My dream is to be a middle school teacher, as I believe that is when most people start learning about themselves and who they are as a person. Education has done nothing short of liberating me, and I would love to continue being a part of the process for future generations, as well as maintain some of the programs I love so dearly within the younger groups, such as theatre and teen court. Being passionate about the arts and your community does nothing but inspire more joy and create a better world, so why not bring these qualities into an educational space? To me, this means creating an inclusive, interactive, and creative space to learn, beyond just the beige cinderblocks and rows of desks the nation is used to. Nothing can make or break your younger years as much as the quality of your education and the kindness of a teacher can. I dream of being able to have a great connection with students and learn who they are as people to help them achieve their goals. I'd like to think of myself as a good role model for trying a variety of lifestyles, as well as striving to be your best and living your best self. The people who have brought me farthest in life are those who have listened and understood what I wanted and gave me the materials to build to there. I want to be that person. I've also always enjoyed helping others, whether it was by teaching the material in class, helping them through issues in their social lives, or even just being a safe person to talk to. Education lets all of these joys of mine come to fruition and enables me to have an impact on potentially hundreds of students. I would love to be able to assist students in community building, bettering their lives, and being passionate about everything, since I believe kids often have some of the best ideas in the room, and they can see beyond what has once been the solution. Children are innovators who see no limits in their skills. They are much more capable of great change, and I want to nourish that mindset. Thank you for taking the time to read and consider me for this scholarship! I truly am passionate about teaching, and I know it is where I belong in the world.

Moving to West Virginia was a transformative experience. I was born and raised in New Jersey, where the defining features of the state are road rage and beige housing developments. When I first moved to West Virginia, I was in shock. Everywhere I turned there were forests, mountains, farms, and the art that fills my town of Berkeley Springs. The history in every corner was so rich, and it was bewildering! The fastest vehicle on the road was a tractor going 5 miles an hour, and the grumpiest person was the only one who didn't wave as you drove by. I was a firm believer that New Jersey had everything right, and West Virginia was a wacky, upside-down wonderland, but after living here for 3 years, my opinion has changed. Yes, I will always love New Jersey, its need for speed, its ambition. However, living in West Virginia means living a life of simple pleasures, picking fruit and wandering down a dirt path, growing a garden and raising animals, of seeing the beauty of the nature that surrounds you. Mother Nature kissed every inch of this Earth, and I have not met a single person in West Virginia who doesn't honor that every day. Whether through art, pictures, music, or simply verbal praise, West Virginians understand that nature is to be thanked, not thwarted. Additionally, being a West Virginian means appreciating every step you take, and who stepped there before you, as well as thanking everyone you see in sight. People here are extensively polite, and being in such a small community educates you on what a community is, and what a community does for each other. No matter how hard we struggle, true West Virginians stick to their towns and keep lifting you through the hard times. So many members of this town regularly donate to each other, have festivals, share their love of history and art, and offer everything they have, whether it's food, money, or a skillset, to one another. While I may not sing Country Roads as loudly or as proudly as some of the folks born and raised here, I am so glad to have the experiences I have had here. The people, the arts, the nature, the museums, the small shops, and the hospitality have all made living here exceptionally unique. Being a West Virginian means having room in your heart for all your town has to offer and for all of the people in your town.

I love math because I had to work hard to love it. When I was younger, I hated math with a burning passion. Why? It was the easy option to hate. Everyone else hated math because it makes you think - it's not easy like some of the other subjects. However, my entire existence is based on working a little too hard on everything. Why could I love writing essays but couldn't stand doing math? The only thing standing in my way of understanding and being willing to put in effort was my attitude. So, I had to swim upstream and launch headfirst into the wonderful world of math - even when there were inequalities involved. I love math because it makes me feel prepared for a future of teaching. I used to sit in the back of my math classes, crying because I was just so lost. Now, I'm that annoying kid in the front of the class who is just a little too excited to be answering questions right; I'm the kid that everyone asks for help now. Math has made me confident in helping others, and helping others has made me confident in my career choice. Watching the "lightbulb" moment go off on my friend's faces is immensely entertaining, but also makes me feel like the younger me just needed a little help that the older me will be able to give to my students. I love math because math is designed to make you think. Math is made to stretch your brain like a muscle, or as my teacher says, "to make your brain sweaty." Are you feeling insecure or dumb? Do some math problems. Need to wake up in the morning and can't force yourself to focus? Do your math work. Have you felt unproductive and like a useless little lump? Do math! Math is a major reason why I have grown into who I become - having to take math forces you to work hard, think hard, ask questions, help others, and not be afraid of anything, even when your teacher starts mentioning imaginary numbers for the first time. So, to answer your question, I love math for lots of reasons, just like how I love most things in my life - a little too much.

I've been playing Minecraft since I could hold a controller. The game was so simple back then - wooden doors, dirt huts, and puppies were all that I needed - but it has evolved. However, the thing that brings me the most joy is still available. Creative mode! I have always loved the ability to freely build whatever I chose with whatever blocks I could dream of. A wonderful world awaits me anytime I go on an iPad or Xbox since I can build anything I can imagine! When I was little, it would be hotels with my brother and we would spend hours making fake TVs, and redstone lamps, and putting heads on armor stands so we could pretend there was a bartender in the lobby. Then, I began building houses by myself in elementary school, huge castles made of pink concrete, glazed terracotta floors, and stained glass windows. In middle school, I would help friends build cities and decorate rooms while they built skyscrapers, towering up far beyond the boxy clouds. While they were focused on the outer design, I was focused on the important things - flower pots and couches. Now, as I have grown, the game has been able to grow with me and my creative skills. I have built huge colorful mansions with fully decorated insides, elaborate towns with historic-style exteriors intended for my friends to visit, cities with roads, cars, and NPCs (no more armor stands for me!), and I have even gone as far as to set up adventurous virtual dates when I haven't been able to contact my loved ones - creating waterfall slides that lead into caves with music and picnic baskets, or creating a restaurant. The creative mode in this game has given me the ability to stay close to those whom I cannot always see in the real world, and it allows me to visit them in a scene that I get to build and embellish endlessly while feeling as though I am standing right next to them even when they are miles away, as well as build worlds and imagine with them far quicker and easier with no limits, unlike what the survival mode allows. Being in creative mode lets you be free, and let's face it - making massive buildings with cute blocks is much more fun when you don't have to spend 3 hours collecting just a fraction of what you need!

I have always resented when people say you can’t truly define yourself or know who you are. I have lived with and fought with myself for years, but most people have only known me for part of my life. Why do other people think they have earned the right to define me? Hello. I am Caelyn Bartley, and I know who I am better than anyone else. I am an absolute workhorse of a high schooler - one that has the label of “mature” and “old soul” slapped on her back like a “kick me!” sign - but today, no one gets to call me that. It is my turn to say who I am. I am Caelyn; I am intelligent, creative, well-spoken, hardworking, and honest. I am a performer, a dancer, an actor, an artist, and an overachiever. Most of all, I am self-described as the funniest person I will ever meet, an over-the-top character of a person, and a soon-to-be first-generation college student in my house. I am also chronically ill, immunocompromised,” and exhausted. In the eyes of the public, this makes me a “warrior” and a “queen” because people believe existing as I am is some kind of intentional, extra-difficult way of life that should earn me extra accolades and extra labels. Trust me, I would have opted out ages ago if it was true. I am just a person. Only you can define yourself, as you are the only one who has lived your life and knows your experiences; this is especially valuable to remember as women in underrepresented groups. Living as a woman, it often feels like the world thinks you’re a blank sheet of paper that they get to stamp repeatedly with any words they want, no matter how wrong, baseless, or hurtful they are. People act like women who face additional adversities in life are animals in the zoo that they can study or mock mercilessly for being unlike everybody else. We don’t want people to stare but to listen. If I were to win this money, I would spend it creating a better life for myself and future generations. I would get a degree in Elementary Education since I find the process of teaching and helping others incredibly therapeutic and beneficial for my mental health. Taking other people’s hands and guiding them towards their goals gives me a sense of purpose that is incredibly valuable for my well-being and happiness. Change is needed in the field of education, as children of the future need support more than ever in the ever-changing landscape of the world. Getting a degree, walking across that stage, and walking into a classroom knowing that I will help so many people is my purpose in life - I know it. I am tired of everyone assuming I will not be a college graduate because my parents and brother were not college graduates. I am completely capable of being a first-generation college student and working just as hard as everybody else in spite of the fact that I experience chronic pain. You heard me, in spite! In spite of everything that I struggle with, in spite of all of my problems and the labels society has thrown on me, I will achieve and be who I want. I am Caelyn. I am inspiring, talented, and moving. I can be anyone. Starting now, I will introduce myself as what I am and want to be. Today, I am defining myself. Hello, my name is Caelyn Bartley, and I am an educator.

There is an undeniable urge to do the right thing, to succeed, and to make the world a better place that lies at the core of all of us; in my opinion, it is simply impossible to fail at making a positive impact every day on something - your future, one person, many people, your neighborhood, your environment, or the world as a whole. However, the difference between an ordinary person and an outstanding one lies in whether someone makes this urge a lead-life principle. I am no stranger to working hard and attempting to benefit the world around me, as it shapes who I am - excellent. Witnessing a day in my life, you might notice some common behaviors, the first being an insistence on hard work and academic success. I participate in many AP and honors courses, extra credit opportunities, theatre, and dance. With these activities, I strive towards excellence, leading to my 4.4+ GPA, testing in the 99th percentile on PSATs, winning state-level essay contests, and earning lead acting roles. Secondly, I demonstrate an effort to help other students by offering free tutoring and advice on their struggles. Throughout my life, I’ve found it essential to put maximum effort into helping everyone around me, even if I can only offer a hug, snack, or pep talk instead of hard-hitting life lessons. While it is small, I believe that when you love people, you will do everything in your power to help them, and I do just that with both the broader community and my small social circle. Beyond this, I show respect towards everyone - I am not better than anyone else trying their best. I am always polite and respectful to teachers, classmates, and fellow artists; I also uphold positivity by withdrawing from conflict and complimenting people. Everyone deserves to know their positives and worth. Outside of the school environment, I am constantly planning ways to help my community, directly and indirectly. As I have mentioned, due to my love of entertaining, I am an active participant in the arts in my town; outside of my performances, I regularly attend performances by other artists or purchase their work to show them my support. Additionally, I attend leadership courses, such as the Youth Leadership Academy hosted in my county, to learn the best ways to guide the people in my life and my future students toward their goals. The most direct impact that I have on my neighborhood is through the county’s Teen Court, in which my peers and I redirect illegal behavior, such as physical altercations and substance abuse, into positive support of the county through the assignment of community service hours, anti-vaping classes, apologies, or fines. This prevention technique is something I am very proud to be a part of, as I am an avid supporter of rehabilitating teen drug abuse and doing our best to stop students from getting addicted. While not all direct, giving back to my community is essential to my life, so much so that it is my dream to become a teacher. If I were to win this scholarship, the money would go toward funding my Elementary Education degree and the impact my life could have on generations after me. I live in a poverty-stricken area, and I want nothing more than to help ensure the quality of their education by putting in my best efforts to teach and inspire. Thank you for taking the time to consider this application and the continued help it will bring to my community in West Virginia.