For students like me, the idea of obtaining scholarships is almost a joke. I’m a white male with a 4.1 cumulative GPA and with parents that have been married for 25 years, and with pretty good jobs that meet the basic needs of our family. I have lived in the same house all my life; we don’t drive fancy cars or take big vacations every year. My parents work hard to give my sister and I the best life possible but are getting penalized as far as their ability to pay the extremely high costs of higher education. When looking at most scholarships, I don’t qualify for most because my parents make too much money and I identify as the gender that I was born with. All throughout my academic journal so far, I have been told that academics are very important. I have worked very hard to get good grades all while playing varsity soccer in high school and working part time as a bank teller. I learned different ways to get the most value out of each day. Sometimes that meant staying up late or getting up early to make sure my homework was done, and tests were studied for. I'm dependable,honest,friendly, and an overachiever. I’ve really enjoyed the time I’ve spent as a teller and all of the great people I’ve met, but in the beginning I had a completely different view. It’s always been a little tougher for me to talk to people and ask someone for help and those are the most important skills to have in the banking industry. The lack of those skills negatively influenced my view on my job as a teller and of the industry altogether, but at a bank you get to know people. I didn’t realize it but I got to know people and they got to know me, and the more this happened the easier it got to talk to people. Especially my coworkers who became the highlights of my day. After a year or so working as a bank teller people weren’t so bad. I noticed a big change in the way I interacted with people and my ability to interact with them. With all the lessons, knowledge, and wisdom I’ve gained from simply meeting people through banking I think I will go very far in this industry. I have many goals for the college experience with the most important one is to find a career that I feel like I can make the most difference in my community while helping people.I love working in the banking industry and feel that getting a degree in business will help me climb the ladder in the banking industry. I’m hoping that you read this essay and think about the kids that are really trying to better themselves and have worked extremely hard to do just that. I would love to finish college with little to no student debt so that I can start my career on the right track.

For students like me, the idea of obtaining scholarships is almost a joke. I’m a white male with a 4.1 cumulative GPA and with parents that have been married for 25 years, and with pretty good jobs that meet the basic needs of our family. I have lived in the same house all my life; we don’t drive fancy cars or take big vacations every year. My parents work hard to give my sister and I the best life possible but are getting penalized as far as their ability to pay the extremely high costs of higher education. When looking at most scholarships, I don’t qualify for most because my parents make too much money and I identify as the gender that I was born with. All throughout my academic journal so far, I have been told that academics are very important. I have worked very hard to get good grades all while playing varsity soccer in high school and working part time as a bank teller. I learned different ways to get the most value out of each day. Sometimes that meant staying up late or getting up early to make sure my homework was done, and tests were studied for. I'm dependable,honest,friendly, and an overachiever. I’ve really enjoyed the time I’ve spent as a teller and all of the great people I’ve met, but in the beginning I had a completely different view. It’s always been a little tougher for me to talk to people and ask someone for help and those are the most important skills to have in the banking industry. The lack of those skills negatively influenced my view on my job as a teller and of the industry altogether, but at a bank you get to know people. I didn’t realize it but I got to know people and they got to know me, and the more this happened the easier it got to talk to people. Especially my coworkers who became the highlights of my day. After a year or so working as a bank teller people weren’t so bad. I noticed a big change in the way I interacted with people and my ability to interact with them. I’ve learned a lot. With all the lessons, knowledge, and wisdom I’ve gained from simply meeting people through banking I think I will go very far in this industry. I have experienced so much in my life and have always learned from my experiences. The next big experience for me is college and I’m looking forward to this challenge. While in high school, I took many college courses. These courses were always my favorite as they challenged my mind. I have many goals for the college experience with the most important one is to find a career that I feel like I can make the most difference in my community while helping people. I have been working as a bank teller for the last 2 years. I love working in the banking industry and feel that getting a degree in business will help me climb the ladder in the banking industry. I’m hoping that you read this essay and think about the kids that are really trying to better themselves and have worked extremely hard to do just that. I would love to finish college with little to no student debt so that I can start my career on the right track.

One of the greatest men I ever knew lived on a small farm in Brazito, Missouri. This man had one name, Papa. Papa was a simple man with a million-dollar personality. My Papa was drafted to the US Army in 1968 to fight in the Vietnam War. While in the Army he went to parachute school and was a tank machine gun operator. The war was not something that was talked about but the pride he had in being able to serve his country never faded. Unfortunately, my time with my Papa was cut very short because he was exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam. Papa passed away a day before my 5th birthday. My Papa left such an impression on my life and I can still remember almost everything about him. I spent a lot of my weekends at the farm helping with the animals, hauling hay, and going to the “Waterpark”. Yes, you heard that correctly the waterpark. In the late afternoon we would pile in the farm truck with the dogs and head to the Waterpark. I loved this because I didn’t have to be in a car seat. The dogs and I would hang our heads out the window and let the wind blow in our hair. I’m sure by this time you realize that the waterpark was not your average waterpark. What Papa called a waterpark was a concrete creek slab that always had water flowing over it. For my child mind that was the best waterpark in the world. We spent many weekends playing in the creek with the dogs, skipping rocks, and making paper boats to race from one side to the other. After Papa passed away my parents could not figure out what the waterpark was for the longest time. Eventually I showed them the waterpark and I was able to enjoy it again. It was never the same without Papa, but it was a special place for me. Even as a young boy I felt that every time I was there my Papa was with me. Skip forward a couple years and my Mama sold the farm and moved to town. I still would visit the waterpark, just not as often. Then my teenage years came, and the waterpark was always the perfect place to learn to drive, reminisce about papa and occasionally take a dip in the creek. Once I received my driver's’ license, I would go the waterpark to feel close to my Papa. As my senior year of high school approached, the only place I could image taking my senior pictures was the waterpark. The waterpark is a place that I hold near and dear to my heart. To this day I have never taken any of my friends there because it’s a place that I can go to and remember my Papa.

It wasn’t that long ago that I had difficulties talking to strangers. The phrase stranger to me referenced someone that I didn’t know. I would not order my own food at a restaurant, ask a salesclerk where the restroom was, or frankly, even look someone in the eye to speak to them. When I began my freshman year of high school I was just there. I didn’t make any new friends; I did not go to dances or sporting events unless I was playing. I barely even talked to my teachers or my soccer coach. I had great friends, but I was not living my best life. Then came my sophomore year. My parents said it was time to get a job! Me, talk to stranger, or rely on someone that I did not know to train me? Funny how the old saying that “God has a plan”, and that he did. I applied to be a part-time bank teller and the interview was brutal. But I guess I managed to impress my future boss because I got the job. I think that my job as a bank teller has really built a strong foundation for me to continue my career in the banking industry. I've really enjoyed the time I've spent as a teller and all the great people that I've met over the years. In the beginning, I had a completely different view though. It's always been tough for me to talk and interact with people or even ask someone for help. I knew that interacting with the public, effective communication and interpersonal skills were the most important skills to possess in the banking industry. In the beginning, these skills that I lacked negatively influenced how I viewed my job as a teller and of the banking industry altogether. But at the bank you get to know people. I didn't realize it at first, but I got to know people and they got to know me, and as time went on, the easier it became to talk and interact with people. After a while, working as a bank teller wasn’t scary at all. I actually loved it and loved interacting with the public and my co-workers. I noticed a big change in my ability to interact with people and I learned a lot about myself. With all the lessons I learned, and the knowledge and wisdom I’ve gained from simply meeting people through banking I think I will go very far in this industry and I’m excited to see where my career takes me after college. While in high school, I took many college courses. These courses were always my favorite as they challenged my mind. I have many goals for the college experience with the most important one is to find a career that I feel like I can make the most difference in my community while helping people. I have been working as a bank teller for the last 2 years. I love working in the banking industry and feel that getting a degree in business will help me climb the ladder in the banking industry. I’m hoping that you read this essay and think about the kids that are really trying to better themselves and have worked extremely hard to do just that. I would love to finish college with little to no student debt so that I can start my career on the right track.

For students like me, the idea of obtaining scholarships is almost a joke. I’m a white male with a 4.1 cumulative GPA and with parents that have been married for 25 years, and with pretty good jobs that meet the basic needs of our family. I have lived in the same house all my life; we don’t drive fancy cars or take big vacations every year. My parents work hard to give my sister and I the best life possible but are getting penalized as far as their ability to pay the extremely high costs of higher education. When looking at most scholarships, I don’t qualify for most because my parents make too much money and I identify as the gender that I was born with. All throughout my academic journal so far, I have been told that academics are very important. I have worked very hard to get good grades all while playing varsity soccer in high school and working part time as a bank teller. I learned different ways to get the most value out of each day. Sometimes that meant staying up late or getting up early to make sure my homework was done, and tests were studied for. I'm dependable,honest,friendly, and an overachiever. I’ve really enjoyed the time I’ve spent as a teller and all of the great people I’ve met, but in the beginning I had a completely different view. It’s always been a little tougher for me to talk to people and ask someone for help and those are the most important skills to have in the banking industry. The lack of those skills negatively influenced my view on my job as a teller and of the industry altogether, but at a bank you get to know people. I didn’t realize it but I got to know people and they got to know me, and the more this happened the easier it got to talk to people. Especially my coworkers who became the highlights of my day. After a year or so working as a bank teller people weren’t so bad. I noticed a big change in the way I interacted with people and my ability to interact with them. I’ve learned a lot. With all the lessons, knowledge, and wisdom I’ve gained from simply meeting people through banking I think I will go very far in this industry. I have experienced so much in my life and have always learned from my experiences. The next big experience for me is college and I’m looking forward to this challenge. While in high school, I took many college courses. These courses were always my favorite as they challenged my mind. I have many goals for the college experience with the most important one is to find a career that I feel like I can make the most difference in my community while helping people. I have been working as a bank teller for the last 2 years. I love working in the banking industry and feel that getting a degree in business will help me climb the ladder in the banking industry. I’m hoping that you read this essay and think about the kids that are really trying to better themselves and have worked extremely hard to do just that. I would love to finish college with little to no student debt so that I can start my career on the right track.

It wasn’t that long ago that I had difficulties talking to strangers. The phrase stranger to me referenced someone that I didn’t know. I would not order my own food at a restaurant, ask a salesclerk where the restroom was, or frankly, even look someone in the eye to speak to them. When I began my freshman year of high school I was just there. I didn’t make any new friends; I did not go to dances or sporting events unless I was playing. I barely even talked to my teachers or my soccer coach. I had great friends, but I was not living my best life. Then came my sophomore year. My parents said it was time to get a job! Me, talk to stranger, or rely on someone that I did not know to train me? Funny how the old saying that “God has a plan”, and that he did. I applied to be a part-time bank teller and the interview was brutal. But I guess I managed to impress my future boss because I got the job. I think that my job as a bank teller has really built a strong foundation for me to continue my career in the banking industry. I've really enjoyed the time I've spent as a teller and all the great people that I've met over the years. In the beginning, I had a completely different view though. It's always been tough for me to talk and interact with people or even ask someone for help. I knew that interacting with the public, effective communication and interpersonal skills were the most important skills to possess in the banking industry. In the beginning, these skills that I lacked negatively influenced how I viewed my job as a teller and of the banking industry altogether. But at the bank you get to know people. I didn't realize it at first, but I got to know people and they got to know me, and as time went on, the easier it became to talk and interact with people. After a while, working as a bank teller wasn’t scary at all. I actually loved it and loved interacting with the public and my co-workers. I noticed a big change in my ability to interact with people and I learned a lot about myself. With all of the lessons I learned, and the knowledge and wisdom I’ve gained from simply meeting people through banking I think I will go very far in this industry and I’m excited to see where my career takes me after college.

One of the greatest men I ever knew lived on a small farm in Brazito, Missouri. This man had one name, Papa. Papa was a simple man with a million-dollar personality. My Papa was drafted to the US Army in 1968 to fight in the Vietnam War. While in the Army he went to parachute school and was a tank machine gun operator. The war was not something that was talked about but the pride he had in being able to serve his country never faded. Unfortunately, my time with my Papa was cut very short because he was exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam. Papa passed away a day before my 5th birthday. My Papa left such an impression on my life and I can still remember almost everything about him. I spent a lot of my weekends at the farm helping with the animals, hauling hay, and going to the “Waterpark”. Yes, you heard that correctly the waterpark. In the late afternoon we would pile in the farm truck with the dogs and head to the Waterpark. I loved this because I didn’t have to be in a car seat. The dogs and I would hang our heads out the window and let the wind blow in our hair. I’m sure by this time you realize that the waterpark was not your average waterpark. What Papa called a waterpark was a concrete creek slab that always had water flowing over it. For my child mind that was the best waterpark in the world. We spent many weekends playing in the creek with the dogs, skipping rocks, and making paper boats to race from one side to the other. After Papa passed away my parents could not figure out what the waterpark was for the longest time. Eventually I showed them the waterpark and I was able to enjoy it again. It was never the same without Papa, but it was a special place for me. Even as a young boy I felt that every time I was there my Papa was with me. Skip forward a couple years and my Mama sold the farm and moved to town. I still would visit the waterpark, just not as often. Then my teenage years came, and the waterpark was always the perfect place to learn to drive, reminisce about papa and occasionally take a dip in the creek. Once I received my drivers’ license, I would go the waterpark to feel close to my Papa. As my senior year of high school approached, the only place I could image taking my senior pictures was the waterpark. The waterpark is a place that I hold near and dear to my heart. To this day I have never taken any of my friends there because it’s a place that I can go to and remember my Papa.

Participation in sports is more than just physical exercise. It can teach an individual valuable life lessons that reach far beyond the sports field or court. Teamwork teaches players to work together toward a common goal without focusing on individual achievements. Having this concept of teamwork for so many years has taught valuable and effective communication and collaboration skills that will be necessary skills to possess in the future. Sports often involve setbacks, losses or great challenges so resilience has been a great lesson to learn to prepare myself to be able to bounce back, be adaptable and to keep pushing forward. Participation in sports also has taught me time management skills, which are transferable to many aspects of life. Having to balance school work, sports practices and games and work, requires discipline and prioritization of tasks. Participating in sports also taught the lesson of being adaptable to changing situations and adjusting my game plan on the fly. This adaptability translates to handling the unexpected situations in life. Finally, I learned about goal setting. Athletes often set performance goals like improving their speed, accuracy and endurance. This skill will translate well when setting personal and professional goals in the future and working diligently to achieve them, My biggest achievement during my high school years would have to be winning Most Improved Player on my school soccer team. I always enjoyed soccer and all the things that came with it like comradery, the winning, and so much more. The only thing lacking was my actual soccer ability. Competitive soccer was never something I did up until 8th grade., so I was lacking the experience of playing in a competitive environment coming into high school. It showed a lot during, my first three years playing. I never took any more time outside of practice to improve my skills or even in practice. I wouldn't try as hard as I could. My lack of dedication and hard work influenced my playing time as I hardly saw the time on varsity. I realized the summer coming into my senior year that I was the only senior still on junior varsity in my friend group, and this realization really changed my outlook on my effort. I felt that since I couldn't go back in the past and change how I acted or the amount of effort. I gave that I have something to prove something to myself. My senior I gave it my all at every single practice. Every day I was drenched in sweat, tired, out of breath, but felt rejuvenated from the fact I was giving it my all. Even though the season didn't end with a State Championship, I will always remember what summer and season taught me. Receiving this scholarship will help take some of the financial responsible off my parents and myself. I was fortunate that my high school allow many opportunities to take college course. I took advantage of this and will be graduating with 30 college credits. My parents have paid for all my current credit, and I would like to help cover some of the cost of my higher education.

I plan to pursue a career in banking. I think that my job as a teller have really built a strong foundation for me to continue my career in the banking industry. I've really enjoyed the time I've spent as a teller and all the great people I've meet, but in the beginning, I had a completely different view. It's always been a little tougher for me to talk to people and ask someone for help and those are the most important skills to have in the banking industry. The lack of those skills negatively influenced my view in my job as a teller and of the industry altogether., but at the bank you get to know people. I didn't realize it but i got to know people and they got to know me, and the more this happened the easier it got to talk to people. Especially my coworkers who became the highlights of my day. After a year or so working as a bank teller people weren't so bad. I noticed a big change in the way i interacted with people and my ability to interact with them. I've learned a lot. With all the lessons, knowledge, and wisdom I’ve gained from simply meeting people through banking I think I will go very far in this industry. My biggest achievement during my high school years would have to be winning Most Improved Player on my school soccer team. I always enjoyed soccer and all the things that came with it like comradery, the winning, and so much more. The only thing lacking was my actual soccer ability. Competitive soccer was never something I did up until 8th grade., so I was lacking the experience of playing in a competitive environment coming into high school. It showed a lot during, my first three years playing. I never took any more time outside of practice to improve my skills or even in practice. I wouldn't try as hard as I could. My lack of dedication and hard work influenced my playing time as I hardly saw the time on varsity. I realized the summer coming into my senior year that I was the only senior still on junior varsity in my friend group, and this realization really changed my outlook on my effort. I felt that since I couldn't go back in the past and change how I acted or the amount of effort. I gave that I have something to prove something to myself. My senior I gave it my all at every single practice. Every day I was drenched in sweat, tired, out of breath, but felt rejuvenated from the fact I was giving it my all. Even though the season didn't end with a State Championship, I will always remember what summer and season taught me. Receiving this scholarship will help take some of the financial responsible off my parents and myself. I was fortunate that my high school allow many opportunities to take college course. I took advantage of this and will be graduating with 30 college credits. My parents have paid for all my current credit, and I would like to help cover some of the cost of my higher education.

I plan to pursue a career in banking. I think that my job as a teller have really built a strong foundation for me to continue my career in the banking industry. I've really enjoyed the time I've spent as a teller and all of the great people I've me, but in the beginning, I has a completely different view. It's always been a little tougher for me to talk to people and ask someone for help and those are the most important skills to have in the banking industry. The lack of those skills negatively influenced my view in my job as a teller and of the industry altogether., but at the bank you get to know people. I didn't realize it but i got to know people and they got to know me, and the more this happened the easier it got to talk to people. Especially my coworkers who became the highlights of my day. After a year or so working as a bank teller people weren't so bad. I noticed a big change in the way i interacted with people and my ability to interact with them. I've learned a lot. With all the lessons, knowledge, and wisdom I’ve gained from simply meeting people through banking I think I will go very far in this industry. Receiving this scholarship will help take some of the financial responsible off my parents and myself. I was fortunate that my high school allow many opportunities to take college course. I took advantage of this and will be graduating with 30 college credits. My parents have paid for all my current credit, and I would like to help cover some of the cost of my higher education. My biggest achievement during my high school years would have to be winning Most Improved Player on my school soccer team. I always enjoyed soccer and all the things that came with it like comradery, the winning, and so much more. The only thing lacking was my actual soccer ability. Competitive soccer was never something I did up until 8th grade., so I was lacking the experience of playing in a competitive environment coming into high school. It showed a lot during, my first three years playing. I never took any more time outside of practice to improve my skills or even in practice. I wouldn't try as hard as I could. My lack of dedication and hard work influenced my playing time as I hardly saw the time on varsity. I realized the summer coming into my senior year that I was the only senior still on junior varsity in my friend group, and this realization really changed my outlook on my effort. I felt that since I couldn't go back in the past and change how I acted or the amount of effort. I gave that I have something to prove something to myself. My senior I gave it my all at every single practice. Every day I was drenched in sweat, tired, out of breath, but felt rejuvenated from the fact I was giving it my all. Even though the season didn't end with a State Championship, I will always remember what summer and season taught me.