on a societal issue. I wanted to report on the importance of reproductive rights in the United States. Unfortunately, this did not go without a fight. My teacher told me, "That is not an issue and will not be an issue", therefore, I could not write about it. This enraged me. As this event occurred before the overturning of Roe v. Wade, my teacher lacked the desire to understand my perspective. My voice was shut down. I wanted to prove him wrong, but just couldn't. That is when I was greeted with the opportunity of speech and debate. I wanted to learn how to be heard as someone so apprehensive. My motivation to participate in speech and debate was my first step in self-improvement. My first step towards never letting my voice be shut down ever again.

Having someone to admire can put them in a spotlight of perfection. You may at times see them as being perfect. Thankfully for me this was not the case for the person I admire, instead I saw every little flaw and loved to point them out to him. My older brother Caleb is only 4 years older than me, yet someone I have always admired and looked up to. Not because he was perfect by any means, but because of his work ethic, drive, and dependability. Caleb is one who shows up to every game, helps you practice, while also having a busy life chasing his own dreams. Growing up I watch my older brother and was glued by his side. I always have admired his ability to fail while in the spotlight, while learning and growing from his failure. He never has let failure stop him, he has always kept going and working hard. Even during the changeling times, Caleb worked hard to pursue his goals. In high school we competed in a national debate league called Stoa. Caleb had a goal to become the top speaker and debate team in the nation. There are hundreds of competitors and he knew this would take years of hard work. Meetings with top economist, and understanding many topics he was told he was to young to understand. By his Senior year of high school, I watched by older brother at the national final tournament make it to the final debate round, and become the best speaker in the nation. This took years of hard work, I'll never forget walking into the room where hundreds of people would sit to watch him debate in the final round, he walked up to me and gave me a hug and said "I did it, I'm here, this is what the years of hard work has lead to and paid off". Following in my older brothers footsteps, At 12 years old I began my first year of competing in National Homeschool Christian Speech and Debate. For the next years my family would travel all across the United States competing in Speech and Debate. When I was 8 years old my older brothers started speech and debate, I enjoyed going and watching the debates, mainly policy debates. I quickly began to learn and understand what was going on in the real world and how our economy, world trade, and the government worked. Then at the age of 12 I was finally old enough to start speech and debate. We would travel to different tournaments located at colleges all over the United States. Tournament where anywhere from 1 - 7 days long, there was over 10 different competitive speeches, and 4 types of debate. I wanted to be able to further my understanding of the real world. Seeing how what we were debating was a current issue and topic. We had to fully understand both sides of the argument. I enjoyed having to defend a bill saying to end all foreign aid in one debate, and in the next debate having to argue the exact opposite. Having to understand both sides of the argument has grown me to be able to better discuses and understand the different belief's ideals and morals of others. I choose speech and debate to grow and prepare myself for the future. To be able to critically and logically think while being able to properly articulate and communicate my ideas. Our judges in debate were anywhere from the common man, to doctors, lawyers, economists. I learned how to speak to everyone and anyone.

A simple gold wedding ring sits on my finger, but within its presence lies a vitalizing, multifaceted narrative. The ring transports me to Ethiopia: Addis Ababa, 1999. My sweet mother smiles; her ring shimmers as the beaming sun radiates upon her calm face. Becoming a Christian in an anti-Protestant society, she faced immense injustices as her father strived to kill her. Disowned by her family, she was left with a ring, a visa, and $500. While fleeing to the land of the free, fear gripped her mind as she pondered her circumstances: “Am I qualified to live in America?” Tears escaped from her eyes as she examined the dimming ring. However, as she took steps onto American soil, determination implanted within her heart. Though struggling to learn English, my mother completed community college and fufilled her dreams of becoming a nurse. She took the rough carbon rock in her way and transformed it into a gleaming diamond. She had finally accomplished the American dream. Sixteen years later, it is now 2014 in Aurora, Colorado. My mother sits me down inside of our brightly-lit home. My 10 year-old-eyes widened as she pulled off the wedding ring from her finger and slid it onto mine. She whispered, “This is why I came to America.” As I heard her story, my ears tingled with fascination. Gazing at my mother, I saw courage flicker within her brown eyes. Looking down at the stunning ring, I wondered: “Can I mirror the courageous tenacity my mother formed?” Frightened by this confrontation, I resorted to isolation as my slight stutter and Ethiopian accent hindered my speaking abilities. Unknowingly, the seeds of curiosity germinated within my heart. As I continued to wear my ring, I allowed myself to explore my range of courage. During my sophomore year of high school, I decided to take a leap of faith: I joined my school's Speech and Debate team. Though timid, I gained valuable skills that slowly erased my fear of public speaking. I won numerous Original Oratory awards and competed at 8 different Speech and Debate locations. This, when asked to lead worship and teach bible studies at my local church, I felt the roots of dauntlessness tug on my heart. I taught and led worship for three years as my heart for children expanded. As my mother’s bravery, endurance, and tenacity influenced my actions, I desired to pass the baton of these values into other children's lives. Energized, I stepped into leadership roles within my community. Awakened by my mother’s injustices, I desired to educate others about the austerities victims face. By joining the Justice Education Project, I taught youth the flaws in the criminal justice system. I became the Co-Marketing Leader and spoke at webinars that provided solutions to systemic racism as I utilized the skills I learned from Speech and Debate. In addition, I helped publish our book, "First Steps Into Criminal Justice Activism: For Youth". I joined the Chief’s Youth Advisory Team, where I communicated with police officers about police brutality. I met with the Aurora mayor, and I voiced my concerns to the Arapahoe District Attorney about necessary criminal justice reform and was interviewed by my city about Youth Violence. As I wear the ring of my mother’s affliction each day, I am reminded of the igniting joy of courage it carries. The seeds of my mother’s dependability, service, leadership, and patriotism have sprouted into a fruitful tree in me. I am no longer restricted to the barriers of anxiety; my newfound courage will write its own narrative for the rest of my life.

The day I walked into the Supreme Court in Washington D.C. during a trip in the 5th grade, I was instantly smitten. The judicial panel seemed to beckon to me; its imposing marble columns and intricate carvings reminded me of the centuries of ground-breaking decisions made in that very room. I decided that I, too, should like to stand in such an inspiring room as a lawyer, or even a judge. When I voiced these ambitions though, I received the same response: “That’s quite a reach for someone like you!” Someone like me: a woman of color. Success in the field of law and politics seemed like a pipe dream. Growing up, I never saw someone who looked like me standing in front of the podium. That changed in my freshman year when I met Ms. Shonda Mosby, a successful woman of color and mother who serves as a death row appeal attorney. Ms. Mosby volunteered her free time to coach my mock trial team. For the first time in my life, I saw someone who had overcome the obstacles our identity poses in this white, male-dominated field. All of my fears about being unable to reconcile my background and gender with the ambitious role I wished to pursue dissolved as I learned how to craft arguments and navigate a legal career path from Ms. Mosby. I resolved that I would committedly pursue a JD; I am currently committed to Georgetown University for a Government major that will prepare me for law school. My passion for law arose from my interests in public speaking and writing, which I pursued through both Speech and Debate and Mock Trial. Speech and Debate taught me what it is to be a leader, speaker, and active member of my community. As a Vice President and President, I have reformed my school club. By communicating directly with parents, students, administrators, my officers, and tournament directors, I saved our team thousands in fines and built a procedure from scratch that other officers now use to carry on my work. I have developed public speaking skills and confidence through my oratories that I use in every aspect of my life. Part of what motivated me to participate in Speech and Debate was the opportunity to give back to my community. I have led a free program at my junior high school that spread these skills to hundreds of students. My fellow coaches and I put our personal time into coaching other students for free to make up for the lack of support in public schools. For every piece of knowledge I’ve passed on, Speech and Debate has returned it in threefold. I’ve learned how to be resourceful, take initiative, and inspire change. I also joined my school’s Mock Trial team to gain an introduction to the legal world. For the past few years, I have served as a pretrial attorney, pouring over packets of cases, witness statements, and factual situations to craft my own legal arguments in both the regular season and the mock summer trials that my passionately keen team holds to practice. During this time, I’ve drafted five cases while simultaneously coaching other students. Mock Trial has taught me how to look analytically at evidence to draw crucial connections and contrasts, a skill I employ when parsing through the media and politics in today’s world, oversaturated as it is with ‘news’. I have developed the ability to transform three-sentence outlines into powerful arguments that have swayed judges despite the odds being stacked against me time and time again.