My name is Avery Lukowicz and my goal to create art that makes people feel seen. My dream is to either work in the film industry as an editor or an animator, or be an illustrator. I want to work on movies,TV shows, or even just on a piece of paper in order to make somthing that have deep messages and emotions. The goal of my art is to make the viewer feel something deep in their core, whether that be a deep sadness, or a wave of joy. I've personally been emotionally changed by art. Seeing a character act like me, or a piece speak to me has brought me to tears. I want to make that experience happen to someone else. Art has helped me during the hardest parts of my life. I've delt with disability, loss, and fear, and sometimes art's been the only thing giving me strength. I strive to use my work to inspire others to keep going. I hope to craft something that changes the viewers output on life. Seeing something meaningful can give people courage in their darkest times. I want to be the one that gives that courage. Right now, I'm working on adding more symbolism to my pieces. I want to make my art have more dimensions and ways to view them. I hope that someday I can make art that makes people think and feel. I think the world needs deep art, especially right now. AI is running rampant in the industry. It's taking our jobs and doing a worse job at it. I hope that my creations can add fuel to the world's creative fire, so that we can end put an end to AI "art". I want to make the art industry a better place for artists, where we can create without a corporate agenda. By going to art school I aspire to improve my technique as well as my insight. I must learn how to operate in the industry before I can change it for the better. If given the opportunity, I will put in the work to become a professional in my trade no matter the struggle. It will be hard, no doubt, but I've had to overcome so much to get to where I am now. I know that nothing will hold me back. Creating is my life's purpose, so I know that I can push through.

About 3 years ago I started developing symptoms of POTS. Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome effects my blood flow. Instead of blood instantly going to my head, it pools in my legs This illness has greatly impacted the way I live my life. I started getting dizzy and lightheaded more often. For a time it was manageable, but last year it started effecting my school life. My eyes would blur while taking a test, my ears would ring, my legs would shake. I couldn't get through the day. During the second semester of my junior years I had to do half the day online. It was a hard transition. I missed my friends and my structure, but it worked out, and I passed all my classes with flying colors. I worked on myself during the summer, and thought I could go back to a full time school schedule for my senior year. I was only able to last two months full time. This year my body couldn't even handle half a day. I finished the semester at home. Some good news in all this was that I've graduated early with a high GPA, but I really wanted to go back to school. What I'm working on now is my health alongside doctors. I really want to go to college and become an artist. The school I've chosen is very accessible and accommodating. The dorms are right next to the school, there's an elevator, and students get free bus passes. Other disabled students have recommended this school to me. With a collage like this, I'll be able to manage my education and health equally. I won't have to worry about one negatively impacting the other. I've had to change everything because of my POTS. I really care about my education and I want a chance to learn all I can. It's hard for me to work with my body like this. All I want is to be the best I can be. Becoming physically disabled has taking such a toll on my mental health, but college had been something to look forward to. I want to prove to myself that I still have what it takes. I've had to give up choir because it made me so sick. I want that sacrifice to mean something. I want to learn and grow and make a difference. Even with my body holding me back, I really want to perfect my craft and make a name for myself.

Mental health has always been important to me because I was born mentally ill. Since a young age, I've shown signs of OCD. I got diagnosed when I was in fourth grade, and the signs were there even before that. Having this disorders makes me a naturally anxious person. My mind is constantly racing and analyzing. Though some positives shine through, most symptoms are negative. I experience intrusive thoughts, a need for patterns, a need for order, and a lot more. I've had to work for years to be able to control my emotions. I often go down rabbit holes which I have to climb out of. Mental health becoming more mainstream has definitely helped me learn coping mechanisms. I've been able to channel my symptoms into more positive things. Being obsessed with perfection has helped me get good grades. Recognizing patterns has made me good at analysis. I think it's great that more people are talking about mental health conditions. It's made me feel a lot less isolated than when I was a child. I've also had to face struggles because of my identity. I am Panromantic and Nonbinary. The school I used to go to was very bigoted towards the LGBTQ community. I had to hide who I was for ky own protection. Even through it all, I found a small queer community in that school. With those few close friends, and the support of my family, I was able to accept who I was and still am. After middle school I was finally able to transfer to a better, more accepting environment. My high school was a lot more kind to its queer students. They even have a LGBTQ club. I was able to meet some of my best friends through that club, and I was even president during my sophomore year. Being able to express myself has led me to be a lot happier as a person. I think it's important for queer kids to have safe spaces to express themselves. I know from personal experience how lonely it feels when everyone around you doesn't understand your experience. From my perspective of being mentally ill and queer, I've learned how important it is to feel seen. Society's opinion has changed on both these matters exponentially the past few decades. I'm glad people's views have shifted, as it allows for more open discussion and acceptance. There's still a lot of stigma about mental health and queerness, but I hope the world keeps going upwards in the path of kindness.

I love art because it allows for expression without words. I myself have had to use art to show what I can't explain. Over the past three years I have become chronically ill. The way my body is impacted by my condition has been hard to explain, so I made a collage to describe it instead. I've also made a piece about grief. That piece was done digitally, which is my main medium. Digital art allows me to draw even when I am bedridden. It also quickens my work time, since I don't have to wait for things to dry. I've been doing digital art for a couple years now. It's difficult at first, but it allows for so much creative freedom. I can add different textures and colors at a click of a button, yet I still have to put the work in to get a good product. Digital art is seen by some as cheating, but people who think that way don't see all the challenges of the medium. One cannot just pick up a pen and master art just because of a tablet. It has its advantages but it also has a big learning curve. I've overcome that curve which is allowed me to expand my art skills greatly. My art has allowed me to connect with others. I've met other people who care just as much as me about art. We've been able to teach each other things and help each other improve. I've been able to make people feel a range of emotions with my art. Some of my pieces deal with grief and pain, whilst some are about my fondest memories. My creations have allowed me great opportunities. I've done a film internship and won an animation award. Through these opportunities, I've been able to connect with even more of the art world, and even got to make a film about artists impact on my city. My dream is to create art that can impact people on a large scale. I'd love to work in film or illustration. I also want to show the world why art is important, and why artists deserve recognition for all the hard work they do. Though my medium is different from Ms Carter's, I hope to spread the joy of art the same way she did. It's hard to go into this field, but hopefully my work will one day inspire others to give it a shot.

My name is Avery Lukowicz and the physical disability I have is POTS. Over the past two to three years my condition has worsened. I've had to go to many appointments in order to understand what's wrong. What I've learned over this time is that my blood pools in my legs which causes my heart rate to spike. This leads to symptoms such as headaches, nausea, loss of visions, and more. I use to be able to handle a full day, but as time passed I had to start doing online schooling. This has been a hard pill to swallow, but I've been working alongside doctors in order to better my life. I've had to increase my water intake and consume more salt. I've also had to do physical therapy. It's been a slow process but I'm seeing small improvements. I still can't go out for hours at a time, but progress is being made. The school I'm hoping to attend is very accessible for disabled students. The comute is short and the staff is caring. The field I hope to join is art. I want to use my unique experience to change the film industry. Art is also something I can do even when I'm sick. I do digital art which is something that can be done even in bed. I'm hoping to use my art to advocate for issues such as disability rights and equity. I've pushed through these hard times in order to let this dream become a reality. Overcoming my symptoms has been the hardest thing I've ever done. Many days I crumble under the pressure as well as the pain. What holds me together is my hope to create things that change people's lives. Being disabled is such a unique experience, because other disabled people are the only ones who can understand what you're going through. I want to make things that can show able-bodied people what I feel like. A project I made last year is about my chronic pain and I want to create things similar to that. Art has been an escape from all this. Some days I can't get out of bed, but at least I can gaze upon the creations of others. I hope to be able to make something worth gazing upon in someone else's moment of need. Even though my body drains me, I can still move through the fuel that is my passion for the arts. I hope that it can guide me through the challenges of college. I believe that disabled people like me

I have always been mentally ill. It has shaped me since the day I was born. As a child I would always worry and overthink. As I grew older it only worsened, leading to me missing days of school. Now that I'm older I know I have OCD, ADHD, GAD, and ASD. These disorders have all collided with my diagnosis of POTS. The added struggle of being physically disabled has put a strain on my life and increased the struggle with my mental illness. Mental illness with something I could deal with because it is a part of me. I was born with these disorders and without them I would not be me. My autism makes me care deeply about things I love, and my OCD makes me over analyze things which is sometimes helpful. They were hard to deal with, but I was used to them. The addition of physical illness has worsened my mental health greatly. It is caused me to even think dark things sometimes. Because I've been in therapy for my mental disabilities I know how to cope with suicidal thoughts. My mental fortitude has helped me when my physical strength has lowered. I think it's important to have a strong mental base because we can't always be physically strong. Even though my mind and body are not that of a typical person I still want to pursue my dreams. I still want to make things that can help people. Seeing someone who has the same mental disorders as me in film has helped me a lot, and I want to make films that do the same. I want to overcome my physical mental disabilities in order to help others with theirs.

The story of Wicked is one of fighting oppression. I really like the theme of staying in a bad system in order to fix it. Even though it's harder, Elphaba still stays, even though she will be persecuted. I think a theme like that is really important in this time, especially in America. I also like how it shows how people think they're helping, but they're idleness is feeding into the system. Glinda says that she is working from the inside, but the truth is she is a figurehead for the wizard. The music was stunning. As a singer myself, I can personally say that the skill needed to hit those high notes is high above my skill level. The actresses did a great job, especially those riffs. I think the movie did a great job adapting the songs and showing more visual elements alongside them. Cynthia and Ariana have beautiful chemistry in song. Their voices go together beautifully. As an artist, I'm also a fan of the gorgeous costume design. The school uniforms have such whimsy that perfectly encapsulates the world of Oz. Glinda's clothes are a great representation of her character. The bright colors and flowing fabrics show her carefree bright mindset, whilst Elphaba's attire is more subtle and subdued in order to contrast her bright green skin. I'm very glad this story has been adapted to film in order to make it more accessible to audiences. I'm hoping to go into the film field. I dream to make a movie as splendid as this in my career. If I get this scholarship I will put it to good use in order to create magic in the same realm as Wicked.