Pamela Gammon Photography Scholarship

Located within the small, quaint town of Portsmouth, Ohio lies a terrible reputation. The murals on the flood wall and charm of being a tiny place to live quickly fade with one Google search. The first articles that appear address the city’s crippling opioid epidemic. What is the significance of this little place many have never heard of? It is my hometown. Let me introduce myself. I am Scarlett Caudill, a sophomore at Shawnee State University studying to be an English second language (ESL) teacher for elementary school. I go to college in my hometown and see the need for many changes here. I am willing to make these changes myself to improve my favorite community in the world. I come from a family that always tries to help one another. I grew up in poverty. It is something I’ve always known and still experience its effects daily. From the time I started elementary school, I knew that the other children perceived me differently. My mom wasn’t friends with all of their moms, nor did she help with fundraisers. My dad wasn’t a coach. In most small towns, everyone knows everyone. However, my parents were unknown. I would be treated like a stranger and I was excluded from playing with the other little girls that had nicer clothes. Even now, I imagine that the teachers thought differently of me, too. Maybe they didn’t expect me to succeed. My goal as a future teacher is to give a safe space to all students and make them feel like they belong. My home life wasn’t pleasant during my developmental years either. When children come home from school, they always want a snack or something to eat. To this day, the thought of Maruchan ramen noodles makes me cringe. It was one of the only foods we could afford. I remember, as a six year old, eating bread with only mayonnaise on it because we didn’t have lunch meat. Tranquility was scarce in my household. My father was an alcoholic and drug addict and, although I didn’t understand it, I knew it wasn’t a good thing. My parents would argue constantly from the time I came home from school until the sun went down. I would stay in my room with the door closed so as to not pay attention to the real life problems. Once I saw my father choke my mother and I saw her swing a baseball bat at him. These memories will linger for life, I am afraid. I will forever claim that my source of inspiration is Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I have made his dream my own and added to it. I want to be an excellent teacher and role model for all the children in my community, including people of color, English language learners, those struggling with poverty, students with disabilities, and every other minority. Like Dr. King, I dream that everyone is loved, accepted, and included. I want to exude this in my personality and when I enter the classroom, I am positive that the students will sense my deep love and appreciate for them. One day, Miss Caudill will give a private school quality education to students from all backgrounds, nationalities, and cultures. All I want in return is for these students to grow up and follow their dreams like I did.

My name is Serenity Kennedy, I am a senior at Chillicothe High School. My great-grandmother raised me from 6 days old to 11 years old. Throughout those 11 years, I was with her, my biological mother was in and out of the picture. My dad was never really around, he didn't want to be. From ages 6-11 my mother trafficked me in unimaginable ways. I never told anyone about it, I thought that I was helping her, being a good daughter. I now realize that it was a toxic cycle, and completely unacceptable. I will never forgive her for the things that she forced me to do. Swallowing drugs, performing sexual acts, stealing, lying, and worst of all, injecting drugs in me. She would do that to make sure that it wasn't laced. Now I understand that she did not care about me at all, only about herself. Luckily, none of the drugs she gave me were laced or I wouldn't be here today sharing my story. Every drug in the book is most likely everything that was put in me. At age 13, I attempted suicide for the first time, On January 10th, 2019, my brother's first birthday. I had come home from having a very rough day at school and I don't really remember much after that. It was a month after I was raped by a senior (now graduated). He was the star quarterback, who got away with everything. Nobody really believed me, no one cared how I was feeling or healing in this situation. Everyone believed him, I think that is why I lost control of myself. I only recently shared my story with my adoptive mom, I was ashamed to tell anyone. I didn't want to be blamed, I didn't want people to pity me, I didn't want to be looked at differently, and I didn't want it to define me. I worked too hard to be where I am today, to be defined by my past or my mother's actions. I am now going to the college of my dreams, to continue playing the sport that I love. Surrounding myself with people who genuinely care about me, and support me through everything that I do has played a huge part in my growth as a person. My adoptive mother has been so supportive throughout my entire journey and has loved me unconditionally. I think that her being a counselor has played a big part in that. My relationship with God has grown as I continue to learn how to love myself and others the right way. I am thankful for every opportunity that I have to share my story, and help others.