I was young when my mother first got her diagnosis, so I didn’t really understand what was happening. All I knew was that her head had been hurting her a lot, and my grandparents came to visit frequently. She went to the hospital to have surgery to remove her grade III astrocytoma from her right frontal lobe. At first, nothing much really changed. Her personality seemed to stay the same; the only thing that changed is she was weak in her left side. Sometimes she would forget certain words, like “laundry basket,” but other than that, life carried on as normal. The most important thing was that her cancer was gone, she had finished radiation, and she had rung the bell. Five years later is when things took a turn for the worse. Her physical ability had decreased increasingly and her personality started to shift. These two side effects are common for those who have had brain surgery, but she went back to the doctor to be safe. It turns out that she had some tissue build up that could have been causing these side effects, so she had another intrusive surgery to remove the tissue. Unfortunately, in the past six years since that second brain surgery, things have not gotten better. She has a hard time walking and can’t go on walks or use the stairs without assistance. She falls frequently and needs help getting back up. But the side effect I personally struggle with the most, is that her personality has completely changed. She is not the gentle, loving mother that I had ten years ago. This disease has been hard for not only her, but me and my entire family. It’s hard for me to remember that when she ignores me or argues with me or makes rude comments, it’s not her; it’s her disease. Growing up with a mother who can’t fulfill the role of one, I have experienced hardships I haven’t been prepared for. It’s hard to try to have an intimate conversation with her when she is barely looking up at me, focused on her book. It’s hard to spend time with her, when she talks about things unrelated and goes on tangents and doesn’t let anyone else talk. It’s hard to not blame her for things that she isn’t intentionally doing because of her disease. It feels like I’m grieving my mother who is sitting right in front of me. Though my mother is not at her best, the rest of my family has grown stronger together despite the troubles we experience. My sister and I have grown close through our struggles. Even though she is away at college, I can share with her the burdens that I feel back home. She is able to approach every situation with a Biblical perspective. My dad has always been there. He has assumed the roles of both parents by being the sole provider, the cheerleader, the chef, and the best role model. His kind, patient, and empathetic character is one that I look up to. Throughout my life, I will advocate for brain cancer awareness. Not many understand how this disease doesn't just affect a person, but completely changes them. Receiving this scholarship will help ease the financial burden that is paying for college. After paying countless medical bills and putting my sister through college, any financial assistance that my family could get would help us immensely.

My extracurricular activities make me who I am. As a senior in high school focused on graduating and picking a college while also balancing a part-time job, it feels like I rarely have time to do anything else. Yet, I always make time for my leadership positions and church. In the fall of 2024, I became the senior drum major for my high school’s marching band. I had to put in countless hours in order to help the band learn their music, their sets, and put everything all together in time for our performances. I worked with two of my counterparts along with my director constantly about how to help band camp run smoothly and how to improve morale when things got slow. Imposter syndrome hit me a lot when I stepped up on that podium. Whenever it hit, I reminded myself that I was chosen to lead the band for a reason. Throughout this experience, I learned a lot about myself. I learned that in order to successfully lead other students, I have to be confident in my ability to lead them. If the captain of an athletic team isn’t confident in his or her own abilities, the members of the team won’t be confident in their abilities either. And that’s what I was; the captain of the marching band. By the end of the season the members of the marching band felt like they had accomplished something great with our show, and I am so glad I got to be a part of that. Another one of my extracurriculars, which I have been attending my whole life, is church. When I was little, going to church felt like routine for me. On Saturdays I wouldn’t have to do anything, but when Sunday morning hit I was up at 8am getting ready for the 9am service. Ever since I became old enough to go to youth group, I have barely ever missed a Wednesday night at the church. The community that has been cultivated there over the years has molded me into who I am now. When my mother got sick and never fully recovered, my friends were there (and are still there) to help me with whatever I needed. My small group leaders have become significant spiritual mentors who have taught me many things about myself, faith, and God. Not only does the community there help me, but I help them too. Throughout my time at youth group, I have planned surprise parties for small group leaders and church members, lended a helping hand wherever I was needed, played guitar on wednesday nights help worship, and much more. Being a part of extracurricular activities, especially these two, has molded me into who I am today. They have taught me a lot about myself and others. I have learned what I am good at, and areas I need more help in. I am looking forward to attending college and joining more extracurricular activities that allow me to meet new people and help the community around me.