Growing up in the foster care system taught me how to survive, but not how to heal. I moved from home to home, never truly feeling safe, seen, or supported. I carried emotional wounds that I didn’t know how to express or cope with. Eventually, that pain manifested in addiction. I didn’t set out to hurt myself or others—addiction became a way to numb, to escape, and to silence the trauma that had built up over years of instability and neglect. Over time, the addiction took more than it ever gave. I lost relationships, direction, and most importantly, a sense of self. I was trapped in survival mode, unable to envision a future that looked any different from my past. But everything changed the day I became a mother. Holding my daughter gave me clarity I had never felt before. I knew I didn’t want her to experience the kind of life I had. That moment became the turning point that led me to choose recovery—for her, and eventually, for myself. Recovery has not been easy, but it has been transformative. I committed to therapy, community support, and long-term sobriety. I had to confront painful truths, rebuild broken trust, and reimagine my life. Today, I am proud to say I am sober, stable, and focused. My daughter is my greatest motivation—everything I do is to ensure she grows up with love, safety, and opportunity. My experience inspired me to pursue a degree in Psychology with a focus on criminal justice. I’ve always been curious about people—their behavior, motivations, and the “why” behind their actions. I’m particularly drawn to understanding how trauma and addiction intersect with the criminal justice system. Too often, people struggling with pain are punished instead of being helped. I know this because I’ve lived it. I want to be part of changing that narrative. My goal is to use my education to support individuals facing similar challenges. I want to work in rehabilitation, counseling, or with youth impacted by the foster system and addiction. I believe in second chances because I am living proof of what’s possible when someone is given one. I want to be the voice that reminds others of their worth, the advocate who sees potential where others see problems, and the professional who combines lived experience with education to create lasting change. Earning a degree is not just about personal achievement—it’s about breaking cycles and building a better future, not only for myself but for my daughter and others like us. With your support, I can continue turning my past into purpose and use my journey to make a meaningful difference in the lives of

For as long as I can remember I've always had this void in my life. This dark feeling inside that I couldn't quite figure out. What was the cause? No one knows, but it consumes every part of you. I've tried every friend, education, and medication, but nothing could take away the feelings, I tried to escape it but I realized you can't run from something that's in your mind. When I was 2 years old I was adopted by an American family. I'm originally from Russia. My Adopted brother died when I was first adopted which brought a disconnect in our home. When I was 11 years old I found out I was adopted which completely shattered my world more than it was already starting to. Around that time I fell into a deep depression, fights which my parents got worse and my good grades failed. I ran away when I was 13 which I soon came to realize was the biggest mistake. I got lost and trusted men who said they would lead me home. Those men were the reason I never went home. They were the reason I was too scared to go to school. They took me far away and then began turning their anger and financial problems onto me like I was their way out. They gave me marijuana and cocaine at the age of 13 to give me enough strength to stay awake throughout the night. I was sex trafficked by many men I thought loved me. When I was finally found I was sent to the foster system and never saw my family again. I was too depressed to go to school, My depression turned into PTSD which turned into constant anxiety. I attempted suicide 4 times before the people around me understood the gravity of my mental health. I took drugs to ease the pain, my friends were the suppliers. The man I loved overdosed on meth which completely changed my world. When I was 17 I found out I was pregnant which pushed me to become who I am today. Even now I find myself losing the version of me I worked so hard to achieve. I was hospitalized in 2022 which led to my grades slipping again and classes being failed. I continue to take medication to this day, some days are worse than others, but my daughter gives me the most motivation. Which is why I am applying for this scholarship.

For as long as I can remember I've always had this void in my life. This dark feeling inside that I couldn't quite figure out. What was the cause? No one knows, but it cunsome every part of you. I've tried every friend, education, and medication, but nothing could take away the feelings, I tried to escape it but I realized you can't run from something that's in your mind. When I was 2 years old I was adopted by an American family. Im originally from Russia. My Adopted brother died when I was first adopted which brought a disconnect in our home. When I was 11 years old I found out I was adopted which completely shattered my world more than it was already starting to. Around that time I fell into a deep depression, fights which my parents got worse and my good grades failed. I ran away when I was 13 which I soon came to realize was the biggest mistake. I got lost and trusted men that said they would lead me home. Those men were the reason I never went home. They were the reason I was too scared to go to school. They took me far away and then began turning their anger and financial problems onto me like I was their way out. They gave me marijuana and cocaine at the age of 13 to give me enough strength to stay awake throughout the night. I was sex trafficked by many men I thought loved me. When I was finally found I was sent to the foster system and never saw my family again. I was too depressed to go to school, My depression turned into PTSD which turned into constant anxiety. I attempted suicide 4 times before the people around me understood the gravity of my mental health. I took drugs to ease the pain, my friends were the suppliers. The man I loved overdosed on meth which completely changed my world. When I was 17 I found out I was pregnant which pushed me to become who I am today. Even now I find myself losing the version of me I worked so hard to achieve. I was hospitalized in 2022 which lead to my grades slipping again and classes being failed. I continue to take medication to this day, some days are worse than others, but my daughter gives me the most motivation. which is why I am applying to this scholarship.

For as long as I can remember I've always had this void in my life. This dark feeling inside that I couldn't quite figure out. What was the cause? No one knows, but it cunsome every part of you. I've tried every friend, education, and medication, but nothing could take away the feelings, I tried to escape it but I realized you can't run from something that's in your mind. When I was 2 years old I was adopted by an American family. Im originally from Russia. My Adopted brother died when I was first adopted which brought a disconnect in our home. When I was 11 years old I found out I was adopted which completely shattered my world more than it was already starting to. Around that time I fell into a deep depression, fights which my parents got worse and my good grades failed. I ran away when I was 13 which I soon came to realize was the biggest mistake. I got lost and trusted men that said they would lead me home. Those men were the reason I never went home. They were the reason I was too scared to go to school. They took me far away and then began turning their anger and financial problems onto me like I was their way out. They gave me marijuana and cocaine at the age of 13 to give me enough strength to stay awake throughout the night. I was sex trafficked by many men I thought loved me. When I was finally found I was sent to the foster system and never saw my family again. I was too depressed to go to school, My depression turned into PTSD which turned into constant anxiety. I attempted suicide 4 times before the people around me understood the gravity of my mental health. I took drugs to ease the pain, my friends were the suppliers. The man I loved overdosed on meth which completely changed my world. When I was 17 I found out I was pregnant which pushed me to become who I am today. Even now I find myself losing the version of me I worked so hard to achieve. I was hospitalized in 2022 which lead to my grades slipping again and classes being failed. I continue to take medication to this day, some days are worse than others, but my daughter gives me the most motivation. which is why I am applying to this scholarship.

The best way to paint a good example for your children is through self-improvement and determination. Self-improvement and determination are two essential traits that children should observe in their parents. Parents who demonstrate these qualities in their own lives teach their children important lessons about perseverance, hard work, and success. Self-improvement is the process of making oneself better. It involves taking the time to assess one’s strengths, weaknesses, and goals and then taking action to improve those areas. Self-improvement can take many forms, including learning new skills, increasing knowledge, and setting achievable goals. Parents who demonstrate self-improvement encourage their children to do the same and strive to be the best they can be. Determination is the quality of being resolute. It is the unwillingness to give up in the face of adversity and the determination to persist in achieving a goal. Parents who demonstrate determination show their children that hard work and dedication are necessary to achieve success. They also teach their children that it is important to be resilient and to see challenges as opportunities. By exemplifying self-improvement and determination, parents can paint a good example for their children. This example can help children develop the skills and qualities necessary for success in their own lives. Furthermore, it can help children learn that, with hard work and dedication, anything is possible. In fact, in order to have good self-esteem, self-improvement, being able to tolerate frustration, and being aware of the importance of learning from mistakes is fundamental. This way, children, both in their present and in their future, will be able to better cope with the problems that may arise in their daily lives. The sooner you start working on self-improvement, the more beneficial it’ll be for life as a whole. It produces positive feelings and is invaluable in children’s development. They’ll feel loved, they’ll have healthy self-esteem, and, in addition, they’ll experience the gratification of doing things well. In short, they’ll be happier and very productive children! As a parent, it’s normal for you to want to protect your children from all of life’s misfortunes, but that would only make it more difficult for them to live a full life. So, just as you shouldn’t get upset about mistakes, you have to allow your children to fail so that they can learn from their own mistakes as well. It’s a way to empower our children from a young age to find their passion both in the things they already know how to do and in the new skills they have yet to learn. May they never lack new goals!