I'm a senior a Vernon High School. I will graduate on May 27th, 2023. I'm ranked 14 out of 126 students in my class. I will further my education at Midwestern State University in the Fall. There I will major in sport and leisure studies to eventually become a physical therapist. During my time at Vernon High School, I have participated in many sports, such as basketball, volleyball, softball, and golf. I've also been involved in campfire, student council, and PALS. I've always taken honors classes. During my junior and senior years, I've taken dual credit classes while maintaining a 4.5 GPA. I tore my ACL and meniscus during my sophomore year. Due to my injury, I had to undergo different surgeries. With knee surgery comes many months of rough physical therapy. During those months I made many improvements, yet I still felt as if I had made none. It's very discouraging seeing your teammates make improvements and become better players while you learn how to run again. Once I finally finished physical therapy, I realized I wanted to help athletes recover from their injuries while motivating them to do so. I want athletes to have a better physical therapy experience than I did. My family has undergone so much hardship. We lost my step-sister and then lost my grandfather two years later. When my step-sister tragically passed away, our whole lives changed. It was very sudden and unexpected. One day she's laughing and smiling, the next, she's not with us anymore. What brings me the most comfort is knowing she's with God. She was too pure for this world, so God took her home. Her passing has shown me to never ever take anything for granted. It's taught me that tomorrow isn't ever promised. Hug your loved ones because you never know when it will be the last time. My grandpa was like the glue that kept our family together. We knew he would pass soon. Most people say the unexpected hurt worse, but I'm not so sure. I knew it was coming, yet it still hurts me today as much as It did that weary day, and I know my family feels the same. My grandpa was one of the many father figures I have. He was the most faithful person I knew. He made sure I knew how much God loved me, and that God wouldn't ever leave me. I never thought I'd lose him, ever. Although my family has been through hard times, they're still the most genuine people ever. They love hard, and never make me, or my siblings feel less than enough. I hope you'll consider me for this scholarship. Thank you for the opportunity.