Krewe de HOU Scholarship

One small gesture has a boundless impact. Simple acts around the community do change society. I have been involved in many activities most of my life and plan to continue. The opportunity to improve the lives of others and to serve others inspires me. I want to make an impact on people's lives like Jesus did. I am working to change my community in numerous ways, such as through American Sign Language, my church, and tennis. About five years ago, I fell in love with American Sign Language. Having signed up for a chorus group to compete at the Leadership Training for Christ (LTC) convention in Dallas, I was at a practice where our choir director wanted to incorporate sign language into our performance. We had an interpreter come in to teach us the chorus, and I was one of the chosen two to learn the whole song. Learning those few words ignited a passion in me for ASL. Since then, I have participated in Signing for the Deaf at the LTC Convention for four years and am now a student judge for the convention. I am starting my 4th year of American Sign Language class at my high school, and I interpret songs and communion at the Sunday Morning church services almost every week. Helping others, I have discovered, is my passion, as studying American Sign Language has opened many opportunities for me, like volunteering in the Bridges Ministry at my church, our special needs support ministry. I have helped with respite events to give the parents a day to take a date and care for themselves since they give so much time to their children. Volunteering in programs such as these for children who struggle to acquire a "normal" life has shown me that I want to be a support system for these kids. Being involved in my youth group at church has also opened opportunities to serve. I help out in the nursery during services at church to give the parents a chance to attend church and have some time off from their tireless work of raising children. Also, for the past two years, I have been a camp counselor at the overnight children's camp through my church called Camp Canaan. It is a one-week camp for 3rd-6th graders who come to learn about Jesus and have a fun week of swimming and games. Getting that opportunity has shown how much I love working with kids and serving them 24 hours a day for a week. As a high schooler, I also attend our service trip to McAllen, TX, every year to paint homes for those who can't afford to have it done and repair the roofing of houses. I learned the value of what a physical service for someone can genuinely do to change their lives. I have also become involved in a program called Aceing Autism, which is a nationwide nonprofit devoted to giving a social and physical outlet for children with Autism, as they generally lack a comfortable social environment in their day-to-day lives. I use my skills in tennis to allow them to get better at tennis, have fun, and improve their socialization skills. Overall, I have a heart for serving others. I want to continue to use this fantastic skill throughout college and into the workplace, where I hope to become a Pediatric Occupational Therapist to help children with disabilities become independent and live the best life they can!