After high school, I plan to major in biology at an out-of-state university, perform research, and participate in an honors program, if applicable. I will also continue wrestling through college. After that, I will attend medical school and a residency to become a psychiatrist; I may pursue a fellowship to specialize in forensic and criminal psychiatry. To prepare for a career in medicine, specifically psychiatry, I made the most of my high school experience through highly demanding classes and extracurricular activities, all while maintaining my passion for the sciences. In the classroom, I took advantage of the college courses provided through NICC, taking a mixture of English, Economics, and Psychology classes. I will also complete six A.P. classes and honors chemistry by graduation. My high school classes demonstrate my love of learning, as I absorbed advanced coursework in a variety of subjects, not just science, because I enjoy discovering new things, even if they don’t directly relate to my major. A major reason I am interested in science is that it explains why our world works the way it does, and why people behave the way they do. Without science, how would we understand why people love music or reading? Science dissects all other subjects, revealing the basis of behavior and life in general. I love learning about most things, but as I read about, say, a war, I wonder how the landscape changed after, how people changed, and why we fight. When I explore a different topic, I turn to the science behind it, which is really what captivates me. Another reason I love science is that there is no limit to the discoveries that can be made. Science is a part of everything, and you can learn from every situation. I have never once thought, “wow, I guess I know all about that now.” Every time you discover something new, the scope of possibilities broadens, and there is simply more to explore. Outside of the classroom, I am very involved in extracurricular activities. Wrestling is my favorite sport, and I compete year-round, including as a captain on the high school varsity team. I was involved in band through middle school and my first two years of high school, but I made the tough decision to quit playing the oboe and switch my focus to more rigorous classes. I also play soccer and used to run cross country before I tried swimming for my final two years of high school. This switch in sports was a huge step out of my comfort zone, which is important to keep me confident in the uncomfortable. In wrestling and the National Honor Society, I utilize my leadership and communication skills to expand the groups and have a greater impact on the community. For example, I created a youth mentoring program through the National Honor Society to provide John Cline students with an exciting and positive role model from our high school. In wrestling, I push my teammates to not only succeed as wrestlers, but also as good people and community members. Before you can be a successful wrestler, you have to be a good person. Otherwise, accomplishments on the mat mean nothing. Positive leadership roles like these are essential for my future as a college student, athlete, and later medical professional, as they prepare me to take charge of my life and help others do the same. The largest influence on my academic interests is my family. My parents taught me the importance of hard work and setting goals to work towards. Without their support, I would never have been able to skip the fourth grade and flourish in a more challenging academic environment. My parents and step-parents motivate me to learn to balance school and sports by encouraging participation and independence, which are important skills for my future as a collegiate wrestler and student pursuing a career in psychiatry. My family has shown me how to be a hard worker and a good person, but they have also shown me the at-risk people I want to help as a psychiatrist. Many people in my family struggle with substance abuse and mental issues. This has been a huge motivation for me to pursue a medical career; I see how their mental health can impact their lives, and I don’t want others to go through the same thing. My family has shown me the worst of mental illness and taught me how I can improve myself to help others improve themselves. In conclusion, I plan to attend an out-of-state university to major in biology at the honors level and continue wrestling throughout college. After my undergraduate studies, I will continue to medical school and residency to become a psychiatrist. In preparation for this, I have taken a rigorous high school course load, with emphasis on AP classes, college-level courses through NICC, and science content. I am involved in three sports, the National Honor Society, Project Lit Book Club, and was previously involved in other clubs and activities. I lead others by example, and have leadership roles in the NHS and the wrestling team. Thanks to my family, I know how to find success through hard work and empathy, and I also know the people I want to help as a psychiatrist. I look forward to what my future holds, and will continue to pursue my dreams, not just with words, but with action.

I used to run away from my parents before wrestling practice. I would run, cry, and hide in my room. I hated wrestling. I was the only girl in my club until I joined the middle school wrestling team in 7th grade. I didn’t win a tournament until 6th grade, 4 years into my wrestling career. I hated wrestling boys; I hated going to practice; I hated competing; and I hated losing. Wrestling became something I dreaded. If you saw me compete now, you would never know that is how my wrestling career started. Wrestling is my greatest teacher and has become a place for me to grow as a person, student, and athlete. The biggest lesson wrestling has taught me is how to grit it out and work hard, no matter your opponent, the score, or who’s in your corner. My opponent may be a national champion or a girl at her first tournament, or it can also be a test or other struggle to overcome. Because of wrestling, I don’t look at any situation as something to breeze through; I always give my best effort. I could be down by nine points or winning by 20; it doesn’t matter. I know I can push through discomfort and perform to the best of my abilities, no matter how I’m doing in comparison to others. I have had to learn to focus on the match in front of me, not who’s in my corner or who is cheering or booing from the stands. Wrestling has taught me to focus on myself and my efforts, regardless of external factors that might affect my performance, whether it is on the mat, in the classroom, or among peers. I used to view wrestling as an obstacle in and of itself, but through overcoming the challenge of loving the sport, I gained the skills to overcome any hardship I may face in life. My attitude changed when I placed fourth at AAU state as an eighth grader. I never did well at meets, as I panicked and cried from the pressure I put on myself to win. This AAU tournament was different. I was winning matches, and when I lost, I was able to come back and wrestle my next matches. To this day, I don’t know what sparked this period of transition, but I am forever grateful for the shift. Through my four years of high school wrestling, I have grown only more confident. At this year’s Dan Gable Donnybrook tournament, a tournament comparable to our state championship, I had one of the most challenging brackets. I had to face off against three state champions, two from Iowa and one from Nebraska, to win gold. I was nervous as I am not yet a state champion, but I knew that the least I could do was battle and fight my hardest in each match. In the end, I won. I overcame my own nerves and outside skepticism to achieve my goals, and I have the wrestling mentality to thank. Wrestling means the world to me, and it has taught me the most important life lessons. I know I can grit through tough situations, work hard to create my best self, and pass those lessons on to others so they can also find success. Even though I hated wrestling and was quite bad for a very long time, I would not trade the sport for anything, as it has given me everything.