I’m so sick of 17, where’s my (insert forbidden word here) teenage dream?” I remember being that age. Full of ideas and plans for the future, even if I did not know how to start or what direction I would take at first (“By this age I’ll have this, by this age I’ll have that”). Before I knew it my dream was becoming a Physical Therapist. Then my dad talked about delaying retirement, and I saw my future tuition bill in his tired eyes. So I made a choice Olivia calls “logical”: “I know I did the right thing.” I paused my college plans to hunt for a full-time job instead. Sacrificing so that my dad could finally be honored. Right before my finishing with my Bachelor’s degree, I found myself distracted by a guy who I thought liked me, only to be heart-broken and disappointed. Thankfully, even he wasn’t enough to derail my ambition. Ballad of a homeschooled girl played in my head: “I’m my own architect, I know I’m a queen.” I walked away. I chose integrity over an emotionally immature, potentially toxic relationship. I was devastated, because of the false butterflies, the feeling of colors that were once getting brighter, and the way that love songs feeling relatable. But Olivia also wrote “I’m gettin’ better, it won’t always be this way”. It’s already been a couple months. I’m getting better, enjoying my life, having fun, loving myself even more along the way. My time as a physical therapy aide taught me that healing isn’t linear for patients or for dreams. I watched patients celebrate small wins: one more degree of motion, one less day of pain. Job hunting taught me the same. Rejection emails are just range-of-motion exercises for resilience. Every “no” is getting me closer to the “yes” that honors my dad. This $500 scholarship isn’t for tuition. It’s for scrubs for my first full-time healthcare role. It’s proof that “teenage dream” plans can change and still be worth it. Like Olivia ends teenage dream, “they all say that it gets better, but what if I don’t?” I stopped asking “what if.” Because I am determined to complete my dream, even if it takes a little longer. I’m not 17 anymore. I’m 34, with GUTS, with grit, and with a dad who deserves to rest. And that’s the dream I’m building now. “I know my place, and this is it”.

I learned the importance of community service in two very different places: a church kitchen in the winter and a rehabilitation center last summer. Both taught me that serving my community means meeting people exactly where they are-whether they are hungry for a meal or hungry to walk again. The belief first took shape when I volunteered for observational hours at Novacare Rehabilitation Center, where I learned from Physical Therapists helping patients reclaim their strength after injury. I witnessed how healing requires both clinical skill and human connection, as therapists celebrated every small victory with patients who thought they would never stand on their own. I watched a stroke survivor finally take his first steps within two months; his PT cheered him on louder than a sports fanatic. That's when I knew that healing was a team sport, and I want to be on that team. Later, I deepened my compassion when I volunteered at my church's annual sale, helping assemble 1000 italian hoagies to raise funds for local families in need. Standing side by side with other wonderful church members, smiling, sharing stories, and excitement, I saw how a simple meal could become an act of dignity for someone struggling. I felt at my lowest during that moment in my life, due to academic strain while taking Organic Chemistry, the toughest course I had ever taken. The other members were impressed by how quickly I could make hoagies; then the pastor came up to me and told me how much of a blessing I was, and I immediately felt my spirit lift. I am thankful that God led me to be part of something beautiful. Despite balancing these commitments with work and school, I showed up because I understood that community is built one person, one hoagie, one step at a time. Serving my community is important to me because I have seen that real change happens when we nourish both the body and the spirit. With my education in health science, I plan to become a professional who bridges practical support with compassionate care for South Jersey families. This scholarship would allow me to dedicate more time to clinical internships and community outreach, ensuring I can serve more people who need someone in their corner. My goal is to spend my career ensuring that no one in my community feels they have to recover physically or emotionally alone.