From a young age, I felt compelled to help others. This is an important value that I have continued to carry with me in every aspect of my life. After joining the Long Lake Rescue Squad as a junior EMT and helping others in their greatest times of need, this calling grew stronger. Helping others and making a positive difference in people’s lives has resonated with me and brought me a sense of belonging. Due to my strength in empathy and the desire to help others, I have decided to pursue a career in nursing. Nursing is a diverse and versatile field where I will make an impactful difference in people's lives. By pursuing a nursing degree through Colby-Sawyer College, I will gain a strong foundation and learn valuable skills that I will use for the rest of my life. I am very excited to gain hands-on experience through clinical rotations and working alongside other healthcare professionals who share the same ideals as I do. Nursing can be one of the most challenging careers to pursue, but I feel the future benefits will outweigh the challenges. Receiving this scholarship would provide essential financial support as I pursue my nursing degree at Colby-Sawyer College and help make my dream of becoming a nurse a reality. Nursing is known for being a demanding course of study, with countless hours of coursework and clinicals. This scholarship would ease the financial stress, allowing me to focus more on my studies and training. As a future nurse, I aim to become a productive member of society and to provide the best quality of care to my future patients. This scholarship would bring me closer to achieving that goal. It would not only support my academic success but also bring a sense of pride to my family as they watch me work towards my dream career. Nursing will allow me to give back to my community and make a meaningful difference in people's lives. My final career goal is to become an emergency department nurse. Whether it has been me in the emergency room, or when I assist in transferring a patient to the hospital, the emergency department nurses always greet you as if you are their best friend and they stay composed under any circumstance. I have been inspired by the emergency department nurses and hope to make a difference in the lives of my future patients just as much as they have influenced mine.

From a young age, I felt compelled to help others. This is an important value that I have continued to carry with me in every aspect of my life. After joining the Long Lake Rescue Squad as a junior EMT and helping others in their greatest times of need, this calling grew stronger. Helping others and making a positive difference in people’s lives has resonated with me and brought me a sense of belonging. Due to my strength in empathy and the desire to help others, I have decided to pursue a career in nursing. Nursing is a diverse and versatile field where I will make an impactful difference in people's lives. By pursuing a nursing degree through Colby-Sawyer College, I will gain a strong foundation and learn valuable skills that I will use for the rest of my life. I am very excited to gain hands-on experience through clinical rotations and working alongside other healthcare professionals who share the same ideals as I do. Nursing can be one of the most challenging careers to pursue, but I feel the future benefits will outweigh the challenges. Receiving this scholarship would provide essential financial support as I pursue my nursing degree at Colby-Sawyer College and help make my dream of becoming a nurse a reality. Nursing is known for being a demanding course of study, with countless hours of coursework and clinicals. This scholarship would ease the financial stress, allowing me to focus more on my studies and training. As a future nurse, I aim to become a productive member of society and to provide the best quality of care to my future patients. This scholarship would bring me closer to achieving that goal. It would not only support my academic success but also bring a sense of pride to my family as they watch me work towards my dream career. Nursing will allow me to give back to my community and make a meaningful difference in people's lives. In addition, this scholarship would enable me to be a role model for my younger siblings, showing them that hard work, determination, and a passion for helping others can be achieved. It would be an honor to receive this support as I pursue my nursing degree and a future dedicated to patient care. My final career goal is to become an emergency department nurse. Whether it has been me in the emergency room, or when I assist in transferring a patient to the hospital, the emergency department nurses always greet you as if you are their best friend and they stay composed under any circumstance. I have been inspired by the emergency department nurses and hope to make a difference in the lives of my future patients just as much as they have influenced mine.

"You make me want to kill myself!" How can this phrase's literal meaning be so life shattering, but is still considered to be humorous to others? Someone could either say this phrase in response to a harmless joke, as a retaliation to an argument. Could they really mean it? I started asking myself this same question when I received the heartbreaking news that my cousin became a victim of suicide. Mental health is not a hoax like many old timers say, and I have found that it is very difficult to see if someone is struggling unless you are actively aware. Being so young, I never realized how much he was struggling. He was acting like the same goofy cousin I had known my entire life. I kick myself for being too young to realize how strong the storm was that must have been brewing in his mind for him to be even thinking of self harm. It is hard to believe that nearly 60 million, or 1 in 5 people, face the day-to-day reality of living with a mental health condition. Mental health is very important to me not only as a human, but also as a student. After I lost my cousin, my eyes were opened. I realized that students in my own school, and around the world were struggling. I believed that I could make a difference in the lives of these people. My community and I helped Ryan Nicholls organize the Aidan Richard Hyslop Memorial 5k in Bow, New Hampshire as his senior capstone project. The run was a success, and over 100 people attended. There was a table set up with information about mental health and how to support someone who may be struggling. All profit was donated by Ryan Nicholls to NAMI, which is the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Often, the reason for suicide and reasons for negative mental well being remains unanswered. I am glad that I was able to help alongside the community and spread awareness of mental health. The years have passed since my cousin lost his battle, but I pray that he is in a safer and a happier place. I will always wear my green ribbon advocating for mental health, and do all I can to spread awareness to make the world a better place.

On a cold October day in 2023, Long Lake/ Indian Lake Orange traveled to Wells Central School for a competitive game. It was an aggressive game. We were playing our rivals, Wells Central School. This was the deciding game on whether or not my team would qualify for sectionals. Everyone knew we had a disadvantage. We had exactly 11 players on our team, with most being only freshmen. That's right, no substitutes. We were playing teams that had full benches, and were composed mostly of seniors and juniors. I have always played center midfield, and I have scored over 20 high school goals. We were losing 1-0 with 16 minutes left in the first half. The opposing team had the ball, and the girl was closing in fast toward the 18 line. Just as she booted the ball for a shot, I jumped in her way. The ball ricocheted off of the right upper side of my face, bringing me down to the ground instantly. My team recalls that I "flew through the air" as my head came into contact with the ball. I landed face down just outside of the 18 line. Time stood still. I gingerly attempted to lift my head but found that it was very difficult. After my teammates clustered around me, asking if I was okay, I continued to sink lower into the turf field. I opened my eyes, finding my team staring down at me. I soon realized that something was wrong with my right eye. The ball had struck the right side of my face, and I was completely unable to see out of my right eye. My team recalls that I bolted upright into a sitting position and continuously screamed, "I can't see, I can't see!". My father rushed over with my coach in tow and laid me back down. After lying down for what felt like an eternity, I was able to bring myself into a shakily standing position. I was helped off the field by my father and my coach. My father is a certified medical technician, otherwise known as an EMT. After running through the concussion protocol, my father could tell immediately that we needed to go to the emergency room. When we arrived at the emergency room, we were seen almost immediately. Although I had regained half of the sight I had lost in my right eye, I was extremely sensitive to the blinding lights in the emergency room. I covered my eyes with my father's old baseball cap, as we were led into the curtained room. The emergency room nurses were the nicest people I had ever met. The nurse who seemed to provide the most care for me was named Brianna. She constantly showed that she cared for me, and made me feel the safest I have ever felt. She even recommended that I wear a concussion headband to give me a sense of security, which I still wear in my games. This was the moment that I realized that I wanted to have a positive impact on people's lives like Brianna had positively impacted mine. My experience through my concussion and through the nurses in the emergency room helped me decide that I am going to pursue a bachelor's degree in nursing in college. This scholarship will contribute to paying for nursing school to help me obtain my license as a registered nurse. Although my concussion is not something I would want to relive, I am thankful for the experience and kindness of the nurses in the emergency room, and the support from my team.

"You make me want to kill myself!" How can this phrase's literal meaning be so life shattering, but is still considered to be humorous to others? Someone could either say this phrase in response to a harmless joke, as a retaliation to an argument. Could they really mean it? I started asking myself this same question when I received the heartbreaking news that my cousin beacme a victim of suicide. My cousin was a smart kid. I wouldn't say that he was over the top book smart, but he always seemed to have an answer for every problem. He even wrote a letter to NASA at 13 years old to prove that life could scientifically be sustained on Mars. He was always surrounded by his friends and teammates, with the same goofy grin plastered across his face. Like most teenage boys, he was known to be a prankster. He would do anything for attention, and I have now come to realize this may have been a negative contributing factor to his mental health. Mental health is not a hoax like many old timers say, and I have found that it is very difficult to see if someone is struggling unless you are actively aware. Being so young, I never realized how much he was struggling. He was acting like the same goofy cousin I had known my entire life. I kick myself for being too young to realize how strong the storm was that must have been brewing in his mind for him to be even thinking of self harm. Now, I'm sure everyone would agree that teenagers and their parents often clash. My cousin had gotten into some trouble and gotten yet another speeding ticket. My uncle and my cousin seemed to argue for hours, shouting profanities back and forth at each other. I noticed my cousin came storming out of the room, furious. Before he slammed his bedroom door, he said those bone-chilling words that still linger with me today. Facing my uncle, he screamed, "You make me want to kill myself!" This event was a couple years before I lost my cousin to his mental health battle, and I didn't know at the time the power those words held. Nearly 60 million, or 1 in 5 people, face the day-to-day reality of living with a mental health condition. Mental health is very important to me not only as a human, but also as a student. After I lost my cousin, my eyes were opened. I realized that students in my own school, and around the world were struggling. I believed that I could make a difference in the lives of these people. My community and I helped Ryan Nicholls organize the Aidan Richard Hyslop Memorial 5k in Bow, New Hampshire as his senior capstone project. The run was a success, and over 100 people attended. There was a table set up with information about mental health and how to support someone who may be struggling. All profit was donated by Ryan Nicholls to NAMI, which is the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Often, the reason for suicide and reasons for negative mental well being remains unanswered. I am glad that I was able to help alongside the community and spread awareness of mental health. The years have passed since my cousin lost his battle, but I pray that he is in a safer and a happier place. I will always wear my green ribbon advocating for mental health, and do all I can to spread awareness to make the world a better place.