The first time that I ever performed on a stage was on my seventh birthday. It was our school's talent show that my mother convinced me into participating in. She noticed that I loved singing around the house, which was (and still is) true, and thought it would be a good idea for me to share my talent with others. I was always a shy girl growing up, so I was reluctant at first, but ended up giving it a shot, because at the end of the day why not? During my first rehearsal, I was very scared. But once I started singing, all that fear, anxiety and overthinking vanished. It was like I was a completely different person. People seemed to enjoy my singing as well, and it was in that moment that I knew that this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Make people happy with my music. I ended up joining my middle school's choir and select choir, and participated in the annual singing competition they held throughout my three years in middle school. I actually ended up placing third my first year of competition, which was a very huge deal at the time. It was very rare for a sixth grader to place ahead of seventh and eighth graders according to my teachers who congratulated me, so that made me feel very confident in myself. As I entered high school, I continued to pursue choir, select choir, and ended up joining the acapella group and drama club. I managed to earn a few solos during my time in these groups, and ended up winning Best High School Soloist 2023 during my senior year of high school at Music in the Parks, located at Hershey Park, PA. It was time for me to apply for colleges my senior year, and I really wanted to pursue music. Unfortunately, my parents were not supportive of this decision, causing me to defer my first semester of college (Fall 2023) and work full time to be able to support myself. My hard work paid off, and I was able to attend Montclair State University as a Music Education major during the Spring 2024 semester. I paid for my tuition and board by myself at 18 years old, without having to take out any additional loans. It is now the Fall 2024 semester, and instead of worrying about one semester, I need to worry about an entire school year. This scholarship would help me immensely. I would be able to pursue my career without the burden of student loans and debt. I plan on becoming a music teacher at an elementary school, and give hope to future generations through the magic of music.

August 2022 was when I started my senior year of high school. During this time, everyone was making their college lists and applying. I was scared and reluctant- I desperately wanted to go to college, but I knew my parents would not support my major. I've always wanted to be a music teacher at an elementary school, as well as give private vocal lessons and perform. However, my parents have always told me that I will be a nurse or anything in the medical field. Deep down I knew that's simply not what I wanted to do. I've never expressed any interest in that field, but I still applied and committed to Centenary University for Health Sciences, because that's what my parents wanted. As time went on, I started to seriously think about my future and my career path choice. Would I be happy 10 years from now? Sure, I'd potentially have the money, but would I be happy was the real question. No matter how many ways I tried to put it, the answer was plain and simple: no. I would not be happy 10, 20, or even 30 years down the line. This was not my passion- music was. It always has been. What kind of example would I be setting for my younger siblings, my future children, and even myself if I didn't at least try to give Music Education a shot? It's better to try and fail than to not try at all. So I withdrew completely from Centenary University and started applying to public colleges in New Jersey for their music programs. My parents were very disappointed. I love them, but it gets to a point where you must put your best interest first, and that's exactly what I did. The two schools I focused on were TCNJ and Montclair State University, where I ended up getting into both Music Education programs. I ended up choosing Montclair State University and committing there. Everything was going well, until two weeks before move in day when my parents decided that they were not going to help me out financially after receiving my bill. I was devastated. I had to defer because I had no idea what to do- I was 18 and clueless. My main focus was to just work. Work, work, and work. I needed to save up, because I did plan on going to school. My plan at first was to take a full gap year, but I ended up applying for the spring. There was no point in me waiting an entire year because I already knew what I wanted to do in school, so what did I need an entire year for when I could've just went after a semester off? And that's exactly what I did. I ended up moving in January 14th, and started classes on the 16th. Even though I've only been there for a semester, it was the best first semester I could've asked for. I learned so many things about music that I could never teach myself. I learned what it's like to be independent. I learned that this was the place I was meant to be. I fought so hard to get in, and I finally did. I felt so accomplished. Now with the new school year approaching, I still am willing to fight to be there, but that starts with financial help. Everyone deserves to be in college, regardless of their financial situation. Passion leads to success, and this is my passion. I know that this is what I'll want to be doing until I retire.

What exactly is mental health, and why is yours, mine, & everyone else’s important? Mental health refers to your emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It captures how you think, feel, and act in certain situations. Good mental health is being able to deal with the stresses of life, work productively, maintain positive relationships, and make important decisions in a positive manner. It is extremely important to take care of your mental health, just like you would your physical health. Since we are all human, our mental health won’t always be perfect. Life throws obstacles at us that may be too much to handle at times. Due to that, we may not be able to know how to cope or manage our stress, leading us to turn to unhealthy habits and patterns, such as substance abuse, social withdrawal, or self harm. You can also notice someone’s mental health deteriorating if they show signs of sadness & depression, anxiety & excessive worry, mood swings, social withdrawal, etc. Now, what can we do when you, I, or someone we love is in this state? It is always important to prioritize your self care and include healthy habits into your daily schedule. Some methods I use when my anxiety is too much to bear at times is journal, go on walks, go to the gym, read, and meditate. Journaling is an excellent way to express your emotions. Most of the time, we don’t want to talk about how we feel in fear of being a burden to others, or because we feel like our problems aren’t that important to be talked about, or in fear of being judged. Journaling lets you fully release how you feel in a save and private place. This is not to discourage anyone from talking to anyone about how they feel, however it’s a good method to use if you want to write down your goals and hopes for the future. You can journal about absolutely anything, and that’s what I love the most about journaling! Going on walks and meditating teaches you to live in the moment, and appreciate the world around you right now. Usually, anxiety is spiked by future worries. Incorporating these two methods into your daily routine relaxes you, and is a great reminder that everything will be okay. Reading is a great alternative to being on your phone or electronics; I’ve noticed that social media tends to make my anxiety worse at times, and whenever I get the urge to mindlessly scroll on Instagram or TikTok, I simply pick up a book and start reading. You can learn a lot from reading! Going to the gym pushes you to be the best version of yourself. The feeling of accomplishment after a workout makes you feel motivated and want to do more. Not to mention, it’s a great way to incorporate physical health into your lifestyle! In conclusion, mental health is an important factor of overall health and well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act, and has a significant impact on physical health and societal well-being. By realizing the importance of mental health and taking steps to promote and maintain it, all of us can live healthier and more fulfilling lives.

If I could have everyone in the world read just one book, it would be All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven because it teaches the audience an important lesson about letting a person have the freedom to grieve. This book takes place in modern-day Bartlett, Indiana, and it is centered around two teenagers, Finch and Violet. Violet had lost her older sister the year prior due to a car crash, which she survived. She had been struggling immensely with this loss, which convinced her that the only way to end this pain was to end her life. She climbed up to her school's bell tower, where she met Finch. Theodore Finch, also known as just Finch, was an artistic boy who lived with his mother and two sisters. His father was a retired hockey player who left his family to marry a younger woman and was physically and emotionally abusive towards Finch. He was also considered a "freak" at school, being bullied consistently. Finch's family did not understand his depression, causing him to feel isolated. He struggled with undiagnosed bipolar disorder, causing him to have extremely high highs and the absolute lowest of lows. He was on that bell tower when Violet came up. He talked her out of suicide, and ever since then, he was in love. Finch insisted that he and Violet should be partners for their school project. At first, Violet was hesitant about it, and him, but as time passed she realized that she truly liked this boy. They were in love. Finch taught Violet how to live again. Violet was the light of Finch's life. He saved her, but he could not save himself. He ended up disappearing for a month and sent goodbye messages to the people who meant the most to him, including Violet. Violet realized that he had taken his own life at the river. The book ends with her swimming in that same river, giving her a sense of peace. This book taught me to enjoy my life while I still can. Violet and Finch's story had a tragic ending, but the time that they had together was beautiful. They helped each other in ways that no one else could. The people who seem the happiest to you may be the ones going through the worst. Take the time out of your day to check in on your loved ones.

The books I have read have taught me how to have courage and be kind. Reading has also taught me how to be present and in the moment. When I was younger, I was a passive reader. I would read all day every day, and I would stay up late at night just to finish a book. I was reading one chapter book per day. As I got older, I started to lose my passion for reading. I got consumed by digital media. I replaced my books with my phone. I started being on my phone all the time, and staying up on it. I realized that this was dangerous and extremely detrimental to my mental health. Social media started to take over my life, and as time passed I realized that I started to develop anxiety. I would compare myself to people on the internet and try to be like them. I became insecure. I hated the way my body looked because I would see pretty, thin models with not a roll in sight. They had clear skin and seemed to be living the perfect life. I thought to myself, why can't I be like them? What was wrong with me? I did some soul-searching and realized that I was wasting my life. I have this entire world in front of me that is beautiful. There is so much more to life than an electronic one. I decided to limit my screen time and even put a timer on my phone giving me certain times to be on it and be off of it. Eventually, I will not need the timer anymore, and hopefully, it will be a habit to stay off of my phone. Whenever I feel the urge to go on my phone, I pick up a book, and it makes me feel so much better. In conclusion, books have helped me shape my goals by making me realize that our world is such a big and beautiful place and that we have to do a better job of appreciating it more. Life is too short to be wasting all of your time on your phone. Pick up a book! Write a story. Go for a walk, draw a picture, make a painting, and do some yoga. Go on a hike, and hang out with friends. Spend time with your family, just go out and enjoy the world while you have it.

I believe that being the eldest, first-generation American daughter of two Kenyan immigrants has played a beneficial part in who I am today. Seeing the way my mom stepped up and decided to raise my three younger siblings and me once she and my father divorced inspired me. She is what drives me to do more. Seeing her unconditional love for us, and the fact that she is willing to work overnight shifts as a nurse just so she can afford to take care of us, makes me want to further my education and be the best I can be at following my dreams and making them become a reality.

As a child, growing up with two parents who did not love each other was extremely deteriorating my mental health. When you are young, every child would like to believe that their parents are soulmates. Fortunately, this is the case for some, but unfortunately, it was not for me. I tried convincing myself that they were for the longest time and that it was normal for couples to argue, which is true-- but not to the point where law enforcement has to come to your house, or not to the point where you as the eldest sibling have to take your siblings out of the house because their arguments became too heated for them, and you, to listen to. No matter how hard I tried to sugarcoat it for myself, it just was not normal. The separation happened in August 2020, and the divorce was finalized in December 2021. Even though I saw it coming, it still hit me extremely hard. I had to transfer schools and leave all of my friends behind without saying goodbye due to the pandemic. My sophomore year of high school was extremely difficult because of this. Instead of socializing and making new friends, I was forced to be in my room, rotting. Literally. The person I once was, was slowly starting to slip away. My eating and sleeping habits were disrupted. I was pulling all-nighters and sleeping during the day, barely eating one or two snacks to keep me "sustained." My GPA dropped immensely, and if I had missed one more day of school, I most likely would have been held back. I had no motivation to do anything. The things that made me happy did not anymore. I was a broken record. I lost hope. I was quite literally at my lowest point. Junior year approached, and I was scared. I barely had any friends from school yet, so I thought that this year would have been a repeat of sophomore year, which I did not want. I was wrong. I decided to join some new clubs, such as the drama club, the human rights club, and my school's acapella group, and I ended up making the best of friends. They do not know it, but they saved my life. If I had not pushed myself to pursue what made me happy, to rediscover the joy I once had, who knows where I would be today?

My dream version of my future self is someone who is genuinely happy.

When you are a child, you are often young and naive. This has to do with the fact that you are not old enough to see the world as it truly is and looks at everything in a positive light. To make things simple, you see the world through rose-tinted glasses. Isn't that such a beautiful way to look at things? Sometimes, ignorance is bliss. Unfortunately, as we get older, we start to see the harsh reality of things. The world is not as perfect as we thought it was when we were children. Hatred and violence surround us wherever we go. It is up to us to take a stand and make a difference not only in our communities but in the entire world. I plan to make a positive impact on the world by becoming a music therapist. When I performed in my first talent show on my seventh birthday at school, I instantly fell in love with the world of music and what it had to offer. Ever since then, I have been involved in everything that includes music. In fourth grade, I joined my school's choir, and in middle school, I took choir as a class and joined the select choir. In high school, I continued taking choir as a class for all 4 years and joined the select choir and acapella group. I won Best High School Soloist at Music in the Parks 2023. When I truly love something and am passionate about it, I will work as hard as I can to excel in it. Music therapy was my calling. I have always known that no matter what I did with my future, music would be involved. I have always been adamant about how important music truly is in our world. The fact that I can genuinely help people with music in a professional setting means so much to me. I plan to focus my career on helping young kids. As the oldest sibling and working at a daycare, I have always been excellent at working with kids and taking care of them. With my dedication and perseverance, I truly believe that I can make a difference in this world. I want to move to California once I'm out of college and financially stable enough to possibly get a job at a hospital. I would love to work alongside a speech therapist and help shape the minds of young people!

My family and friends have supported me the most in reaching my educational goals. From preschool to second grade, I attended private school. During that time, my parents were the ones who funded my education. They had consistent and long talks with me about how serious school and my education was growing up, and they inspired me to work hard in my academics. In fourth grade, I ended up transferring to public school and remained there for the rest of my school career. It was a very different setting than a private school, and I was a bit intimidated by it. I was a shy kid, but public school helped me become a more outgoing person. I ended up making friends and creating relationships that I still have to this day. Middle school was a trying time for me. There was a lot of drama, and I ended up losing some of my friends for a while. I was sad a lot of the time, I was not finding happiness in my hobbies anymore, and I started sleeping a lot. My grades started to deteriorate. My parents noticed this and grew worried. They told me that it is important to choose your friends wisely, cherish your family, and prioritize your education. This advice helped me through middle and high school. I noticed as I got older, the fewer close friends I had, which was fine with me. Freshman year was fun until the pandemic hit. It negatively impacted my mental health. I had to transfer schools before my sophomore year started, due to my parents' abrupt separation and divorce. Like middle school, I was back at my lowest point again, except it was even worse. Due to COVID regulations, we obviously could not go outside, therefore I was in my room most of the time. Transferring schools during a pandemic was hard enough, but the fact that I could not socialize and make new friends was even worse. I was isolated and alone. I failed a class, and almost used all my absences. Things started to look up during my junior year of high school. I joined more clubs, met more people, and put myself out there more. Since my mental health was better, I was motivated to put more effort into my school work. I had A's and B's for the most part. Sometimes I'd have a C in math, but way better than a D or an F. The most important part was that I tried my absolute best.

It is important to help others because it creates a sense of belonging. Helping others face-to-face can help us form important, life-lasting relationships and connect with our community. It makes us more socially active and gives us a sense of well-being. Helping others may also give you a sense of purpose-- helping others can make you feel rewarded, fulfilled, and empowered. Giving to others, especially to ones who are less fortunate than you, can educate you and put things into perspective about what people go through in the world. People are more likely to perform acts of kindness and generosity after seeing others do the same. This positive effect can inspire dozens of individuals to make a difference within their communities. Helping others alleviates loneliness and improves our social lives greatly. You can learn how to help yourself. It can give you a sense of optimism you've never had before. You can have greater self-esteem than before, and gain more confidence. You will become an overall more positive person, which will help form strong friendships and bonds that will last a lifetime. You can be an inspiration to your friends and peers. Most importantly, your outlook on life will change for the best. You will become more optimistic. Helping others is good for society and contributes to the overall health of the community. People don't seem to realize that their actions affect everyone else's lives. The more people get involved in their community, the stronger the community becomes. You can help make the world a better place. If everyone did their part to make life easier for others, our lives could be so much more enjoyable than they already are. When you help someone, it does not go unnoticed or unappreciated. It is so important to make a difference in someone else's life. You can make them smile and feel loved. Sometimes the little things matter the absolute most, and that person you impacted will always think of you in such a positive way. They will always look up to you and appreciate you. If you show kindness and compassion for others in your daily life, you may find that your family, friends and peers may want to make a positive impact, just like you. Helping others shows people that we care about the needs of others and that we are willing to do whatever it takes to help them.

A time when I faced a setback was when my parents abruptly separated in August 2020, causing me to move schools and leave all my friends without saying goodbye. I was completely heartbroken by the whole thing. Sure, my parents' relationship was never perfect, but for some reason, I always had a lingering thought in the back of my mind that perhaps one day they would set aside their differences and we could become a normal, happy family. Every young child likes to think of their parents as soulmates. Unfortunately, that was not the case, and the divorce was finalized in December 2021, when I was sixteen years old. I could not eat or sleep. Adjusting to a new home and school life, with a pandemic happening at the same time, was extremely detrimental to my mental health. I could not socialize due to the COVID regulations, so I had no choice but to rot away in my room for the entirety of my sophomore year of high school. I stopped enjoying the things that once made me happy. I had lost all hope. That all changed when my junior year started. Regular school was back, I was able to socialize and make new friends, I joined new clubs, and I took music more seriously. Life was amazing. Senior year was even better. I sang a solo with Ben Fankhauser, who is a Broadway star! I ended up winning Best High School Soloist at Music in the Parks. I figured out what I wanted to do with my life, and I was accepted into Montclair State University's music therapy program, which is where I will be attending this fall. I could have let my parents' divorce affect me to the point where I damaged my future, but I did not. I used that pain as newfound motivation that I did not know I had before. This experience taught me that no matter what life throws at you, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel, no matter how long the darkness may seem. This experience encouraged me to use my experience to inspire other people. It motivated me to become a better sister, a better friend, and a better daughter. It motivated me to become the best version of myself. It strengthened my relationship with God and taught me what hope and faith truly is. Most importantly, I am happy now.

I plan on attending Montclair State University this fall with a major in Music Therapy. According to Psychology Today, "Music therapy is a form of treatment that uses music within the therapeutic relationship to help accomplish the patient’s individualized goals. This evidence-based approach involves techniques such as listening to, reflecting on, and creating music under the guidance of a trained music therapist." Music is beneficial to mental health because it contributes to relaxing the mind, enhancing intelligence and focus, and helping people manage pain. As a music therapist, I would be a helping hand to all who need it and not turn anyone down.

There are two things that I had always been certain about; that I will go to college, and that I will do something music related. As senior year started inching closer, I started having doubts about what I wanted to do. My entire family urged me to go into the healthcare field as a nurse, and I considered it at one point, but I knew that career path was not for me. Same with health sciences. They are both reliable choices, but in the long run, was I really going to be happy with myself if I didn't at least try to follow my dreams? At the time, I was already committed to Centenary University for Health Sciences, but after doing some reflecting, I realized that this was not the life I wanted. My true happiness came from music. I refunded my deposits in full and decided to look at other colleges. At first, I planned on doing Music Education, so I applied to The College of New Jersey and got accepted into that program. Then, I realized I did not want to be a music educator, but a music therapist. Even though I did not want to be a nurse, the healthcare field has always been an interest of mine. I took HealthSciences in high school. It was the perfect career for me. I could use my skills to assist and help others in need, and I could work with all ages. There are only two colleges in New Jersey with that major; Rowan and Montclair. At first I looked at Rowan but I missed the deadline, so I ended up applying to Montclair a few weeks shy of the deadline. The music program is extremely difficult to get into, with it being at the same level as other prestigious colleges, so the fact that I got in says a lot. I plan on using my degree to be a mentor to other people in my community, and I hope my story inspires others.

I am the eldest daughter of two Kenyan immigrants. When I was three years old, my parents enrolled me in a private school in Sayreville, New Jersey. I was in private school up until fourth grade when I ended up moving and transferring to public school for the rest of my elementary, middle, and high school education. It wasn't until I started public schooling that I realized how different you can be treated due to the color of your skin. I was the only black girl in my classes until third grade. My mother used to perm my hair so I wouldn't get bullied or ridiculed. Growing up, I always wanted long and silky hair like my white classmates. I never realized until recently that I was dealing with a lot of insecurities as a black girl in a predominately white school. I never had any black teachers until I started going to public school. As time progressed, I realized what a relief it was to finally be surrounded by people who looked like me. I did not have to pretend to be someone I was not, and I was finally comfortable in my skin. Although this was a good change for me, I started to realize how differently black students were treated from white students. My parents taught me to always be vigilant and aware of my surroundings, and what to do if I ever had a run-in with a police officer, because we are targetted. The school district I was attending at that time was sued for segregating the buildings and putting students of color in "lower" classes, while white kids were put in the high honors classes. Moving into that area opened my eyes to the reality of the world and what people of color truly face simply for being who they are. We have our struggles and adversities, but being a black woman in America has taught me a lot about strength and perseverance. It has shown me how to be a hard worker, and how to hope. Sometimes life can be tough and you may start to lose faith, but there is always a light at the end of the tunnel, no matter how long the darkness is. It has taught me how to be a leader and inspire others, and I hope to do that with this scholarship award to help pay my funds and earn my degree so I can help make the world a better place.

My name is Crystal Maoga. I am the eldest daughter of two Kenyan immigrants, making me first generation American. My parents ended up separating when I was fifteen and finalized the divorce when I was sixteen, so my siblings and I ended up moving with my mom. Raising four kids by yourself amid a pandemic while being a healthcare worker working overnight shifts sounds very stressful, but my mom managed to do it without complaining ever. She did it with grace and compassion. My mother showed me what true and unconditional love is. Even though she was tough most of the time and we had our fair share of arguments, at the end of the day I truly would be lost without her. She has always been able to give us rides to wherever we needed, she shows up to all of our events (my sisters play basketball, and I am in choir and theatre) even if she is tired and has work that evening because as a mother she knows that it is her responsibility to show up. She taught me that even though life may throw you a lot of obstacles, you must persevere and not give up. She taught me that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel, no matter how long the darkness may seem. She taught me what hope and courage was. My mother is my biggest defender, even if I do get on her nerves sometimes and make her mad, at the end of the day I know that she loves me and I love her. No matter what, she will always have my back. My mother immigrated to the United States in 2000. She has thirteen other siblings! She worked, learned how to drive, went to school, and had me. She took some time off to raise my siblings and me, but in the end, she ended up getting her nursing degree. She inspires me to chase after my dreams, no matter how big they seem, anything is possible if you dare to try. She came to America for more opportunities, and for that, I will forever be thankful. I hope to inspire my future children the same way my mother inspired me. I want them to know that no matter what career path they choose to take, I will support them because the meaning of life is to do whatever makes you happy.

My name is Crystal Maoga. I am the daughter of two Kenyan immigrants, making me first generation American. I am the eldest child. I have three younger siblings. I have one brother and two sisters who are twins. I was born on May 17, 2005, in Bayonne, New Jersey. At the time, we lived in Jersey City. We ended up moving to Dallas, Texas in late 2006, and my younger brother was born in the summer of 2007. We then moved back to New Jersey and lived in Sayreville for a bit, which is when I started going to school. We moved to Perth Amboy while my brother and I were still attending that same school, and my little sisters were born in the summer of 2012. We then moved to Washington, New Jersey, where I was still attending private school, but my brother started public. This was due to the cost of private school. It became too much, so we moved to Maplewood, New Jersey, where we resided for six years. I started public school, and my parents ended up separating in 2020, causing my siblings and I to move back to Washington with my mother, and my father to move back to Sayreville. Adjusting to a new home life and new school amid the pandemic was very debilitating for me to handle as a fifteen-year-old girl. I could not sleep or eat. I was at the lowest part of my life. I found myself again in my junior and senior years when I started to focus on the one thing that truly made me happy; music. I rejoined the select choir and the acapella group at school, I ended up singing a solo with Ben Fankhauser, and I won Best High School Soloist at Music in the Parks! I plan on attending Montclair State University this fall with a major in Music Therapy. I plan on working alongside a speech therapist with younger kids. I work at a daycare and adore working with children. I think it probably has to do with the fact that I have my younger siblings! I am a good leader with kind and compassionate qualities. I genuinely listen to whoever has a problem and offer real solutions. No one is ever scared to approach me. I hope to inspire and help people through my career path. Most of all, I hope to make other people happy.

I have demonstrated leadership at school, home, and work. I am the oldest sibling. I have three younger siblings. My brother is two years younger than me, and my sisters are seven years younger than me. Growing up I would help my mom take care of them since my dad was working a lot. I will not fault or shame him for it, my parents are immigrants, making my siblings and me first-generation Americans, and for anyone to make it anywhere in this world, you must work. I give my younger siblings advice on anything they might need, and teach them right from wrong. As a leader, you should be kind and encouraging, not aggressive and mean. Being compassionate gets you very far. I practice this a lot at my job; I work at a daycare. I have worked with all age groups, such as infants, toddlers, pre-schoolers, 7 to 9-year-olds, you name it! It can be very trying sometimes, but it teaches you a lot about patience and fairness, which is something you need as a true leader. The main reason my students say they look up to me is because I am kind and genuinely listen to what they have to say. At school, I was able to make a name for myself. I was mostly known for my achievements in the choir program and singing. When I am truly passionate about something that I love, I will do whatever it takes to excel in that field. I would ask for advice whenever I would have any problems, and my peers would do the same thing. A true leader is not ashamed to admit when they are wrong. A true leader is willing to learn from their mistakes and grow as a person. After all, we are only human. We are bound to mess up from time to time. It is the way you react to any obstacle given to you that speaks volumes about your character. Being the eldest sibling and working at daycare has taught me a lot about leadership qualities, and I am so glad that I have been able to impact many young lives as an eighteen-year-old girl. I hope that you will consider me for this scholarship. I plan on using this money to pay off my college funds so I can have the future I have always dreamed of; being able to help people.

My name is Crystal Maoga. I was born on May 17, 2005 in Bayonne, New Jersey, to Gladys and Clifford Maoga. My parents are both immigrants from Kisii, Kenya. My mother immigrated here in 2000, and my father in 1997. I am their firstborn child, as I have a younger brother, Clive, who was born on August 27, 2007 in Dallas, Texas, and two twin sisters, Courtney & Chloe, who were born on July 16th, 2012 in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Growing up, I moved a lot as a kid, as you can tell-- I was born in Bayonne, but lived in Jersey City. When I was two years old, we moved to Dallas, Texas, where Clive was born. When we moved back to New Jersey, that's when I started going to school. We moved to Sayreville, New Jersey, and I attended Our Lady of Victories from pre k to second grade. We then moved to Washington, New Jersey, where I attended Good Shepherd Christian Academy for one year in third grade. In 2014, we moved to Maplewood, New Jersey, where we resided for six years until 2020. Not only did I move a lot growing up, I also grew up with two parents who did not love each other. My parents would often get into intense arguments, which sometimes led to law enforcement coming to our house. When this would happen, I would take my siblings outside. There's no reason for young children to watch their parents fight, especially when you're at that age where you think your parents are soulmates. The divorce hit me hard, even though I saw it coming. Moving schools and adjusting to a new home life while dealing with a pandemic on top of it was debilitating for 15-year-old me. I did not sleep. I could not eat. I rotted away in my room. I was at my absolute lowest. Things got better my junior and senior year of high school. I joined drama club, re-joined select choir and made it into the acapella group, sang with Broadway star Ben Fankhauser, and won Best High School Soloist at Music in the Parks! I am attending Montclair State University as a Music Therapy major this fall. I am determined to do whatever it takes to pay it off and earn that degree. I want to help people, and this career path allows me to do so. This money would be my first step and I hope you consider me.

A time when I demonstrated tenacity was when my parents got divorced. My parents were never really the "ideal" couple, per say-- my entire life, I've only ever saw them either ignore each other completely, or get into extremely heated arguments that have led to law enforcement coming to our house. Since I am the oldest sibling, it was my job to shield my siblings from their debaccles. I would have to bring them outside, or take them to the park just to distract them from the fact that our parents did not love each other. When you are a young child, you'd like to think that your parents are soulmates. Even though mine were not, I always had this small slither of hope, that maybe, just maybe, one day they will work out their differences and we could be a normal, happy family. Unfortunately, that was not the case, and has not been for quite some time. They separated in 2020, when my siblings and I went to live with our mom, and finalized the divorce a year later. Moving schools during the pandemic was one of the hardest things of my life. It's one thing to move schools, but adjusting to a new home life on top of that is even harder. I was quite literally at my lowest point. Being isolated from the world and not being able to make friends during one of the hardest times of my life was one of the loneliest things I had ever experienced. I do not even remember my sophomore year of high school because of this. I did not enjoy it, I was merely trying to survive. I could not sleep and was rotting away in my room. I did not enjoy singing anymore, which was my everything. Music was me. Junior year approached, and I was a bit scared and tenacious. This was the first semi normal school year. No more online school. I mean, we did have to wear masks, but that was not a big deal for me. I was still in choir, but I decided to join drama club. I had been putting it off for quite some time, due to fear holding me back, but I finally decided to pursue it. I did the musical and loved every second of it. I joined select choir and made it into our acapella group as well. I made new friends and gained a new sense of confidence. Junior year was amazing. Senior year was even better. I made new friends and became a mentor to my underclassmen peers. I won Best High School soloist at music in the parks. I sang a solo with broadway star Ben Fankhauser! Most importantly, I decided to follow my dreams and pursue a career in music. So, you see, if I let the affects of my parents divorce get to me three years ago, I would not have been where I am today. I decided to use that pain as motivation.

I discovered my love for music on my 7th birthday. It was the day of our school's talent show, and my mom urged me to perform a song, since I always loved singing around the house and in the shower. I decided to give it a go, because what 7 year old girl wouldn't want to be the main focus on stage for a good 3 minutes? As soon as I got on that stage and started singing the song from my favorite Barbie movie, I instantly knew that this is what I wanted to do. In third grade I transferred schools. There were no music programs at the school that I went to. It was really small, and not a lot of students attended it, so that could be the main reason why. A lot of schools do not have strong arts programs because of this very reason. But I still kept on singing at home, and in the shower. Fourth grade came along, and I ended up transferring schools again. This was my first time in a public school-- I had attended private school the years prior, so this was a whole new setting for me. I saw that this school had a choir program. In public school, everyone is required to take music whether you liked it or not, but this was big news for me, considering how much I loved it. I ended up doing choir for the rest of elementary school, performing in the talent shows as well. In middle school I made it into the select choir program during seventh grade (you were eligible for auditioning at that time) and eighth grade. I participated in our singing competitions and ended up placing third when I was in sixth grade, winning a gift card prize. I was super proud of myself! I placed above a lot of people who were more experienced than me. I sang soprano in sixth and seventh grade, and alto in eighth and ninth grade. Freshman year of highschool came, and I was still in choir. Unfortunately, this was when the pandemic hit, so I ended up losing half of my freshman year. This caused me to lose my passion for music for a bit. I then ended up transferring schools my sophomore year, due to my parents divorce. This took a really big toll on me. I almost considered not doing choir my sophomore year, but I decided to continue doing it, because I needed it. That was the best decision of my life. Sophomore year I was involved in select choir for a bit, but ended up leaving due to not being able to attend classes in person.I was still in the choir class, but online. Junior year I rejoined select choir, and even made it into our acapella group. My senior year was my best year. I was selected to sing a solo with Ben Fankhauser! I also ended up winning Best High School Soloist at music in the parks. I hope to become a musician that inspires other people and encourages them to never give up.