I was born into madness and chaos. My mother was 16 when she became pregnant with me. My father was 18. They married each other before I was born. They were two kids searching for a high in life and struggling to find a way to escape their past traumas. With the pursuit of numbness and highs that exceed a regular dopamine hit, they landed on the X marked methamphetamines and occasional heroine. While they stayed on a continuous roller coaster of fixes and chases, I just... well, survived. Not long into their marriage, they had three more children. We were all about two years apart. As the oldest, I was the caretaker and parent to them. It was strange pretending to be a child at school, but knowing I was the parent at our home. I do need to share, my tornado like parents did in fact get clean and sober when I was around thirteen years old. There's lots of movie worthy trauma and drama in the middle of those years, but I will bypass that to the good part. To be the first person in my family to graduate from college and pursue my dreams means freedom for me. Freedom from the chains of generational poverty, trauma, and addiction. The freedom to be proud of myself and continue the journey of wellness in all areas of my life. I ultimately want to become a licensed counselor and serve others. I want to be able to volunteer my time to underserved communities and people as well. My goal is to continue my education to become a licensed counselor. With this degree, I want to provide help to children and adults who are battling addiction. Whether the addiction being their own or surviving a close family members addictions. I want to help them navigate with compassion and understanding. As someone who has survived and thrived with therapy and mentors, I greatly desire to give back in the same ways I was blessed. After I obtain my degree, I would like to begin working in the school system or with women's shelters. I have a great deal of compassion for these two demographics. As a child of addicts, I want to be an example and voice of encouragement for children and teenagers going through similar circumstances. My ultimate goal in life is to bring light to this world. As cliché as it sounds, I do want to make the world a better place. I spend a great deal of my time volunteering and mentoring children and teenagers within my community. This continued education will give me the tools to help those who are still in the fire or are struggling with the aftermath of the burns. Thank you for your consideration. This scholarship would mean a great deal to me in securing my financial future. I am a full time employee with the Department of Veterans Affairs and have two wonderful children. I do not qualify for any pell grants.

I was raised in a chaotic environment. My mom had me when she was 16 years old, my dad 18. My mom dropped out of high school to raise me and later my 3 siblings. My parents became addicted to meth and heroine when I was a small child. This led us to live in poverty and uncertainty. I raised my siblings and fought hard to do well in school. My early upbringing shaped my perspective and personality. I gained a deep level of respect, understanding, and empathy at an early age. This led me to a tough journey of healing and introspection. I want to pursue my degree in counseling to help children, teens, and adults who are facing similar circumstances. I volunteer as a mentor in my community with our children and teens. I want to continue my passion by obtaining the education needed to help others overcome their obstacles. My ultimate goal is to work in the public school setting or with recovery programs for youth or adults. I have a deep yearning to share my empathy and love for anyone who needs guidance. My past has shaped me, but my future plans will refine me. I am grateful for this opportunity and your consideration for this scholarship. Being an older student, I have a full time job serving veterans and a family to support. I do not qualify for financial aid, so this scholarship would mean the world to me.

Hi, my name is Brooke Tillison. I’m grateful for this opportunity to be considered for the scholarship in memory of your mother. I have been shaped by the mental health of others and ultimately myself over my 34 years. My parents are the first who have suffered greatly with their mental health. They each survived traumas including siblings deaths, poverty, and sexual abuse as children. This led them to cope with heavy drug use with meth and heroine. They had me at a young age, my mom 16 and dad 18. My mom dropped out of high school soon after she became pregnant with me. She really tried to love myself and my siblings as much as she could, but she was often pouring from an empty cup. This caused her to suffer with depression and continue down the spiraling drug addiction journey she started. I grew up with 3 siblings and raised them all while living with my parents. It was often a chaotic environment and I unknowingly developed a severe case of anxiety as a child that continued into my adulthood. I was a top performer at my school academically and in sports. Looking back, I think I really just wanted someone to pay attention to me and tell me I was doing a good job. My teachers were all so wonderful and they did just that. Many of them throughout the years would send food, new blankets, and hygiene items home with me to help me. I cannot explain how much this meant to me as a child. Later on, my parents found sobriety. I believe I was around 13 years old. I’m so thankful they were able to quit using drugs to cope. The mental illness was and is still a battle they face. When I left for college at 18, I felt really alone. I still suffered with extreme anxiety and a fear of the world. I later developed depression because of the inner loneliness I felt. I struggled to stay focused in school juggling my past and working. I did not have financial support from my family because they were barely getting by on their own. I finished a few semesters and quit school to work full time. Years later I attended college again and did great in my courses! I landed a wonderful position working with veterans at the Department of Veterans Affairs. I discontinued college due to time and affording the tuition. I have been blessed to continue my career with the Department of Veterans Affairs. I have a calling to become a counselor. It’s what sparks life in me and something I’m able to do as a mentor in my community right now. I work closely with our children and youth ministry at our church leading both of these. I want to continue this passion by becoming a counselor and working with the youth and those who struggle with addictions or family members with addiction. I will be starting in my major courses this Fall and I’m so excited! I haven’t narrowed down where I want to counsel, but right now I’m leaning towards getting my masters and becoming a school counselor. I want to help students find their way out of difficult situations. To show them they can overcome these obstacles and turn them into opportunities. My greatest wish for my education journey is to give back to the community just like my teachers and mentors did for me. Thank you again for this scholarship and the chance to be considered.

Hi, my name is Brooke Tillison. I’m grateful for this opportunity to be considered for the scholarship in memory of your mother. I have been shaped by the mental health of others and ultimately myself over my 34 years. My parents are the first who have suffered greatly with their mental health. They each survived traumas including siblings deaths, poverty, and sexual abuse as children. This led them to cope with heavy drug use with meth and heroine. They had me at a young age, my mom 16 and dad 18. My mom dropped out of high school soon after she became pregnant with me. She really tried to love myself and my siblings as much as she could, but she was often pouring from an empty cup. This caused her to suffer with depression and continue down the spiraling drug addiction journey she started. I grew up with 3 siblings and raised them all while living with my parents. It was often a chaotic environment and I unknowingly developed a severe case of anxiety as a child that continued into my adulthood. I was a top performer at my school academically and in sports. Looking back, I think I really just wanted someone to pay attention to me and tell me I was doing a good job. My teachers were all so wonderful and they did just that. Many of them throughout the years would send food, new blankets, and hygiene items home with me to help me. I cannot explain how much this meant to me as a child. Later on, my parents found sobriety. I believe I was around 13 years old. I’m so thankful they were able to quit using drugs to cope. The mental illness was and is still a battle they face. When I left for college at 18, I felt really alone. I still suffered with extreme anxiety and a fear of the world. I later developed depression because of the inner loneliness I felt. I struggled to stay focused in school juggling my past and working. I did not have financial support from my family because they were barely getting by on their own. I finished a few semesters and quit school to work full time. Years later I attended college again and did great in my courses! I landed a wonderful position working with veterans at the Department of Veterans Affairs. I discontinued college due to time and affording the tuition. I have been blessed to continue my career with the Department of Veterans Affairs. I have a calling to become a counselor. It’s what sparks life in me and something I’m able to do as a mentor in my community right now. I work closely with our children and youth ministry at our church leading both of these. I want to continue this passion by becoming a counselor and working with the youth and those who struggle with addictions or family members with addiction. I will be starting in my major courses this Fall and I’m so excited! I haven’t narrowed down where I want to counsel, but right now I’m leaning towards getting my masters and becoming a school counselor. I want to help students find their way out of difficult situations. To show them they can overcome these obstacles and turn them into opportunities. My greatest wish for my education journey is to give back to the community just like my teachers and mentors did for me. Thank you again for this scholarship and the chance to be considered.

Hi, my name is Brooke Tillison. I’m grateful for this opportunity to be considered for the scholarship in memory of your mother. I have been shaped by the mental health of others and ultimately myself over my 34 years. My parents are the first who have suffered greatly with their mental health. They each survived traumas including siblings deaths, poverty, and sexual abuse as children. This led them to cope with heavy drug use with meth and heroine. They had me at a young age, my mom 16 and dad 18. My mom dropped out of high school soon after she became pregnant with me. She really tried to love myself and my siblings as much as she could, but she was often pouring from an empty cup. This caused her to suffer with depression and continue down the spiraling drug addiction journey she started. I grew up with 3 siblings and raised them all while living with my parents. It was often a chaotic environment and I unknowingly developed a severe case of anxiety as a child that continued into my adulthood. I was a top performer at my school academically and in sports. Looking back, I think I really just wanted someone to pay attention to me and tell me I was doing a good job. My teachers were all so wonderful and they did just that. Many of them throughout the years would send food, new blankets, and hygiene items home with me to help me. I cannot explain how much this meant to me as a child. Later on, my parents found sobriety. I believe I was around 13 years old. I’m so thankful they were able to quit using drugs to cope. The mental illness was and is still a battle they face. When I left for college at 18, I felt really alone. I still suffered with extreme anxiety and a fear of the world. I later developed depression because of the inner loneliness I felt. I struggled to stay focused in school juggling my past and working. I did not have financial support from my family because they were barely getting by on their own. I finished a few semesters and quit school to work full time. Years later I attended college again and did great in my courses! I landed a wonderful position working with veterans at the Department of Veterans Affairs. I discontinued college due to time and affording the tuition. I have been blessed to continue my career with the Department of Veterans Affairs. I have a calling to become a counselor. It’s what sparks life in me and something I’m able to do as a mentor in my community right now. I work closely with our children and youth ministry at our church leading both of these. I want to continue this passion by becoming a counselor and working with the youth and those who struggle with addictions or family members with addiction. I will be starting in my major courses this Fall and I’m so excited! I haven’t narrowed down where I want to counsel, but right now I’m leaning towards getting my masters and becoming a school counselor. I want to help students find their way out of difficult situations. To show them they can overcome these obstacles and turn them into opportunities. My greatest wish for my education journey is to give back to the community just like my teachers and mentors did for me. Thank you again for this scholarship and the chance to be considered.

Hi, my name is Brooke Tillison. I’m grateful for this opportunity to be considered for the scholarship in memory of your mother. I have been shaped by the mental health of others and ultimately myself over my 34 years. My parents are the first who have suffered greatly with their mental health. They each survived traumas including siblings deaths, poverty, and sexual abuse as children. This led them to cope with heavy drug use with meth and heroine. They had me at a young age, my mom 16 and dad 18. My mom dropped out of high school soon after she became pregnant with me. She really tried to love myself and my siblings as much as she could, but she was often pouring from an empty cup. This caused her to suffer with depression and continue down the spiraling drug addiction journey she started. I grew up with 3 siblings and raised them all while living with my parents. It was often a chaotic environment and I unknowingly developed a severe case of anxiety as a child that continued into my adulthood. I was a top performer at my school academically and in sports. Looking back, I think I really just wanted someone to pay attention to me and tell me I was doing a good job. My teachers were all so wonderful and they did just that. Many of them throughout the years would send food, new blankets, and hygiene items home with me to help me. I cannot explain how much this meant to me as a child. Later on, my parents found sobriety. I believe I was around 13 years old. I’m so thankful they were able to quit using drugs to cope. The mental illness was and is still a battle they face. When I left for college at 18, I felt really alone. I still suffered with extreme anxiety and a fear of the world. I later developed depression because of the inner loneliness I felt. I struggled to stay focused in school juggling my past and working. I did not have financial support from my family because they were barely getting by on their own. I finished a few semesters and quit school to work full time. Years later I attended college again and did great in my courses! I landed a wonderful position working with veterans at the Department of Veterans Affairs. I discontinued college due to time and affording the tuition. I have been blessed to continue my career with the Department of Veterans Affairs. I have a calling to become a counselor. It’s what sparks life in me and something I’m able to do as a mentor in my community right now. I work closely with our children and youth ministry at our church leading both of these. I want to continue this passion by becoming a counselor and working with the youth and those who struggle with addictions or family members with addiction. I will be starting in my major courses this Fall and I’m so excited! I haven’t narrowed down where I want to counsel, but right now I’m leaning towards getting my masters and becoming a school counselor. I want to help students find their way out of difficult situations. To show them they can overcome these obstacles and turn them into opportunities. My greatest wish for my education journey is to give back to the community just like my teachers and mentors did for me. Thank you again for this scholarship and the chance to be considered.

I was born into madness and chaos. My mother was 16 when she became pregnant with me. My father was 18. They married each other before I was born. They were two kids searching for a high in life and struggling to find a way to escape their past traumas. With the pursuit of numbness and highs that exceed a regular dopamine hit, they landed on the X marked methamphetamines and occasional heroine. While they stayed on a continuous roller coaster of fixes and chases, I just... well, survived. Not long into their marriage, they had three more children. We were all about two years apart. As the oldest, I was the caretaker and parent to them. It was strange pretending to be a child at school, but knowing I was the parent at our home. I do need to share, my tornado like parents did in fact get clean and sober when I was around thirteen years old. There's lots of movie worthy trauma and drama in the middle of those years, but I will bypass that to the good part. To be the first person in my family to graduate from college and pursue my dreams means freedom for me. Freedom from the chains of generational poverty, trauma, and addiction. The freedom to be proud of myself and continue the journey of wellness in all areas of my life. I ultimately want to become a licensed counselor and serve others. I want to be able to volunteer my time to underserved communities and people as well. My goal is to continue my education to become a licensed counselor. With this degree, I want to provide help to children and adults who are battling addiction. Whether the addiction being their own or surviving a close family members addictions. I want to help them navigate with compassion and understanding. As someone who has survived and thrived with therapy and mentors, I greatly desire to give back in the same ways I was blessed. After I obtain my degree, I would like to begin working in the school system or with women's shelters. I have a great deal of compassion for these two demographics. As a child of addicts, I want to be an example and voice of encouragement for children and teenagers going through similar circumstances. My ultimate goal in life is to bring light to this world. As cliché as it sounds, I do want to make the world a better place. I spend a great deal of my time volunteering and mentoring children and teenagers within my community. This continued education will give me the tools to help those who are still in the fire or are struggling with the aftermath of the burns. Thank you for your consideration. This scholarship would mean a great deal to me in securing my financial future. I am a full time employee with the Department of Veterans Affairs and have two wonderful children. I do not qualify for any pell grants.

I was born into madness and chaos. My mother was 16 when she became pregnant with me. My father was 18. They married each other before I was born. They were two kids searching for a high in life and struggling to find a way to escape their past traumas. With the pursuit of numbness and highs that exceed a regular dopamine hit, they landed on the X marked methamphetamines and occasional heroine. While they stayed on a continuous roller coaster of fixes and chases, I just... well, survived. Not long into their marriage, they had three more children. We were all about two years apart. As the oldest, I was the caretaker and parent to them. It was strange pretending to be a child at school, but knowing I was the parent at our home. I do need to share, my tornado like parents did in fact get clean and sober when I was around thirteen years old. There's lots of movie worthy trauma and drama in the middle of those years, but I will bypass that to the good part. To be the first person in my family to graduate from college and pursue my dreams means freedom for me. Freedom from the chains of generational poverty, trauma, and addiction. The freedom to be proud of myself and continue the journey of wellness in all areas of my life. I ultimately want to become a licensed counselor and serve others. I want to be able to volunteer my time to underserved communities and people as well. My goal is to continue my education to become a licensed counselor. With this degree, I want to provide help to children and adults who are battling addiction. Whether the addiction being their own or surviving a close family members addictions. I want to help them navigate with compassion and understanding. As someone who has survived and thrived with therapy and mentors, I greatly desire to give back in the same ways I was blessed. After I obtain my degree, I would like to begin working in the school system or with women's shelters. I have a great deal of compassion for these two demographics. As a child of addicts, I want to be an example and voice of encouragement for children and teenagers going through similar circumstances. My ultimate goal in life is to bring light to this world. As cliché as it sounds, I do want to make the world a better place. I spend a great deal of my time volunteering and mentoring children and teenagers within my community. This continued education will give me the tools to help those who are still in the fire or are struggling with the aftermath of the burns. Thank you for your consideration. This scholarship would mean a great deal to me in securing my financial future. I am a full time employee with the Department of Veterans Affairs and have two wonderful children. I do not qualify for any pell grants.