I was placed in foster care at the age of five. Both of my parents were placed in jail, and my world changed in a short period of time. Before being placed in my first foster home, I lived with my aunt. While in my new foster home, I experienced and was exposed to inappropriate sexual behaviors. This was a difficult and confusing time, but it eventually resulted in my moving to another foster home that turned into my forever family. They taught me what it feels like to be cared about and for, while also providing a safe and healthy environment. I went to elementary school in this new environment. My parents kept me grounded in my schoolwork and pushed me to do the best I could. However, this part of my life still felt overwhelming at such a young age. I was constantly working on understanding why things had played out the way they did. I was unaware of the bigger picture, and those early struggles changed the way I view the world today. My parents could see the emotional weight I was holding and decided to put me into therapy. My sessions were a success. I began expressing how overwhelmed I felt because of the changes I was experiencing, and I even started talking to my parents openly about how I felt. This past school year I've struggled the most with keeping up with my AP Lang grade. Sometimes I find it hard to comprehend the overall idea as well as expressing myself in a way that others can understand. My parents have helped drastically with this. Processing my early experiences is what led me to my dream of becoming a psychologist. I want to work as a therapist because I know how much of a difference it makes to have someone help you understand your own story. My time in therapy showed me that you don't have to carry your past alone, and I want to provide that same support to others. This my way of taking the lessons I learned from my childhood and turning them into a professional career where I can help people navigate their own challenges. This scholarship would be a significant help as I work toward my degree. Beyond the financial support for tuition and supplies, receiving this award would provide a sense of stability. Having this support allows me to focus more on my psychology classes and less on the stress of how to pay for each semester. It is an investment in my goal of becoming a therapist, helping me stay on track as I prepare to enter a field I am truly passionate about. By furthering my education, I am working toward a future where I can use my background to relate to and help my future clients. This scholarship will assist me in reaching my goals and will help me keep making the family that chose me proud. It’s an opportunity to move forward into a career where I can make a real impact, showing that with the right support, anyone can find their path.