My name is Addison Miller and I am a senior at St. Charles West High School. I am attending Missouri Valley College in the fall to pursue a degree in Nursing, while also playing soccer for the Vikings. When I read the description of the scholarship, and the loss of Katie's life to appendiceal cancer, I felt an immediate connection. When I was 12 years old, my mom was diagnosed with Breast Cancer and it was the scariest time for our family. We thought the worst. I helped my mom with bandages and drains, and even attended some appointments with her. I knew then that I wanted to pursue a nursing career and help others, as the nurses and doctors had helped our family. My mom is now 5 years cancer free, but we realize we are the lucky ones, not everyone's story ends that way and I am truly sorry for your family's loss. I also felt a connection because of St. Charles West. I grew up in the gyms of St. Charles West as my mom and dad were both coaches there. My mom coached Volleyball, and my dad coached Football. In fact, that is where they met! I knew I wanted to wear a Warrior uniform one day, and be a part of the energy in that gym. I have played Softball, Volleyball, and Soccer at St. Charles West and also Wrestled. However, for my junior and senior years I just focused on soccer to be able to play at the collegiate level. I am also a member of the "Tribe", which is the main student section at all sporting events, and lead many cheers for the students. My Junior year, I was accepted into the CAPS (Center for Advanced Professional Studies) program in St. Charles. This allowed me to shadow medical professionals, create a professional portfolio, and network with those professionals and other like minded students from other schools in St. Charles. When I am not at St. Charles West, I am at Club Soccer practice/games with JB Marine Soccer Club, working at Mattingly's Sports Bar, or Babysitting. I also love to hang out with my friends, and spend my paychecks:) I am also a volunteer for the annual Jerry Frick DASA Power Soccer Tournament. Power Soccer is wheelchair soccer and it is my favorite event. The players are so friendly and love being there. I am a referee for the game, but I also get to interact with all of the players. The age range is 6 years old to 50 years old and the games are very competitive. My hope is that through my experiences with the CAPS program, Power Soccer, and mostly with my own family, I can become an incredible nurse with the compassion and expertise that patients deserve. Missouri Valley has an amazing program with brand new facilities, so I am incredibly excited to begin my journey there next year. Thank you very much for your consideration, and I appreciate your family for helping students like myself achieve my goals, while continuing the legacy of who Katie was. Sincerely, Addison Miller