Light up a Room like Maddy Scholarship

Drugs have affected my life and my family a lot. My mom has struggled with alcoholism for as long as I can remember, and growing up around that showed me how much addiction can hurt a family. I saw how it caused stress, fights, and fear at home. I never wanted to become addicted to drugs or alcohol after seeing how it affected her, but when I was fifteen, I started using marijuana to deal with stress and anxiety. I also tried alcohol. For a couple of years, from fifteen to seventeen, I relied on marijuana, and I realized it wasn’t helping me at all. Going through that made me understand how hard it can be to stop using drugs, and it made me want to help others who are struggling. Drugs are even more dangerous now with fentanyl being so common. I’ve seen how deadly drugs can be my friend Sydney Khoner was killed because the person she was with was driving while on fentanyl and alcohol. Losing her was really hard, and it made me realize how serious this problem is. Seeing families hurt and hearing about overdoses makes it clear that education, prevention, and support are very important. That’s why I decided to study Criminal Justice—I want to help make a difference. I want to learn how police, social workers, and community programs can work together to stop these tragedies. I’m especially interested in ways to help people recover instead of just punishing them. I want to help create programs that connect people to treatment and resources before it’s too late. School isn’t the only place I’m learning. Volunteering at Rebel’s Gymnastics Club has taught me a lot about guiding and supporting people. Coaching kids shows me how important encouragement and trust are, especially for kids who may be going through hard times. My internship with the Minnesota State Patrol also gives me hands-on experience seeing how officers handle dangerous situations with drugs like fentanyl. I’ve learned how important it is to stay calm, think clearly, and treat people with respect while keeping the community safe. In the future, I want to be a State Trooper who not only enforces the law but also helps prevent people from getting stuck in addiction. I want people to feel like they can come to me for help, and I want to connect families to support they need. Losing Sydney and seeing my mom struggle have shown me how real and painful these problems are. I want to make a positive difference in my community and help prevent tragedies before they happen. My experiences have shaped me and given me the drive to use what I learn in school, through volunteering, and in real-world experiences to make communities safer and stronger.