Hello, my name is Ava Osborne, and I'm an upcoming sophomore at Agnes Scott College. My values are living a life that pleases God, making sure people feel seen and know they're loved and valued, and photography! I've been a Christian for almost 5 years; Jesus' sacrificial love has inspired me to love Him, be better, and to love others as He would. Jesus tells us that people will know we're His disciples by our love, but ironically, the world has a famous quote about Christianity: "No hate like Christian love." Unfortunately, many people among different age groups have experienced religious trauma by bad people who call themselves Christians. Many pastors and others in the church strive to put an intense fear of hell in young minds to get them to get right, condemn gay people to hell, and commit sexual acts against others from different age groups. They even try to justify themselves by saying they want people to act right or they're "falling under temptation." It breaks my heart that so many people have gone through these experiences by those who are supposed to be expressing God's love towards them. I strive to be the kind of Christian that people can trust and confide in instead of them already being annoyed or cautious when talking to me because of the horrible acts people have done in the name of religion. Mental health has grown to be one of the most important topics to me because society as a whole doesn't take it seriously as it should, it's one of the leading causes of suicide, and I've experienced things that made me dislike myself. The COVID-19 Pandemic was the start of the decline in mental health across all age groups, due to more negative engagement on social media (cyberbullying), situations at home getting harder due to many losing their jobs, and the isolation everyone experienced, especially if they were alone with their thoughts because they didn't have trusted people to talk to. The mental health crisis motivates me to pursue fields that allow me to love and serve people, including social justice, education, counseling, and charity careers. These fields ensure society’s well-being is a top priority. More specifically, I'd like to be a social worker who focuses on helping teenagers and young adults because nearly 50% of teenagers and 33% of young adults have persistent feelings of sadness & hopelessness and/or have high rates of anxiety or depression. Then, when they try to confide in their parents, they may tell them that they don't know how hard life is because they're not a "real adult" yet. This invalidates their child's experience, which leads to feelings of unimportance, shame, and loneliness. Consistently dealing with these strong emotions alone can lead a person to believe there's no point in being here anymore, and I want to be in a position to encourage people and help them realize they do matter and deserve to be here, no matter what. I love photography because it allows me to capture the beauty of the world and share it with others. In 2024, my aunt gave me her digital camera after seeing my dedication. I bring the camera almost everywhere I go to take high-quality photos of my surroundings if I can get the right angles/lighting. I've photographed various environments like Puerto Rico's colorful landscapes, Florida's breathtaking skies, and the many vibrant but also cool areas in Georgia. My family and friends encourage me to start a part-time photography gig so I officially made an account this month to hopefully get something started. Thank you!

Hello, my name is Ava Osborne, and my current goal is to be able to attend Agnes Scott with as little debt as possible in the spring semester or my junior year of college. Agnes Scott is the most innovative college in Georgia, with a program that allows freshmen to travel outside the country to learn more about important political, environmental, and scientific topics and has many connections to the career world. Still, the tuition is $3,371 a month, and I'm unable to pay that amount at the moment. Currently, I have two sources of income that provide about $2,100 combined each month. I work for one family, babysitting an 8-year-old with special needs, and I work as an assistant for Visenta, a photography company that travels around Atlanta. I just got the photography job towards the end of July. College textbooks are a definite expense that'll probably knock me down $400, so then I'd only have half of the tuition the first month. I applied for on-campus work-study; it pays around $400 a month, so that would bring me back to $2,100 if I get the job. Now that leaves $1,200 I'd still have to make every month. My next options are to continue applying for scholarships, look for one-time jobs near my neighborhood, and start a GoFundMe. Most of the scholarships I apply for are worth $1,000-$10,000, so recieving even one of these scholarships would take me such a long way and give me a better chance of staying at Agnes Scott without having to spend every dollar I make on tuition. I haven't gotten a scholarship yet despite applying to many over almost 2 years now. However, I'm sure if I continue improving my writing and grammar skills and focus on applying for more scholarships specific to my experiences, hobbies, and major, I will win one eventually. I have an app named Nextdoor that allows Georgia residents to connect. Many individuals provide opportunities for people in the community to make a little bit of money, including hiring them to walk their dog, babysit their kid(s), or help them move out; meanwhile, others sell a variety of items like clothes, shoes, consoles, hygiene products, and more. Recently, I started a GoFundMe to help with college expenses; so far I've raised $1,100. That gives me a boost to pay for tuition for at least one month, maybe two, since I have a definite income from my two other jobs. In conclusion, my definite sources of income make up around two-thirds of Agnes Scott's tuition, but my other options for paying the rest are either receiving low payments over time from local jobs/fundraisers or receiving one large payment giveaway from one institution. Although these aren't 100% guaranteed, I believe that pursuing them consistently will result in a positive income in the long run. Recieving this scholarship would have a tremendous effect on my journey to reach my goals, and it'll mean so much to me. Thank you for considering me for this scholarship!

Hello, my name is Ava Osborne, and I'm planning to major in Sociology. I've decided to major in Sociology because I want to pursue fields that help me love and serve people, including social justice, education, counseling, and charity work. Careers like these ensure that society’s well-being is the top priority. I also don’t want to be that typical employee or employer who says, “I’m sorry, there’s nothing else I can do for you,” when there could be another way. I want to go the extra mile for all citizens because we all owe each other a debt of love (Romans 13:8-9), and people will never forget when a good deed is done for them, which may lead to them doing good to someone else. Another reason I want to pursue fields like these is to make it known to people that they're important and that their mental health should be taken seriously. In the past six or so years, mental health has grown to be one of the most important topics to me, not only because I’ve experienced some things that damaged my mental health for a while, but also because it’s one of the leading causes of suicide. Most of the time, people care only about how much someone contributes to society rather than truly caring about them. Someone’s mental health either improves or worsens based on the situations going on in their lives or how they feel about themselves. So when others make someone feel like they're inadequate for whatever reason, that person may start to feel like they have no purpose on earth. The COVID Pandemic started the decline in mental health across all ages, due to more negative engagement on social media (cyberbullying), home situations getting worse since losing their jobs, family members getting sick, and more. I want to create a positive impact on the communities I care about right now by consistently volunteering and connecting with underprivileged people. Volunteering can be looked down on at times, but it truly does make a lasting impact on people when enough people are behind the cause. Volunteering builds civic responsibility, unites diverse groups towards a common goal, and improves the immediate surroundings for everyone. After I get my sociology degree, I would like to be a social worker (counselor or therapist) focusing on helping teenagers and young adults. Sociology studies human behavior and gives insight into why people do what they do. I believe that'll help me navigate interacting with someone in a way they feel most seen, despite not sharing the same experience. I'd prefer keeping my focus on these two groups because nearly 50% of teenagers and 33% of young adults have persistent feelings of sadness & hopelessness and/or have high rates of anxiety or depression. Many people try to confide in their parents, but in turn, parents often dismiss their child's feelings by telling them that they don't know how hard life is because they're not a real adult yet. This invalidates their experience and leads to intense feelings of shame and loneliness. Consistently dealing with these emotions alone can lead to a person believing there's no purpose in them being here anymore. I want to be in a position where I reach out and encourage different types of people, encouraging them that they do matter and deserve to be here, no matter what. I've seen so many stories about people falling to a dark place or committing suicide because they believed there was no other way. They inspire me to comfort people, to keep them here, because they are loved.

Hello, my name is Ava Osborne. I'm an upcoming sophomore at Agnes Scott College, and I've been following Christ for almost 5 years. In the past six or so years, mental health has grown to be one of the most important topics to me because society as a whole doesn't take it seriously as it should. I've experienced things that made me dislike myself, and it's one of the leading causes of suicide. The COVID-19 Pandemic was the start of the decline in mental health across all age groups, due to more negative engagement on social media (cyberbullying), situations at home getting harder due to many losing their jobs, etc. I also believe that the isolation everyone experienced during the COVID lockdown contributed to the decline in people's mental health, especially if one was alone with their thoughts because they didn't have trusted people to talk to. My experiences with Mental Health have somewhat shaped my beliefs about people. I've learned that not everyone who says they're your friend aren't your real friend. Some people are nice to you because they want something from you, and others tolerate you until conflict shows up then they turn their back on you. 2020-2021 was a time when I didn't have any real friends, and I was deeply insecure. I heard about Discord, a digital platform where you can connect and be friends with people all around the world. I navigated through the app and started to get added to different groups. Most of the people there were pretty funny and nice to me, so I considered them my friends. As time went by, I started to idolize the friends I had and neglected important day-to-day priorities because I'd never had genuine friendships before and I enjoyed talking to these people, so I clung to them. I would go to sleep super late talking to people, then immediately open the app when I woke up, not even thanking God for waking me up that morning. I was just getting started in my walk with God, so it was a struggle trying to prioritize spending time with Him when there are so many distractions in the world. Fast forward a few months, and the two main servers I interacted with started to have some type of rivalry due to some people continually being disrespectful to one another. I started talking in one of the servers a little bit more than the other because I felt like I fit in that group more and they were nicer. As a result, the server I wasn't talking as much in started assuming that I was helping the server nuke it. Nuking a server means somehow receiving admin permissions and starting to kick its members, spamming messages in the chats, and erasing the channels. To get back at me, people kept spamming a photo of me, talking about how ugly I was and how they always knew I was a two-timer. It hurt me that they automatically believed I wanted to hurt them without a second thought, but what's even worse is that I trusted them enough to open up about how insecure I was, and they weaponized that against me. This may seem like a small situation, but being made fun of by a server of 20+ people took a toll on me, and I didn't like myself for a long time. No one else knows about this situation, and it's hard to carry with me sometimes even today. This experience made it difficult for me to form genuine relationships with people due to self-isolation and fear of rejection. I often avoided social situations because of the thought of interacting with people and them thinking anything negative about me afterwards. I put myself at an emotional distance with most people because it lessens the chance of my vulnerability being taken advantage of and getting hurt again. However, I've learned over the past couple of years that some people really are worth putting effort into building a strong relationship with. It's not fair for me to generalize how every single person will act based on one unfortunate event. I've made so many great friends at college, and I'm so thankful for all of them. I've cried and vented to them, and they comforted me in such a special way that I'll never forget. I always make sure to check on all my friends occasionally when they're going through something or just simply checking on something. So many people choose to keep stressful situations to themselves for numerous reasons: they don't like to be vulnerable and don't want people to look at them differently, they're embarrassed, or they feel like whoever they vent to won't care. I want to be the person anyone can confide in anytime, whether their current situation is big or small, or even if there's no situation and they just need to talk to someone. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 says, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” I felt alone for such a long time, and I want to make sure that people don't feel the way I did. My experiences have motivated me to pursue fields that allow me to love and serve people, including social justice, education, counseling, charity careers, etc. Fields like these ensure that society’s well-being is a top priority. More specifically, I'd like to be a social worker who focuses on helping teenagers and young adults. I'd prefer focusing on these two groups because nearly 50% of teenagers and 33% of U.S young adults have persistent feelings of sadness & hopelessness and/or have high rates of anxiety or depression. Then, when they try to confide in their parents, they may invalidate their feelings by telling them that they don't know how hard life is because they're not a "real adult" yet. This makes them feel like their feelings are unimportant, which leads to feelings of shame and feeling truly alone. Consistently dealing with these strong emotions alone can lead to a person believing that they shouldn't be here anymore. I want to be in a position where I can tell people that they do matter and deserve to be here, no matter what. Winning this scholarship would mean so much to me because it gives me a better chance at staying enrolled at Agnes Scott College. Thank you!

Hello, my name is Ava Osborne, I'm a freshman at Agnes Scott College, and I'm planning to major in Sociology. I've decided to major in Sociology because I want to pursue fields that help me love and serve people, including social justice, education, counseling, and charity work. Careers like these ensure that society’s well-being is the top priority. I also don’t want to be that typical employee or employer who just says, “I’m sorry, there’s nothing else I can do for you,” when there could be another way. I want to go the extra mile for all citizens because we owe each other a debt of love (Romans 13:8-9), and people will never forget when a good deed is done for them, which may lead them to do good to someone else. I also want to pursue fields like these to make it known to people that their mental health is important and should be taken seriously. In the past six or so years, mental health has grown to be one of the most important topics to me because it is one of the leading causes of suicide. Most of the time, people care only about how much someone contributes to society rather than really caring about them. Someone’s mental health either improves or worsens based on the situations going on in their lives or how they feel about themselves. So when others make someone feel like they're inadequate for whatever reason, that person may start to feel like there's no point in being here anymore. The COVID-19 Pandemic started the decline in mental health across all ages, due to more negative engagement on social media (cyberbullying), home situations getting worse since losing their jobs, family members getting sick, and more. After I get my sociology degree, I would like to be a social worker, counselor, or therapist who focuses on helping teenagers and young adults. Sociology studies human behavior and gives insight into why people do what they do. I believe that'll help me navigate interacting with someone in a way they feel the most seen, despite not sharing the same experience. I'd prefer keeping my focus on these two groups because nearly 50% of teenagers and 33% of U.S young adults have persistent feelings of sadness & hopelessness and/or have high rates of anxiety or depression. Many parents invalidate their child's feelings by telling them that they don't know how hard life is because they're not a real adult yet. This makes them feel like their feelings are unimportant, which leads to feelings of shame and feeling truly alone. Consistently dealing with these strong emotions alone can lead to a person believing that they shouldn't be here anymore. I want to be in a position where I can tell people that they do matter and deserve to be here, no matter what. I want to be in a position where I can help people to the fullest extent. Thank you for taking the time to look at my application!

Hello, my name is Ava Osborne, and I'm planning to major in Sociology. I've decided to major in Sociology because I want to pursue fields that help me love and serve people, including social justice, education, counseling, charity careers, etc. Careers like these ensure that society’s well-being is the top priority. I also don’t want to be that typical employee or employer who just says, “I’m sorry, there’s nothing else I can do for you,” when there could be another way. I want to go the extra mile for all citizens because we owe each other a debt of love (Romans 13:8-9), and people will never forget when a good deed is done for them, which may lead to them doing good to someone else. Another reason I want to pursue fields like these is to make it known to people that they're important and that their mental health is to be taken seriously. In the past six or so years, mental health has grown to be one of the most important topics to me, not only because I’ve experienced some things that can damage my mental health, but also because it’s one of the leading causes of suicide. Someone’s mental health either improves or worsens, most likely based on situations going on in their lives or how they feel about themselves. The COVID-19 Pandemic started the decline in mental health across all ages, due to more negative engagement on social media (cyberbullying), situations at home getting harder due to many losing their jobs, etc. A study in Britain found that at least 50% of suicides are caused by bullying; words have power over us, no matter how ineffective they may seem to the offensive party. I always do my best to be there for the people in my life when they’re going through something and need someone to talk to, whatever the cause is. I want to create a positive impact on the communities I care about right now by consistently volunteering and connecting with people who are underprivileged. Volunteering can be looked down on at times, but it truly does make a lasting impact on people when enough people are behind the cause. Volunteering builds civic responsibility, unites diverse groups towards a common goal, and improves the immediate surroundings for everyone. After I get my sociology degree, I would like to be a social worker (counselor or therapist) who focuses on helping teenagers and young adults. Sociology studies human behavior and gives insight to why people do what they do. I believe that'll help me navigate interacting with someone in a way they feel the most seen, despite not sharing the same experience. I'd prefer keeping my focus on these two groups because nearly 50% of teenagers and 33% of U.S young adults have persistent feelings of sadness & hopelessness and/or have high rates of anxiety or depression. A lot of parents invalidate their children's feelings by telling them that they don't know how hard life is because they're not a real adult yet. This makes them feel like their feelings are unimportant, which leads to feelings of shame and feeling truly alone. Consistently dealing with these big emotions alone can lead to a person believing that they shouldn't be here anymore. I want to be in a position where I can tell people that they do matter and deserve to be here, no matter what. I want to be in a position where I can help people to the fullest extent. Thank you!

Hello, my name is Ava Osborne and I'm an upcoming sophomore at Agnes Scott College. A few fun facts about me are that I'm a Christian, I'm introverted, I LOVE pizza, and I love editing & photography. I've decided to major in Sociology because I want to pursue fields that help me love and serve people, including social justice, education, counseling, charity careers, etc. Careers like these ensure that society’s well-being is the top priority. I also don’t want to be that typical employee or employer who just says, “I’m sorry, there’s nothing else I can do for you.” when there could be another way. I want to go the extra mile for all citizens because we owe each other a debt of love (Romans 13:8-9), and people will never forget when a good deed is done for them, which may lead to them doing good to someone else. Another reason I want to pursue fields like these is to make it known to people that they're important and that their mental health is something to be taken seriously. In the past six or so years, mental health has grown to be one of the most important topics to me, not only because I’ve experienced some things that can damage my mental health, but also because it’s one of the leading causes of suicide. Mental Health is the state of a person’s social, psychological, and emotional well-being. Someone’s mental health either improves or worsens most likely based on situations going on in their lives or how they feel about themselves. The COVID-19 Pandemic started the decline in mental health across all ages, due to more negative engagement on social media (cyberbullying), situations at home getting harder due to many losing their jobs, etc. A study in Britain found that at least 50% of suicides are caused by bullying; words have power over us, no matter how ineffective they may seem to the offensive party. I always do my best to be there for the people in my life when they’re going through something and need someone to talk to, whatever the cause is. Right now, my main educational (or financial) goal is to be able to afford remaining enrolled at Agnes Scott; it's a private liberal arts college and the most innovative in the state of Georgia. It's taking a financial toll on my mom so I'm working hard trying to find different ways to receive the funds needed to stay at Agnes Scott. I'm also applying to different jobs to put that money towards the college tuition. My secondary educational goal (regardless of the school I attend) is to possibly pursue a minor in photography. Photography is a passion of mine because I love capturing the beauty of the world, whether it's people, nature, or buildings across different backgrounds. I take photos with my phone and my digital camera. I posted many photos I took in Puerto Rico on Instagram. Aside from the praise I've received from others, I do believe that I'm a really good photographer, but I think I should take classes to learn more essential tips to elevate my skills. I support organizations that contribute to ending world hunger; one that I actively support is called "Rise Against Hunger." They're an international, non-profit hunger relief organization that addresses food insecurity through emergency food relief and promotes long-term resilience through education and economic empowerment in vulnerable communities. They held a Volunteer Meal-Packaging Event at my college in November. I collaborated with hundreds of students and faculty to pack meals, resulting in 12,000-15,000 packages sent to the countries.

Hello, my name is Ava Osborne, and you should consider me for this scholarship because I'm a committed Christian college student in need of financial aid to continue my enrollment as a sophomore at Agnes Scott College. The tuition takes a real financial toll on my mom; she works so hard for me to be where I am today, and I want to help ease the burden. That's why I'm also getting a job this summer and during the next school year (if I stay), pay a larger portion of the tuition myself. My academic achievements include getting the A/AB Honor Roll, being named Student Of The Month (along with others) at Dutchtown High School, and being nominated for the Senior Academic Mentors (SAMS) Program. The SAMS is a club of senior mentoring freshmen through their first year of high school and make them feel welcome at school. We converse with them in and outside of class, and encourage them to do extracurricular activities. The SAMS also gives their students a BAGS (Behavior, Attitude, Grades, Success) Sheet to motivate them to achieve their goals and excel in their academic career. I was also invited to be in NSHSS and Honor Society–they are both organizations that recognize students for their potential to have a successful future. They offer scholarship opportunities, test prep, community service, leadership programs, and academic tours. Lastly, I was accepted to do dual enrollment at Clayton State during my senior year. My extracurricular activities were being a member of the Mental Wellness Club and the United Christians Association. The Wellness club is a group of staff and students that host events that make sure that the students, teachers, and administrators feel good about themselves and have a great time. For example, we hosted a karaoke event during all lunches where everyone sang their clean song of choice and it was really fun. The many students who didn't participate had a great laugh, or at least a smile. Our club leader also meets with students who are struggling and need someone to confide in. Everything we did was to get people through the day and keep their minds off negative things. The United Christians Association is a club where a group of Christian students meets after school to discuss Jesus/God. We would either do bible studies, talk about our struggles in our walk with God, and more! One time, I led a discussion about how we need to cut off things in our lives that tempt us to sin so we can improve our relationship with God. We also hosted parties on the holidays and just talked about anything while we were eating, drinking, or playing games. I'm very thankful to have a community of like-minded people to be honest with and receive advice from. During my freshman year of college, I volunteered at one of my friends' dance shows as an usher for two days. I stood outside the building to ensure that every guest had their tickets, and sat by the front door to make sure that the dancers weren't distracted. I also collaborated with hundreds of students and faculty at Agnes Scott to pack food and other ingredients to contribute to the movement of ending hunger, resulting in 12,000-15,000 packaged meals to send to countries in need. Everyone was split into groups of 6-7 people, each assigned to a different station. I haven't done many extracurriculars or joined any school-affiliated clubs, but I am a member of a Christian group named "Flourish." We're a group of people who are interested in learning more about God, we're scheduled to meet every Sunday in a private or intimate room to give revelations, talk about blessings & struggles, school, and worship. I grow in knowledge during every discussion I have with these girls. A challenge I faced during school was maintaining my relationship with God despite distractions such as the class workload, school events, fatigue, my phone, etc. College gave me all these new things to focus on in my life, so it felt like God was somewhat drowned out in my mind or put on the back burner. Spending time with God requires intentionality and a sharply focused mind, so the most time I would spend with God is by talking to Him throughout my day, as a way to still intentionally keep Him on my mind. There are times when I want to relax or scroll on my phone to wind down during the day, but then I'd want to go to sleep at night, so I would tell myself, "I'll read the Bible in the morning tomorrow." I most likely did not read it the next day, so it was like an ongoing cycle of me going on about my day, getting ready for bed, and telling myself I would spend more time with God the next day. One method I used to overcome spiritual laziness was to set hourly reminders to read the Bible and pray or set them at specific times in the day. I also made sure to set them at times where I had a resting period after or between classes. Sometimes at night, I would just tell myself that spending 20 minutes with God before bed is better than spending no time with God at all. Jesus Christ has done so much for me so I want to put more effort into pursuing a relationship with Him. I also went to the gym whenever I could. I also motivated some of my friends to go as well, because physical health can often be overlooked as a college student. Thank you for taking the time to read my scholarship application and have a great day!

My name is Ava Osborne, I'm an upcoming sophomore at Agnes Scott College, and I would say my awkward thing is my smile, more so now than in my childhood. This goes for my toothy smile and my closed smile. I feel like my toothy smile is too tight and inauthentic, plus it exposes my yellow teeth. There was a time, a little bit before and during the coronavirus quarantine, when I was really lazy and wouldn't brush my teeth every day, so they got a bit yellow over time. Initially, I didn't notice because I was really insecure about my looks, so I rarely looked in the mirror in the bathroom. My mom would only take pictures of my brother and me together, so I couldn't really tell that my teeth were yellow. Recently, I noticed that I have really big dimples so they make my closed smile look a bit weird the wider it gets. It looks like I'm doing some cocky smirk, and I don't like it. I'll briefly practice my smile in the mirror every so often but it feels awkward every time, so I just stop. Now that I'm in college, I am more confident in my looks, but I do still get a little insecure sometimes. When I try to take photos on my own, sometimes I look decent, and sometimes I don't, so I've just continued practicing taking photos because it captures moments and prepares me for the times my family or friends would want to take photos with me. The iPhone camera does distort how you look so I fix the settings to make it as accurate as possible. But because there are times when I don't look decent with the phone camera, I hesitate when people want to take photos with me because there isn't time to practice for the "perfect" photo, and they probably don't re-adjust their settings, so I'm fearful that I'll look ugly or awkward in the photo. Because my friends are aware of my awkwardness in taking photos, they'll try to take candid photos of me with my real smile to capture the moment, which I appreciate a lot because most of the time they turn out nice! My birthday is coming up soon (June 1st), so I've been practicing my smile again in case my friends want to take pictures that day. I'm trying to overcome this awkwardness by remembering that I would want to look back on all of these memories with my friends years down the road, instead of nothing because I was too insecure about my looks. So, my smile has been my awkward thing for a long time, just in a different way now, and for some reason, I wouldn't have it any other way. Thank you for considering my application. Have a great day!

Hello, my name is Ava Osborne, I’m a freshman at Agnes Scott College, and I intend to major in Sociology. My career of choice is any field involving social work that involves loving and serving people, including social justice, education, counseling, charity careers, etc. I am passionate about these types of careers because they ensure that society’s well-being is the top priority. I also don’t want to be that employee or employer who just says, “I’m sorry, there’s nothing else I can do for you” when there could be another way. I want to go the extra mile for all citizens because we owe each other a debt of love (Romans 13:8-9), and people will never forget when a good deed is done for them, which may lead to them doing good to someone else. I want to build the pure influence of Christ-like love in this society. As you all probably know, the world today is a victim of those who are extremely greedy, violent, and ultimately lovers of themselves. As a result of this, there are extreme levels of poverty, crimes, broken homes, and broken people who lose faith in humanity. I want to do God’s will in my life and love people beyond what is natural, because this is what Jesus calls us to do. I want to build this future by first loving those around me in a way that changes their hearts. Planting the seed of God’s love in people’s hearts not only has the potential to fill their hearts with peace, but they may also want to share that love with others, giving back to the world in a sense. And when enough people have changed by Christ’s immense and all-powerful love in their lives, I know communities and possibly the world can be changed because me plus so many other people, have experienced it for ourselves. My personal goals have been to grow in my relationship with God and learn to be more productive with my time. The sacrifices I’ve made to accomplish these goals are continuously letting go of things that don’t glorify God, trying to spend more time with Him, and consistently setting reminders of important things I have to do throughout the day. I believe these go hand in hand as well. God calls us to live with purpose and to serve one another. All of my educational goals have involved excelling in all my classes while minimizing my use of AI. I believe that becoming fully dependent on artificial intelligence not only harms the environment but also gradually makes us lazy, leading to a lack of critical thinking that is essential for success in life. The sacrifices I’ve made to accomplish these goals are to prioritize my work over personal things [that I may want to do] when necessary because hard work truly does pay off, especially when I won’t have to work twice as hardin the end. My family and I are also paying a lot of money for me to go to school, so I also have to work to help pay tuition. I see not using AI somewhat as a sacrifice because it forces me to actually think instead of resorting to it as a convenience. It’s a minor sacrifice, nonetheless, but something that I often think about. I hope you all consider me for this scholarship. Have a great day!

A critical question we need to ask ourselves is “How do people develop the mindset to be an oppressor?” We typically see that a toddler or child doesn’t have a desire to oppress others, so it's clear that human nature isn’t prone to oppressing one another; it’s developed in time. Whether it’s by parenting, a traumatic event, or anything else. This is where the two sociological topics, nature vs. nurture and Socialization, come into play. I intend to major in Sociology because studying human behavior and why they do certain things fascinates me. People are the way they are for a reason. The nature vs. nurture debate is an ongoing discussion about the respective roles of genetics and socialization in determining individual behaviors and traits. Nature refers to the genetics you were born with, while Nurture refers to the environment you were born in. Socialization is the process of learning and internalizing the values, beliefs, and norms of our social group, by which we become functioning members of society. Nurture and Socialization go hand in hand because they both imply that your environment, especially in your youth, affects what you think about the world and the people in it. In fact, the Bible says, “Bad company ruins good morals.” If you’re raised and influenced by people with immoral beliefs and values, you’re almost bound to pick up some of their views if you let them. People who had a peaceful, loving upbringing are not likely to become oppressive towards individuals when they're older. I am in no way trying to justify humans oppressing another human, but we must also focus on the fact that most people might oppress others because of the internalized values they learn from their environment. But how can we prevent a person’s environment from negatively impacting them? Or better yet, why do certain groups seek to oppress others? One theory I have is that they may be imitated by another group, and want to show dominance over that group before that group has a chance. Oftentimes, people feel that it’s easier to hurt people first before they get hurt. For example, the first record of slavery in the Bible, and so on. In Exodus 1:8-104, it says, “Then a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt. “Look,” he said to his people, “The Israelites have become far too numerous for us. Come, we must deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country.” So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor, and they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh.” Here we see that Pharaoh is fearful of the Israelites turning against him and his people and leaving the country, so he decided to take charge and enslave them to forced labor before they had a chance to do anything. This could’ve been the case for slavery from 1619 to 1865, white people could’ve been fearful of the possibility of African Americans overpowering them so they decided to take control of them first. I believe we should start searching for the root of actions like these instead of just the action itself. I also believe our duty is to strive to do good to do the world to prevent people and their environments from developing immoral or deviant mindsets. If we receive the support we need from beyond our families and friends, we won’t feel like anybody’s out to get us. Thank you for reading!

Hello, my name is Ava Osborne, I'm going to be a freshman at Agnes Scott College, and I've been following Christ for almost 4 years. I’ve grown up in a stable household all my life, but that does not exempt me from having experience with or a say on mental health. Mental Health is the state of a person’s social, psychological, and emotional well-being. Someone’s mental health either improves or worsens, most likely based on the situations going on in their lives or how they feel about themselves. In the last five or so years, mental health has grown to be one of the most important topics to me, not only because I’ve experienced some things that can damage one's mental health, but also because it’s one of the leading causes of suicide. Society often hyperfocuses on what we can do rather than how we're feeling. In my school community, I've advocated for Mental Health by joining the Mental Wellness Club. The Mental Health Wellness Club is a student-run organization dedicated to promoting the well-being of its members and others. We host events that make sure students, teachers, and administrators feel good about themselves and have a great time. For example, we hosted a karaoke event during all lunches where everyone sang their clean song of choice, and it was fun. Even those who did not participate had a great laugh or a smile. We typically organize events at least once a month to promote wellness for everyone at the school, aiming to improve their overall day. The leader of the club also lets students in her office to discuss the issues they are facing, whether from home or on school grounds. She offers an ear for those who want to talk about their feelings and offers real solutions. I also joined the United Christians Association, it is a group of students who want to fellowship with other followers of Jesus Christ. We meet once or twice a month to talk about Scripture, do fun friendship activities, and encourage one another. I’ve made a presentation talking about Scripture with my fellow club members and we’ve had meaningful discussions. I am very active with UCA, and I am confident that it’s led to growth within the group. I’m not exactly a social butterfly, but I strive to make a positive impact on everyone I interact with. Another way I've advocated for Mental Health is simply being there for the family and friends I have in my life when they’re going through something and need someone to talk to. Supporting those in need is a very effective way to spread awareness of mental health. Good Mental Health enhances the qualities of relationships and social connection, which lead to stronger communities and more positive societal outcomes. I would like to further advocate for Mental Health by making or joining clubs at Agnes Scott that prioritize the well-being of the students and staff there! I hope this scholarship will give me the foundation and freedom to do so. Have a great day! “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

Hello, my name is Ava Osborne, I'm going to be a freshman at Agnes Scott College, and I've been following Christ for almost 4 years. I’ve grown up in a stable household all my life, but that does not exempt me from having experience with or a say on mental health. In the five or so years, mental health grew to be one of the most important topics to me, not only because I’ve experienced some things that can damage my mental health, but also because it’s one of the leading causes of suicide. Mental Health is the state of a person’s social, psychological, and emotional well-being. Someone’s mental health either improves or worsens most likely based on situations going on in their lives or how they feel about themselves. The COVID-19 Pandemic started the decline in mental health across all age groups, due to more negative engagement on social media (cyberbullying), situations at home getting harder due to many losing their jobs, etc. One main internal belief that I’ve developed due to my mental health experiences is that I’m not pretty or don’t meet the beauty standards of today’s society, which fuels the self-doubt I have not only in myself but sometimes in my success. In 2021, I used the app Discord consistently. Discord is a digital platform where you can connect with people all around the world. I soon started to idolize Discord and prioritized talking to people online rather than doing the important things that needed to be done on a day-to-day basis. I’ve never really had genuine friendships with people so I clung onto them. I would go to sleep late talking to people, then immediately open the app when I woke up, not even thanking God for waking me up that morning. Fast forward months later, some tension developed between two servers I was on. I started talking in the nicer anime-themed server because I felt like I fit in there more. The other server started assuming that I was helping the anime-themed server nuke it. Nuking means to take over the entire server by gaining admin permissions and causing widespread damage. As a result of this, someone sent a picture of me in the server and everyone started making fun of the way I looked to get back at me. I was so shocked by this because I was already insecure about the way I looked, but this event increased the insecurity even more. After this, I started feeling bad about the way I looked and possibly self-sabotaged potential relationships with other people because of my self-inflicted flaw. This incident has taught me that not everyone who talks to/tolerates you is your friend. When people don't ask your side of the story when conflict arises, that demonstrates that many people lack the patience or interest to know your side of the story due to their pre-existing bias against you. Society also tends to prefer a simpler understanding rather than exploring different sides of conflict. I’ve seen many stories about people’s mental health deteriorating extremely or even committing suicide due to the harsh actions of bullying online or in-person. Words have power over us, no matter how small or ineffective they may seem to the offensive party. A study in Britain found that at least 50% of suicides are caused by bullying. Because of this, I always do my best to be there for the family and friends I have in my life when they’re going through something and need someone to talk to, whether bullying is the cause or not. I’ve had difficulty forming genuine relationships with people due to self-isolation and fear of rejection. Being alone has always been easy for me because I feel inadequate in my looks and personality, so I simply avoid social situations. I’ve never desired to engage in relationships because of my mental health, and me putting myself out there to other people leaves me vulnerable to being hurt again. People are often rejected for being different. I have developed some surface-level friendships with a lot of people, and it’s a big step for me. One recurring issue I have is not reaching out to others too many times if they don’t reach out to me. It makes me think, “Oh so they don’t care about me or think about me as I do for them, I’ll isolate so I don’t get hurt.” Of course, I will reach out to people to check on them because that’s the kind of woman I want to be and the friend I’d want for myself too. I don’t want people to feel the way I did while not having any support. I’ve listened to my friends talk about issues they’ve had and they appreciate my words and comfort I try to provide. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4) After I graduate from college/start my future career, my goal is to pursue fields that help me to love and serve people, including social justice, education, counseling, charity careers, etc. Fields like these ensure that society’s well-being is top priority. Good mental health enhances the qualities of relationships and social connection, leading to stronger communities and more positive societal outcomes. More positive societal outcomes lead to increased human rights, enhanced economic productivity, holistic wellness, etc. I don’t want to be that employee or employer who just says,“I’m sorry there’s nothing else I can do for you” when there could be another way. I want to go the extra mile for all citizens because we owe each other a debt of love (Romans 13:8-9), and people will never forget when a good deed is done for them, which could lead to them doing good to someone else.

Hello, my name is Ava Osborne, I'm going to be a freshman at Agnes Scott College, and I've been following Christ for almost 4 years. I’ve grown up in a stable household all my life, but that does not exempt me from having experience with or a say on mental health. In the five or so years, mental health grew to be one of the most important topics to me, not only because I’ve experienced some things that can damage my mental health, but also because it’s one of the leading causes of suicide. Mental Health is the state of a person’s social, psychological, and emotional well-being. Someone’s mental health either improves or worsens, most likely based on situations going on in their lives or how they feel about themselves. The COVID-19 Pandemic was the start of the decline in mental health across all age groups, due to more negative engagement on social media (cyberbullying), situations at home getting harder due to job loss, etc. My experiences with Mentah Health have shaped my internal beliefs about myself more than my spiritual beliefs. One internal belief that I’ve developed is that I’m not pretty or don’t meet the beauty standards of today’s society, which fuels the self-doubt I have not only in myself but sometimes in my performance(s). In 2021, I used to use Discord consistently. Discord is a digital platform where you connect with people all around the world. I started to idolize Discord and prioritized talking to people online over doing the important things that needed to be done on a day-to-day basis, because I’ve never had genuine friendships with people, so I clung to them. I would go to sleep late talking to people, and immediately open the app when I woke up, not even thanking God for waking me up that morning. Discord started turning into an addiction. Fast forward months later, some tension developed between two servers I was on. I started talking in the nicer anime-themed server because I feel like I fit in there more. The other server started assuming that I was helping the anime-themed server “nuke it.” Nuke means to take over the whole server by getting admin permissions and messing everything up. As a result of this, someone sent a picture of me in the server, and everyone started making fun of the way I looked to get back at me. The same people who were always nice to me so easily turned their back on me because of a story they didn't ask my side of. I was shocked by this because I was already insecure of the way I looked, but this event increased the insecurity even more. After this, I started feeling bad about the way I looked and possibly self-sabotaged my relationships with other people because of my own self-inflicted flaw. No one else knows about this situation and it's hard to carry with me. Being made fun of by a server in front of 10+ people has taken a toll on me for a long time, but I have gained confidence in myself this year. This incident has shaped my self-belief that I’ll never be pretty enough for anyone or even myself at times. However, all hope wasn’t lost, because I began reading the Word of God and rooted my identity in it. God says that I am fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalms 139:14), and I should be focusing on developing the fruits of the Spirit (having a holy character) in my walk with God. Galatians 5:22 states: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control." I’ve realized that I don’t need the approval of others; rather, I should focus on my identity in Christ, and the time for relationships/friendships will come. I’ve seen many stories about people’s mental health deteriorating extremely or committing suicide due to the harsh actions of bullying online or in-person. Words have power, no matter how small or ineffective they may seem to the offensive party. A study in Britain found that at least 50% of suicides are caused by bullying. Because of this, I always do my best to be there for the family and friends I have in my life when they’re going through something and need someone to talk to, whether bullying is the cause or not. I’ve had difficulty forming genuine relationships with people due to self-isolation and fear of rejection. Being alone has always been easy for me because I feel inadequate in my appearance and personality, so I avoid social situations. I’ve never desired to engage in relationships because of my mental health, and putting myself out there to other people leaves me vulnerable to being hurt again. I have developed some surface-level with many people, and that's a big step for me. One recurring issue I have is not reaching out to others too many times if they don’t reach out to me. It makes me think “Oh so they don’t care about me or think about me as I do for them, I’m going to isolate so I don’t get hurt.” Of course, I will reach out to people to check on them because that’s the woman I want to be and the friend I’d want for myself too. I don’t ever want people to feel the way I did while not having any support. I’ve listened to my friends talk about issues they’ve had, and they appreciate the words and comfort I provide. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4) After I graduate from college and start my future career, I want to pursue fields that help me love/serve those who are struggling, including social justice, education, counseling, charity careers, etc. Fields like these ensure that society’s well-being is top priority. Good mental health enhances the qualities of relationships and social connection, leading to stronger communities and more positive societal outcomes. I don’t want to be that employee or employer who says,“I’m sorry there’s nothing else I can do for you” when there's more I can do. I want to go the extra mile for all citizens because we owe each other a debt of love (Romans 13:8-9), and people won't forget a good deed done for them, which can lead them to do good to someone else.

Hello, my name is Ava Osborne, I’m a freshman at Agnes Scott College and I’ve been following Jesus Christ since 2021. I want to build the pure influence of Christ-like love in this society. As you all probably know, the world today is a victim of those who are extremely greedy, violent, and ultimately lovers of themselves. As a result of this, there are extreme levels of poverty, crimes, broken homes, and then broken people who lose faith in humanity. I want to do God’s will in my life and love people beyond what is natural, because this is what Jesus calls us to do. I want to build this future by first loving those around me in such a way that their hearts can be changed. I can’t say I want change in the world without changing my world or the world of those who are closer to me. Ways I can do this are forgiving people who have hurt me, comforting those who are hurt, and giving back to people--whether it’s financially or with my time. Since I’m going to college, this can transition into even more effective endeavors, such as starting a Christian club with other followers of Jesus as a means of fellowship, going out of my way to help people in whatever work environment I’m in, and giving to charities. After I graduate from college and start my future career, I want to pursue fields that help me to love and serve people, including social justice, education, counseling, charity careers, etc. Careers like these ensure that society’s well-being is top priority. I also don’t want to be that employee or employer who just says,“I’m sorry there’s nothing else I can do for you” when there could be another way. I want to go the extra mile for all citizens because we owe each other a debt of love (Romans 13:8-9), and people will never forget when a good deed is done for them which may lead to them doing good to someone else. Planting the seed of God’s love into people’s hearts not only has the potential to fill their hearts with peace but they could also want to share that love with others, like giving back to the world in a sense. And when enough people have changed by Christ’s immense and all-powerful love in their lives, I know communities and possibly the world can be changed because me, plus so many other people, have experienced it for ourselves. I hope that you guys consider me for this scholarship! I was scammed recently, and this would really help. Have a great day :)

Hello, my name is Ava Osborne, and I am an enrolled student at Agnes Scott College. I’ve been a Christian since 2021 and am planning to major in Sociology. I would like to have a role in ministry because Jesus Christ calls us to love and serve one another and I like helping people. Ministry is essential because having a refuge where so much is going on in the world is vital, whether it’s spiritual, physical, or emotional. Ministry helps us overcome challenges, build discipline, grow in love to serve others, help one another grow closer to God, and overall make a difference in the world. When we love and grow as a people, the environment around us has the potential to better too. Society has grown to be selfish and only wants to take care of themselves, most likely resulting in leaving more people struggling in this high-inflated economy. I believe if society treated one another the way that Jesus Christ intended for, the world, or atleast America would be more peaceful and in order. The place I would like to start making a positive impact through my studies is to make/join clubs centered around helping people, whether it’s academically, emotionally, or mentoring them in any subject they need. Just building community in college enhances the well-being of others and provides strong social networks that we all need. I wanna be able to build my leadership by starting a Christ-centered club at Agnes Scott to fellowship with believers so we can grow in our journeys. Everyone who has come to Christ has been changed in the heart in a transformative way–we learn to love, forgive, have humility, be bold, and take up our cross to honor Jesus in our lives. My desired outcome is to help people in the world experience the true love of God. I also believe that applying my business studies can help others with their financial planning. A financial plan helps us manage money more efficiently, especially in this economy. It helps build a budget, have a cash flow, invest, build a retirement plan for the future, and achieve financial goals quickly. The main reason I’m pursuing this type of education is so I can furthermore serve people the way Jesus wants me too, I believe the next step is consistently helping people in the bigger projects whilst trusting God. It’s hard for us to take risks when we are solely depending on ourselves, but I’m learning and will continue to learn to trust God so He can bless me and out of that I give to others. I don’t want to keep repeating phrases but I pray that you all will consider me for this scholarship!

My name is Ava Osborne. A time when I’ve prioritized my mental health is when I decided to delete an app named Discord. Discord is a digital platform that allows you to connect with people from all around the world. You can join/create a server with tons of people, get on calls with people while listening to music, or just message people individually. I used to be on Discord ALOT, I idolized it and prioritized talking to people online rather than doing the important things that needed to be done on a day-to-day basis. I would go to sleep super late, talking to people, then immediately open the app when I woke up, not even thanking God for waking me up that morning. Discord slowly became addictive, and the people on there changed how I would speak. I wouldn’t even consider cursing before I had the app, but since most of the groups I was in cursed, I slowly started to curse because it didn’t seem like a big deal but it’s sinning against God. I’ve pretty much been “innocent” all my life, but I would act less innocent on Discord. This experience is similar to 1 Corinthians 15:33, which warns, "Do not be deceived, 'Bad company corrupts good morals.'" Now these people didn’t completely change the person I was but I do believe that my innocence was shredded a bit more. Fast forward months later, some tension developed between the two servers I was in. I started talking in the nicer anime-themed server because I feel like I fit in there a little bit more. The other server must’ve started assuming that I was helping the anime-themed server “nuke it.” Nuke means to take over the whole server by getting admin permissions and mess everything up. As a result of this, someone sent a picture of me on the server and started to make fun of the way I looked to get back at me. I was so shocked by this because I was already insecure of the way I looked but this event enhanced it even more. I told them that I had no part in the potential nuking of the server, but they didn’t believe me, so I left. I also used to struggle with wanting the approval of others so bad that I would put them over my feelings. So I joined the server back because I liked the people there, despite what they did to me. Fast forward again, and more minor conflicts have happened, so I just decided to delete Discord. I realized that it made me extremely lazy and often insecure, even though I’ve had some good times on there. Some time passed, I got active again in my real life and strive to be more productive. When I woke up, I would get ready for the day instead of just being on my phone. I’ve learned that deleting an addictive digital app can help me regain my focus and allow more authentic engagement with my community who actually care about me. Everything that happened in 2020-2021 is a distant memory to me in 2025, I’m happier now and in a much better state. I strive to live like Christ (a life of purity), I’m confident in myself, and I’m better at doing what’s best for myself instead of other people. I believe Discord has taught me that it’s better to live life in the real world, be you, not to care what others think about you, and surround yourself with those who are wise so you may become wise too.

Hello my name is Ava Osborne. I'm a graduate from Dutchtown High School and will be enrolling at Agnes Scott College (all-women's college), one of the most prestigious colleges in Georgia. All my life, I've never really known what specific job I wanted to have but I'm certain I want to be in a field where I can help people. I will be majoring in Sociology and have a minor in Accounting. I want to pursue fields that help me to love and serve people, including social justice, education, counseling, charity careers, etc. Careers like these ensure that society’s well-being is top priority. I've chosen this path because it serves people, and Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, calls us to serve one another because we display God's love to each other in that way. This path excites me because it will give me countless opportunities to pay a debt of love to every person who needs it and I don't want to let money or anything stress-related to restrict that. I believe the world would be a better place if we loved people the way Jesus does, instead of loving when it's easy. I want to make the kind of impact on people that will change their life and inspire them to be good to others too. I want to carry God's love into this world, we all desperately need it. I don't want to be that average worker who does the bare minimum in my field and only says, "There's nothing I can do." when there's more I can do to serve that person. I was in the United Christians Association, Mental Health Wellness Club, and the Senior Academic Mentors (SAMS). All three of them were created by women and over half of the club were women. he United Christians Association is a group of students who want to fellowship with other followers of Jesus Christ. We meet once a month to talk about Scripture, do fun friendship activities, and encourage one another. I’ve made a presentation talking about Scripture with my fellow club members and we’ve had meaningful discussions. I am very active with UCA and I am confident that it’s led to growth within the group. United Christians Association, Mental Health Wellness Club, and making videos talking about Scripture. The SAMS Club is a club of seniors that mentors 9th graders through their high school year and makes them feel welcome at Dutchtown High School. We talk to them in their classrooms and also outside of class, and encourage them to do extracurricular activities. The SAMS give their students a BAGS (Behavior, Attitude, Grades, Success) Sheet to focus on their strengths and weaknesses and to motivate them to achieve their goals so they can be successful in their high school career. The SAMS may also occasionally help the school set up events. We Senior Academic Mentors are to make sure to visit our freshmen classrooms and guide them in the best way we can. While at Agnes Scott, The place I would like to participate in women's empowerment is to make/join clubs centered around empowering them and embracing our interests and quirks, whether it’s academically, emotionally, or mentoring them in any subject they need. Just building community in college enhances the well-being of others and provides strong social networks that we all need. I wanna be able to build my leadership by starting a Christ-centered club at Agnes Scott to fellowship with believers so we can grow in our journeys.

Hi, my name is Ava Osborne, I’m a senior at Dutchtown High School but I’m officially graduating on May 22nd. I’ve been introverted most of my life but I’ve started putting myself out there and going to more social events. I strive to excel in my academics, I like photography, editing, and I’ve been a Christian woman since 2021, plus I’ve started making videos talking about Scripture since last July. I will be studying Sociology and Accounting while enrolling at Agnes Scott College. I want to show people the love of Christ and serve them, and not let money or something stress-related restrict that. A lot of people’s goals are solely to make money and get by, I don’t want to be like that. After I graduate from college and start my future career, I want to pursue fields that help me to love and serve people, including social justice, education, counseling, charity careers, etc. Careers like these ensure that society’s well-being is the top priority. I also don’t want to be that employee or employer who just says, “I’m sorry there’s nothing else I can do for you” when there could be another way. I want to go the extra mile for all citizens because we owe each other a debt of love (Romans 13:8-9), and people will never forget when a good deed is done for them which may lead to them doing good to someone else. I believe using my studies in Accounting can help others with their financial plan. A financial plan allows us to manage money more efficiently, especially in this economy. It helps build a budget, have a cash flow, invest, build a retirement plan for the future, and achieve financial goals quickly. My minor in Accounting will help me grow in the knowledge of "Financial Tracking and Management, Regulatory Compliance, Informed Decision Making, Transparency and Accountability, etc. Knowing with numbers is sufficient in society and learning how to have money work for us gives us a chance at a life of abundance. I was in the SAMS (Senior Academic Mentors) club, the Wellness Club, and the United Christians Association. The SAMS Club is a club of seniors that mentors 9th graders through their high school year and makes them feel welcome at Dutchtown High School. We talk to them in their classrooms and also outside of class, and encourage them to do extracurricular activities. The SAMS gives their students a BAGS (Behavior, Attitude, Grades, Success) Sheet to focus on their strengths and weaknesses and motivate them to achieve their goals to succeed in their high school career. The Mental Health Wellness Club is a club of students who care about others' well-being. We host events that make sure the students, teachers, and administrators feel good about themselves and have a great time. For example, we hosted a karaoke event during all lunches where everyone sang their clean song of choice, and it was fun. Even those who did not participate had a great laugh or a smile. We usually put events together at least once every month to promote wellness for everyone at the school to improve their day. The United Christians Association is a group of students who want to fellowship with other followers of Jesus Christ. We meet once a month to talk about Scripture, do fun friendship activities, and encourage one another. I’ve made a presentation talking about Scripture with my fellow club members and we’ve had meaningful discussions. I am very active with UCA, and I am confident that it’s led to growth within the group.

Hi, my name is Ava Osborne, I’m a senior at Dutchtown High School but I’m officially graduating on May 22nd. I’ve been introverted most of my life but I’ve started putting myself out there and going to more social events. I strive to excel in my academics, I like photography, editing, and I’ve been a Christian woman since 2021, plus I’ve started making videos talking about Scripture since last July. I will be studying Sociology and Accounting while enrolling at Agnes Scott College. I want to show people the love of Christ and serve them and not letting money or something stress-related restrict that. A lot of people’s goals are solely to make money and get by, I don’t want to be like that. The place I would like to start making a positive impact through my studies is to join clubs centered around helping people, whether it’s academically, emotionally, or mentoring them in any subject they need. Just building community in college enhances the well-being of others and provides strong social networks that we all need. I wanna be able to build my leadership by starting a Christ-centered club at Agnes Scott to fellowship with believers so we can grow in our journeys. Everyone who has come to Christ has been changed in the heart in a transformative way–we learn to love, forgive, have humility, be bold, and take up our cross to honor Jesus in our lives. I believe using my studies in Accounting can help others with their financial plan. A financial plan helps us manage money more efficiently, especially in this economy. It helps build a budget, have a cash flow, invest, build a retirement plan for the future, and achieve financial goals quickly. After I graduate from college and start my future career, I want to pursue fields that help me to love and serve people, including social justice, education, counseling, charity careers, etc. Careers like these ensure that society’s well-being is a top priority. I also don’t want to be that employee or employer who just says, “I’m sorry there’s nothing else I can do for you” when there could be another way. I want to go the extra mile for all citizens because we owe each other a debt of love (Romans 13:8-9), and people will never forget when a good deed is done for them, which may lead to them doing good to someone else. I don’t have that much community service experience; I was a Long Jump Volunteer at MountainView High School for 4-5 hours. In the morning, some other volunteers and I put the nails in the measuring tape to keep it straight. Throughout the afternoon, we used measuring wheels to measure the distance of the Long Jump participants, and I used a shovel to smooth out the sand so the participants could get the most efficient score. The Mental Health Wellness Club I was in was kinda like community service but also not at the same time. The Wellness Club is a club of students who care about others' well-being. We host events once a month that make sure the students, teachers, and administrators feel good about themselves and have a great time. For example, we hosted a karaoke event during all lunches where everyone sang their clean song of choice, and it was fun. Even those who did not participate had a great laugh or a smile. Another example is when we gave people stickers and bracelets with encouraging messages. Afterwards, we would invite them to play mini games for a prize at a table in the cafeteria.