I had a very tough life to begin with. I lived with abusive and neglectful parents and relatives until I was put into foster care and then adopted at age 7. Since then, I have used music as a coping mechanism. I was in fourth grade when I started music. My adoptive mother played the flute when she was a young girl, and she wanted her children to continue playing an instrument. She would say, “I am culturing you all” when we groaned about practising. My grandfather was the one who got her to play an instrument. He has a whole room dedicated to various instruments that I can play when I go to visit family. My first instrument was the clarinet that my grandfather (who lives in England) gave to me. This made music for me even more special. In my eighth-grade year, my grandfather bought me a guitar after he saw me playing around on one of his many guitars. I cherish these belongings and use them constantly. During my past three years of high school, I have been playing music alone or with a group. I played in the jazz band and concert band. I have sung in multiple choirs, whether it was for Church or for fun. I have learned to make up my own harmonies as I go. I flourished. During my sophomore year, I created an initiative that revolved around music and children. I ask for disused instruments from my local community, and then give them to a charity to give to foster children. I have been able to give instruments to children, and this makes me happy to know that they have a new hobby to help them cope in stressful times, just as I do. Senior year has been chaotic so far, but I plan on continuing this initiative. Music has always been a dream of mine. For years, in my own time, I have written my own songs, and during high school, I have played them for my friends. I want to get my music released on a platform later on in life. I am applying to colleges right now and have been accepted into a few already. I plan on studying Occupational Therapy. I love music and always have. It has been a part of my childhood, whether it helped me through my struggles, or the joys of holidays, like Christmas. Occupational Therapy is now using music, and I hope to work in that specific field once I graduate from college.

I thought making an impact without the resources to do so was hard. I used to think it was difficult to help others if I did not have the money or material items to be able to make a positive impact. As I got older, I came to realize that that is not the case. Over the past few years, I have done many things to make a positive impact in my local community, such as helping at a food bank and volunteering at a summer camp for those with special needs. All these opportunities have helped me come to realize that my time and compassion for others are just as valuable as money or material wealth. The world is better off when we help each other rather than focusing on ourselves. As a young child, I was placed in the foster care system for several years due to my birth parents’ drug addiction and neglect. I experienced a lot of turmoil and anxiety as a result. I was adopted at the age of 7, and my new family introduced me to music as a means to heal and cope with the stress. Their positive impact allowed me to see how I could also impact the lives of others. In my sophomore year of high school, I decided that I would like to use my life experience to help make a positive impact on the lives of other children who were in the same situation that I had been in. As a musician myself, I understand the importance of what music can do for a person. I started an initiative for children in the foster care system called "On a Different Note". I collect instruments and donate them to a local foster agency. The agency matches the instruments to children going through the process of foster care who are interested in learning to play. My initiative has been highly successful, and I feel a great deal of pride in the impact it has had on the lives of many children. The summer of my freshman year, I started working at a camp that helps people who have special needs. The campers ranged in age and had disabilities from Down Syndrome to vision impairment to physical handicaps. The camp made me realize how lucky I am to be able to do things for myself and be independent. Being at the camp made me feel fulfilled and happy, and I have worked at the camp every summer since. It has helped me realize that I would like to have a career that allows me to make an impact every day. I plan to pursue a career in Occupational Therapy. I am excited to work in an environment where people are kind and supportive of one another, making a positive impact on those less fortunate. In addition, I plan to continue my initiative for foster children as well as continue to volunteer at the special needs camp each year. I am excited to keep finding opportunities to help make a positive impact in my community. Please consider awarding me this scholarship so that I am able to pursue a career that allows me to demonstrate compassion to others as others have shown to me.

My plans started at age five when I was put into foster care after an early childhood of homelessness, abuse, and neglect due to my birth parents’ opioid addiction. I would be a first-generation student. It took years before I was adopted into a stable family. For me to be writing this essay and applying for colleges is farther than most other children taken into care will ever get. Statistics say that less than one percent of those who enter the foster care system make it to college. I intend to be part of that one percent and break the cycle. An example of something I will continue to do in the future, is the charitable initiative I started as a Sophomore called "On a Different Note". This initiative aims to help children who are in the foster care system by providing musical instruments to them. I source instruments that are no longer being used and redistribute them to children through a local foster agency. A mother who had lost her son, kindly donated his guitar and I was able to match it with a young girl who had wanted to play for a long time. This is just one example of the success I have had with my initiative; I have matched multiple instruments. As a musician myself, I find that, in stressful times, music can bring me peace and healing. I was able to bring happiness to others by giving them the same opportunity that I was given. This is just one singular moment that has made me proud, but many actions together have given me a sense of accomplishment and will help me in the future to face my challenges. I was taught at a young age never to give up on my dreams. My education has really helped with that, whether it was learning how to play music or something else. If I receive this scholarship, I will use it to fund my college education as I pursue my goal of becoming an Occupational Therapist. I have three siblings. All four of us will be in college at the same time. Paying for our educations is going to be a financial burden. It brings me relief to know there are scholarships to help people such as myself. In addition to breaking the cycle, I want to get a degree that I can use to help others. It is something that most people in my situation would not be able to do. I have learned that the world only works if we help one another, and I know I am fortunate to even have this opportunity. In conclusion, my early childhood years of neglect, abuse, and foster care have made me the person I am today. I am strong and tenacious. I do not dwell on adversity but use my experiences to help others overcome their struggles. I am proud to know I have overcome so much; I have already weathered hardships and challenges most people could not dream of. I will continue to use the personal strengths forged by my past to pursue my future endeavors with perseverance and positivity.

I had a very tough life to begin with. I lived with abusive and neglectful parents and relatives until I was put into foster care and then adopted at age 7. However, I didn’t let that stop me from having dreams. I used and still use my past as a sort of motivation for me. To do better than my birth parents is what I have wanted. I wanted the best for my future, and when I was adopted, I took that opportunity as much as I could. I was in fourth grade when I started music. My adoptive mother played the flute when she was a young girl, and she wanted her children to continue playing an instrument. She would say, “I am culturing you all” when we groaned about practicing. My grandfather was the one who got her to play an instrument. He has a whole room dedicated to various instruments that I can play when I go to visit family. My first instrument was the clarinet that my grandfather (who lives in England) gave to me. This made music for me even more special. During my eighth-grade year, my grandfather bought me a guitar after he saw me playing around on one of his multiple guitars. I cherish these belongings and use them constantly. During my past three years of high school, I have been playing music alone or with a group. I played in the jazz band and concert band. I have sung in multiple choirs, making up my own harmonies as I go. I flourished. During my sophomore year, I created an initiative that revolved around music and children. I ask for instruments from my local community, and then give them to a charity to give to foster children. I have been able to give instruments to children, and this makes me happy to know that they have a new hobby to help them cope in stressful times, just as I do. Senior year has been chaotic so far, but I plan on continuing this initiative. Music has always been a dream of mine. For years, in my own time, I have written my own songs. I want to get my music released on a platform later on in life. I am applying to colleges right now and have been accepted into a few already. I plan on studying Occupational Therapy. I love music and always have. It has been a part of my childhood, whether it helped me through my struggles, or the joys of holidays, like Christmas. Releasing my own music is a dream that I hope to accomplish after I finish college.

In past years, I thought making a positive impact without the resources to do so was hard. I used to think it was difficult to help others if I did not have the money or material items to be able to make an impact. However, as I got older, I came to realize that that is not the case. Over the past few years, I have done many things to help my local community, such as spending time working at a food bank and volunteering at a summer camp for those with special needs. All these opportunities have helped me come to realize that my time and compassion for others are just as valuable as money or material wealth. The world is better off when we help each other rather than focusing on ourselves. As a young child, I was placed in the foster care system for several years due to my birth parent’s drug addiction and neglect. I experienced a lot of turmoil and anxiety as a result. I was adopted at the age of 7, and my new family introduced me to music as a means to heal and cope with the stress. Their compassion allowed me to see how I could also impact the lives of others. In my sophomore year of high school, I decided that I would like to use my life experience to help make a positive impact on the lives of other children who were in the same situation that I had been in. As a musician myself, I understand the importance of what music can do for a person. I started an initiative for children in the foster care system called "On a Different Note". I collect disused instruments and donate them to a local foster agency. The agency matches the instruments to children going through the process of foster care who are interested in learning to play. My initiative has been highly successful, and I feel a great deal of pride that I have been able to help the lives of many children. The summer of my freshman year, I started working at a camp that helps people who have special needs. The campers ranged in age and had disabilities from Down Syndrome to vision impairment to physical handicaps. This made me think, "How could I help these people better?" So I chose a science-based career after spending time volunteering. The camp made me realize how lucky I am to be able to do things for myself and be independent. Although it was hard work, being at the camp made me feel fulfilled and happy, and I have worked at the camp every summer since. It has helped me realize that I would like to have a career that allows me to make a positive impact every day. I plan to pursue a career in Occupational Therapy. This scholarship will be invaluable in helping me to achieve this goal. I am excited to work in an environment where people are kind and supportive of one another, making a positive impact on those less fortunate. In addition, I plan to continue my initiative for foster children as well as continuing to volunteer at the special needs camp each year. I am excited to keep finding opportunities to help make a positive impact in my community. Please consider awarding me this scholarship so that I am able to pursue a career that allows me to demonstrate compassion to others as others have shown to me.

At age five, I was put into foster care after an early childhood of homelessness, abuse, and neglect due to my birth parents’ opioid addiction. For me to be writing this essay and applying for colleges is farther than most other children taken into care will ever get. Statistics say that less than one percent of those who enter the foster care system make it to college. I intend to be part of that one percent and break the cycle. This, along with many other experiences in my life has made me empathetic. An example of such, is the charitable initiative I started as a Sophomore called "On a Different Note". This initiative aims to help children who are in the foster care system by providing musical instruments to them. I source instruments that are no longer being used and redistribute them to children through a local foster agency. A mother who had lost her son, kindly donated his guitar and I was able to match it with a young girl who had wanted to play for a long time. This is just one example of the success I have had with my initiative; I have matched multiple instruments. As a musician myself, I find that, in stressful times, music can bring me peace and healing. I was able to bring happiness to others by giving them the same opportunity that I was given. I believe that serving actively in my community is a very important part of being successful. Since I was in elementary school, I have joined my adoptive family in planning and preparing meals for a local homeless shelter. It makes me feel good to know that I can help other people in need, especially since I was once that person in need and others helped me. I also enjoy helping as a summer camp volunteer for those with special needs. Although every day brings new challenges and it is a very tiring job, it gives me a sense of accomplishment to know that I have been able to make a difference in someone else's life. I see success as something everyone around you should benefit from. I plan to study to be an Occupational Therapist. This will allow me to use my personal qualities, such as compassion and empathy, to bring success to those struggling with physical limitations. This job is about helping others. It is about making others feel valued and respected. I see that helping other people is something that we all need. Without these traits and talents that people provide, our world would not be successful. Being an OT would allow me to be successful and fulfilled in my life while helping others. I will continue to pursue my passions with perseverance and tenacity to achieve success and realize that my goals are obtainable with empathy.

My plans started at age five when I was put into foster care after an early childhood of homelessness, abuse, and neglect due to my birth parents’ opioid addiction. I would be a first-generation student. It took years before I was adopted into a stable family. For me to be writing this essay and applying for colleges is farther than most other children taken into care will ever get. Statistics say that less than one percent of those who enter the foster care system make it to college. I intend to be part of that one percent and break the cycle. An example of something I will continue to do in the future, is the charitable initiative I started as a Sophomore called "On a Different Note". This initiative aims to help children who are in the foster care system by providing musical instruments to them. I source instruments that are no longer being used and redistribute them to children through a local foster agency. A mother who had lost her son, kindly donated his guitar and I was able to match it with a young girl who had wanted to play for a long time. This is just one example of the success I have had with my initiative; I have matched multiple instruments. As a musician myself, I find that, in stressful times, music can bring me peace and healing. I was able to bring happiness to others by giving them the same opportunity that I was given. This is just one singular moment that has made me proud, but many actions together have given me a sense of accomplishment and will help me in the future to face my challenges. If I receive this scholarship, I will use it to fund my college education as I pursue my goal of becoming an Occupational Therapist. I have three siblings. All four of us will be in college at the same time. Paying for our educations is going to be a financial burden. It brings me relief to know there are scholarships to help people such as myself. In addition to breaking the cycle, I want to get a degree that I can use to help others. It is something that most people in my situation would not be able to do. I know I am fortunate to even have this opportunity. In conclusion, my early childhood years of neglect, abuse, and foster care have made me the person I am today. I am strong and tenacious. I do not dwell on adversity but use my experiences to help others overcome their struggles. I am proud to know I have overcome so much; I have already weathered hardships and challenges most people could not dream of. I will continue to use the personal strengths forged by my past to pursue my future endeavors with perseverance and positivity.

Motivation is what made me, me. I was in foster care for two years, and I remember many events before I was put into foster care. Living where I had been and who I had been with was taxing on my mental health. This continued well into my life. When I was able to make my own decisions, I decided that I would never give in to the addictions that my birth parents had. I would be stronger, and I would live life without a vice to keep me afloat. That mentality has made me the motivated person I am today. It has been a lot of work to get where I am. I have had to work on myself to get to where I want to be, and saying those words is easier than they seem. I went through years of therapy to be happy. But this opened many doors that had been unknown to me. I started to participate in many activities in and outside of school. My one big passion, though, is music. Music has been a core part of my life. I picked up my first instrument at Christmas. Unfortunately for my parents, that instrument was a recorder, but I loved making music, no matter how awful it may have been. In fourth grade, I learned the clarinet, and I quickly advanced. A few years down the road, I was playing college music. Freshman year, I took off learning two new instruments. I was in Jazz Band, concert band, and the school musical. I was happy. In my sophomore year, I decided to use my passion for music for a cause. I created an initiative called “On a Different Note”. I collect instruments that people no longer use, and give them to an organization that will then place them with foster children. It means a lot to me when there is a story behind the instrument, such as a guitar that I had placed with a little girl. The woman who had donated the guitar had lost her teenage son a few years before and didn’t know what to do with the guitar. It meant too much to her to give it to someone random, so she donated it to my initiative. The little girl was thrilled, and it was so good to know that a new musical talent would develop on a loved one's old guitar. The initiative and a camp that a volunteer at has made me realize that I want to work in a career of service. The camp I volunteer at is a camp for those with special needs. I love going there and helping out. I have done it for four years and will continue doing so later in life. I love to help others, and it gives me purpose. I have chosen Occupational Therapy to be my major, and my past has made me the motivated person that I am and will continue to be.

My plans started at age five when I was put into foster care after an early childhood of homelessness, abuse, and neglect due to my birth parents’ opioid addiction. I would be a first-generation student. It took years before I was adopted into a stable family. For me to be writing this essay and applying for colleges is farther than most other children taken into care will ever get. Statistics say that less than one percent of those who enter the foster care system make it to college. I intend to be part of that one percent and break the cycle. An example of something I will continue to do in the future, is the charitable initiative I started as a Sophomore called "On a Different Note". This initiative aims to help children who are in the foster care system by providing musical instruments to them. I source instruments that are no longer being used and redistribute them to children through a local foster agency. A mother who had lost her son, kindly donated his guitar and I was able to match it with a young girl who had wanted to play for a long time. This is just one example of the success I have had with my initiative; I have matched multiple instruments. As a musician myself, I find that, in stressful times, music can bring me peace and healing. I was able to bring happiness to others by giving them the same opportunity that I was given. This is just one singular moment that has made me proud, but many actions together have given me a sense of accomplishment and will help me in the future to face my challenges. If I receive this scholarship, I will use it to fund my college education as I pursue my goal of becoming an Occupational Therapist. I have three siblings. All four of us will be in college at the same time. Paying for our educations is going to be a financial burden. It brings me relief to know there are scholarships to help people such as myself. In addition to breaking the cycle, I want to get a degree that I can use to help others. It is something that most people in my situation would not be able to do. I know I am fortunate to even have this opportunity. In conclusion, my early childhood years of neglect, abuse, and foster care have made me the person I am today. I am strong and tenacious. I do not dwell on adversity but use my experiences to help others overcome their struggles. I am proud to know I have overcome so much; I have already weathered hardships and challenges most people could not dream of. I will continue to use the personal strengths forged by my past to pursue my future endeavors with perseverance and positivity.

My plans started at age five when I was put into foster care after an early childhood of homelessness, abuse, and neglect due to my birth parents’ opioid addiction. I would be a first-generation student. It took years before I was adopted into a stable family. For me to be writing this essay and applying for colleges is farther than most other children taken into care will ever get. Statistics say that less than one percent of those who enter the foster care system make it to college. I intend to be part of that one percent and break the cycle. An example of something I will continue to do in the future, is the charitable initiative I started as a Sophomore called "On a Different Note". This initiative aims to help children who are in the foster care system by providing musical instruments to them. I source instruments that are no longer being used and redistribute them to children through a local foster agency. A mother who had lost her son, kindly donated his guitar and I was able to match it with a young girl who had wanted to play for a long time. This is just one example of the success I have had with my initiative; I have matched multiple instruments. As a musician myself, I find that, in stressful times, music can bring me peace and healing. I was able to bring happiness to others by giving them the same opportunity that I was given. This is just one singular moment that has made me proud, but many actions together have given me a sense of accomplishment and will help me in the future to face my challenges. If I receive this scholarship, I will use it to fund my college education as I pursue my goal of becoming an Occupational Therapist. I have three siblings. All four of us will be in college at the same time. Paying for our educations is going to be a financial burden. It brings me relief to know there are scholarships to help people such as myself. In addition to breaking the cycle, I want to get a degree that I can use to help others. It is something that most people in my situation would not be able to do. I know I am fortunate to even have this opportunity. In conclusion, my early childhood years of neglect, abuse, and foster care have made me the person I am today. I am strong and tenacious. I do not dwell on adversity but use my experiences to help others overcome their struggles. I am proud to know I have overcome so much; I have already weathered hardships and challenges most people could not dream of. I will continue to use the personal strengths forged by my past to pursue my future endeavors with perseverance and positivity.

If I receive this scholarship, I will use it to fund my college education as I pursue my goal of becoming an Occupational Therapist. I have three siblings. All four of us will be in college at the same time. Paying for our education's is going to be a financial burden. It brings me relief to know there are scholarships to help people such as myself. I want to get a degree that I can use to help others. One time in my life, I never thought I would have been able to achieve this. I was in foster care, and at seven years old, I was adopted. It is something that most people in my situation would not be able to do. I know I am fortunate to even have this opportunity to apply to colleges. I have many interests, such as music, my small business, volunteering, and much more. I volunteer at a camp for those with special needs, and that was when I realized that a career helping people with needs was my calling. I thought being a music therapist was my calling, combining two things I love to do. Then, I found out about Occupational Therapy, and that seemed like a perfect match. I love building relationships with others and watching them progress. I am so thankful that I have been able to overcome my challenges in life, and that through my challenges, I have found something that I love and will bring me happiness.

Service has been a big part of who I’ve become. Over the years, I’ve helped my parents cook for the homeless, I created an initiative, volunteered at a camp for those with special needs, and much more. This upcoming school year, due to my dedication to service, I will be one of four service leaders at my high school. An example of something I am proud of, and what I would consider helpfulness, is the charitable initiative I started as a Sophomore called "On a Different Note". This initiative aims to help children who are in the foster care system by providing musical instruments to them. I source instruments that are no longer being used and redistribute them to children through a local foster agency. A mother who had lost her son, kindly donated his guitar and I was able to match it with a young girl who had wanted to play for a long time. This is just one example of the success I have had with my initiative; I have matched multiple instruments. As a musician myself, and a person who was adopted, I find that, in stressful times, music can bring me peace and healing. I was able to bring happiness to others by giving them the same opportunity that I was given. This is just one singular moment that has made me proud, but many actions together have given me a sense of accomplishment and will help me in the future to face my challenges. A second example of persistence was the small business I started in my sophomore year. I created a lot of inventory, making jewelry, and sold my products at craft shows. I made some money, not as much as I had hoped, but it was still something. I decided to sell my products online. I posted videos on social media, hoping people would see my account and go to my website. Over time, that did happen, and I was elated that my hard work was paying off. However, I only got one sale on my website over 6 months. Even though I didn’t get as far as I thought I would have, I was proud of what I did accomplish. If I receive this scholarship, I will use it to fund my college education as I pursue my goal of becoming an Occupational Therapist. I have three siblings. All four of us will be in college at the same time. Paying for our educations is going to be a financial burden. It brings me relief to know there are scholarships to help people such as myself. In addition to breaking the cycle, I want to get a degree that I can use to help others. It is something that most people in my situation would not be able to do. I know I am fortunate to even have this opportunity.

From reading simple, easy books when I was younger to being able to read anything has significantly shaped my personality. I have always been passionate about reading and escaping reality through the complex maze that an author has given me. Over the years, I learned many things, whether it came from reading about dinosaurs in the Magic Tree House books, to reading about love, family, betrayal, and the deeper meaning behind the use of phrases in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. All literature that a person reads helps one to view life a bit differently than before, showing them a deeper understanding of how to perceive life. A certain book comes to mind when I think of what I’ve learned over the years and what I strive to do in my life, and that book would be Jane Eyre. Jane Eyre was adopted by a family when she was young and had memories from her past that she would later learn from and use to create good in her community, such as teaching and looking after a young girl. These things aren’t the only things that inspired me. Jane had courage and resilience. After learning that the man she was supposed to marry was already married, she had to decide for herself what the best course of action was to be. She left and had to fend for herself with nothing to her name. This shows that she stuck to her values and had integrity. She didn’t let others sway her in the wrong direction. I plan to do the same. My life has had many ups and downs, just like a book. I was put into foster care at the age of five, and for me, my plot twist was when I was adopted at seven years old. Thankfully, I ended up with a loving family, unlike Jane. I remember pieces of my old life that has changed how I perceive things now. Instead of dwelling on the past, I have decided to flip an unfortunate situation to make good. I created an initiative called “On a Different Note”. I collect unwanted instruments from people’s homes and donate them to Catholic Charities to give to foster children who want to learn to play musical instruments. Later on in life, I hope to become an OT. This would give me comfort to know that I can help people, unlike how I was helped when I was young. I would flip the abuse and neglect that was forced upon me, and give comfort to those who need it. Books, such as Jane Eyre, have taught me to be independent and face challenges with integrity, courage, and resilience.

In past years, I thought making a positive impact without the resources to do so was hard. I used to think it was difficult to help others if I did not have the money or material items to be able to make a positive impact. However, as I got older, I came to realize that that is not the case. Over the past few years, I have done many things to make a positive impact in my local community, such as helping at a food bank and volunteering at a summer camp for those with special needs. All these opportunities have helped me come to realize that my time and compassion for others is just as valuable as money or material wealth. The world is better off when we help each other rather than focusing on ourselves. As a young child, I was placed in the foster care system for several years due to my birth parent’s drug addiction and neglect. I experienced a lot of turmoil and anxiety as a result. I was adopted at the age of 7, and my new family introduced me to music as a means to heal and cope with the stress. Their positive impact allowed me to see how I could also impact the lives of others. In my sophomore year of high school, I decided that I would like to use my life experience to help make a positive impact on the lives of other children who were in the same situation that I had been in. As a musician myself, I understand the importance of what music can do for a person. I started an initiative for children in the foster care system called "On a Different Note". I collect disused instruments and donate them to a local foster agency. The agency matches the instruments to children going through the process of foster care who are interested in learning to play. My initiative has been highly successful, and I feel a great deal of pride in the positive impact it has had on the lives of many children. The summer of my freshman year, I started working at a camp that helps people who have special needs. The campers ranged in age and had disabilities from Down Syndrome to vision impairment to physical handicaps. The camp made me realize how lucky I am to be able to do things for myself and be independent. Although it was hard work, being at the camp made me feel fulfilled and happy, and I have worked at the camp every summer since. It has helped me realize that I would like to have a career that allows me to make a positive impact every day. I plan to pursue a career in Occupational Therapy. This scholarship will be invaluable in helping me to achieve this goal. I am excited to work in an environment where people are kind and supportive of one another, making a positive impact on those less fortunate. In addition, I plan to continue my initiative for foster children as well as continuing to volunteer at the special needs camp each year. I am excited to keep finding opportunities to help make a positive impact in my community. Please consider awarding me this scholarship so that I am able to pursue a career that allows me to demonstrate compassion to others as others have shown to me.

I am proud of what I have become and the adversity that I have overcome. At age five, I was put into foster care after an early childhood of homelessness, abuse, and neglect due to my birth parents’ opioid addiction. It took years before I was adopted into a stable family. For me to be writing this essay and applying for colleges is farther than most other children taken into care will ever get. Statistics say that less than one percent of those who enter the foster care system make it to college. I intend to be part of that one percent and break the cycle. This is just one success in my life so far, and with my ambitions, the future will bring me many more. An example of something I am proud of is the charitable initiative I started as a Sophomore called "On a Different Note". This initiative aims to help children who are in the foster care system by providing musical instruments to them. I source instruments that are no longer being used and redistribute them to children through a local foster agency. A mother who had lost her son, kindly donated his guitar and I was able to match it with a young girl who had wanted to play for a long time. This is just one example of the success I have had with my initiative; I have matched multiple instruments. As a musician myself, I find that, in stressful times, music can bring me peace and healing. I was able to bring happiness to others by giving them the same opportunity that I was given. This is just one singular moment that has made me proud, but many actions together have given me a sense of accomplishment and will help me in the future to face my challenges. If I receive this scholarship, I will use it to fund my college education as I pursue my goal of becoming an Occupational Therapist. I have three siblings. All four of us will be in college at the same time. Paying for our educations is going to be a financial burden. It brings me relief to know there are scholarships to help people such as myself. In addition to breaking the cycle, I want to get a degree that I can use to help others. It is something that most people in my situation would not be able to do. I know I am fortunate to even have this opportunity. In conclusion, my early childhood years of neglect, abuse and foster care have made me the person I am today. I am strong and tenacious. I do not dwell on adversity but use my experiences to help others overcome their struggles. I am proud to know I have overcome so much; I have already weathered hardships and challenges most people could not dream of. I will continue to use the personal strengths forged by my past to pursue my future endeavors with perseverance and positivity.

In past years, I thought making a positive impact without the resources to do so was hard. I used to think it was difficult to help others if I did not have the money or material items to be able to make a positive impact. However, as I got older, I came to realize that that is not the case. Over the past few years, I have done many things to make a positive impact in my local community, such as helping at a food bank and volunteering at a summer camp for those with special needs. All these opportunities have helped me come to realize that my time and compassion for others is just as valuable as money or material wealth. The world is better off when we help each other rather than focusing on ourselves. As a young child, I was placed in the foster care system for several years due to my birth parents’ drug addiction and neglect. I experienced a lot of turmoil and anxiety as a result. I was adopted at the age of 7, and my new family introduced me to music as a means to heal and cope with the stress. Their positive impact allowed me to see how I could also impact the lives of others. In my sophomore year of high school, I decided that I would like to use my life experience to help make a positive impact on the lives of other children who were in the same situation that I had been in. As a musician myself, I understand the importance of what music can do for a person. I started an initiative for children in the foster care system called "On a Different Note". I collect disused instruments and donate them to a local foster agency. The agency matches the instruments to children going through the process of foster care who are interested in learning to play. My initiative has been highly successful, and I feel a great deal of pride in the positive impact it has had on the lives of many children. The summer of my freshman year, I started working at a camp that helps people who have special needs. The campers ranged in age and had disabilities from Down Syndrome to vision impairment to physical handicaps. The camp made me realize how lucky I am to be able to do things for myself and be independent. Although it was hard work, being at the camp made me feel fulfilled and happy, and I have worked at the camp every summer since. It has helped me realize that I would like to have a career that allows me to make a positive impact every day. I plan to pursue a career in Occupational Therapy. This scholarship will be invaluable in helping me to achieve this goal. I am excited to work in an environment where people are kind and supportive of one another, making a positive impact on those less fortunate. In addition, I plan to continue my initiative for foster children as well as continuing to volunteer at the special needs camp each year. I am excited to keep finding opportunities to help make a positive impact in my community. Please consider awarding me this scholarship so that I am able to pursue a career that allows me to demonstrate compassion to others as others have shown to me.

I am already a success. At age five, I was put into foster care after an early childhood of homelessness, abuse, and neglect due to my birth parents’ opioid addiction. For me to be writing this essay and applying for colleges is farther than most other children taken into care will ever get. Statistics say that less than one percent of those who enter the foster care system make it to college. I intend to be part of that one percent and break the cycle. This is just one success in my life so far. The future will bring me many more. I believe that serving actively in my community is a very important part of being successful. Since I was in elementary school, I have joined my adoptive family in planning and preparing meals for a local homeless shelter. It makes me feel good to know that I can help other people in need, especially since I was once that person in need and others helped me. I also enjoy helping as a summer camp volunteer for those with special needs. Although every day brings new challenges and it is a very tiring job, it gives me a sense of accomplishment to know that I have been able to make a difference in someone else's life. I see success as something everyone around you should benefit from. As a sophomore, I started a charitable initiative called "On a Different Note". This initiative aims to help children who are in the foster care system by providing musical instruments to them. I source instruments that are no longer being used and redistribute them to children through a local foster agency. A mother who had lost her son, kindly donated his guitar and I was able to match it with a young girl who had wanted to play for a long time. This is just one example of the success I have had with my initiative. As a musician myself, I find that, in stressful times, music can bring me peace and healing. I was able to bring happiness to others by giving them the same opportunity that I was given. I plan to study to be an Occupational Therapist. This will allow me to use my personal qualities, such as compassion and empathy, to bring success to those struggling with physical limitations. This job is about helping others. It is about making others feel valued and respected. I see that helping other people is something that we all need. Without these traits and talents that people provide, our world would not be successful. Being an OT would allow me to be successful and fulfilled in my life while helping others. If I receive this scholarship, I will use it towards my college education. I have three siblings. All four of us will be in college at the same time. Paying for our educations is going to be a financial burden. It brings me relief to know there are scholarships to help people such as myself. In addition to breaking the cycle, I want to get a degree that I can use to help others. It is something that most people in my situation would not be able to do. I know I am fortunate to even have this opportunity. Success is not about the material objects in life. It is about how well you spend your time and how you contribute to your community. Success is finding a way you can live life to the fullest. It is about being happy and accomplished knowing you were able to do something meaningful. By sticking to my values and using the natural abilities I was given, I have already overcome hardships and challenges most people could not dream of. I will continue to pursue my passions with perseverance and tenacity to achieve success and realise my goals.

"And I doubt you ever think about the damage that you did". This quote is from the song "The Grudge". I was adopted when I was seven but was put into foster care at age five along with my sister. Those two years were the hardest for me. I was taken away from my biological parents because they had drugs, but also neglected and abused us. My foster family ended up adopting me. They showed me love and kindness. They gave me opportunities to grow and flourish. There were some downsides. My middle school years were tough for me. I struggled to maintain good friendship groups, always bouncing from one to the other because I found it difficult to find someone like me or someone who could relate to what I felt. For me, I didn't care about the newest iPhone. It was the people I was with. After being with my birth parents who hardly cared for my sister and me, then going to a family that did care was crazy in my mind. I learned to have attachment issues. I clung to people, hoping they wouldn't pass me by like my birth parents. Those three years were the years my mental health struggled. I thought about my birth parents more often. I thought "How could they (my birth parents) do this to us? How was it so easy just to throw us away because they loved something else more, an item, a thing?" For a year I gave up therapy until my freshman year. During my freshman year, things were hard as well. School became more stressful as it should have, but there was one thing. My Mum was the teacher at the high school I attended, which most of the time was alright. Other days were harder because I was afraid of disappointing my parents. I had to be perfect, and I wasn't always. Again, there were a few bumps along the road, and that January of my freshman year I wrote in my journal. They were personal things like wanting to die and things around that topic. One day my sister found this journal. At this time we shared a room and she looked in it. I felt this as very invasive of my property, but what would have happened if she didn't. I started going to therapy again and till this day, still do. Then there are other days when I think I am so lucky to be where I am. I am loved, I gained two siblings who I love. I've learned new things, and I've traveled. I know that my birth parents couldn't have done that for me, and my parents now have busted a gut for me to get where I am. I have been able to achieve so much more than I would have been able to before. That is just how I see it, and it's my story. I know that many other people have a very different view. Maybe their parents went through a divorce. Many parents don't see how it affects their children. These children also lose the parents that they once knew. Everyone's feelings are valid. Many people have their own stories. I find that people today do not know how other people feel anymore. Then a topic like this comes along, and you can hear people—the real side of people. It is important to understand everyone that comes along in our path. Their views, and their stories.