My name is Alina Amos, and I'm from Reidsville, North Carolina. Growing up in a small, close-knit community has shaped who I am, what I care about, and how I see my future. Two of the biggest passions in my life are golf and my education, and both have played an important role in leading me toward my future in nursing. These passions have taught me perseverance, patience, and compassion-qualities that I believe are essential for anyone who wants to make a positive impact in the world. Golf has been a major part of my life for years. What I love most about the sport is that it requires incredible mental strength and focus. Every swing, every hole, and every decision I make on the course teaches me something about discipline. There are no shortcuts in golf. You only improve by practicing, staying patient, and pushing yourself even when the results don't come right away. Golf has taught me how to stay calm under pressure, how to keep trying even when things got tough. These lessons have built a foundation of perseverance that I carry into every part of my life. This determination shows up in my schoolwork. I've spent many early mornings on the course, determined to get better. I'm passionate about doing well academically because I know my education is the path to my dreams. There have been moments when balancing classes, responsibilities, and golf felt overwhelming. But instead of giving up, I learned to manage my time, ask for support, and stay focused on my goals. Every challenge strengthened my confidence and helped me develop the resilience I need for the medical field. Nursing requires long hours, teamwork, and emotional strength, and I believe my experiences in school have prepared me to rise to those expectations. My passion for nursing grew from my desire to help people directly. I want to be someone who brings comfort, hope, and care to others during their most vulnerable moments. Nursing is not just a career-It's a calling that requires compassion, critical thinking, and the ability to stay calm in high-pressure situations. Golf taught me patience. School taught me perseverance. Nursing will allow me to use both to make a meaningful difference. My goal is to work in a setting where I can support individuals and families, advocate for those who cannot advocate for themselves, and continue growing as a medical professional. In the future, I also hope to inspire younger students in my community. I want them to see that your background doesn't limit your dreams. With hard work, dedication, and belief in yourself, you can accomplish anything. Whether on the golf course, in the classroom, or eventually in a hospital or clinic, I want to be someone who lifts others up and leads by example. Ultimately, everything I have learned- through golf, through school, and through my passion for nursing- has prepared me to make a positive impact on the world. I plan to use my studies not only to build a successful career but to help people feel safe, cared for, and supported. I want to leave every patient better than I found them, and I want my actions to reflect kindness, perseverance, and purpose.

When I play golf, it’s like the world slows down and I can really focus on myself, my mindset, and my goals. Golf challenges me. Every shot matters, every decision matters, but I also have to learn how to let go when things don't go my way. I love the combination of calm and pressure it brings. Some days I’m fighting to save par, and other days everything feels easy, but no matter what, I want to be better than I was the day before. I started playing when I was nine years old, and the game has been a huge part of my life ever since. Even though I’ve always felt like I was supported as a girl in golf, it hasn’t been all easy. One challenge I ( or really my mom) faced was finding the right tournaments to play in. Before discovering the Peggy Kirk Bell Girls Tour, I felt like all I always played the same 4 or 5 girls, and we were friends, but I wanted to compete in events that really showed that there were girls in golf. In middle school, there were more girls, but none of them played at the same skill level at me, so I was never paired with them. It got a lot better in high school in the number of girls and competition, and once I found PKB, everything changed. I had finally had a place to compete against girls who were driven like me. Another big challenge was high school golf. I love representing my school, but being the only girl in my area who plays at the level I do has made things complicated. Most of the time, I practiced and competed alone for the first 2 years because I didn't have any teammates at all. I had teammates my junior year which was nice but senior year I only had someone part of the time. It gets lonely sometimes not having a teammate to walk the course with or talk through tough holes with, or to celebrate good rounds. People don’t always realize how hard that can be. It’s not just about competition; it’s about having someone who understands what you’re working toward. Even though I didn’t always have that, I learned to motivate myself. I’ve learned to trust my preparation and keep pushing even when no one is right next to me. But honestly, playing alone has also made me better and stronger. It taught me how to stay focused. It taught me how to pick myself up after a bad hole and keep my head in the game even when it was hard. I’ve learned to be my own cheerleader, my own coach, and sometimes even my own teammate. And when I do get the chance to play with girls who love golf just as much, I appreciate it even more because I know how rare it can be. What I love most about golf is how much it’s helped shape me as a person. It’s taught me confidence, social skills, and how to stay calm under pressure. These are things that help me not only on the course but also in school and in life. Golf has given me amazing opportunities and helped me grow in ways I never expected. Even with the challenges, I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Every obstacle I’ve faced has made me push harder. My goal is to keep improving, keep competing, and keep believing in myself no matter what.

I started playing golf when I was about 9 years old, and the sport has shaped who I am and made me start thinking about who I want to become. Golf has taught me confidence, teamwork, social skills, and how to stay focused even when things get tough. It has opened a lot of doors for me, from playing in big tournaments like the Pure Insurance Championship at Pebble Beach to meeting people who push me to be better on and off the course. Golf is a huge dream of mine, but the biggest impact it’s had is showing me how important it is to give back. Helping people has always come naturally to me. I have tutored younger students in math, assisted at First Tee classes, volunteered at Feed the Hunger meal-packing events, and helped at the Wyndham Championship. I have also mentored at a Change Your Course event designed to help students with their mental game. I’ve learned that even small steps can make a big difference. Helping out at clinics and in my community reminds me that leadership isn’t just about winning trophies, it’s about lifting others up. Golf gave me the chance to do that through mentorship and service, and those experiences helped me set goals for the future. As much as I love golf, I also know I want a career where I can help people every day. It's part of why I chose nursing (the other part was my visiting a local community college and learning about some of what nurses do). I want to be someone who brings comfort and care to others, and nursing is a way for me to do that. Golf taught me to stay calm, think ahead, be honest, help others, and be respectful. All of those qualities will help me to be a great nurse. My goals are simple but big: continue growing in golf, work toward a nursing career, and keep making an impact wherever I can. Golf started as just a sport I wanted to try, but it has become so much more than that. It has made me into someone who dreams big, works hard, and looks for a way to help others.

I’m 17 years old, and I’ve grown up in a big family with a single mom who raised six kids on her own. Even with everything she had to do, she always made sure that I had what I needed to pursue my dreams especially when it came to golf. There were so many times that she put my golf needs ahead of her own, and I don't just mean with money, I also mean with time. She drove me to matches all over the state and sometimes even further. We had to stay in Air BnBs or hotels. This meant time away from work and from home. I probably don't tell her enough but it means everything to me. She tries to always show up so I try to show up too. I work hard in school, keep a 3.5 GPA, I have gotten so much better at golf and even have coaches looking at me for college and overall I do my best to make her proud every day. Life hasn’t always been easy, but I’ve learned to push through challenges and stay focused. I’ve had to balance school, sports, and helping out at home, and it’s taught me how to be responsible and determined. I want to go into healthcare or nursing because I care about helping people and making a difference, just like my mom has done for me and my brothers. I believe students like me deserve opportunities like scholarships and grants because we’re proof that potential doesn’t depend on where you come from. It it is based on how hard you’re willing to work. The cure for cancer or the next big breakthrough could come from someone who grew up in a small town or in a crowded house. A challenging start doesn't limit you, it helps you grow. Getting this scholarship would help me keep moving forward. It would take some of the pressure off my mom and allow me to focus on school and golf. Most of all, it would show me that people believe in students like me and that means so much to me.