Athletics Scholarship I'm interested in studying industrial design, more specifically corrugated design. I fell in love with this career when working in warehousing. I was introduced to the design lab by our lead designer and quickly fell in love with the career. I found that it was a very suitable job for me and I matched well. I am passionate about Industrial design as a career choice, but I also hope to continue my involvement in a church youth group. I have faced many things and obstacles in my only seventeen years of life. I have gone to rehab for drug and alcohol addiction, dealt with my parent's divorce, the loss of family members, and my own mental health journey. Through all of these things, I have only grown stronger and more resilient and prepared for the challenges ahead. I want to share my story of success against all odds and help others to not go down the same path I did; as well as help to show those who are already struggling that there is a way out. In the future, I want a successful career that will allow me to have enough time and funds so other youths won't have to go through what I have without help. My family and I have struggled with money since my father had an affair and left and the necessary funds to send my brother and me to college are hard to come by. So getting any and every scholarship is completely necessary for the college to even be an option. I used sports as another way to cope with only having my mom. The day he left I went to basketball practice and it calmed me more than anything else. I've always played sports I started at the age of two with dancing and kept going from there. I have played almost every possible sport and centered my life around it. Sports have brought me to some of my closest friends and given me a family where mine have fallen short. My coaches and teammates have made the biggest impact on my life in a positive way. They got me help when I needed it and kept me safe and gave me a place to stay. After hard practices and games, sometimes I just want to be a normal kid and not play sports but when I remember what it has done for me I can't imagine changing a thing.

I think generational wealth means money that can get passed down through generations. Generational wealth comes from a lot of hard work and dedication. It also puts an advantage on your descendants as they will not have to struggle as hard growing up. My family and I struggled with money when my dad left, my whole life he had been the main provider and my mom stayed home with my brother and me. By the age of sixteen, I was buying all groceries and helping to provide for my family. I hope to make enough money in the future so that my future family will not have to struggle and worry about money. I want to provide enough for all my future descendants. If I do not end up having children I want to help kids of families who are struggling and kids in foster care to provide them with equal opportunities and show them what they can do. I'm interested in studying industrial design, more specifically corrugated design. I fell in love with this career when working in warehousing. I was introduced to the design lab by our lead designer and quickly fell in love with the career. I found that it was a very suitable job for me and I matched well. I am passionate about Industrial design as a career choice, but I also hope to continue my involvement in a church youth group. I have faced many things and obstacles in my only seventeen years of life. I have gone to rehab for drug and alcohol addiction, dealt with my parent's divorce, the loss of family members, and my personal mental health journey. Through all of these things, I have only grown stronger and more resilient and prepared for the challenges ahead. I want to share my story of success against all odds and help others to not go down the same path I did; as well as help to show those who are already struggling that there is a way out. In the future, I want a successful career that will allow me to have enough time and funds so other youths won't have to go through what I have without help. Corrugated packaging will always be necessary in the world so I won't have to worry about job availability. When I become successful I can make upwards of 140K dollars annually which I hope to give back to the community to help others.

I'm interested in studying industrial design, more specifically corrugated design. I fell in love with this career when working in warehousing. I was introduced to the design lab by our lead designer and quickly fell in love with the career. I found that it was a very suitable job for me and I matched well. I am passionate about Industrial design as a career choice, but I also hope to continue my involvement in a church youth group. I have faced many things and obstacles in my only seventeen years of life. I have gone to rehab for drug and alcohol addiction, dealt with my parent's divorce, the loss of family members, and my own mental health journey. Through all of these things, I have only grown stronger and more resilient and prepared for the challenges ahead. I want to share my story of success against all odds and help others to not go down the same path I did; as well as help to show those who are already struggling that there is a way out. In the future, I want a successful career that will allow me to have enough time and funds so other youths won't have to go through what I have without help. My family and I have struggled with money since my father had an affair and left and the necessary funds to send my brother and me to college are hard to come by. So getting any and every scholarship is completely necessary for the college to even be an option. I used sports as another way to cope with only having my mom. The day he left I went to basketball practice and it calmed me more than anything else. I've always played sports I started at the age of two with dancing and kept going from there. I have played almost every possible sport and centered my life around it. Sports have brought me to some of my closest friends and given me a family where mine have fallen short. My coaches and teammates have made the biggest impact on my life in a positive way. They got me help when I needed it and kept me safe and gave me a place to stay. After hard practices and games, sometimes I just want to be a normal kid and not play sports but when I remember what it has done for me I can't imagine changing a thing.

At the age of ten I began vaping and smoking cigarettes. Then at eleven I started smoking weed and continued both of those things throughout my adolescence. This caused my desire for further experimentation with different drugs. Throughout my middle school years I tried just about all of what most would consider to be the “lower level” drugs. Beginning high school my depression skyrocketed and I was searching for a sense of peace or relief. Even though there were other options my only reaction was to further my drug use. On Christmas Eve of 2021 my dad moved out and failed to talk to me for the next year and a half. During this time as I denied to care about his leaving I did double down on my drug use in secret. At sixteen as I was beginning my junior year, I was suffering from many health problems and I cut down my use to only weed and nicotine. That was until New Year’s Eve. Now I can’t even pinpoint a certain reason for this relapse besides I found myself with no viable reason to be sober. I started 2022 by taking a shot and never stopped. That short amount of time before I went to rehab was the worst my drug use ever got. I was using certain substances that I swore to never use and trying ways of taking the substances that posed many risks as well but I didn’t care. By March 31st, I weighed only eighty-one pounds, obviously not very healthy. Despite this I was still highly functioning, I was working full-time, an honor roll full-time student, as well as an athlete. One night it was brought to my attention by a close friend about the extremity of my situation and I made the decision that I would stop, but the conditions being that I still intended to finish what I had already purchased. My second short-coming in that situation was my insistence to do it by myself. Little did I know the plans that were in store after that conversation. She used my words that night to snitch on me and on April seventh I was sent into rehab. Eventually I started to realize the only real way out was honesty and letting go of the shell I had built up around myself to keep everybody else out. Now in saying this it was by no means easy and I definitely still try to hold back a lot of pieces of myself and of my past. I began attending celebrate recovery meetings post-rehab where I met people who have gone through similar things as I have. Looking back at who I was, I have no idea how people stuck by me, but through Salvation and God’s grace I now can hold relationships and prioritize the right things. I feel as though I have a purpose in this life as I’ve met people through my situation. I hope and pray that one day I can be the person on the outside helping to support someone through their own situation. Being in recovery has changed my relationship with others, with God, and even with myself. I truly didn’t think that I would have a future, to the point that I had a note in my room not because I was trying to die but just in case I did. Now I’m getting ready to go to college and have an internship set up. I’d like to say that’s my doing but it’s not; it’s all thanks to God and His grace.

At the age of ten, I began vaping and smoking cigarettes. Then at eleven I started smoking weed and continued both of those things throughout my adolescence. This caused my desire for further experimentation with different drugs. Throughout my middle school years, I tried just about all of what most would consider to be “lower-level” drugs. Beginning high school my depression skyrocketed and I was searching for a sense of peace or relief. Even though there were other options my only reaction was to further my drug use. On Christmas Eve of 2021, my dad moved out and failed to talk to me for the next year and a half. During this time as I denied caring about his leaving I did double down on my drug use in secret. At sixteen as I was beginning my junior year, I was suffering from many health problems and I cut down my use to only weed and nicotine. That was until New Year’s Eve. Now I can’t even pinpoint a certain reason for this relapse besides I found myself with no viable reason to be sober. I started 2022 by taking a shot and never stopped. That short amount of time before I went to rehab was the worst my drug use ever got. I was using certain substances that I swore to never use and trying ways of taking the substances that posed many risks as well but I didn’t care. By March 31st, I weighed only eighty-one pounds, obviously not very healthy. Despite this I was still highly functioning, I was working full-time, an honor roll full-time student, as well as an athlete. One night it was brought to my attention by a close friend about the extremity of my situation and I made the decision that I would stop, but the condition being that I still intended to finish what I had already purchased. My second short-coming in that situation was my insistence to do it by myself. Little did I know the plans that were in store after that conversation. She used my words that night to snitch on me and on April seventh I was sent into rehab. Eventually I started to realize the only real way out was honesty and letting go of the shell I had built up around myself to keep everybody else out. Now in saying this it was by no means easy and I definitely still try to hold back a lot of pieces of myself and of my past. I began attending celebrate recovery meetings post-rehab where I met people who have gone through similar things as I have. Looking back at who I was, I have no idea how people stuck by me, but through Salvation and God’s grace I now can hold relationships and prioritize the right things. I feel as though I have a purpose in this life as I’ve met people through my situation. I hope and pray that one day I can be the person on the outside helping to support someone through their own situation. Being in recovery has changed my relationship with others, with God, and even with myself. I truly didn’t think that I would have a future, to the point that I had a note in my room not because I was trying to die but just in case I did. Now I’m getting ready to go to college and have an internship set up. I’d like to say that’s my doing but it’s not; it’s all thanks to God and His grace.

I'm interested in studying industrial design, more specifically corrugated design. I fell in love with this career when working in warehousing. I was introduced to the design lab by our lead designer and quickly fell in love with the career. I found that it was a very suitable job for me and I matched well. I am passionate about Industrial design as a career choice, but I also hope to continue my involvement in a church youth group. I have faced many things and obstacles in my only seventeen years of life. I have gone to rehab for drug and alcohol addiction, dealt with my parent's divorce, the loss of family members, and my own mental health journey. Through all of these things, I have only grown stronger and more resilient and prepared for the challenges ahead. I want to share my story of success against all odds and help others to not go down the same path I did; as well as help to show those who are already struggling that there is a way out. In the future, I want a successful career that will allow me to have enough time and funds so other youths won't have to go through what I have without help. My family and I have struggled with money since my father had an affair and left and the necessary funds to send my brother and me to college are hard to come by. So getting any and every scholarship is completely necessary for college to even be an option. I was introduced to corrugated design through both my parents working in the corrugated industry as well as my working at a box plant. I quickly fell in love with the career path and opportunities that come with it. Corrugated design is a field that would allow me to be creative, hands-on, and active, which are important to me. I work at D&D Packaging in Olive Branch, Mississippi, as a warehouse floor worker and was introduced to corrugated design. I trained alongside Donnie Wood, the lead designer here, who taught me how to use the CAD table and how to better understand dimensions. As a result of this work, it gave me plans for the future and to go to college. I researched to find a college where I could specialize in corrugated packaging. I am very passionate about being able to pursue this career and go through schooling for it but the cost is a major issue. Being able to get any type of scholarship would help significantly in the success of my future. This industry would allow me to be creative, hands-on, and active, which are important to me. It also provides for a stable and successful future. The people that I have been able to meet just through my limited experience in the industry also make me want to pursue it even more.

Eeyore is my favorite because I relate to him with my own struggle with mental health. At the age of ten I began vaping and smoking cigarettes. Then at eleven I started smoking weed and continued both of those things throughout my adolescence. Throughout my middle school years I tried just about all of what most would consider to be the “lower level” drugs. Beginning high school my depression skyrocketed and I was searching for a sense of peace or relief. Even though there were other options my only reaction was to further my drug use. On Christmas Eve of 2021 my dad moved out and failed to talk to me for the next year and a half. At sixteen as I was beginning my junior year, I was suffering from many health problems and I cut down my use to only weed and nicotine. That was until New Year’s Eve. Now I can’t even pinpoint a certain reason for this relapse besides I found myself with no viable reason to be sober. I started 2022 by taking a shot and never stopped. That short amount of time before I went to rehab was the worst my drug use ever got. I was using certain substances that I swore to never use and trying ways of taking the substances that posed many risks as well but I didn’t care. By March 31st, I weighed only eighty-one pounds, obviously not very healthy. Despite this I was still highly functioning, I was working full-time, an honor roll full-time student, as well as an athlete. One night it was brought to my attention by a close friend about the extremity of my situation and I made the decision that I would stop. She used my words that night to snitch on me and on April seventh I was sent into rehab. Eventually I started to realize the only real way out was honesty and letting go of the shell I had built up around myself to keep everybody else out. Now in saying this it was by no means easy and I definitely still try to hold back a lot of pieces of myself and of my past. I began attending celebrate recovery meetings post-rehab where I met people who have gone through similar things as I have. His character reminds me of myself with his down demeanor.

I'm interested in studying industrial design, more specifically corrugated design. I fell in love with this career when working in warehousing. I was introduced into the design lab by our lead designer and quickly fell in love with the career. I found that it was a very suitable job for me and I matched well. I am passionate about Industrial design as a career choice, but I also hope to continue my involvement in a church youth group. I have faced many things and obstacles in my only seventeen years of life. I have gone to rehab for drug and alcohol addiction, dealt with my parents divorce, loss of family members, and my own mental health journey. Through all of these things I have only grown stronger and more resilient and prepared for the challenges ahead. I want to share my story of success against all odds and help others to not go down the same path I did; as well as help to show those who are already struggling that there is a way out. In the future I want a successful career that will allow me to have enough time and funds so other youth won't have to go through what I have without help. My family and I have struggled with money since my father had an affair and left and the necessity of funds to send my brother and me to college is hard to come by. So getting any and every scholarship is completely necessary for college to even be an option. I used sports as another way to cope through only have my mom. The day he left I went to basketball practice and it calmed me more than anything else. I was introduced to corrugated design through both my parents working in the corrugated industry as well as my working at a box plant. I quickly fell in love with the career path and opportunities that come with it. Corrugated design is a field that would allow me to be creative, hands-on, and active, which are important to me. I work at D&D Packaging in Olive Branch, Mississippi, as a warehouse floor worker and was introduced to corrugated design. I trained alongside Donnie Wood, the lead designer here, who taught me how to use the CAD table and how to better understand dimensions. As a result of this work it gave me plans for a future and to go to college. I researched to find a college where I could specialize in corrugated packaging. I am very passionate about being able to pursue this career and go through schooling for it but cost is a major issue. Being able to get any type of scholarship would help significantly in the success for my future. This industry would allow me to be creative, hands-on, and active, which are important to me. It also provide for a stable and successful future. The people that I have been able to meet just through my limited experience in the industry also makes me want to pursue it even more.

The big red rocket ship flew so high over the sky that you could barely see it anymore it entered the atmosphere as we watched but as it was passing through the ozone layer we saw it burst into fire ball and start hurling back to earth it came back in a ball of mass destruction asd we ran away as fast as we could we knew there was no hope of survival the big rocket ship now a even brighter red cause of the fire hurled down till it hit the earth destroying everything in its huge explosion. Everything on the earth perished ending all life as we know it there was one lone survivor who moved to mars and started life there through android until she eventually died too leaving the universe to be overrun by androids and eventually death of the existence of everything in an accidental failed experiment.

I was introduced to corrugated design through both my parents working in the corrugated industry as well as my working at a box plant. I quickly fell in love with the career path and opportunities that come with it. Corrugated design is a field that would allow me to be creative, hands-on, and active, which are important to me. I work at D&D Packaging in Olive Branch, Mississippi, as a warehouse floor worker and was introduced to corrugated design. I trained alongside Donnie Wood, the lead designer here, who taught me how to use the CAD table and how to better understand dimensions. As a result of this work it gave me plans for a future and to go to college. I researched to find a college where I could specialize in corrugated packaging. I am very passionate about being able to pursue this career and go through schooling for it but cost is a major issue. Being able to get any type of scholarship would help significantly in the success for my future. This industry would allow me to be creative, hands-on, and active, which are important to me. It also provide for a stable and successful future. The people that I have been able to meet just through my limited experience in the industry also makes me want to pursue it even more. I'm interested in studying industrial design, more specifically corrugated design. I fell in love with this career when working in warehousing. I was introduced into the design lab by our lead designer and quickly fell in love with the career. I found that it was a very suitable job for me and I matched well. I am passionate about Industrial design as a career choice, but I also hope to continue my involvement in a church youth group. I have faced many things and obstacles in my only seventeen years of life. I have gone to rehab for drug and alcohol addiction, dealt with my parents divorce, loss of family members, and my own mental health journey. Through all of these things I have only grown stronger and more resilient and prepared for the challenges ahead. I want to share my story of success against all odds and help others to not go down the same path I did; as well as help to show those who are already struggling that there is a way out. In the future I want a successful career that will allow me to have enough time and funds so other youth won't have to go through what I have without help. My family and I have struggled with money since my father had an affair and left and the necessity of funds to send my brother and me to college is hard to come by. So getting any and every scholarship is completely necessary for college to even be an option. I used sports as another way to cope through only have my mom. The day he left I went to basketball practice and it calmed me more than anything else.

At the age of ten I began vaping and smoking cigarettes. Then at eleven I started smoking weed and continued both of those things throughout my adolescence. This caused my desire for further experimentation with different drugs. Throughout my middle school years I tried just about all of what most would consider to be the “lower level” drugs. Beginning high school my depression skyrocketed and I was searching for a sense of peace or relief. Even though there were other options my only reaction was to further my drug use. On Christmas Eve of 2021 my dad moved out and failed to talk to me for the next year and a half. During this time as I denied to care about his leaving I did double down on my drug use in secret. At sixteen as I was beginning my junior year, I was suffering from many health problems and I cut down my use to only weed and nicotine. That was until New Year’s Eve. Now I can’t even pinpoint a certain reason for this relapse besides I found myself with no viable reason to be sober. I started 2022 by taking a shot and never stopped. That short amount of time before I went to rehab was the worst my drug use ever got. I was using certain substances that I swore to never use and trying ways of taking the substances that posed many risks as well but I didn’t care. By March 31st, I weighed only eighty-one pounds, obviously not very healthy. Despite this I was still highly functioning, I was working full-time, an honor roll full-time student, as well as an athlete. One night it was brought to my attention by a close friend about the extremity of my situation and I made the decision that I would stop, but the conditions being that I still intended to finish what I had already purchased. My second short-coming in that situation was my insistence to do it by myself. Little did I know the plans that were in store after that conversation. She used my words that night to snitch on me and on April seventh I was sent into rehab. Eventually I started to realize the only real way out was honesty and letting go of the shell I had built up around myself to keep everybody else out. Now in saying this it was by no means easy and I definitely still try to hold back a lot of pieces of myself and of my past. I began attending celebrate recovery meetings post-rehab where I met people who have gone through similar things as I have. Looking back at who I was, I have no idea how people stuck by me, but through Salvation and God’s grace I now can hold relationships and prioritize the right things. I feel as though I have a purpose in this life as I’ve met people through my situation. I hope and pray that one day I can be the person on the outside helping to support someone through their own situation. Being in recovery has changed my relationship with others, with God, and even with myself. I truly didn’t think that I would have a future, to the point that I had a note in my room not because I was trying to die but just in case I did. Now I’m getting ready to go to college and have an internship set up. I’d like to say that’s my doing but it’s not; it’s all thanks to God and His grace.

At the age of ten I began vaping and smoking cigarettes. Then at eleven I started smoking weed and continued both of those things throughout my adolescence. This caused my desire for further experimentation with different drugs. Throughout my middle school years I tried just about all of what most would consider to be the “lower level” drugs. Beginning high school my depression skyrocketed and I was searching for a sense of peace or relief. Even though there were other options my only reaction was to further my drug use. On Christmas Eve of 2021 my dad moved out and failed to talk to me for the next year and a half. During this time as I denied to care about his leaving I did double down on my drug use in secret. At sixteen as I was beginning my junior year, I was suffering from many health problems and I cut down my use to only weed and nicotine. That was until New Year’s Eve. Now I can’t even pinpoint a certain reason for this relapse besides I found myself with no viable reason to be sober. I started 2022 by taking a shot and never stopped. That short amount of time before I went to rehab was the worst my drug use ever got. I was using certain substances that I swore to never use and trying ways of taking the substances that posed many risks as well but I didn’t care. By March 31st, I weighed only eighty-one pounds, obviously not very healthy. Despite this I was still highly functioning, I was working full-time, an honor roll full-time student, as well as an athlete. One night it was brought to my attention by a close friend about the extremity of my situation and I made the decision that I would stop, but the conditions being that I still intended to finish what I had already purchased. My second short-coming in that situation was my insistence to do it by myself. Little did I know the plans that were in store after that conversation. She used my words that night to snitch on me and on April seventh I was sent into rehab. Eventually I started to realize the only real way out was honesty and letting go of the shell I had built up around myself to keep everybody else out. Now in saying this it was by no means easy and I definitely still try to hold back a lot of pieces of myself and of my past. I began attending celebrate recovery meetings post-rehab where I met people who have gone through similar things as I have. Looking back at who I was, I have no idea how people stuck by me, but through Salvation and God’s grace I now can hold relationships and prioritize the right things. I feel as though I have a purpose in this life as I’ve met people through my situation. I hope and pray that one day I can be the person on the outside helping to support someone through their own situation. Being in recovery has changed my relationship with others, with God, and even with myself. I truly didn’t think that I would have a future, to the point that I had a note in my room not because I was trying to die but just in case I did. Now I’m getting ready to go to college and have an internship set up. I’d like to say that’s my doing but it’s not; it’s all thanks to God and His grace.

I'm interested in studying industrial design, more specifically corrugated design. I fell in love with this career when working in warehousing. I was introduced into the design lab by our lead designer and quickly fell in love with the career. I found that it was a very suitable job for me and I matched well. I am passionate about Industrial design as a career choice, but I also hope to continue my involvement in a church youth group. I have faced many things and obstacles in my only seventeen years of life. I have gone to rehab for drug and alcohol addiction, dealt with my parents divorce, loss of family members, and my own mental health journey. Through all of these things I have only grown stronger and more resilient and prepared for the challenges ahead. I want to share my story of success against all odds and help others to not go down the same path I did; as well as help to show those who are already struggling that there is a way out. In the future I want a successful career that will allow me to have enough time and funds so other youth won't have to go through what I have without help. My family and I have struggled with money since my father had an affair and left and the necessity of funds to send my brother and me to college is hard to come by. So getting any and every scholarship is completely necessary for college to even be an option. I used sports as another way to cope through only have my mom. The day he left I went to basketball practice and it calmed me more than anything else. I was introduced to corrugated design through both my parents working in the corrugated industry as well as my working at a box plant. I quickly fell in love with the career path and opportunities that come with it. Corrugated design is a field that would allow me to be creative, hands-on, and active, which are important to me. I work at D&D Packaging in Olive Branch, Mississippi, as a warehouse floor worker and was introduced to corrugated design. I trained alongside Donnie Wood, the lead designer here, who taught me how to use the CAD table and how to better understand dimensions. As a result of this work it gave me plans for a future and to go to college. I researched to find a college where I could specialize in corrugated packaging. I am very passionate about being able to pursue this career and go through schooling for it but cost is a major issue. Being able to get any type of scholarship would help significantly in the success for my future. This industry would allow me to be creative, hands-on, and active, which are important to me. It also provide for a stable and successful future. The people that I have been able to meet just through my limited experience in the industry also makes me want to pursue it even more.

I'm interested in studying industrial design, more specifically corrugated design. I fell in love with this career when working in warehousing. I was introduced into the design lab by our lead designer and quickly fell in love with the career. I found that it was a very suitable job for me and I matched well. I am passionate about Industrial design as a career choice, but I also hope to continue my involvement in a church youth group. I have faced many things and obstacles in my only seventeen years of life. I have gone to rehab for drug and alcohol addiction, dealt with my parents divorce, loss of family members, and my own mental health journey. Through all of these things I have only grown stronger and more resilient and prepared for the challenges ahead. I want to share my story of success against all odds and help others to not go down the same path I did; as well as help to show those who are already struggling that there is a way out. In the future I want a successful career that will allow me to have enough time and funds so other youth won't have to go through what I have without help. My family and I have struggled with money since my father had an affair and left and the necessity of funds to send my brother and me to college is hard to come by. So getting any and every scholarship is completely necessary for college to even be an option. I used sports as another way to cope through only have my mom. The day he left I went to basketball practice and it calmed me more than anything else. Corrugated design is a field that would allow me to be creative, hands-on, and active, which are important to me. I work at D&D Packaging in Olive Branch, Mississippi, as a warehouse floor worker and was introduced to corrugated design. I trained alongside Donnie Wood, the lead designer here, who taught me how to use the CAD table and how to better understand dimensions. As a result of this work it gave me plans for a future and to go to college. I researched to find a college where I could specialize in corrugated packaging. I am very passionate about being able to pursue this career and go through schooling for it but cost is a major issue. Being able to get any type of scholarship would help significantly in the success for my future. This industry would allow me to be creative, hands-on, and active, which are important to me. It also provide for a stable and successful future. The people that I have been able to meet just through my limited experience in the industry also makes me want to pursue it even more.

I'm interested in studying industrial design, more specifically corrugated design. I fell in love with this career when working in warehousing. I was introduced into the design lab by our lead designer and quickly fell in love with the career. I found that it was a very suitable job for me and I matched well. I am passionate about Industrial design as a career choice, but I also hope to continue my involvement in a church youth group. I have faced many things and obstacles in my only seventeen years of life. I have gone to rehab for drug and alcohol addiction, dealt with my parents divorce, loss of family members, and my own mental health journey. Through all of these things I have only grown stronger and more resilient and prepared for the challenges ahead. I want to share my story of success against all odds and help others to not go down the same path I did; as well as help to show those who are already struggling that there is a way out. In the future I want a successful career that will allow me to have enough time and funds so other youth won't have to go through what I have without help. My family and I have struggled with money since my father had an affair and left and the necessity of funds to send my brother and me to college is hard to come by. So getting any and every scholarship is completely necessary for college to even be an option. I used sports as another way to cope through only have my mom. The day he left I went to basketball practice and it calmed me more than anything else. Corrugated design is a field that would allow me to be creative, hands-on, and active, which are important to me. I work at D&D Packaging in Olive Branch, Mississippi, as a warehouse floor worker and was introduced to corrugated design. I trained alongside Donnie Wood, the lead designer here, who taught me how to use the CAD table and how to better understand dimensions. As a result of this work it gave me plans for a future and to go to college. I researched to find a college where I could specialize in corrugated packaging. I am very passionate about being able to pursue this career and go through schooling for it but cost is a major issue. Being able to get any type of scholarship would help significantly in the success for my future. This industry would allow me to be creative, hands-on, and active, which are important to me. It also provide for a stable and successful future. The people that I have been able to meet just through my limited experience in the industry also makes me want to pursue it even more.

At the age of ten I began vaping and smoking cigarettes. Then at eleven I started smoking weed and continued both of those things throughout my adolescence. This caused my desire for further experimentation with different drugs. Throughout my middle school years I tried just about all of what most would consider to be the “lower level” drugs. Beginning high school my depression skyrocketed and I was searching for a sense of peace or relief. Even though there were other options my only reaction was to further my drug use. On Christmas Eve of 2021 my dad moved out and failed to talk to me for the next year and a half. During this time as I denied to care about his leaving I did double down on my drug use in secret. At sixteen as I was beginning my junior year, I was suffering from many health problems and I cut down my use to only weed and nicotine. That was until New Year’s Eve. Now I can’t even pinpoint a certain reason for this relapse besides I found myself with no viable reason to be sober. I started 2022 by taking a shot and never stopped. That short amount of time before I went to rehab was the worst my drug use ever got. I was using certain substances that I swore to never use and trying ways of taking the substances that posed many risks as well but I didn’t care. By March 31st, I weighed only eighty-one pounds, obviously not very healthy. Despite this I was still highly functioning, I was working full-time, an honor roll full-time student, as well as an athlete. One night it was brought to my attention by a close friend about the extremity of my situation and I made the decision that I would stop, but the conditions being that I still intended to finish what I had already purchased. My second short-coming in that situation was my insistence to do it by myself. Little did I know the plans that were in store after that conversation. She used my words that night to snitch on me and on April seventh I was sent into rehab. Eventually I started to realize the only real way out was honesty and letting go of the shell I had built up around myself to keep everybody else out. Now in saying this it was by no means easy and I definitely still try to hold back a lot of pieces of myself and of my past. I began attending celebrate recovery meetings post-rehab where I met people who have gone through similar things as I have. Looking back at who I was, I have no idea how people stuck by me, but through Salvation and God’s grace I now can hold relationships and prioritize the right things. I feel as though I have a purpose in this life as I’ve met people through my situation. I hope and pray that one day I can be the person on the outside helping to support someone through their own situation. Being in recovery has changed my relationship with others, with God, and even with myself. I truly didn’t think that I would have a future, to the point that I had a note in my room not because I was trying to die but just in case I did. Now I’m getting ready to go to college and have an internship set up. I’d like to say that’s my doing but it’s not; it’s all thanks to God and His grace.

At the age of ten I began vaping and smoking cigarettes. Then at eleven I started smoking weed and continued both of those things throughout my adolescence. This caused my desire for further experimentation with different drugs. Throughout my middle school years I tried just about all of what most would consider to be the “lower level” drugs. Beginning high school my depression skyrocketed and I was searching for a sense of peace or relief. Even though there were other options my only reaction was to further my drug use. On Christmas Eve of 2021 my dad moved out and failed to talk to me for the next year and a half. During this time as I denied to care about his leaving I did double down on my drug use in secret. At sixteen as I was beginning my junior year, I was suffering from many health problems and I cut down my use to only weed and nicotine. That was until New Year’s Eve. Now I can’t even pinpoint a certain reason for this relapse besides I found myself with no viable reason to be sober. I started 2022 by taking a shot and never stopped. That short amount of time before I went to rehab was the worst my drug use ever got. I was using certain substances that I swore to never use and trying ways of taking the substances that posed many risks as well but I didn’t care. By March 31st, I weighed only eighty-one pounds, obviously not very healthy. Despite this I was still highly functioning, I was working full-time, an honor roll full-time student, as well as an athlete. One night it was brought to my attention by a close friend about the extremity of my situation and I made the decision that I would stop, but the conditions being that I still intended to finish what I had already purchased. My second short-coming in that situation was my insistence to do it by myself. Little did I know the plans that were in store after that conversation. She used my words that night to snitch on me and on April seventh I was sent into rehab. Eventually I started to realize the only real way out was honesty and letting go of the shell I had built up around myself to keep everybody else out. Now in saying this it was by no means easy and I definitely still try to hold back a lot of pieces of myself and of my past. I began attending celebrate recovery meetings post-rehab where I met people who have gone through similar things as I have. Looking back at who I was, I have no idea how people stuck by me, but through Salvation and God’s grace I now can hold relationships and prioritize the right things. I feel as though I have a purpose in this life as I’ve met people through my situation. I hope and pray that one day I can be the person on the outside helping to support someone through their own situation. Being in recovery has changed my relationship with others, with God, and even with myself. I truly didn’t think that I would have a future, to the point that I had a note in my room not because I was trying to die but just in case I did. Now I’m getting ready to go to college and have an internship set up. I’d like to say that’s my doing but it’s not; it’s all thanks to God and His grace.

I have faced many things and obstacles in my only seventeen years of life. I have gone to rehab for drug and alcohol addiction, dealt with my parents divorce, loss of family members, and my own mental health journey. Through all of these things I have only grown stronger and more resilient and prepared for the challenges ahead. I want to share my story of success against all odds and help others to not go down the same path I did; as well as help to show those who are already struggling that there is a way out. In the future I want a successful career that will allow me to have enough time and funds so other youth won't have to go through what I have without help. My family and I have struggled with money since my father had an affair and left and the necessity of funds to send my brother and me to college is hard to come by. So getting any and every scholarship is completely necessary for college to even be an option. I used sports as another way to cope through only have my mom. The day he left I went to basketball practice and it calmed me more than anything else. I was introduced to corrugated design through both my parents working in the corrugated industry as well as my working at a box plant. I quickly fell in love with the career path and opportunities that come with it. Corrugated design is a field that would allow me to be creative, hands-on, and active, which are important to me. I work at D&D Packaging in Olive Branch, Mississippi, as a warehouse floor worker and was introduced to corrugated design. I trained alongside Donnie Wood, the lead designer here, who taught me how to use the CAD table and how to better understand dimensions. As a result of this work it gave me plans for a future and to go to college. I researched to find a college where I could specialize in corrugated packaging. I am very passionate about being able to pursue this career and go through schooling for it but cost is a major issue. Being able to get any type of scholarship would help significantly in the success for my future. This industry would allow me to be creative, hands-on, and active, which are important to me. It also provide for a stable and successful future. The people that I have been able to meet just through my limited experience in the industry also makes me want to pursue it even more.

At the age of ten I began vaping and smoking cigarettes. Then at eleven I started smoking weed and continued both of those things throughout my adolescence. This caused my desire for further experimentation with different drugs. Throughout my middle school years I tried just about all of what most would consider to be the “lower level” drugs. Beginning high school my depression skyrocketed and I was searching for a sense of peace or relief. Even though there were other options my only reaction was to further my drug use. On Christmas Eve of 2021 my dad moved out and failed to talk to me for the next year and a half. During this time as I denied to care about his leaving I did double down on my drug use in secret. At sixteen as I was beginning my junior year, I was suffering from many health problems and I cut down my use to only weed and nicotine. That was until New Year’s Eve. Now I can’t even pinpoint a certain reason for this relapse besides I found myself with no viable reason to be sober. I started 2022 by taking a shot and never stopped. That short amount of time before I went to rehab was the worst my drug use ever got. I was using certain substances that I swore to never use and trying ways of taking the substances that posed many risks as well but I didn’t care. By March 31st, I weighed only eighty-one pounds, obviously not very healthy. Despite this I was still highly functioning, I was working full-time, an honor roll full-time student, as well as an athlete. One night it was brought to my attention by a close friend about the extremity of my situation and I made the decision that I would stop, but the conditions being that I still intended to finish what I had already purchased. My second short-coming in that situation was my insistence to do it by myself. Little did I know the plans that were in store after that conversation. She used my words that night to snitch on me and on April seventh I was sent into rehab. Eventually I started to realize the only real way out was honesty and letting go of the shell I had built up around myself to keep everybody else out. Now in saying this it was by no means easy and I definitely still try to hold back a lot of pieces of myself and of my past. I began attending celebrate recovery meetings post-rehab where I met people who have gone through similar things as I have. Looking back at who I was, I have no idea how people stuck by me, but through Salvation and God’s grace I now can hold relationships and prioritize the right things. I feel as though I have a purpose in this life as I’ve met people through my situation. I hope and pray that one day I can be the person on the outside helping to support someone through their own situation. Being in recovery has changed my relationship with others, with God, and even with myself. I truly didn’t think that I would have a future, to the point that I had a note in my room not because I was trying to die but just in case I did. Now I’m getting ready to go to college and have an internship set up. I’d like to say that’s my doing but it’s not; it’s all thanks to God and His grace.

I'm interested in studying industrial design, more specifically corrugated design. I fell in love with this career when working in warehousing. I was introduced into the design lab by our lead designer and quickly fell in love with the career. I found that it was a very suitable job for me and I matched well. I am passionate about Industrial design as a career choice, but I also hope to continue my involvement in a church youth group. I have faced many things and obstacles in my only seventeen years of life. I have gone to rehab for drug and alcohol addiction, dealt with my parents divorce, loss of family members, and my own mental health journey. Through all of these things I have only grown stronger and more resilient and prepared for the challenges ahead. I want to share my story of success against all odds and help others to not go down the same path I did; as well as help to show those who are already struggling that there is a way out. In the future I want a successful career that will allow me to have enough time and funds so other youth won't have to go through what I have without help. My family and I have struggled with money since my father had an affair and left and the necessity of funds to send my brother and me to college is hard to come by. So getting any and every scholarship is completely necessary for college to even be an option. I used sports as another way to cope through only have my mom. The day he left I went to basketball practice and it calmed me more than anything else.

Going back to my childhood, I lived in a pretty standard household: my dad was a drinker but he never hurt us, and my parents fought but not more than the usual I suppose. When I was seven something happened that changed my perspective some. I was molested and manipulated into thinking it was okay and normal. It wasn’t until years later I found out the truth but still kept it a secret. I started feeling the pressures of life and searched for a release. At the age of ten I began vaping and smoking cigarettes. Then at eleven I started smoking weed and continued both of those things throughout my adolescence. Throughout my middle school years I tried just about all of what most would consider to be the “lower level” drugs. Beginning high school my depression skyrocketed and I was searching for a sense of peace or relief. Even though there were other options my only reaction was to further my drug use. At the end of my freshman year quarantine happened that amount of idle time was a recipe for disaster for me. During that time I did a lot of experimentation since I was home and had a lack of responsibilities. On Christmas Eve of 2021 my dad moved out and failed to talk to me for the next year and a half. During this time as I denied to care about his leaving I did double down on my drug use in secret. At sixteen as I was beginning my junior year, I was suffering from many health problems and I cut down my use to only weed and nicotine. That was until New Year’s Eve. Now I can’t even pinpoint a certain reason for this relapse besides I found myself with no viable reason to be sober. I started 2022 by taking a shot and never stopped. That short amount of time before I went to rehab was the worst my drug use ever got. I was using certain substances that I swore to never use and trying ways of taking the substances that posed many risks as well but I didn’t care. I don’t necessarily think that I was looking to die but I was no longer attempting to preserve my life as well. By March 31st, I weighed only eighty-one pounds, obviously not very healthy. Despite this I was still highly functioning, I was working full-time, an honor roll full-time student, as well as an athlete. One night it was brought to my attention by a close friend about the extremity of my situation and I made the decision that I would stop, but the conditions being that I still intended to finish what I had already purchased. My second short-coming in that situation was my insistence to do it by myself. Little did I know the plans that were in store after that conversation. She used my words that night to snitch on me and on April seventh I was sent into rehab. The first couple weeks were spent fully denying the existence of a problem and severity of my drug use. But eventually I started to realize the only real way out was honesty and letting go of the shell I had built up around myself to keep everybody else out. Now if I’m being honest that shell is still there as a fallback protection but I am willing to let some people in. While in rehab I began attending weekly chapel services and it revealed the direness of my situation. Just by being in His Word and praying I realized that the hole that I tried to fill so many different ways and with so many different things was Him. I let go and gave my fear away to God. Now in saying this it was by no means easy and I definitely still try to hold back a lot of pieces of myself and of my past. I still struggle with the same temptations as well, but have a rock to fall back on that is stronger than any shields I have attempted to build up myself. I began attending celebrate recovery meetings post-rehab where I met people who have gone through similar things as I have. God has also opened doors to my future through this experience. My relationships with the people around me improved as well. Looking back at who I was, I have no idea how people stuck by me, but through Salvation and God’s grace I now can hold relationships and prioritize the right things. Now I can’t lie and say that if I had the choice I would want that experience ever again but I am semi grateful that it happened in some aspects. I feel as though I have a purpose in this life as I’ve met people through my situation. I hope and pray that one day I can be the person on the outside helping to support someone through their own situation. I still struggle with the aspect of change that has come as a consequence to this but I attempt to stand firm with the support from God and others in my life. I know that I couldn’t have done the program and gone through the steps without God’s help. Though it feels as though the steps are a lot at first look, I am so grateful to be doing them and truly believe that they have change every aspect of my life for the better. Being in recovery has changed my relationship with others, with God, and even with myself. I truly didn’t think that I would have a future, to the point that I had a note in my room not because I was trying to die but just in case I did. Now I’m getting ready to go to college and have an internship set up. I’d like to say that’s my doing but it’s not; it’s all thanks to God and His grace.

My own struggled with mental health has almost ruined my life before. It led to years of drug abuse and addiction. At the age of ten I began vaping and smoking cigarettes. Then at eleven I started smoking weed and continued both of those things throughout my adolescence. This caused my desire for further experimentation with different drugs. Throughout my middle school years I tried just about all of what most would consider to be the “lower level” drugs. Beginning high school my depression skyrocketed and I was searching for a sense of peace or relief. My only reaction was to further my drug use. On Christmas Eve of 2021 my dad moved out and failed to talk to me for the next year and a half. During this time as I denied to care about his leaving I did double down on my drug use in secret. At sixteen I was suffering from many health problems and I cut down my use to only weed and nicotine. That was until New Year’s Eve. Now I can’t even pinpoint a certain reason for this relapse besides I found myself with no viable reason to be sober. I started 2022 by taking a shot and never stopped. That short amount of time before I went to rehab was the worst my drug use ever got. I was using certain substances that I swore to never use and trying ways of taking the substances that posed many risks as well but I didn’t care. I weighed only eighty-one pounds, obviously not very healthy. Despite this I was still highly functioning, I was working full-time, an honor roll full-time student, as well as an athlete. One night it was brought to my attention by a close friend about the extremity of my situation and I made the decision that I would stop, but the conditions being that I still intended to finish what I had already purchased. My second short-coming in that situation was my insistence to do it by myself. Little did I know the plans that were in store after that conversation. She used my words that night to snitch on me and on April seventh I was sent into rehab. Eventually I started to realize the only real way out was honesty and letting go of the shell I had built up around myself to keep everybody else out. Now in saying this it was by no means easy and I definitely still try to hold back a lot of pieces of myself and of my past. I began attending celebrate recovery meetings post-rehab where I met people who have gone through similar things as I have. Looking back at who I was, I have no idea how people stuck by me, but through Salvation and God’s grace I now can hold relationships and prioritize the right things. I feel as though I have a purpose in this life as I’ve met people through my situation. I hope and pray that one day I can be the person on the outside helping to support someone through their own situation. Being in recovery has changed my relationship with others, with God, and even with myself. I truly didn’t think that I would have a future, to the point that I had a note in my room not because I was trying to die but just in case I did. Now I’m getting ready to go to college and have an internship set up. I’d like to say that’s my doing but it’s not; it’s all thanks to God and His grace.

My former teacher and coach Melanie Garner has been one my greatest influences, as she has helps me navigate through growing older and temptations that come alongside that. She has been my mentor through many life troubles and has demonstrated her inspiring strength through her own growth in life. In this past year, Donnie Wood the designer at my work has influenced me greatly and changed my perspective for my future prospects. He has shown the wonderful life that comes with being a corrugated designer and given me suggestions on how to have the best and most successful future that I can. I was introduced to corrugated design through both my parents working in the corrugated industry as well as my working at a box plant. I quickly fell in love with the career path and opportunities that come with it. Corrugated design is a field that would allow me to be creative, hands-on, and active, which are important to me. I work at D&D Packaging in Olive Branch, Mississippi, as a warehouse floor worker and was introduced to corrugated design. I trained alongside Donnie Wood, the lead designer here, who taught me how to use the CAD table and how to better understand dimensions. As a result of this work it gave me plans for a future and to go to college. I researched to find a college where I could specialize in corrugated packaging. I am very passionate about being able to pursue this career and go through schooling for it but cost is a major issue. Being able to get any type of scholarship would help significantly in the success for my future. This industry would allow me to be creative, hands-on, and active, which are important to me. It also provide for a stable and successful future. The people that I have been able to meet just through my limited experience in the industry also makes me want to pursue it even more.

Turtles All the Way Down by John Green was my favorite book during my time in rehab. It made me feel more seen than anything else I have ever read. It depicts a girl named Aza who struggles greatly with anxiety. Turtles All the Way Down shows not only the struggle of Aza herself but also the impact and accidental selfishness that comes along with her burden of anxiety.

I'm interested in studying industrial design, more specifically corrugated design. I fell in love with this career when working in warehousing. I was introduced into the design lab by our lead designer and quickly fell in love with the career. I found that it was a very suitable job for me and I matched well. I am passionate about Industrial design as a career choice, but I also hope to continue my involvement in a church youth group. I have faced many things and obstacles in my only seventeen years of life. I have gone to rehab for drug and alcohol addiction, dealt with my parents divorce, loss of family members, and my own mental health journey. Through all of these things I have only grown stronger and more resilient and prepared for the challenges ahead. I want to share my story of success against all odds and help others to not go down the same path I did; as well as help to show those who are already struggling that there is a way out. In the future I want a successful career that will allow me to have enough time and funds so other youth won't have to go through what I have without help. My family and I have struggled with money since my father had an affair and left and the necessity of funds to send my brother and me to college is hard to come by. So getting any and every scholarship is completely necessary for college to even be an option.

I want to show people that there is help and future to those struggling with addiction. I myself have gone through the struggle and hope to help others by sharing my story and providing access to help. Giving a space for youth to share their struggles without worry of being reported or sent away.

I'm interested in studying industrial design, more specifically corrugated design. I fell in love with this career when working in warehousing. I was introduced into the design lab by our lead designer and quickly fell in love with the career. I found that it was a very suitable job for me and I matched well. I am passionate about Industrial design as a career choice, but I also hope to continue my involvement in a church youth group. I have faced many things and obstacles in my only seventeen years of life. I have gone to rehab for drug and alcohol addiction, dealt with my parents divorce, loss of family members, and my own mental health journey. Through all of these things I have only grown stronger and more resilient and prepared for the challenges ahead. I want to share my story of success against all odds and help others to not go down the same path I did; as well as help to show those who are already struggling that there is a way out. In the future I want a successful career that will allow me to have enough time and funds so other youth won't have to go through what I have without help. My family and I have struggled with money since my father had an affair and left and the necessity of funds to send my brother and me to college is hard to come by. So getting any and every scholarship is completely necessary for college to even be an option.

Gravity by A Perfect Circle provides an important message about the struggles of addiction. Getting sober is one of my greatest achievements in life but I will never forget my past. This songs provides an amazing description of what it is like to live through addiction and the impact it has on your family, friends, and others around you. The song demonstrates just how important it is to seek help when you are struggling with addiction. Though many people in the world fail to do so. He brings awareness to the issue in a very real way. The songwriter states in one line how he is "just unable to let go" and I think that brings words to a very true feeling for many addicts. This song encourages people who are struggling to seek help and emphasizes the importance of having support and not just trying to stop on your own.

I'm interested in studying industrial design, more specifically corrugated design. I fell in love with this career when working in warehousing. I was introduced into the design lab by our lead designer and quickly fell in love with the career. I found that it was a very suitable job for me and I matched well. I am passionate about Industrial design as a career choice, but I also hope to continue my involvement in a church youth group. I have faced many things and obstacles in my only seventeen years of life. I have gone to rehab for drug and alcohol addiction, dealt with my parents divorce, loss of family members, and my own mental health journey. Through all of these things I have only grown stronger and more resilient and prepared for the challenges ahead. I want to share my story of success against all odds and help others to not go down the same path I did; as well as help to show those who are already struggling that there is a way out. In the future I want a successful career that will allow me to have enough time and funds so other youth won't have to go through what I have without help. My family and I have struggled with money since my father had an affair and left and the necessity of funds to send my brother and me to college is hard to come by. So getting any and every scholarship is completely necessary for college to even be an option.

At the age of ten I began vaping and smoking cigarettes. Then at eleven I started smoking weed and continued both of those things throughout my adolescence. This caused my desire for further experimentation with different drugs. Throughout my middle school years I tried just about all of what most would consider to be the “lower level” drugs. Beginning high school my depression skyrocketed and I was searching for a sense of peace or relief. Even though there were other options my only reaction was to further my drug use. On Christmas Eve of 2021 my dad moved out and failed to talk to me for the next year and a half. During this time as I denied to care about his leaving I did double down on my drug use in secret. At sixteen as I was beginning my junior year, I was suffering from many health problems and I cut down my use to only weed and nicotine. That was until New Year’s Eve. Now I can’t even pinpoint a certain reason for this relapse besides I found myself with no viable reason to be sober. I started 2022 by taking a shot and never stopped. That short amount of time before I went to rehab was the worst my drug use ever got. I was using certain substances that I swore to never use and trying ways of taking the substances that posed many risks as well but I didn’t care. By March 31st, I weighed only eighty-one pounds, obviously not very healthy. Despite this I was still highly functioning, I was working full-time, an honor roll full-time student, as well as an athlete. One night it was brought to my attention by a close friend about the extremity of my situation and I made the decision that I would stop, but the conditions being that I still intended to finish what I had already purchased. My second short-coming in that situation was my insistence to do it by myself. Little did I know the plans that were in store after that conversation. She used my words that night to snitch on me and on April seventh I was sent into rehab. Eventually I started to realize the only real way out was honesty and letting go of the shell I had built up around myself to keep everybody else out. Now in saying this it was by no means easy and I definitely still try to hold back a lot of pieces of myself and of my past. I began attending celebrate recovery meetings post-rehab where I met people who have gone through similar things as I have. Looking back at who I was, I have no idea how people stuck by me, but through Salvation and God’s grace I now can hold relationships and prioritize the right things. I feel as though I have a purpose in this life as I’ve met people through my situation. I hope and pray that one day I can be the person on the outside helping to support someone through their own situation. Being in recovery has changed my relationship with others, with God, and even with myself. I truly didn’t think that I would have a future, to the point that I had a note in my room not because I was trying to die but just in case I did. Now I’m getting ready to go to college and have an internship set up. I’d like to say that’s my doing but it’s not; it’s all thanks to God and His grace.

I'm interested in studying industrial design, more specifically corrugated design. I fell in love with this career when working in warehousing. I was introduced into the design lab by our lead designer and quickly fell in love with the career. I found that it was a very suitable job for me and I matched well. I am passionate about Industrial design as a career choice, but I also hope to continue my involvement in a church youth group. I have faced many things and obstacles in my only seventeen years of life. I have gone to rehab for drug and alcohol addiction, dealt with my parents divorce, loss of family members, and my own mental health journey. Through all of these things I have only grown stronger and more resilient and prepared for the challenges ahead. I want to share my story of success against all odds and help others to not go down the same path I did; as well as help to show those who are already struggling that there is a way out. In the future I want a successful career that will allow me to have enough time and funds so other youth won't have to go through what I have without help. My family and I have struggled with money since my father had an affair and left and the necessity of funds to send my brother and me to college is hard to come by. So getting any and every scholarship is completely necessary for college to even be an option.

I'm interested in studying industrial design, more specifically corrugated design. I fell in love with this career when working in warehousing. I was introduced into the design lab by our lead designer and quickly fell in love with the career. I found that it was a very suitable job for me and I matched well. I am passionate about Industrial design as a career choice, but I also hope to continue my involvement in a church youth group. I have faced many things and obstacles in my only seventeen years of life. I have gone to rehab for drug and alcohol addiction, dealt with my parents divorce, loss of family members, and my own mental health journey. Through all of these things I have only grown stronger and more resilient and prepared for the challenges ahead. I want to share my story of success against all odds and help others to not go down the same path I did; as well as help to show those who are already struggling that there is a way out. In the future I want a successful career that will allow me to have enough time and funds so other youth won't have to go through what I have without help. My family and I have struggled with money since my father had an affair and left and the necessity of funds to send my brother and me to college is hard to come by. So getting any and every scholarship is completely necessary for college to even be an option.

At the age of ten I began vaping and smoking cigarettes. Then at eleven I started smoking weed and continued both of those things throughout my adolescence. This caused my desire for further experimentation with different drugs. Throughout my middle school years I tried just about all of what most would consider to be the “lower level” drugs. Beginning high school my depression skyrocketed and I was searching for a sense of peace or relief. Even though there were other options my only reaction was to further my drug use. On Christmas Eve of 2021 my dad moved out and failed to talk to me for the next year and a half. During this time as I denied to care about his leaving I did double down on my drug use in secret. At sixteen as I was beginning my junior year, I was suffering from many health problems and I cut down my use to only weed and nicotine. That was until New Year’s Eve. Now I can’t even pinpoint a certain reason for this relapse besides I found myself with no viable reason to be sober. I started 2022 by taking a shot and never stopped. That short amount of time before I went to rehab was the worst my drug use ever got. I was using certain substances that I swore to never use and trying ways of taking the substances that posed many risks as well but I didn’t care. By March 31st, I weighed only eighty-one pounds, obviously not very healthy. Despite this I was still highly functioning, I was working full-time, an honor roll full-time student, as well as an athlete. One night it was brought to my attention by a close friend about the extremity of my situation and I made the decision that I would stop, but the conditions being that I still intended to finish what I had already purchased. My second short-coming in that situation was my insistence to do it by myself. Little did I know the plans that were in store after that conversation. She used my words that night to snitch on me and on April seventh I was sent into rehab. Eventually I started to realize the only real way out was honesty and letting go of the shell I had built up around myself to keep everybody else out. Now in saying this it was by no means easy and I definitely still try to hold back a lot of pieces of myself and of my past. I began attending celebrate recovery meetings post-rehab where I met people who have gone through similar things as I have. Looking back at who I was, I have no idea how people stuck by me, but through Salvation and God’s grace I now can hold relationships and prioritize the right things. I feel as though I have a purpose in this life as I’ve met people through my situation. I hope and pray that one day I can be the person on the outside helping to support someone through their own situation. Being in recovery has changed my relationship with others, with God, and even with myself. I truly didn’t think that I would have a future, to the point that I had a note in my room not because I was trying to die but just in case I did. Now I’m getting ready to go to college and have an internship set up. I’d like to say that’s my doing but it’s not; it’s all thanks to God and His grace.

At the age of ten I began vaping and smoking cigarettes. Then at eleven I started smoking weed and continued both of those things throughout my adolescence. This caused my desire for further experimentation with different drugs. Throughout my middle school years I tried just about all of what most would consider to be the “lower level” drugs. Beginning high school my depression skyrocketed and I was searching for a sense of peace or relief. Even though there were other options my only reaction was to further my drug use. On Christmas Eve of 2021 my dad moved out and failed to talk to me for the next year and a half. During this time as I denied to care about his leaving I did double down on my drug use in secret. At sixteen as I was beginning my junior year, I was suffering from many health problems and I cut down my use to only weed and nicotine. That was until New Year’s Eve. Now I can’t even pinpoint a certain reason for this relapse besides I found myself with no viable reason to be sober. I started 2022 by taking a shot and never stopped. That short amount of time before I went to rehab was the worst my drug use ever got. I was using certain substances that I swore to never use and trying ways of taking the substances that posed many risks as well but I didn’t care. By March 31st, I weighed only eighty-one pounds, obviously not very healthy. Despite this I was still highly functioning, I was working full-time, an honor roll full-time student, as well as an athlete. One night it was brought to my attention by a close friend about the extremity of my situation and I made the decision that I would stop, but the conditions being that I still intended to finish what I had already purchased. My second short-coming in that situation was my insistence to do it by myself. Little did I know the plans that were in store after that conversation. She used my words that night to snitch on me and on April seventh I was sent into rehab. Eventually I started to realize the only real way out was honesty and letting go of the shell I had built up around myself to keep everybody else out. Now in saying this it was by no means easy and I definitely still try to hold back a lot of pieces of myself and of my past. I began attending celebrate recovery meetings post-rehab where I met people who have gone through similar things as I have. Looking back at who I was, I have no idea how people stuck by me, but through Salvation and God’s grace I now can hold relationships and prioritize the right things. I feel as though I have a purpose in this life as I’ve met people through my situation. I hope and pray that one day I can be the person on the outside helping to support someone through their own situation. Being in recovery has changed my relationship with others, with God, and even with myself. I truly didn’t think that I would have a future, to the point that I had a note in my room not because I was trying to die but just in case I did. Now I’m getting ready to go to college and have an internship set up. I’d like to say that’s my doing but it’s not; it’s all thanks to God and His grace.

At the age of ten I began vaping and smoking cigarettes. Then at eleven I started smoking weed and continued both of those things throughout my adolescence. This caused my desire for further experimentation with different drugs. Throughout my middle school years I tried just about all of what most would consider to be the “lower level” drugs. Beginning high school my depression skyrocketed and I was searching for a sense of peace or relief. Even though there were other options my only reaction was to further my drug use. On Christmas Eve of 2021 my dad moved out and failed to talk to me for the next year and a half. During this time as I denied to care about his leaving I did double down on my drug use in secret. At sixteen as I was beginning my junior year, I was suffering from many health problems and I cut down my use to only weed and nicotine. That was until New Year’s Eve. Now I can’t even pinpoint a certain reason for this relapse besides I found myself with no viable reason to be sober. I started 2022 by taking a shot and never stopped. That short amount of time before I went to rehab was the worst my drug use ever got. I was using certain substances that I swore to never use and trying ways of taking the substances that posed many risks as well but I didn’t care. By March 31st, I weighed only eighty-one pounds, obviously not very healthy. Despite this I was still highly functioning, I was working full-time, an honor roll full-time student, as well as an athlete. One night it was brought to my attention by a close friend about the extremity of my situation and I made the decision that I would stop, but the conditions being that I still intended to finish what I had already purchased. My second short-coming in that situation was my insistence to do it by myself. Little did I know the plans that were in store after that conversation. She used my words that night to snitch on me and on April seventh I was sent into rehab. Eventually I started to realize the only real way out was honesty and letting go of the shell I had built up around myself to keep everybody else out. Now in saying this it was by no means easy and I definitely still try to hold back a lot of pieces of myself and of my past. I began attending celebrate recovery meetings post-rehab where I met people who have gone through similar things as I have. Looking back at who I was, I have no idea how people stuck by me, but through Salvation and God’s grace I now can hold relationships and prioritize the right things. I feel as though I have a purpose in this life as I’ve met people through my situation. I hope and pray that one day I can be the person on the outside helping to support someone through their own situation. Being in recovery has changed my relationship with others, with God, and even with myself. I truly didn’t think that I would have a future, to the point that I had a note in my room not because I was trying to die but just in case I did. Now I’m getting ready to go to college and have an internship set up. I’d like to say that’s my doing but it’s not; it’s all thanks to God and His grace.

At the age of ten I began vaping and smoking cigarettes. Then at eleven I started smoking weed and continued both of those things throughout my adolescence. This caused my desire for further experimentation with different drugs. Throughout my middle school years I tried just about all of what most would consider to be the “lower level” drugs. Beginning high school my depression skyrocketed and I was searching for a sense of peace or relief. Even though there were other options my only reaction was to further my drug use. On Christmas Eve of 2021 my dad moved out and failed to talk to me for the next year and a half. During this time as I denied to care about his leaving I did double down on my drug use in secret. At sixteen as I was beginning my junior year, I was suffering from many health problems and I cut down my use to only weed and nicotine. That was until New Year’s Eve. Now I can’t even pinpoint a certain reason for this relapse besides I found myself with no viable reason to be sober. I started 2022 by taking a shot and never stopped. That short amount of time before I went to rehab was the worst my drug use ever got. I was using certain substances that I swore to never use and trying ways of taking the substances that posed many risks as well but I didn’t care. By March 31st, I weighed only eighty-one pounds, obviously not very healthy. Despite this I was still highly functioning, I was working full-time, an honor roll full-time student, as well as an athlete. One night it was brought to my attention by a close friend about the extremity of my situation and I made the decision that I would stop, but the conditions being that I still intended to finish what I had already purchased. My second short-coming in that situation was my insistence to do it by myself. Little did I know the plans that were in store after that conversation. She used my words that night to snitch on me and on April seventh I was sent into rehab. Eventually I started to realize the only real way out was honesty and letting go of the shell I had built up around myself to keep everybody else out. Now in saying this it was by no means easy and I definitely still try to hold back a lot of pieces of myself and of my past. I began attending celebrate recovery meetings post-rehab where I met people who have gone through similar things as I have. Looking back at who I was, I have no idea how people stuck by me, but through Salvation and God’s grace I now can hold relationships and prioritize the right things. I feel as though I have a purpose in this life as I’ve met people through my situation. I hope and pray that one day I can be the person on the outside helping to support someone through their own situation. Being in recovery has changed my relationship with others, with God, and even with myself. I truly didn’t think that I would have a future, to the point that I had a note in my room not because I was trying to die but just in case I did. Now I’m getting ready to go to college and have an internship set up. I strive to help others through sharing my own story.

At the age of ten I began vaping and smoking cigarettes. Then at eleven I started smoking weed and continued both of those things throughout my adolescence. This caused my desire for further experimentation with different drugs. Throughout my middle school years I tried just about all of what most would consider to be the “lower level” drugs. Beginning high school my depression skyrocketed and I was searching for a sense of peace or relief. Even though there were other options my only reaction was to further my drug use. On Christmas Eve of 2021 my dad moved out and failed to talk to me for the next year and a half. During this time as I denied to care about his leaving I did double down on my drug use in secret. At sixteen as I was beginning my junior year, I was suffering from many health problems and I cut down my use to only weed and nicotine. That was until New Year’s Eve. Now I can’t even pinpoint a certain reason for this relapse besides I found myself with no viable reason to be sober. I started 2022 by taking a shot and never stopped. That short amount of time before I went to rehab was the worst my drug use ever got. I was using certain substances that I swore to never use and trying ways of taking the substances that posed many risks as well but I didn’t care. By March 31st, I weighed only eighty-one pounds, obviously not very healthy. Despite this I was still highly functioning, I was working full-time, an honor roll full-time student, as well as an athlete. One night it was brought to my attention by a close friend about the extremity of my situation and I made the decision that I would stop, but the conditions being that I still intended to finish what I had already purchased. My second short-coming in that situation was my insistence to do it by myself. Little did I know the plans that were in store after that conversation. She used my words that night to snitch on me and on April seventh I was sent into rehab. Eventually I started to realize the only real way out was honesty and letting go of the shell I had built up around myself to keep everybody else out. Now in saying this it was by no means easy and I definitely still try to hold back a lot of pieces of myself and of my past. I began attending celebrate recovery meetings post-rehab where I met people who have gone through similar things as I have. Looking back at who I was, I have no idea how people stuck by me, but through Salvation and God’s grace I now can hold relationships and prioritize the right things. I feel as though I have a purpose in this life as I’ve met people through my situation. I hope and pray that one day I can be the person on the outside helping to support someone through their own situation. Being in recovery has changed my relationship with others, with God, and even with myself. I truly didn’t think that I would have a future, to the point that I had a note in my room not because I was trying to die but just in case I did. Now I’m getting ready to go to college and have an internship set up. I’d like to say that’s my doing but it’s not; it’s all thanks to God and His grace.

I was introduced to corrugated design through both my parents working in the corrugated industry as well as my working at a box plant. I quickly fell in love with the career path and opportunities that come with it. Corrugated design is a field that would allow me to be creative, hands-on, and active, which are important to me. I work at D&D Packaging in Olive Branch, Mississippi, as a warehouse floor worker and was introduced to corrugated design. I trained alongside Donnie Wood, the lead designer here, who taught me how to use the CAD table and how to better understand dimensions. As a result of this work it gave me plans for a future and to go to college. I researched to find a college where I could specialize in corrugated packaging. I am very passionate about being able to pursue this career and go through schooling for it but cost is a major issue. Being able to get any type of scholarship would help significantly in the success for my future. This industry would allow me to be creative, hands-on, and active, which are important to me. It also provide for a stable and successful future. The people that I have been able to meet just through my limited experience in the industry also makes me want to pursue it even more. Dunwoody provides one of the best programs in packaging design, which is what brought it to my attention. I believe I would be a good applicant choice for Dunwoody since industrial design is a male-dominated field. I also have the past experience and passion for the learning material. I have an ACT score of 25 and a 4.2 GPA, which places me at second in my class currently. I believe through my research of colleges with design programs that Dunwoody would be the best fit for me and allow me to flourish in my future career. In this past year, Donnie Wood the designer at my work has influenced me greatly and changed my perspective for my future prospects. He has shown the wonderful life that comes with being a corrugated designer and given me suggestions on how to have the best and most successful future that I can. After a lot of thought and investigation, I found the graphic design and production program to be the most intriguing. My dad was our main source of income for my brother and me our whole lives. So my mom has been left to pay bills while still trying to provide a good education for my brother and myself after him leaving. Getting a scholarship like this one would help my family substantially, provide a successful career for me, and allow me to become the leader I was designed to be.

I was introduced to corrugated design through both my parents working in the corrugated industry as well as my working at a box plant. I quickly fell in love with the career path and opportunities that come with it. Corrugated design is a field that would allow me to be creative, hands-on, and active, which are important to me. I work at D&D Packaging in Olive Branch, Mississippi, as a warehouse floor worker and was introduced to corrugated design. I trained alongside Donnie Wood, the lead designer here, who taught me how to use the CAD table and how to better understand dimensions. As a result of this work it gave me plans for a future and to go to college. I researched to find a college where I could specialize in corrugated packaging. I am very passionate about being able to pursue this career and go through schooling for it but cost is a major issue. Being able to get any type of scholarship would help significantly in the success for my future. This industry would allow me to be creative, hands-on, and active, which are important to me. It also provide for a stable and successful future. The people that I have been able to meet just through my limited experience in the industry also makes me want to pursue it even more.

I was introduced to corrugated design through both my parents working in the corrugated industry as well as my working at a box plant. I quickly fell in love with the career path and opportunities that come with it. Corrugated design is a field that would allow me to be creative, hands-on, and active, which are important to me. I work at D&D Packaging in Olive Branch, Mississippi, as a warehouse floor worker and was introduced to corrugated design. I trained alongside Donnie Wood, the lead designer here, who taught me how to use the CAD table and how to better understand dimensions. As a result of this work it gave me plans for a future and to go to college. I researched to find a college where I could specialize in corrugated packaging. I am very passionate about being able to pursue this career and go through schooling for it but cost is a major issue. Being able to get any type of scholarship would help significantly in the success for my future. This industry would allow me to be creative, hands-on, and active, which are important to me. It also provide for a stable and successful future. The people that I have been able to meet just through my limited experience in the industry also makes me want to pursue it even more.

I was introduced to corrugated design through both my parents working in the corrugated industry as well as my working at a box plant. I quickly fell in love with the career path and opportunities that come with it. Corrugated design is a field that would allow me to be creative, hands-on, and active, which are important to me. I work at D&D Packaging in Olive Branch, Mississippi, as a warehouse floor worker and was introduced to corrugated design. I trained alongside Donnie Wood, the lead designer here, who taught me how to use the CAD table and how to better understand dimensions. As a result of this work it gave me plans for a future and to go to college. I researched to find a college where I could specialize in corrugated packaging. I am very passionate about being able to pursue this career and go through schooling for it but cost is a major issue. Being able to get any type of scholarship would help significantly in the success for my future. This industry would allow me to be creative, hands-on, and active, which are important to me. It also provide for a stable and successful future. The people that I have been able to meet just through my limited experience in the industry also makes me want to pursue it even more.

At the age of ten I began vaping and smoking cigarettes. Then at eleven I started smoking weed and continued both of those things throughout my adolescence. This caused my desire for further experimentation with different drugs. Throughout my middle school years I tried just about all of what most would consider to be the “lower level” drugs. Beginning high school my depression skyrocketed and I was searching for a sense of peace or relief. Even though there were other options my only reaction was to further my drug use. On Christmas Eve of 2021 my dad moved out and failed to talk to me for the next year and a half. During this time as I denied to care about his leaving I did double down on my drug use in secret. At sixteen as I was beginning my junior year, I was suffering from many health problems and I cut down my use to only weed and nicotine. That was until New Year’s Eve. Now I can’t even pinpoint a certain reason for this relapse besides I found myself with no viable reason to be sober. I started 2022 by taking a shot and never stopped. That short amount of time before I went to rehab was the worst my drug use ever got. I was using certain substances that I swore to never use and trying ways of taking the substances that posed many risks as well but I didn’t care. By March 31st, I weighed only eighty-one pounds, obviously not very healthy. Despite this I was still highly functioning, I was working full-time, an honor roll full-time student, as well as an athlete. One night it was brought to my attention by a close friend about the extremity of my situation and I made the decision that I would stop, but the conditions being that I still intended to finish what I had already purchased. My second short-coming in that situation was my insistence to do it by myself. Little did I know the plans that were in store after that conversation. She used my words that night to snitch on me and on April seventh I was sent into rehab. Eventually I started to realize the only real way out was honesty and letting go of the shell I had built up around myself to keep everybody else out. Now in saying this it was by no means easy and I definitely still try to hold back a lot of pieces of myself and of my past. I began attending celebrate recovery meetings post-rehab where I met people who have gone through similar things as I have. Looking back at who I was, I have no idea how people stuck by me, but through Salvation and God’s grace I now can hold relationships and prioritize the right things. I feel as though I have a purpose in this life as I’ve met people through my situation. I hope and pray that one day I can be the person on the outside helping to support someone through their own situation. Being in recovery has changed my relationship with others, with God, and even with myself. I truly didn’t think that I would have a future, to the point that I had a note in my room not because I was trying to die but just in case I did. Now I’m getting ready to go to college and have an internship set up. I’d like to say that’s my doing but it’s not; it’s all thanks to God and His grace.

I'm interested in studying industrial design, more specifically corrugated design. I fell in love with this career when working in warehousing. I was introduced into the design lab by our lead designer and quickly fell in love with the career. I found that it was a very suitable job for me and I matched well. I am passionate about Industrial design as a career choice, but I also hope to continue my involvement in a church youth group. I have faced many things and obstacles in my only seventeen years of life. I have gone to rehab for drug and alcohol addiction, dealt with my parents divorce, loss of family members, and my own mental health journey. Through all of these things I have only grown stronger and more resilient and prepared for the challenges ahead. I want to share my story of success against all odds and help others to not go down the same path I did; as well as help to show those who are already struggling that there is a way out. In the future I want a successful career that will allow me to have enough time and funds so other youth won't have to go through what I have without help. My family and I have struggled with money since my father had an affair and left and the necessity of funds to send my brother and me to college is hard to come by. So getting any and every scholarship is completely necessary for college to even be an option.

I am passionate about Industrial design as a career choice, but I also hope to continue my involvement in a church youth group. I have faced many things and obstacles in my only seventeen years of life. I have gone to rehab for drug and alcohol addiction, dealt with my parents divorce, loss of family members, and my own mental health journey. Through all of these things I have only grown stronger and more resilient and prepared for the challenges ahead. I want to share my story of success against all odds and help others to not go down the same path I did; as well as help to show those who are already struggling that there is a way out. In the future I want a successful career that will allow me to have enough time and funds so other youth won't have to go through what I have without help. My family and I have struggled with money since my father had an affair and left and the necessity of funds to send my brother and me to college is hard to come by. So getting any and every scholarship is completely necessary for college to even be an option.

I am passionate about Industrial design as a career choice, but I also hope to continue my involvement in a church youth group. I have faced many things and obstacles in my only seventeen years of life. I have gone to rehab for drug and alcohol addiction, dealt with my parents divorce, loss of family members, and my own mental health journey. Through all of these things I have only grown stronger and more resilient and prepared for the challenges ahead. I want to share my story of success against all odds and help others to not go down the same path I did; as well as help to show those who are already struggling that there is a way out. In the future I want a successful career that will allow me to have enough time and funds so other youth won't have to go through what I have without help. My family and I have struggled with money since my father had an affair and left and the necessity of funds to send my brother and me to college is hard to come by. So getting any and every scholarship is completely necessary for college to even be an option.