Katie Ledecky has always been my favorite athlete to cheer for, even before I tried swim for myself. I first saw Ledecky cut through the water and break record after record as a gangly 9-year-old girl watching the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics from my living room. I was awestruck not only by her athletic performance, but also by the strong confident woman I saw on the screen. Over the years, I have followed her journey on Team USA as she continues to go where no athlete has gone before and cement her name in the swimming world. Unsurprisingly, she was the only athlete I wanted to watch this year during the Paris 2024 games. There was just something so innately exciting about watching her compete. And while Ledecky is undoubtedly one of the greatest athletes of all time, she also exemplifies what it means to have a strong character. She acted as a role model for me not only as a swimmer, but also as a person. In her, I saw someone who represented the woman I wanted to become. I only started competitively swimming in my sophomore year of high school, but Ledecky was the inspiration for my choice of race. I chose to swim the dreaded 500 meter freestyle, despite my teammates' warnings, because Ledecky swims long distance races as well and demonstrates incredible perseverance through them. I wanted to learn what it was like to show the kind of grit she demonstrates on a daily basis as an athlete. She trains relentlessly for her sport, displaying the kind of dedication that I can only dream of having. Her determination and sacrifice for Team USA are what make her worth rooting for. She also showcases her incredible kindness and humility on and off the athletic scene. Her contributions to STEM education for youth and refugee advocacy show a deep compassion for others and a willingness to help those around her thrive. When I think of Katie Ledecky, I think of someone I want to be more and more like each day. She is such an incredible role model for women around the world. She exemplifies what it means to be simultaneously powerful, kind, and down to earth. When I watch her from my television screen, I see a quiet confidence and humility that inspire me. I know I won't ever be the athlete she is, but I can strive each day to become even a tenth of the woman she is today. Compassion. Kindness. Drive. Ambition. Power. Passion. Humility. That is who Katie Ledecky is, and who she inspires me to be each day.

Every time I visit the coast of California, I have to take a step back to take in the beauty of the Pacific Ocean. This intricate underwater world has always fascinated me with its sparkling surfaces and mysterious depths. It amazes me that something so vast and teeming with life has been left largely unexplored. Growing up in Sacramento, California, I didn’t have many opportunities to visit the ocean and interact with marine life firsthand, but I kept coming back to it in my mind. There was something so inescapable about its power and majesty. I couldn’t imagine dedicating my life to anything divorced from it, so I threw myself into exploring marine biology as a career. My passion for this area of knowledge began in 3rd grade when I researched the West Indian manatee for a project. I spent hours reading articles about their behavior, environment, feeding patterns, and endangerment. I had never been more eager to do research for a project before. From there, my interest only snowballed. I’ve read the Smithsonian ocean encyclopedia from cover to cover multiple times, and I’m always enthralled by the beauty and diversity of the creatures shown there. Watching Planet Earth’s ocean episodes as David Attenborough narrated the exploits of various underwater creatures is one of my favorite childhood memories. I love to go digging for sand fleas (also known as Pacific mole crabs) to examine their size and behavior. I also sought to further my knowledge of the natural world at large by taking a wide variety of science courses in high school. I wanted to expand the breadth of my scientific knowledge so that I could approach the ocean from both a biological and oceanographical standpoint. I have set several academic goals that will allow me to achieve this lifelong dream. I plan to attend Point Loma Nazarene University as a biology major while applying to internships focused on marine sciences. From there, I will apply to Scripps Institution of Oceanography to specialize in marine biology for my masters and doctoral degrees. I am committed to obtaining my PhD not only to be successful in my career, but also to have the opportunity to teach others at the collegiate level. Education is the pathway to knowledge, power, and success. The marine world needs more advocates who will champion its diversity, beauty, and influence in a world where climate change has been left vastly unchecked. By educating others, I will have the opportunity to encourage the next generation of environmental activists to take charge of their future. To me, that is a far more powerful and rewarding experience than anything else I could achieve.

My name is Autumn Smith and I'm a senior at Inderkum High School in Sacramento, California. I've lived in Sacramento my entire life, but I've always dreamed of moving to San Diego. I'm a high-achieving perfectionist of a student, similar to everyone applying for this scholarship. I'm on the varsity girls tennis team and have been playing for four years. I also manage the boys tennis team and lead two clubs on campus: Book Club and Christians in Action. Additionally, I'm highly involved in my school's NHS chapter and participate in service events every month. I love to read, sing, spend time outdoors, and watch Big Bang Theory (it's the best). I strive to be kind, compassionate, and courageous in my daily life. I've been described by many of my peers as being most passionate about academics and excelling in school, but my true passion is my faith. I work every day to live out my belief in Jesus Christ and His saving grace in my interactions with others. I serve others on a daily basis because I seek to live out the love that God has so graciously bestowed upon me. I've chosen to sacrifice my time and my energy to others, to die to myself each day, so that Christ's glory can hopefully shine through me. That's why I choose to help my peers with their assignments on the daily. That's why I choose to spend my weekends working at the local animal shelter and covering books for my elementary school's library. That's why I gave hours of my time to make over 120 unique paper snowflakes for my best friend when she needed them for a school spirit event. I am so deeply passionate about serving others and loving them. There is nothing more valuable to me than expressing the love and commitment I have to others. I have been given a spirit to serve and to sacrifice. I count it as a joy that I can give of myself so that others can experience the love of Christ through me. This commitment to the Lord and to service has called me to attend Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego. It's been my dream school for over a year because of its focus on seeking Christ in every aspect of your life. I want to learn how to continue to live a life in service to the Lord and others as I embark on a journey into adulthood. Point Loma focuses deeply on serving others through mission trips to Mexico, local outreach programs to the homeless, and more. I want to be a part of that culture of generosity and kindness with all of my heart. They also have a strong biology program, which would be incredibly beneficial to me as I prepare for a career in marine biology and seek to apply to Scripps Institution of Oceanography for my masters degree. I want to grow as a person and as a professional in the spirit of service, and this scholarship would be so incredibly helpful in allowing me to reach that goal. Even with the highest merit scholarship offered by Point Loma, I cannot afford to attend. I am so deeply invested in this school and this dream, and this scholarship would be such a blessing for me and for my family. The Lord has called me to this school, to a lifelong dedication to service, and to this scholarship. I know that He will supply my every need.

When I tell people that my dream is to become a marine biologist, I almost always get warned that they don't make much money. My friends and family members seem concerned that I won't be able to support myself, and some view my choice as a waste of time and energy. But to me, the most important part of choosing what to do with my life isn't the money I'll make. To me, it's the opportunity I have to leave a lasting impact on others. Science has been my passion since the 7th grade. I was required to take a life science class, and I went into class on the first day unsure of what it would be like. It was the first time I had been exposed to science outside of an occasional visit from my school's science teacher in elementary. But when the bell rang at the end of the period, I walked out excited for what the rest of the year would hold. Since that first class, I've continued to pursue my passion for science. I've taken a total of six years of STEM classes over my four years of high school, and I've loved each one of them. Being exposed to so much knowledge of the natural world has driven me towards pursuing a bachelor's of science in general biology. I've worked incredibly hard during high school to maintain a strong GPA and continue to learn so that I have the best opportunities to pursue knowledge in the biological field. I've also pursued opportunities to serve in my community and help others. Right now, I'm keeping a red eared slider turtle in my backyard after another student rescued it and brought it into my ceramics class because they didn't know how to care for it. My dream is to be accepted to Point Loma Nazarene University for my undergraduate studies. I plan to work a part-time job during college in order to pay for the tuition, and I will also be applying for multiple scholarships and loans. I would also like to participate in volunteer service and mission trips in Mexico, as PLNU is so close to the border. I strongly believe that serving others and loving them is one of the most impactful things you can do for those in need. Beyond my bachelor's degree, I would like to obtain a master's degree and Ph.D in marine sciences, with an additional focus on teaching. My hope is to be able to work for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as a conservationist, and later as a university educator. I'm excited to see how I will be able to positively impact not only the environment, but also those who spend time living in those areas. I want to educate others on how to care for the ocean and its inhabitants, especially since education is such an important part of personal growth. Ten or 15 years from now, I see myself teaching other curious students about the subject that I've come to love. I want to share my passion for science, for learning, and for the ocean with others. I want to inspire them to initiate change and to care for the environment. I want to leave the world, and more importantly the lives of others, better than I found them.