Hi my name is Ayla Carling, I'm a senior at Monticello High School in Utah. I have done cross country and track for 5 years and I love it. I love to run, to have that sense of freedom in a tight-knit world. I am a 2-time state medalist for cross country. I have been team captain of the Cross country team for 3 years, and have led my team to qualify all four years, and we have gotten 2 state runner-ups. I have also done track all 4 years of high school. I am a 7-time state medalist, in the 3200, 1600, and 800 meters. Running cross country and track I have learned the importance of perseverance. Life outside of high school is going to be hard, harder than running around a track 8 times in a blizzard. Harder than running a 5k race in scorching 95-degree weather. Life is stubborn, but so am I. Being a student-athlete has blessed me with mental toughness. I have and I will overcome every hurdle that life will give me. Besides my sports, I love to learn. I have taken 6 concurrent enrollment classes. I have an unweighted GPA of 3.996, and quite humorously my only A- is in driver's education. But school has been really hard because we are in a small community. The population of Monticello is only 2,000, and my graduating senior class is only 23 students. Because of the size, we don't have many teachers. So I have to make do with what I have. There aren't many opportunities to take more advanced classes other than college classes. But even those are tough because everything is either online or broadcasted. School in my little town has taught me to persevere. I must have a passion to succeed. I am going against the social norm, and I am taking 7 classes as a senior, whereas my peers and friends and taking less than 5. It's hard to find a drive in a school like this, but I have found it. I love all of my classes, and I love testing myself and pushing against social norms. Other than my sports and academics I have found art. Art has touched my soul, it relaxes me in ways nothing else does. Art is so therapeutic, it heals the body in ways that others can't understand. I love to draw, not just little stick figures, but to draw in incredible detail. I am an avid artist, I have taken art all 4 years of high school, and I am currently taking a college art course. Through this experience, I have expanded my horizons. I have painted and sculpted. Through my love of art, I plan on becoming an art teacher. My mom has inspired me to become a teacher because she is one. She has shown me the beauty in teaching others and changing the world one student at a time. Through teaching, I can be the difference I want to see in the world. I hope to inspire my future students and share the beauty of art. Becoming an art teacher would truly fulfill my dream, and create a positive impact on the world of art, and future generations. Through all of my high school sports, academics, and hobbies, I have learned to grit my teeth and do what has to be done. This mentality will help me through my goals of higher education. Overall I have learned that life is a gift, we better not waste the time we have.

Hi, my name is Ayla Carling, I'm a senior at Monticello High School in Utah. I have an unweighted GPA of 3.996, and quite humorously my only A- is in driver's education. I have taken 6 concurrent enrollment classes. But school has been hard because we are in a small community. The population of Monticello is only 2,000, and my graduating senior class is only 23 students. Because of the size, we don't have many teachers. There aren't many opportunities to take more advanced classes other than college classes. But even those are tough because everything is either online or broadcasted. I have learned that I must have a passion to succeed. I am going against the social norm, and I am taking 7 classes as a senior, whereas my peers and friends and taking less than 5. It's hard to find a drive in a school like this, but I have found it. I love all of my classes, and I love testing myself and pushing against the social norms. I adore my small town. I love its charm and beauty. Because of this, I have founded the Youth Parks and Beautification Committee. It's for all high schoolers, who want to add back to their community. As the founder of this committee, I volunteer with all of the town functions. I help with the flowers across Main Street, the Christmas lights at the park, meetings, and much more. I am also president of the Youth Coalition/Hope Squad. We strive to make a positive impact in our community. We work together to help prevent substance abuse and help with mental health. Every Friday we get together with the elementary school students and teach about mental health, and then do a fun game or activity that relates to it. All of my work in my community makes me who I am, and becoming better every day. It teaches me to make a difference every day, even if it may seem small and insignificant, someone will appreciate it. Life is a gift, we better not waste the time we have. I am planning on becoming an art teacher. My mom has inspired me to become a teacher because she is one. She has shown me the beauty in teaching others and changing the world one student at a time. I love the idea that teachers make a difference, and I would like to be the one to change the world. Having a good teacher can affect how you like that subject. And I will strive to be that good teacher, that teacher that shows the true beauty of art. The teacher who has a passion. In today's world, so many teachers don't care about their subject, and it affects the whole class. If the teacher isn't showing a passion who will? It's like a car with no engine. How will the class learn when the teacher puts in no effort? But I will be that teacher who cares, I will be the engine of the class. I will inspire my students. This scholarship would help me in my goal of getting a master's in art education. I love art, and I would love to teach, and share my love with others. Teaching is a place where I can do that. I can be the difference I want to see in the world. Becoming an art teacher would truly fulfill my dream, and create a positive impact on the world of art, and future generations, and I can do just that with this scholarship.

Living in San Juan is like being immersed in a canvas. It is a big county in the southeastern part of Utah. It is full of mesas, canyons, cliffs, high desert plains, and astonishing rock formations. Constantly being surrounded by picturesque rocks and rugged landscapes, has truly inspired me as an artist. I love painting the red rocks, but also the gorgeous surrounding mountains. The land feels alive with history, and its timeless beauty offers endless opportunities for artistic expression. San Juan is also home to the Navajo Nation, a Native American reservation. The Navajo people are often underrepresented, I see it every day. They inspire me to create pencil portraits in incredible detail, as a way to portray their heritage and culture. The Navajo people teaches me that art is a form of storytelling that transcends time and place. For the Navajo, the concept of "Hózhó" is central to their way of life—it's a state of order, beauty, and balance. It shows that everything is interconnected, true beauty comes from living in harmony in the natural world. This idea of balance resonates with me as I create art. It dares me to consider not just the composition and aesthetics of my work, but also its emotions, and stories. In conclusion, the everyday world around me in San Juan County, Utah, serves as an endless source of inspiration, from the majestic beauty of the land to the rich cultural heritage of the Navajo people. Living in such a place reminds me that art is so much bigger, it is not about just creating objects or images; it's about connecting to something bigger than yourself. Whether it’s the landscape, the people, or the spiritual energy that infuses every rock, every juniper branch, and every corner of this land

Fine arts has touched my soul, it relaxes me in ways nothing else does. Art is so therapeutic, it heals the body in ways that others can't understand. I love to draw, not just little stick figures, but to draw in incredible detail. I draw large realistic portraits, of people. The way that pencil can reflect the emotions of the reference, is so fulfilling. Just recently I have started to find a sort of passion for drawing old people. I love the way that aging looks so beautiful, and natural. I try to capture this aura in my drawings. I am an avid artist, I have taken art all 4 years of high school, and I am currently taking a college art course. Through this experience, I have expanded my horizons. I have painted and sculpted. But none of those can compare to my love of graphite and charcoal. Through my love of art, I plan on becoming an art teacher. My mom has inspired me to become a teacher because she is one. She has shown me the beauty in teaching others and changing the world one student at a time. I love the idea that teachers make a difference, and I would like to be the one to change the world. Having a good teacher can affect how you like that subject. And I will strive to be that good teacher, that teacher that shows the true beauty of art. The teacher who has a passion. In today's world so many teachers don't care about their subject, and it affects the whole class. If the teacher isn't showing a passion who will? It's like a car with no engine. How will the class learn when the teacher puts in no effort? But I will be that teacher who cares, I will be the engine of the class. I will inspire my students. I would love to share my passion of art with others and inspire them to follow their dreams. I want to show them that making art may seem fruitless, but in the end, it is worth it. Teaching is a place where I can do that. I can be the difference I want to see in the world. I hope to inspire my future students and share the beauty of art. Becoming an art teacher would truly fulfill my dream, and create a positive impact on the world of art, and future generations.

Art has touched my soul, it relaxes me in ways nothing else does. Art is so therapeutic, it heals the body in ways that others can't understand. I love to draw, not just little stick figures, but to draw in incredible detail. I draw large realistic portraits, of people. The way that pencil can reflect the emotions of the reference, is so fulfilling. Just recently I have started to find a sort of passion for drawing old people. I love the way that aging looks so beautiful, and natural. I try to capture this aura in my drawings. I am an avid artist, I have taken art all 4 years of high school, and I am currently taking a college art course. Through this experience, I have expanded my horizons. I have painted and sculpted. But none of those can compare to my love of graphite and charcoal. Through my love of art, I plan on becoming an art teacher. My mom has inspired me to become a teacher because she is one. She has shown me the beauty in teaching others and changing the world one student at a time. I love the idea that teachers make a difference, and I would like to be the one to change the world. Having a good teacher can affect how you like that subject. And I will strive to be that good teacher, that teacher that shows the true beauty of art. The teacher who has a passion. In today's world, so many teachers don't care about their subject, and it affects the whole class. If the teacher isn't showing a passion who will? It's like a car with no engine. How will the class learn when the teacher puts in no effort? But I will be that teacher who cares, I will be the engine of the class. I will inspire my students. I would love to share my passion for art with others and inspire them to follow their dreams. I want to show them that making art may seem fruitless, but in the end, it is worth it. Teaching is a place where I can do that. I can be the difference I want to see in the world. I hope to inspire my future students and share the beauty of art. Becoming an art teacher would truly fulfill my dream, and create a positive impact on the world of art, and future generations.

Hi my name is Ayla Carling, I'm a senior at Monticello High School in Utah. I have done cross country and track for 5 years and I love it. I love to run, to have that sense of freedom in a tight-knit world. I am a 2-time state medalist for cross country. I got 7th my sophomore year and then 8 my junior year, and unfortunately this year I got 11th just shy of a medal. I have been team captain of the Cross country team for 3 years, and have led my team to qualify all four years, and we have gotten 2 state runner ups. Cross country is my favorite sport, I love the environment and the energy that everyone has, I also love my team, I'm really sad to let them go. I have also done track all 4 years of highschool. I am a 7-time state medalist. I have placed 3 times in the 3200, twice in the 1600, and the 800. I feel like track is a very hard sport, that tests you mentally. Besides my sports, I love to learn. I have taken 6 concurrent enrollment classes. I have a unweighted GPA of 3.996, and quite humorously my only A- is in drivers education. But school has been really hard because we are in a small community. The population of Monticello is only 2,000, and my graduating senior class is only 23 students. Because of the size, we don't have many teachers. So I have to make do with what I have. There aren't many opportunities to take more advanced classes other then college classes. But even those are tuff because everything is either online or broadcasted. School in my little town has taught me to perseverance. I must have a passion in order to succeed. I am going against the social norm, and I am taking 7 classes as a senior, whereas my peers and friends and taking less then 5. It's hard to find a drive in a school like this, but I have found it. I love all of my classes, and I love testing myself, pushing against the social norms. I adore my small town. I love its charm and beauty. Because of this I have founded the youth Parks and Beautification committee. It's for all high schoolers, who want to add back to their community. As founder of this committee, I volunteer with all of the town functions. I help with the flowers across Main Street, and the Christmas lights at the park, meetings, and much more. I am also president of the Youth Coalition/ hope squad. We strive to make a positive impact in our community. We work together to help prevent substance abuse, and help with mental health. Every Friday we get together with the elementary school students and teach about mental health, and then do a fun game or activity that relates to it. All of my work in my community makes me who I am, I am better everyday. It teaches me to make a difference everyday, even it may seem small and insignificant, someone will appreciate it. Life is a gift, we better not waste the time we have.

I plan on becoming an art teacher. My mom has inspired me to become a teacher, because she is one. She has shown me the beauty in teaching others, and changing the world one student at a time. I love the idea that teacher really do make a difference, and I would like to be the one to change the world. Having a good teacher can affect how you like that subject. And I love art, I've taken art all 4 years and a college class. I would love to share my passion with others and inspire them to follow their dreams. Becoming an art teacher would truly fulfill my dream, and create an impact on the world of art, and the future generations.

The sun was setting, casting a warm golden glow through the living room windows as I sat flipping through my mom's photo album. Each page was filled with old dusty memories, the pictures capturing them perfectly. Among the pictures of family gatherings, college party's, I stumbled across one photo, a picture of myself as a baby, eyes wide and biting into a book mischievously I was inspired by the simplicity of that photo, wanting so badly to recreate it. I felt a deep connection with the picture, wanting to reflect myself now into the drawing of me as a baby. I wanted to give it to my mom, as a gift for all the suffering she has done to get me here. So in the only way I knew how I started with a pencil. I carefully studied the tiny details of the memory, and let the pencil guide me. I transformed the big 20in by 10in paper into a drawing of myself. Seeing myself reflected onto paper flipped a switch, I knew that it was for me. I found my passion. Pencil drawing is way more then just a hobby now. I've taken highschool art for 4 years, and I have completed college art classes as well. This idea of freezing a memory in time has held me hostage, but it's a obsession I'm okay with. I've created so many drawings that it feels as though there's graphite ingrained in my skin. The feeling of the last pencil stroke is immaculate. The simplicity of pencil and paper allowed me to focus of the details bringing the drawing to life. Perfectly reflecting a moment is something I don't know if I can live without. My drawings became a way to share my perspective with others, to show them the beauty I saw in the world. My passion for art has not only enriched my life but also of those around me. I live 30 minutes from the Navajo reservation, I go to school with natives everyday. People everywhere overlook their culture and what they have done for us. I feel empowered to bring them to life, I've created a portrait of a Navajo code talker, and I plan on creating more celebrating the achievements that are overlooked. Bringing people to life, that many forget about is something that I can contribute to my so community. I also love bringing happiness to those who see my artwork. Seeing someone smile over something I've made is incredibly rewarding. It's a powerful feeling knowing that my art can bring happiness and preserve precious memories for others. To summarize my journey with a pencil and paper, began with a simple memory and has grown into a lifetime endeavor. It has taught me to appreciate the intricate details of life, to capture the essence of every moment, and to share my passion to the world. With every small pencil stroke, and the stippling of erasers, I find a deeper connection to myself and to those around me, one drawing at a time.