Salt Lick on Salt Creek Dream Big Scholarship

There is nothing more inspiring to me than humanity. This inspiration does not come from blind optimism. I don't see humanity as perfect or wholly beautiful. People are entirely flawed, many of whom are what I would consider immoral or harmful. Being inspired by the human population, with all their inadequacies, doesn't mean I endorse the harm we have caused or ignore it; my interest and creative stimulation derive from humanity's authenticity and creations driven by imperfection. We use our imperfections, struggles, and harm as a way of expression, creating a safe haven. I remember coming across a quote, although I don't remember the exact phrasing; it read along the lines of "the opposite of depression is expression, and creation is medicine for the soul.” The expression of people, the way we use our minds to produce something that may reap no valuable benefits but simply for the joy of creation, or for comfort, or best of all, creating just out of passion, is incredibly inspiring to me. I plan to become an art teacher. Art is a gateway to history, a type of communication forgoing words, and a way for us humans to stay afloat. I hope to be an art teacher for teenagers who don't know how to be themselves and cope with their imperfections. Art reflects humanity; it reflects the best and the worst of people; it saves people. My goal as an art teacher would be more than just teaching kids how to make art; it would be to help them express themselves through art and accept themselves with it. This intention not only promotes a positive impact on the world with my art but also with the art of others; hopefully, it will help future generations realize how much they can achieve through their creations and the good that authenticity and expression can do. My art style has gone through many stages, and I am lucky to have people who have stuck with me through every stage. That being said, I've gotten one type of feedback throughout my years of drawing: that my art shows passion and heart. That specific bit of feedback means more to me than I can describe, as it shows that no matter my skill level, my love for art shines through. I've always felt that I struggle to portray a certain message through my art. I don't know how to show what's going through my mind, but people seeing my passion and heart through my art means that something got across, and some part of me was captured in the piece. I dedicate my time to volunteering and personal growth. I've participated in an annual Thanksgiving Food Drive for four years. My role includes creating the poster and spreading it around our town and school. I shop for food that wasn't donated or could go old quickly, like turkeys, then I sort the food per family and deliver it. I’ve also taken part in a biannual blood drive for the past two years. I set up, sort, and take care of volunteers, then take the blood drive down. The Christmas Gift Drive, which I've done for four years, has been my favorite activity; it includes shopping for gifts for families in need, wrapping gifts, and then delivering them. A small but very fun volunteering activity I did was a Special Ed Christmas Celebration at the library. I got to set up stations: the one I handled was a craft station. I decorated that same library for a Halloween celebration, which involved painting large banners and setting up decorations.