f I could have everyone in the world read one book it would be "Square One: Back to the Basics" by Dr. Adam Mcclendon. This book brings hope, can help disciple people, and includes intriguing examples. First, this book brings hope. Hope is a confident expectation. As humans we need hope. Hope is what carries us through the trials and tribulations of life. True hope is found only in the gospel and the promises of God. This book starts by sharing the gospel and how this brings us peace with God. This book ends by sharing the eternal life we are given and the eternal joy we will have. I read through this book with others and many were given hope by reading this book. Second, this book can help disciple people. Discipling is teaching someone to follow something or someone. This book is teaching people how to follow Jesus. After you know and believe the gospel you are called to follow Jesus. This book takes its readers through the different parts of following Jesus. It teaches its readers how to obey the commands of Jesus and follow the example He set for us. Lastly, this book includes many intriguing examples. The author uses many examples from his own life and others lives. When I read this book with others the examples kept them engaged. When I went back to review the things from the book the kids remembered the examples very well and the concepts that were taught by the examples. These examples were entertining and edifying in many ways.

"Through college for them". That would be the title of my new chapter. I am going through college so I can be the best mentor, counselor, and teacher I can be so I can continue to serve my community. Two years ago, I met with my pastor and asked him what little ways I could help with outreach. He listed many things, one of which was an afterschool program they were about to launch. I eagerly stepped into the role of a helper in this ministry. As time went on, the person in the leadership role of the afterschool program slowly stopped leading the program. As he stopped leading the program I started taking it over and I have now, for over a year, been running this junior high after-school program. This involves me filling many roles. One role is communication in which I am responsible for social media and individual communication. I text our students when we have events, go to the jr high to spread the word, and post everything on our social media. A second role is coordination, from timing to budgeting to volunteers I oversee all of the big and small things that go into running the after-school program. A third role is mentorship, this is everything from weekly conversations with students, texts at one in the morning from students in distress, counseling students through hard situations, and having coffee or dinner with a student to hear about their life. A fourth role I fill is teaching, I teach a lesson twice a week most weeks and so much time and planning is involved in the teaching process. Many other roles go into this program that I help with such as cleaning, shopping, graphic design, transportation, and more. This has been my passion this year and it has been such a joy and a privilege to be involved in this afterschool program. Last school year we started with two students, and we have now had well over one hundred students come through our doors and receive a meal, be mentored, have a safe space to hang out, and more. So, as I enter a new year and begin college it is all so I can continue to love and serve these students and others well.

I have taken a few steps to be involved in my community more this year. The main thing I have had the privilege of doing to be more involved in my community this year is running a jr-high after-school program. Two years ago, I met with my pastor and asked him what little ways I could help with outreach. He listed many things, one of which was an afterschool program they were about to launch. I eagerly stepped into the role of a helper in this ministry. As time went on, the person in the leadership role of the afterschool program slowly stopped leading the program. As he stopped leading the program I started taking it over and I have now, for over a year, been running this junior high after-school program. This involves me filling many roles. One role is communication in which I am responsible for social media and individual communication. I text our students when we have events, go to the jr high to spread the word, and post everything on our social media. A second role is coordination, from timing to budgeting to volunteers I oversee all of the big and small things that go into running the after-school program. A third role is mentorship, this is everything from weekly conversations with students, texts at one in the morning from students in distress, counseling students through hard situations, and having coffee or dinner with a student to hear about their life. A fourth role I fill is teaching, I teach a lesson twice a week most weeks and so much time and planning is involved in the teaching process. Many other roles go into this program that I help with such as cleaning, shopping, graphic design, transportation, and more. This has been my passion this year and it has been such a joy and a privilege to be involved in this afterschool program. Last school year we started with two students, and we have now had well over one hundred students come through our doors and receive a meal, be mentored, have a safe space to hang out, and more. A second way I have taken steps to be more involved in my community this year is by coordinating outreach to the apartment complex near our church. I have had the joy of putting together baskets of supplies for every new tenant who moves in. In addition to this, I was given the privilege of coordinating a back-to-school bash to try to provide an event for this apartment complex and the privilege of getting to coordinate providing a month's rent, food, and Christmas gifts for a struggling single mom in this complex and her son. I cannot take any credit for this, all of the glory goes to God and if He has not loved me first, I would not be taking these steps to love others. But I am so grateful He has allowed me to take many steps to be more involved in blessing and loving my community well.

I have had many wonderful opportunities to exercise my ability to lead. From being the leader of our school’s community service club, to being on Hope Squad , to participating in student council, being a FCA leader, running outreach and encouragement ministries, being a camp counselor, running an afterschool program, and more there have been many wonderful things placed in my life, and which I get to grow my ability to lead. The largest opportunity that I have had to grow my ability to lead has been getting to lead a junior high after school program. Two years ago, I met with my pastor and asked him what little ways I could help our church. He listed many things, one of which was an afterschool program they were about to launch. At first, this greatly grew my ability to help. As a leader sometimes one of the greatest skills we can develop is the ability to be a helper. Being in the shoes of a helper for a period of time allows us to empathize with those who are under our leader ship, and make sure we are leading them well. Many experiences, as a helper have led me towards changing the way I lead. I desire to treat the helpers under my leader ship as I wanted to be treated as a helper under someone else’s leader ship. Often there is an over focus on leader ship that leads to the neglect of those who are being led. As time went on, the person in the leadership role of the afterschool program slowly stopped leading the program. As he stopped leading the program I started taking it over and I have now, for a year and a half, been running this junior high after school program. From this one skill I have learned is patience. I have learned to be patient with those I am leading. Another skill that I have learned is time management. I have learned how important it is to. Consider others first even when you are busy. I am learning to be willing to set aside things that are important to me in order to serve those who I am leading well. I have learned to pay attention to the needs of each and every student that is under me. Lastly, I have learned to make sure those who I am leading do not feel like they are lesser than but that they are a extremely important part of the afterschool program. I have learned to let those who I am leading know that they matter greatly, and their opinions matter greatly.

I have always had a desire to help others. Looking back in a journal from when I was 19, I recently noticed that in my list of things I’m grateful, for I put the ability to help others. It is such a blessing to be able to help others, and there are many blessings that lead to being able to help others better. One of these blessings for me would be college. Going to college would help me prepare for my career. Which would then help me be able to help others. My current career is running a junior high after school program. Every Tuesday and Thursday after school junior high students walk over to my afterschool program to have a meal, learn, play games, have a safe space, be mentored, and have community. I am currently 18 and this is something that I hope to continue on past high school, and college, getting a scholarship towards my college would make it more possible for me to continue to give up 20+ hours of my week in order to run this afterschool program, the time that a scholarship saves me also helps me to invest more time into one on one discipleship and mentorship with the young girls in our afterschool program. Another desire that I have, for my future is to be in classical educator. I would love to be a teacher because of the great opportunity. Teachers have to help others. A Pastor recently mentioned that other than parents people report teachers as having the greatest influence on their life. This influence can either be one that is positive, hope bringing, and life changing for the good, or can be a negative influence that hurts, the student rather than loving them well. My desire is to be a teacher and in that too love my students well, and have them to know that they are loved and cared for deeply. By making a positive impact on the next generation, and giving them hope, and helping them to know that they are loved and cared for, I will be able to help the world. The next generation is the future of this world in the impact made on them will be important for generations to come. A scholarship would have a huge impact on my ability to help others and change the world through the next generation. A scholarship would allow me to give more of my time, resources, and energy towards the kids that I care so deeply for.

There will be no school tomorrow. There will be no school for the next two weeks. You will not go back to school this year. I remember the day we went home excited and weary that there was no school the next day due to covid-19 shut downs. My mom and I went to Kroger after she picked me up from school. Many isles were empty and there was an Erie feeling in the store. It was at Kroger that we got a call that we would not have school the next two weeks. Weeks turned into months with no church, no school, and no clubs, and so on. I looked forward to talking to people on zoom. We quarantined from my dad, my friends, and more. Those months in 2020 were months of isolation, confusion, sadness, but oh so much learning. After a year of doubting God, a year of navigating the next phase of life, a year of losing friends, and a year of wondering what life’s purpose was this supposed trial became a season of incomparable growth. Majority of the time during Covid-19 was spent building faith. For two years I has questioned what I knew about God. As I studied, read, watched, listened, asked questions, and searched the word I began to see that what I had been taught about God lined up with both science and history. God is proven faithful in science and history. He is the creator of science and history. Some of my time was learned discovering my purpose. I was anxious and depressed. I was terribly fearful of the future and anxious about what my purpose was. Every morning I would contemplate the “American dream” I so dreaded. I was saddened as I thought my purpose could be summarized by going to school, going to school more, working, and then dying. During this time, through the help of the Holy Spirit and the scriptures I came to realize that God’s plan for my life is so much greater. He has made me his child and I will get to spend eternity in His perfection. I also have been set apart for His purpose here on earth. God has a good plan for my life for my good and His glory. This also was a season of coming to know the true gospel. I had grown up in legalism and indirectly believed that I had to earn my way to heaven. During Covid-19 I learned that Jesus is the only way to heaven. I could not save myself, I didn’t need to save myself. The only way I could be saved was by repenting and believing in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. This took an enormous burden off of me and gave me joy and peace where I once had anxiety and depression. This led to more learning and growth as I learned more about who God is and what Jesus has done. Though this was a hard time to persevere through especially with added anxiety and depression God helped me persevere. I made it through that season of hardship by the grace of God. He helped me grown through it, learn through it, become more like Jesus through it, find joy and peace through it, and so much more.

One reason I am proud to be an American is because of the constitution America holds to. America’s constitution is wise and proven successful. We can see that the constitution is wise and proven successful by looking at some of the amendments. First, take a look at the first amendment. The first amendment is for the freedom of religion, press, speech, assembly, and petition. This amendment is at the core of America not falling prey to communism. If we truly maintain freedom in these areas then we cannot have one power overruling others and the power lies in the people. This was one of the main goals of the founding fathers and they were wise to put this amendment into place. They did an outstanding job discerning the helpfulness of this amendment. This amendment has proven successful for many many years because America has held back any type of government except for the democratic republic they intended for it to have. Second, take a look at the second amendment. The second amendment is the right to bear arms. This Second Amendment has allowed citizens to have the choice to protect themselves and their families for many years. This was a wise way for the founding fathers to give power to the citizens while the citizens are still controlled by laws preventing them to misuse this amendment (such as laws against murder). This has proven successful by preventing aggressive, violent dictators from coming to power as well as accomplishing many other things. There are many other amendments that show that the constitution was wise and proven successful. The current state of our country, though it does have its flaws is a testament to the wisdom and successfulness of our constitution and I am proud to live in a country that has this constitution. One change I would like to see in this country is a change in the education of children. Children are being trained to go against this very constitution this country is built on. Children are not being taught to think critically. The public school systems have been great for many years but the same instrument that had helped the next generations of America for years is now being used to hurt it. I desire to help make a change in education by becoming a classical Christian school teacher. Classical Christian schools teach kids to think critically. They teach kids the true history of America so we can learn from it and apply it to America now. They also teach that Jesus is Lord if everything and this is what our country was founded on and needs to continue in. In God we trust. My passion is for the next generation and I would love to help them by teaching them truth. My hope is to one day start a classical Christian school. I would love to provide education for kids of parents who what their kids to learn truth. I want to come alongside parents in the training if their children. I want to do this for the good of our nation and the glory of God.

Shaping little minds, training others to follow Jesus, and learning to love God more by the power of Christ.

Going to the gym at 4 am, eating four candy bars, and taking a nap. That was the solution (or lack of solution) I had to my fatigue, insomnia, hormonal imbalance, and other health problems. These things did not help me to feel better. I needed to increase my quality of life. Through Instagram I stumbled upon the so-called "crunchy community" and from there my health journey began. The first major change I made was a change in diet. My diet changed slowly. I started by avoiding high fructose corn syrup and food dye. These changes were very beneficial to my health. I then decided to decrease my intake of partially unsaturated fatty acids. After much research, I found out that these oils could have negative effects on my health. I then gave up msg. After reading about the harmful effects it can have I thought it was well worth saying goodbye to. I then started trying to eat my produce based on the EWG clean fifteen and dirty dozen. Anything that was not on the clean fifteen I only ate organic. Later I cut out all foods as much as possible that were genetically modified. A second major health change I made was detoxing. After doing a bioresidence scan I found that I was not correctly absorbing nutrients and that was playing a major role in thyroid, hormonal, integumentary, and sleep issues. I then did cell core's phase one detox. This detox along with sweating outdoors and using a sauna helped me to better absorb the nutrients I need and detox the toxins I don't need. A third major change I made was in the supplements I took. I switched to all nonsynthetic supplementing and eating real whole foods to get the nutrients I need. I was then better able to absorb these things and thus my quality of life improved. I was getting the nutrients my body needed to function properly. The last major health change I made was slowing down and settling down. For a while, these health changes consumed a lot of my thoughts, time, and energy. Though that was very helpful at the time and necessary to my health and wellbeing a time came when it was better to slow down. It was better to eat the nonorganic strawberry than not eat it at all. I have learned a lot about my health and made many changes that have had a tremendous impact on my life.

The things about college that excite me the most are preparing for my career, learning new things, and being able to use my degree to help others. First, I am excited to prepare for my career. I aspire to one day be a teacher, do ministry, or start a school. My degree will help me accomplish one or more of these things. This will help me know what to do and how to do it when I enter my career. Second, I am excited to learn new things. Many of the classes I may get to take are things I would love to learn about. I am excited to get to learn about things I have a passion for and interest me. These new things will be so good to know for my daily life and help me to gain more knowledge and hopefully more wisdom. Third, I am excited to be able to use my degree to help others. I cannot work at or own a school if I do not have my bachelor's. If I am able to get my bachelors I will be able to help kids. I love kids so much and have a passion for their education and well-being. I will maintain a healthy body, mind, and soul through even in the face of challenges in school. I hope to do this by supporting my body through food, managing hormones through supplements and detox, exercising, reading the Bible, and spending time with other believers. First, in order to support my body through food I will make sure I eat even when the stresses and time crunches of college make it difficult. I will strive to eat unprocessed foods even when the convenience of processed foods is tempting. Second, I will manage my hormones through supplements and detox. During college many stressors are at play. I will take natural remedies to stress as well as make sure I detox from toxins that may increase stress. Third, I will exercise. With the time commitment I will be taking on of working and going to college I may not have time left over for exercise. I will make time for exercise by double tasking or managing my priorities. Fourth, I will read the Bible. Meditating on the truths of scripture helps me to remember who God is and rest in that. I am reminded of the promises of God and that gives me unwavering hope. I am also reminded of what God has done and that my purpose is to glorify Him on this earth and that helps me to keep working hard in college. Fifth, I will spend time with other believers. Fellowship with like-minded people is crucial to my mind, body, and soul. I will carve out time and be intentional to spend time with fellow Christians along with nonbelievers.

If I could have everyone in the world read one book it would be "Square One: Back to the Basics" by Dr. Adam Mcclendon. This book brings hope, can help disciple people, and includes intriguing examples. First, this book brings hope. Hope is a confident expectation. As humans we need hope. Hope is what carries us through the trials and tribulations of life. True hope is found only in the gospel and the promises of God. This book starts by sharing the gospel and how this brings us peace with God. This book ends by sharing the eternal life we are given and the eternal joy we will have. I read through this book with others and many were given hope by reading this book. Second, this book can help disciple people. Discipling is teaching someone to follow something or someone. This book is teaching people how to follow Jesus. After you know and believe the gospel you are called to follow Jesus. This book takes its readers through the different parts of following Jesus. It teaches its readers how to obey the commands of Jesus and follow the example He set for us. Lastly, this book includes many intriguing examples. The author uses many examples from his own life and others lives. When I read this book with others the examples kept them engaged. When I went back to review the things from the book the kids remembered the examples very well and the concepts that were taught by the examples. These examples were entertining and edifying in many ways.

In 7th grade, my school's levy failed. The sports programs and building projects went on but they decided to cut advanced classes. I considered homeschool but decided to stay one more year because I had been elected president of my community service club, was given a spot on the hope squad, and was chosen as one of our fellowship of Christian athletes leaders. As the year went on I was bored in my classes, wasting my time relearning things I had already learned or learning things too slowly. I was one of the advanced placement students who had their classes cut. The next year I was able to start being homeschooled and am still homeschooled to this day. At a young age, I tested gifted. I know how it feels to not get to use your potential to the fullest. I know how it feels to have your education placed below other things. I know how it feels to have your time wasted by slowly learning or relearning concepts. I know how it feels to have a heart and mind beyond your years and be misunderstood for that. Once I was homeschooled I learned how it felt to be challenged. I learned how it felt to learn things at my pace and according to my intellect. I learned how it felt to be understood even with a mind and heart beyond my years. I desire to use my personal experience to benefit other gifted people. I want to go to college to become a classical Christian teacher. My hope is to one day start a classical school. Classical education is a method of education that has been largely abandoned in the western world but is time-tested. Classical education abandons common core, learning just for a state test, and the traditional education model. In turn, it focuses more on the student and their abilities. It teaches them not just what to think, but how to think. This educational method is advanced and its focus on the student would be extremely beneficial to a gifted student. Not only is classical education beneficial to a gifted student on its own but I will also strive to use my experiences to help gifted students. I will give them the chance to be understood, appreciated for their gifts, and taught accordingly. I would love to get additional teacher training on how to work with gifted children and put that into action in my classroom and school. I also will teach my students the virtues that Lieba so amazingly displayed. Kindness, boldness, justice, love, and peace will all be emphasized in my classroom. I will teach kids to put others before themselves and help others. I am looking forward to being able to benefit gifted children socio-emotionally and intellectually by using both my experience and my career field. Lieba's story reminds me of my own and of the story I know many gifted children have. I am eager to understand the giftedness in both the heart and minds of students and to come alongside them as they grow- a little faster than others. I am inspired by Lieba to make sure I help gifted children. This scholarship will put me one step closer to being educated to educate the next generation of gifted children.

I’ve come a long way from my American Girl Doll “A Smart Girls Guide: Money”. My whole life I have tried to wisely make,spend, and save money. As the years have gone on this has gone from a hobby and something fun to think about to a necessity. Three ways I am educating myself financially are reading, learning from others, and taking a personal finance class. First, I am reading to improve my financial literacy. One book I have read is “Whose Money Is It Anyway?” by John MacArthur. This book dove into spending, saving, and giving. It first helped the reader gain the right perspective on money. It taught that we are to remember that all money is a gift from GOD. Money is not something to be idolized but is something we must be good stewards of. It then talked about how healthy money habits should flow from a right view of money. It then outlined healthy money habits to follow. Second, I am learning from others which is helping me become more educated financially. Others who are wiser than me and have had good financial practice are very useful as resources. I am able to ask them questions when financial decisions arise. I have outlined people I can talk to such as my grandpa who is well prepared for retirement, my parents who have payed off their house, and our friend who works for a mortgage company. Third, I am taking a personal finance class to increase my financial literacy. For this class I get many types of financial training. I have learned about retirement funds, insurance, stocks, mortgages, student loans, saving, spending, and so much more. I have gained valuable experience from a stock market simulator, budgeting project, personal financial interview, and mutual fund project. I have also read two financial textbooks which both have a lot of valuable information. With the education I gain from these resources I plan to help others financially. One way I plan to do this is by passing this knowledge to my future children. A second way I plan to do this is by using it to engage wisely in financial conversations with my friends. A third way I plan to use this is to teach my future students if I am able to become a teacher. I am very grateful for all of the ways I am being educated financially. Reading, learning from others, and taking a personal finance class are all steps towards being more financially literate. I hope to continue to gain more knowledge and wisdom financially.