Hello! My name is Charissa Lutonsky. I am a cheery high school senior at Edmond Memorial High School. I enjoy spending time with my friendsa and family and I am passionate about caring for and loving animals. My family and I have 3 cats! I have found many stray animals and re-homed them. I love reading and I have strong problem-solving and critical thinking skills. I started my college application journey last year and I got accepted into three colleges - two in Oklahoma and one in Kansas. I chose Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, OK because it has one of the best business schools and business program in the country. I also fell in love with the campus during the campus tour. I am planning to pursue a degree in business administration. College education is very expensive. I want to help pay for my college education together with my parents. That's why this scholarship and all the other scholarships I apply for will make a big difference to me and my family. I also work part-time at a local smoothie bowl restaurant called The Surf Bar. I enjoy making and serving delicious and health food to the community. I enjoy working with my team members at this job. I am learning a lot about running a business and the food industry. I also took 7 AP classes for college credit. I am trying to do all I can to help pay for my college education including applying for other scholarships. My long-term goal and career aspiration is to establish and own my own real estate business one day. I want to be an entrepreneur. I believe that this college education will be critical to launching my career and achieving my long-term goal. During COVID-19, I felt a high degree of anxiety and stress with just the thought of becoming a high school freshman. My closest friends had chosen to go to different high schools, and I felt very scared that I would be all alone without any friends in my new high school. My Mom talked with me and encouraged me by saying that I would make new friends because I was naturally a good, kind and helpful person. She said that I had been making very good grades in 8th grade and was confident in me to continue working hard and make good grades in high school. The first couple of weeks were very hard nerve wrecking but I did end up making new friends. I continued to keep in touch with my old friends and I started to feel motivated to maintain my grades. This boosted my confidence. Learning to drive was also a physically terrifying experience but I was determined to succeed and pass my driving exam on my first attempt. I was a sophomore during this time and the practice driving sessions on the road made me feel better. I wanted to get my driver's license when I turned 16 and I succeeded. I have now been driving for two years straight. My mother was right! She predicted what would happen because she knew my character and believed in me. My new friendships these past four years are strong and I have a strong and loving support system. I will be graduating next Friday as a Salutatorian with a 4.0 GPA surrounded by my new and old friends. I am very excited for the start of my college experience at Oklahoma State University in the Fall and I am grateful for this scholoarship opportunity and the assistance it provides to students like me. Thank you!