Every day, I wake up and am thankful to have been raised in such a nurturing and caring household. From a young age, Christian beliefs have been ingrained in my everyday life. I was baptised on September 29, 2007, in Immanuel Lutheran Church in Atkinson, Nebraska, and have done my best to be living proof of a loving God since I could fold my hands to pray. Thankful for my church, I do my best to stay involved in the youth group and was recently elected president to help plan and coordinate activities. Some days it can be difficult to balance sports, one acts, FFA, grades, family, friends, and future planning, but I never fail to place a priority on my time with peers from church. Having such a strong faith in the Lord has been invaluable to me and my family. When my brother was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2011, and then my dad in 2020, it took a lot of strength from God to make it through some days. I am certain I have experiences that very few 17 and 18-year-olds can say they have, and I can confidently say from this that I have a unique perspective on life that will carry over to my major, which, as of now, I desire to be business. I grew up in a very business-oriented household, with parents who owned three law firms and were always talking about stocks and investments, an interest in money was bound to occur. Because of this, I was always asking questions and listening in on conversations I, in hindsight, should have stayed out of. My father was always very encouraging of my dreams, something that I am so thankful to have grown up with to this day. One of these dreams was to start my own business, which is what I did when I was 12. Although I am too busy to continue this small business I owned, I used to have an at-home bakery where I would sell cookies and confections to members of my community. I had to stop selling after I started high school and became more involved in activities in my school and community. I loved the opportunity to do something I loved, make money, and do all this while being my own boss. I can say with confidence that the values that were instilled in me will help me no matter what I choose to do in the future, but especially in the world of business.

To be completely honest, I was not always interested in government until I was selected to attend Cornhusker Girl's State through the Atkinson American Legion Auxiliary in my hometown. At Cornhusker Girl's state, I met so many empowering women, and my experience opened up an entirely new world of possibilities. After running for Girl's State Governor, I won my primary election, but ended up being appointed US Chief Supreme Court Justice and was able to converse with an actual Nebraska Supreme Court justice. This was a phenomenal experience and sparked my interest in public service. Although I am young, I have many aspirations for my future; some of these include attending law school, owning my own business, and holding a leadership role in the city I choose to reside in. I would like to be involved in my city's government and help shape laws and policies. If I became comfortable with being a part of the government in my city, I can see myself running for a bigger office, perhaps on the state level. One current policy issue I care deeply about is the funding being cut for cancer research. After my brother was diagnosed with brain cancer at age 5, my family started a nonprofit foundation that directly funds research facilities to help find a cure for pediatric brain cancer; it was named Team Jack. Team Jack has raised over $12 million to date. It is incredibly demoralizing to see how this cut in government funding is affecting the very research projects we are working so hard to keep going. Civil discourse plays a large role in shaping public policy. If you can engage in a respectful conversation and share your point of view, it will enable our representatives to review issues with new ideas. Civil discourse helps build bridges and provides leaders with fresh perspectives, enabling them to serve us better. A prime example of civil discourse is advocacy. My mom is my inspiration, and she exemplified her ability to practice civil discourse when she testified in front of an appropriations committee in our Capitol building. It was here she conversed with committee members - senators in Nebraska - and told them of our dire need for funding. I have always had a passion for leadership, and this is showcased throughout my numerous roles in the plethora of activities I take on. Activities and leadership roles are listed below. West Holt FFA Reporter 2022-2023 West Holt Student Council 2022-2023 West Holt Sophomore Class President 2023-2024 West Holt FFA Reporter 2023-2024 National FFA in the USA Reporter 2024 Elected President of Immanuel Lutheran Youth Group 2024-Present West Holt Junior Class President 2024-2025 West Holt Co-CEO on Greenhouse Entrepreneurship 2024-2025 NOSNIKTA National Honor Society Vice President 2024-2025 FFA Chapter President 2025-2026 Co-CEO on Greenhouse Entrepreneurship 2025-2026 NOSNIKTA National Honor Society President 2025-2026 West Holt Public Schools in Atkinson, Nebraska, for contact information: (402) 925-2848 In addition to my leadership roles, I spend as much time as I can volunteering at the Team Jack Foundation. I spend time helping with elementary track meets and practices annually as well.