Treye Knorr Memorial Scholarship

My name is Walker Morgan. I am involved in National Honor Society, FCA, Teacher Cadets, and play basketball and volleyball for my school. I am a guitarist and vocalist and help lead worship at my church, and teach in the kid's department as well. I serve/volunteer a minimum of 20 hours per year at various events in my community and have also served with mission trips both local and abroad. I plan to attend Anderson University (SC) to earn a degree in Christian Studies with a focus on theology and apologetics. Although I don’t yet know which doors will open after I graduate, I pray that I can use my gifts, talents, and knowledge to make a positive impact—first within my small circle, and ultimately, in the world at large. My passion for ministry comes from my own personal faith journey. My whole life changed in sixth grade because I lost my amazing 20-year-old sister, Kinsey. Kinsey was born with a congenital heart defect and DiGeorge Syndrome, which led to many medical complications, including six open-heart surgeries throughout her life. One thing always surprised me about Kinsey - she fought every day of her life to live, and even though she often knew that a procedure, surgery, or stay at the hospital could be her last, she always remained strong in her faith. She knew the risks of every procedure, yet she remained confident and full of peace, fully trusting in God no matter the circumstances; no matter the outcome. When she passed away, I wrestled with questions about life and eternity. I finally realized that my hope was in fully trusting God with my life, just like Kinsey did. One night, shortly after her passing, I surrendered my heart to God. This decision has easily been the best I have ever made in my life. As I have grown in my own faith, my passion has grown to help others and further my education. However, pursuing this calling comes with financial challenges. Kinsey’s wonderful life on this earth took a toll on my parents’ finances as a large amount of money went toward paying her medical bills over those precious 20 years. I wouldn’t change anything about what they did to care for her because every day with her was a gift and she inspired me to spend my life spreading Jesus to all. Still, it has impacted what my family can afford for my education. Receiving this scholarship would relieve some of the financial burden and allow me to focus on my studies rather than worrying about how to pay for school. It would give me the opportunity to deepen my understanding of scripture, strengthen my ability to defend the Christian faith, and prepare me for a future in some sort of ministry. Losing Kinsey has easily been the greatest adversity I have ever faced in my life. Her passing has affected me and my family in a way that is indescribable. Such loss is something I would never want anyone to experience. But, through it all, I found a relationship with God, grew closer to my family, and her life inspired me to pursue the career path that I am now on. I know she would be proud of me and that I will see her again one day. I am grateful for her life because it changed mine.

I am JJ Borrero from Stockbridge, Georgia. I was recently honored to be the Valedictorian of my graduating class. It wasn’t always the goal to become valedictorian, and accomplishing the feat came with a unique set of challenges. There were times I wasn’t sure if I would succeed and moments when I wondered whether the success was worth the stress. However, the motive that helped carry me to the feat was the promise of making my late grandfather proud. Growing up in a home where my father was in and out of the picture, I grew a strong attachment to my grandfather, who was active in the military for over twenty years. He would motivate me to prioritize my academics and participate in numerous athletic activities like swimming, taekwondo, baseball, and basketball. His passing left me empty at a young age, and I would soon become unmotivated to participate in the activities we shared a love for. My mom soon filled his role and encouraged me to focus on my education. I began to exceed my peers, particularly in mathematics, where I was taking a tenth-grade algebra class in seventh grade. It was mathematics and engineering where I would soon find my passion. In high school, I began working in a locomotive shop during the summertime, where I became fascinated with computer systems in cars and mechanical work. Throughout each school year, I would find myself partaking in numerous clubs due to my many interests. I joined the Beta Club, National Honor Society, National Math Honor Society, National Art Honor Society, National Computer Science Honor Society, Student Government, School Spirit Clubs, Principal Committee, Varsity Baseball, Marching Band, and Jazz Band. These clubs connected me with many peers and helped me understand who I was and what my goals were in my life. With the help of my advanced school achievements and my passion for engineering, I would work my way to being admitted to the Georgia Institute of Technology for Computer and Electrical Engineering. With my college education, I plan on joining internships to hopefully get an engineering contract with a larger company, preferably in the automobile business. If not, I would love to become a contracting engineer for the Army or Air Force and then move on to larger job opportunities. Eventually, I hope to get into entrepreneurship and philanthropy with the skills I will develop throughout my career path. Recently, I was overwhelmed with the stresses of the end of my high school career and the journey into my college career. To alleviate my anxiety, I decided to volunteer at Camp 323, an organization at my local church, to spread the word of God to kids in the area. It was an enriching experience that brought me closer to my community and my faith. Given such, I aim to participate in philanthropy later in my life which will bring similar opportunities to the youth. Although I have had many achievements throughout high school, the amount of grants gifted to me falls very short of the amount needed to attend such a prestigious institution. Thus, this scholarship would help me generously in reaching my goals of continuing my education and giving back to my community, which has made me who I am today.