In the eleventh grade I decided to take a pottery class not knowing it would completely change what I want to do with my life. Since then I have still been making pottery, and it is my favorite thing in the world to do. Overtime I have made many bowls, and vases, and cups, but my favorite part about it is that every time they keep getting better. This year I entered some art competitions same as last year, and I made a drink set with a pitcher and three mugs. I wanted the pieces to remind me of having my tea parties with my family when I was younger. To do this I used a new technique where I take a rib up the side of the clay to make a flat surface then, spin it to push it out. I also did something else new where I made a rim of clay at the bottom of the cups, and pushed dents into it with my finger. Making these pieces showed me how if you continue to do what you love, your own style will come out of it and portray what you are trying to show. My favorite part about these is the different textures and colors I put along with it. I won a superior for these pieces, and got the opportunity to go exhibit them at state. I am forever grateful that pottery became a part of my life, and I want to continue it always.

I was in my pottery class and was trying to pull up the walls on my cylinder for the first time and it wasn't going too well. Whatever I tried the clay would always become uneven or too thin and would collapse. I couldn't get the clay to cooperate with me and go up either. I am not the type of person to ask my teachers for too much help besides in math class, so here I am failing at making this cylinder and I call over my teacher. He figures out what I'm doing wrong right away and helps me learn how to make it better. That just sounds like normal teacher behavior, but the way he explained it made it so easy to understand and realize what I was doing incorrectly. Since then I've entered pottery into some competitions and continued to pursue my passion for it everyday during my last hour of school. It is truly the thing that brings me peace in life, and the only reason I even have it available to me is because of my teacher. I had some other art classes with him before and I already liked him a whole lot, and he was a very easy person to like. I think for teachers, it's important that they are happy about what they teach, and that they are also good at what they teach. Not just that, but I think teachers also need to be able to get along with people, and have a good sense of humor. That was exactly like how my teacher is. He is one of the happiest people I know, and he can crack jokes without even realizing it. I also really admire him because he does his best to make his students comfortable and he makes sure they have what they need. At the beginning of a new class we all get a paper and fill out some things about us, and we get to put some songs on a list and add it to a class playlist. Sometimes he also brings in random foods that we can eat. Every Monday and Friday he makes sure to go around as connect with students by asking them about what they did, or if they have any fun plans. It's things like this that really make him a great teacher, because even though these are simple actions, they matter the most because they show he cares for his students. As I mentioned before, I am very fond of making pottery, and they way I'm able to do that is going to his class during my last hour and working on it. He doesn't have a class this hour, but he lets me come in to work anyways, which brings up another reason why he is so great. He is willing to let students come in and work on what they need to even when they don't need to be in his room, but he is gracious enough to let us. I have had the opportunity to go on some field trips with the art classes, and they have been so much fun every time. He makes sure him and the other art teacher plan it all out and even let us stop at some galleries and art shops. Overall he is a great teacher in complete because he cares for his students and will never let anyone struggle by themselves, he makes sure to make everyone feel comfortable and that we all know we can go to him if we need to.

It was 2:50 in the morning when my mom woke me up to leave. It was painfully early but I didn’t even care since I was so excited. I jumped out of bed, got quickly dressed, downed a sandwich, put on my shoes, and hopped in the car. Only 19 more hours in the car until we make it to Glacier, then about 10 more. Two summers ago I got the opportunity to go on an amazing trip out west with my family to Montana, Wyoming, and Washington. During this trip we stopped at so many different parks and places. I got to see the Tetons, Glacier National Park, Mt. Rainier, Yellowstone, the Hoh Rainforest, and so much more. While we were on this trip we camped everywhere we went, and only stayed in hotels if we couldn’t find an open camp site near us. When we did have a campsite the maximum time we would stay there was two nights, so I got really good at setting up and taking down camp very quickly. Also during this trip I got to see tons of new landscapes that I've never been able to before. The whole entire trip I was in awe of the world around me. It was probably the most time I've been in the outdoors for that many days in a row, and I loved every second of it. When the trip was over and I got back home all I wanted to do was go back and be able to hike and explore the world around me. Even when I was at home I spent every second I could outside so that I could feel the same way I did on that trip. Since then I’ve never stopped thinking about it, and it’s brought me to understand that I would really enjoy having a career where I get to learn and understand the Earth around me. The Earth is certainly a very, very, important place and I want to do all that I can to help keep it safe and healthy. Going on that trip opened my eyes and made me realize that there is much more to life, and to live it to the fullest you need to be out exploring what you have around you. I’ve always loved playing outside for as long as I've been alive. At my old house we had a line of willow trees and my favorite thing to do was climb them and pick corn off the cob from the neighboring farms. When I was hungry I would go to the raspberries we had growing and eat them or some of the rhubarb that was alongside them. With a career in environmental sciences I would be able to continue helping nature and the other Earth around it. I’ve always been inspired by the environment around me and I hope to be able to help it thrive as I grow into my life. I want to be able to actually do something to help the Earth, and not just say I wish I could do something. With a degree in environmental science, I would be able to do just that, and I could spread more awareness and voice what needs to be done to help keep the Earth alive. I would be able to help the great people that are already doing this, and that would be the most fulfilling thing I could do with my life. I want to be able to do all that I possibly can to care for nature and how we affect everything around us.

I am not the type of person who does a lot of extracurriculars, or who steps up in school to participate with fundraisers or tutoring. I have done my fair share of volunteering, which I actually really enjoy, but besides that there isn’t a whole lot. I can’t say for certain but I’m sure most people would write about their great accomplishments, or something that pivoted their life greatly and how they overcame it. I don’t have anything like that either though. Sure I have some things that could probably work, but really who doesn’t? I could write about how my parents got divorced and how my dad was an alcoholic. I could write about how I was depressed in 9th grade, or how my grandpa killed himself this past year, and about how my best friend tried to. I could even write about how I am not a trust fund kid, or that my parents won’t help with tuition and I have to work a job to try and save up enough. I could also write about how I’ve taken advanced classes, and college classes to try and get a bit ahead. There are so many things I could write about, but none of them have put a grip on me and made me want to write about them. What I really want to write about is what I’m passionate about, and that would have to be art. Art is such a broad subject, yet it’s one that anybody could have a heart for. I think the reasoning behind that is because it is such a freeing thing to have the pleasure of doing. The way that you are able to create anything you think of as long as you put in the time and effort to get it done is amazing. One of my absolute favorite forms of art is pottery on the wheel. I think the reason I love it so much is because it is a very tedious art where you have to be careful to not slip even one finger wrong or it could ruin your whole project. That is the best part of it all though, because every time you mess up you get to learn something new, and create something even more beautiful. With art it isn’t always about how pretty and well defined your piece turns out, it’s about the process of it all and the way it makes you feel. I think that everyone in life needs to have something that they are in love with, where they can put their whole being into doing what they enjoy. The point of life shouldn’t be about getting good grades, and having a job that pays a lot of money. What it should be about is finding joy in what you do, and doing your very best to keep that passion and joy alive. I think I’m very fortunate to understand this while I’m still young, and that gives me hope. I think art is a peek into the mind of others, and I would love to be able to share what I see in my head, and others too. Art isn't just about making a pretty piece and calling it good, it's about the process and how what you create reflects yourself and how you see the world around you.

I am not the type of person who does a lot of extracurriculars, or who steps up in school to participate with fundraisers or tutoring. I have done my fair share of volunteering, which I actually really enjoy, but besides that there isn’t a whole lot. I can’t say for certain but I’m sure most people would write about their great accomplishments, or something that pivoted their life greatly and how they overcame it. I don’t have anything like that either though. Sure I have some things that could probably work, but really who doesn’t? I could write about how my parents got divorced and how my dad was an alcoholic. I could write about how I was depressed in 9th grade, or how my grandpa killed himself this past year, and about how my best friend tried to. I could even write about how I am not a trust fund kid, or that my parents won’t help with tuition and I have to work a job to try and save up enough. I could also write about how I’ve taken advanced classes, and college classes to try and get a bit ahead. There are so many things I could write about, but none of them have put a grip on me and made me want to write about them. What I really want to write about is what I’m passionate about, and that would have to be art. Art is such a broad subject, yet it’s one that anybody could have a heart for. I think the reasoning behind that is because it is such a freeing thing to have the pleasure of doing. The way that you are able to create anything you think of as long as you put in the time and effort to get it done is amazing. One of my absolute favorite forms of art is pottery on the wheel. I think the reason I love it so much is because it is a very tedious art where you have to be careful to not slip even one finger wrong or it could ruin your whole project. That is the best part of it all though, because every time you mess up you get to learn something new, and create something even more beautiful. With art it isn’t always about how pretty and well defined your piece turns out, it’s about the process of it all and the way it makes you feel. I think that everyone in life needs to have something that they are in love with, where they can put their whole being into doing what they enjoy. The point of life shouldn’t be about getting good grades, and having a job that pays a lot of money. What it should be about is finding joy in what you do, and doing your very best to keep that passion and joy alive. I think I’m very fortunate to understand this while I’m still young, and that gives me hope. I think art is a peek into the mind of others, and I would love to be able to share what I see in my head, and others too. Art isn't just about making a pretty piece and calling it good, it's about the process and how what you create reflects yourself and how you see the world around you.

I am not the type of person who does a lot of extracurriculars, or who steps up in school to participate with fundraisers or tutoring. I have done my fair share of volunteering, which I actually really enjoy, but besides that there isn’t a whole lot. I've volunteered for a few things, but my all time favorite thing to volunteer for is the Breast Cancer Walk For Hope. This walk is set up y the Clearwater travel plaza, and my aunt is one of the main people there, so she gets to plan it and help set it up. They have volunteers that come and help set everything up too, and I'm proud to say I am one of them. It is actually a very fun experience, and I get to enjoy it with my family. I do many different things to help with it, like giving out t-shirts, setting up tables and chairs, face painting, giving out donuts and coffee, blowing up balloons, and some other activities as well. I think it's really important that we do all that we can to help people who have cancer, and this is a good way to do so. I have known many people in my life that have had to deal with cancer, and two of the close people are my grandma and one of my aunts. I like to volunteer there to spend time with my family, but also because I know that what I'm doing can potentially help someone in the long run. I can’t say for certain but I’m sure most people would write about their great accomplishments, or something that pivoted their life greatly and how they overcame it. I don’t have anything like that either though. Sure I have some things that could probably work, but really who doesn’t? I could write about how my parents got divorced and how my dad was an alcoholic. I could write about how I was depressed in 9th grade, or how my grandpa killed himself this past year, and about how my best friend tried to. I could even write about how I am not a trust fund kid, or that my parents won’t help with tuition and I have to work a job to try and save up enough. I could also write about how I’ve taken advanced classes, and college classes to try and get a bit ahead. There are so many things I could write about, but none of them have put a grip on me and made me want to write about them. What I really want to write about is what I’m passionate about, and that would have to be art. Art is such a broad subject, yet it’s one that anybody could have a heart for. I think the reasoning behind that is because it is such a freeing thing to have the pleasure of doing. The way that you are able to create anything you think of as long as you put in the time and effort to get it done is amazing. One of my absolute favorite forms of art is pottery on the wheel. I think the reason I love it so much is because it is a very tedious art where you have to be careful to not slip even one finger wrong or it could ruin your whole project. That is the best part of it all though, because every time you mess up you get to learn something new, and create something even more beautiful. With art it isn’t always about how pretty and well defined your piece turns out, it’s about the process of it all and the way it makes you feel. I think that everyone in life needs to have something that they are in love with, where they can put their whole being into doing what they enjoy. The point of life shouldn’t be about getting good grades, and having a job that pays a lot of money. What it should be about is finding joy in what you do, and doing your very best to keep that passion and joy alive. I think I’m very fortunate to understand this while I’m still young, and that gives me hope. It's a really difficult thing to decide what to do with your life at such a young age, yet we have to do it anyways. I've always wanted to be a teacher forever but that's changed recently. I've really been thinking about doing something along the lines of pottery for my career. It's so hard to decide for sure though because half the people I talk to tell me that I should try and go after art, but the other half say it's a waste of time and that I'll never make enough money. I get where both sides are coming from, but I don't think that art is a waste of time, I do however want to make enough money to have a living. I have never cared about money that much but I do want to be able to have a livable wage, and pursuing art may not get me there all the way. I also think that it's very important to do something you love for your life though. I will never catch myself holed up in a office cubical staring at a screen all day. I would rather be a bum than do such a thing. I want to get out into the world and explore what it has to offer, I want to live a fulfilling and rich life full of enjoyment. I think that art could really be the way to get that done, and the way to be happy.

It was 2:50 in the morning when my mom woke me up to leave. It was painfully early but I didn’t even care since I was so excited. I jumped out of bed, got quickly dressed, downed a sandwich, put on my shoes, and hopped in the car. Only 19 more hours in the car until we make it to Glacier, then about 10 more. Two summers ago I got the opportunity to go on an amazing trip out west with my family to Montana, Wyoming, and Washington. During this trip we stopped at so many different parks and places. I got to see the Tetons, Glacier National Park, Mt. Rainier, Yellowstone, the Hoh Rainforest, and so much more. While we were on this trip we camped everywhere we went, and only stayed in hotels if we couldn’t find an open camp site near us. When we did have a campsite the maximum time we would stay there was two nights, so I got really good at setting up and taking down camp very quickly. Also during this trip I got to see tons of new landscapes that I've never been able to before. The whole entire trip I was in awe of the world around me. It was probably the most time I've been in the outdoors for that many days in a row, and I loved every second of it. When the trip was over and I got back home all I wanted to do was go back and be able to hike and explore the world around me. Even when I was at home I spent every second I could outside so that I could feel the same way I did on that trip. Since then I’ve never stopped thinking about it, and it’s brought me to understand that I would really enjoy having a career where I get to learn and understand the Earth around me. The Earth is a very important place to us, as most people should know. However we as people take it for granted and don't give it the love it deserves. I think that people who care about the Earth and try to keep it healthy should spread the word more. Of course they're trying, but the problem is the fact of the people who won't listen. There isn't a whole lot we can do about ignorant people, but we can still continue to try and get them to listen, and to bring awareness. I want to be able to actually do something to help the Earth, and not just say I wish I could do something. With a degree in environmental science, I would be able to do just that, and I could spread more awareness and voice what needs to be done to help keep the Earth alive. I would be able to help the great people that are already doing this, and that would be the most fulfilling thing I could do with my life. I want to be able to do all that I possibly can to care for nature and how we affect everything around us.

When I was younger and my parents were still together we weren’t wealthy people by any means, I wouldn’t even say we were middle class. That’s alright though because I had everything I could’ve needed. Later in life my mom remarried to this guy that she met called Travis. Through my life he has taught me that there will be no help in my future for getting my way around life and that I need to be able to figure things out myself, and that if I want something to happen, I am the only one who can make it happen. I am a broke highschooler, and even though I have a job it doesn’t pay a whole lot of money. I would say I am a good saver, because I really only spend my money on gas, phone bills, car insurance, and occasionally some presents for my friends. However, I don’t have nearly enough to cover college expenses, but honestly who does? I want to be able to make a living for myself when I'm older and I want to be able to provide for a family I have one day. A way to make this happen is my getting a degree and learning about what I want to do with my life. To be able to achieve this though, I am going to need financial help, and I will do all that I can to try and make myself successful. Due to the fact that I will be learning off of scholarships and my own money, I will be sure not to waste it and get the fullest education I can to succeed in my passions. If I had this scholarship it would give me much more time to focus on my studies, instead of having a job that I need to worry about so that I can stay in school. I know from the job I have right now how important it is to have a steady flow of income, and being able to attend this college with a scholarship would help me to get a job where I could earn a steady income. By getting a scholarship it would push me to do my very best so that I am able to afford the education I need to give back to the future around us. I think it's important for everyone to have a fair chance at doing good in life, and it's completely unfair that it costs so much to do so. I think we as a country need to figure that problem out also, that way everyone can do their best and be the best that they can be.

What I want to write about is what I’m passionate about, and that would have to be art. Art is such a broad subject, yet it’s one that anybody could have a heart for. I think the reasoning behind that is because it is such a freeing thing to have the pleasure of doing. The way that you are able to create anything you think of as long as you put in the time and effort to get it done is amazing. One of my absolute favorite forms of art is pottery on the wheel. I think the reason I love it so much is because it is a very tedious art where you have to be careful to not slip even one finger wrong or it could ruin your whole project. That is the best part of it all though, because every time you mess up you get to learn something new, and create something even more beautiful. When you make art there is no right or wrong to what you do. That is a phrase that is very overworked, but I think that is because it is a true statement that people can find comfort in. I want to be able to make people feel passion and intensity to do what they love when they see what I can do. It doesn't have to be art related for them, but as long as they have something they truly love doing, then I want to make them feel the complete joy of it. With art it isn’t always about how pretty and well defined your piece turns out, it’s about the process of it all and the way it makes you feel. I think that everyone in life needs to have something that they are in love with, where they can put their whole being into doing what they enjoy. The point of life shouldn’t be about getting good grades, and having a job that pays a lot of money. What it should be about is finding joy in what you do, and doing your very best to keep that passion and joy alive. Even though it is a risky and tough occupation, in the end it is all worth it to be able to share your mind with people. Art is far more important than people can even realize. Whether people notice it or not, art is everywhere around us. It doesn't have to be deliberate art, but even there pattern of the light shining, or the way places are decorated is art. Art is everywhere and anywhere, and that is what makes it so important and special. By making art you can more easily bring this to peoples attention, and that could very possibly make them happier and have a better outlook on life.