Education equity, to most, is unachievable and unrealistic. There are plenty nay-sayers who think there just aren't enough good resources, and isn't enough money to go around equally for every student. However, that simply isn't the case. I grew up going to an older middle school, while most of my friends attended the newly constructed one. They had new iPads, higher quality desks, and very well-rounded teachers. They were able to have more sound and intricate classes than what the students and myself were a part of at my middle school. Why should being one small town over determine the level of education students receive? Education inequity is the reason why some kids can not make it past high school. The students who went to my middle school struggled more once they went to high school. They had to adapt to quicker classes, more technological advanced classes, and overall more intricate classes than what they had to deal with in middle school. This is something that could have been avoided had these students been given the chance to have the same resources as those who attended the new middle school. Education inequity is something we should all stand for because our future generations can be the next ones in line who could be disregarded for, and left to live out the rest of their lives playing catch up to those who simply lived one town over.

I had a teacher by the name of Mrs. Aldridge, who taught a plethora of classes. She taught senior English, freshman public speaking, senior project, and was the coach of the Speech and Debate team. I had the pleasure of being in the class, and a member, of that team. She is joyous, dedicated, and, above all, she is sympathetic. When I first met Mrs. Aldridge, I was definitely skeptical. She had a loud voice and a loud personality to match it. She encouraged everyone to share their thoughts, and to be proud of the opinions they form. I hadn't ever seen a teacher be so engaged with her students, but also create an environment where students are able to reciprocate that level of engagement. Her joyous personality allowed for students to share in that joy, and find a deeper love for learning and participating. Mrs. Aldridge went above and beyond for her students. She created "Squad Night", which was every Wednesday after school for two hours. During this time she would read over and listen to students speeches and debate cases, and give her reconstructive criticism. She would cheer her students on and work tirelessly to ensure her students that they were creating something magnificent. She dedicated countless hours and unmeasurable amounts of energy to teaching. Teachers are often trained to be cautious of students emotions, and ensure that they feel safe, happy, and excited to be in school. But the amount of teachers that truly care and put effort into this is sadly low. In a perfect world, students would always be happy and excited to be at school. But in reality, there are many days where being in a classroom is not where students want to be. Life is undoubtedly hard, and many teachers expect their students to push all their negative feelings out the door when they enter the classroom. Mrs. Aldridge was not that kind of teacher. She was a listener. She sat down and listened to her students open up to her, and she took their feelings to heart. She did whatever she could to make sure her students were in a positive and safe space, which kept them wanted to come back to her class. In my years of being in pubic education, I have never met another teacher with the exceptional qualities that Mrs. Aldridge had. She made me feel excited to have a role in the classroom, like my role in the classroom truly mattered, and that my life mattered. She inspired to become a teacher, so that I can return the favors she has so graciously been giving students for years. Before her, I didn't know if college was for me. But I have now found my calling, thanks to her. And it is because of the impact she had on me that I will be attending Lewis-Clark State College in the fall. This journey to obtaining a higher education would not be possible without her.

I need this scholarship because I do not have any outside help in paying for college. I have a single mother raising four children, including myself. She works a full-time job and multiple part-time jobs to support us. Raising us kids on her own causes our financial situation to be pretty tight. She will not be able to give me any aid for me to attend college. I am still about $10,000 short of having my college expenses paid for in this upcoming school year, and I am desperately trying to find scholarships that I can use. College has always been a dream of mine, and I am very determined to not let that dream die. I want to be a role model for my younger siblings who wish to attend college once they graduate high school. I want to inspire them that they can accomplish anything they set their mind to, and to not let any challenge or obstacle stand in their way of reaching their goals.

For me, the pandemic was a beautiful experience. I do not wish to deny nor take away from those who experienced the hardest couple of months in their lifetimes, and I do acknowledge that not everyone will be able to relate to my experiences. But I am truly grateful for how the pandemic affected my life. I have taken away a great many lessons that I will carry with me in the years to come. Like everyone across the globe, my world was completely shaken up when the pandemic began. Friends and family members were laid off left and right, small businesses were destroyed, and masks became a new fashion trend. 6 feet became a very easy distance to estimate, and coughing and sneezing grew to be more terrifying then the end of the world. The social norms we have been used to for decades were erased, and new ones were born. Perhaps the greatest challenge of all would be the separation from our friends and families. In the times before the pandemic, family get togethers and kickbacks with friends were a great way to relax, have fun, or even party till the sun would rise the next day. But once the pandemic began, those all became non existent. I, like everyone else, would spend my days at home with my immediate family, roaming around in circles trying to find something that would make use of my time. I began the day with online school, which consisted of video calls and watching my classmates fall asleep on camera. And the day would end with my family having nothing to talk about at dinner because we have been with each other 24/7. However, after a few weeks of repeating the most boring routine in all of existence, my family wanted to try something new. We wanted to find a creative way to spice up our mundane lives in a way that did not violate any Covid restrictions. And what better way to do that than by having each family dinner be a new dress up day? Every day my family would either eat at our home or my grandparents, and each day a new family member would pick the theme for dinner. Themes ranged from the typical Hawaiian theme, or sports day, to dress like Mom or dress like Grandpa. Some of us would put in minimal effort, but some of us, including myself, would make sure we went all out for our outfits. Lucky for me, my mother and I are the same height, so I easily had the best outfit for that dress up day. This new family dinner tradition became our way of staying positive during the often apocalyptical vibes of the pandemic. From this new tradition, I learned a very valuable lesson. No matter the situation I am in, no matter how terrifying or impossible challenges may appear, there will always be a way to remain positive, and make the journey fun. It would have been so easy to let the pandemic take control of mine and my families life, and make us depressed that the world around us was no longer the same. But we decided to make the journey fun, and we did it together. I will take this lesson with me into college because I know there will be times it feels impossible, and I will feel like giving up is a better option. But there will always be a way to keep myself happy, engaged, and make the journey fun.

Since I was 5 years old, my father has been in and out of prison. He has been addicted to narcotics since he was in his early twenties, which has plagued his life, but also mine. The first couple of times he went to prison, the longest he had ever served was 1 year. At times it was just two weeks, or even three months. However, in February of 2019, he was arrested once again, but with charges far more severe than in the past. He was charged with burglary, possession of narcotics, and fraud. He now faces up up to 14 years in prison at the time of his arrest. Due to the nature of my dads job, he was well known by the community we lived in. Sharing the last name of McDowell with him became a curse, as we were known as the family who loved and supported a masterful criminal. The biggest challenge for me was the absence of my father. Despite the frequent drug related issues, he was genuinely a good person. He cared for people, especially his wife and kids. He attended sporting events, helped us with homework, and always volunteered his shoulders for me to cry on. Not having that emotional support continues to be a difficult issue for me. I have trouble opening up to others, and bottle a majority of my depressing emotions. Learning the truth about who my father was broke my heart. While he was a good father, he was not a trustworthy man. But that has never deterred me from my life goals. I have made the conscious choice of not allowing my fathers actions to dictate how I will live my life. I am now in counseling to aid with my constantly swaying emotions. I participate in physical activities to keep myself busy, and I have surrounded myself with positive people who also help keep me going in my darkest times. I have pushed forward despite the hardships. I graduated high school with a 3.8 GPA, capped of my senior soccer season with a state championship, and will further my education at Lewis Clark State College. This scholarship would be a blessing, and an essential part of me completing my college journey,