My name is Elijah Trumbo, and I am a Sophomore at Virginia Tech. From a very young age, I was taught to appreciate and respect our great planet and the resources that it provides for us. My father has been a very strong influence in fostering that appreciation and respect. My Dad often took me outdoors as a child; we went hiking, fishing, hunting, and camping. While on these trips, he often repeated the same phrase, "Leave No Trace." This is the basic idea of leaving the wilderness in better shape than you found it. My Dad and I are active gardeners and built a compost bin in our back yard to reuse materials. For one of my birthdays, my dad gave me a book that I could use to identify all kinds of different plants. As a result, I have always enjoyed the process of identifying different plants while on hikes. Every Easter, he would include flower seeds in my Easter basket that I could plant outside and nurture. I have said this information because I feel it is important to highlight the ways that my dad helped and taught me as I grew up. My Dad also introduced me to the Boy Scouts of America organization which has been a major part of my life. Through scouting, I was able to continue learning about the activities that I love such as camping, cooking, hiking and swimming. I was also able to learn an abundance of new things, including knot tying, first aid, and chess. The skills and knowledge that I learned during my years in scouting are what I use to survive today. As a child, my dad always signed me up for any sport I showed interest in. When I started playing baseball and basketball, my dad would drive me to everything, and he was always my #1 supporter. As I grew older, I started to gain interest in other activities, like golf and track, which were not my dad's favorite sports, but even then, he supported me more than anyone. While my dad has taught me many things, one of the greatest things he has taught me is how to be a gentleman. Since I could talk, he has disciplined me to always have outstanding manners and chivalry. He would always get on me when I didn't respond with "yes sir" or "yes ma'am," which at the time I thought was annoying, but now I appreciate more than anything. Now, in my everyday life, I pride myself in being polite and trying to go out of my way to help people, because I know even just a small act can be very meaningful. In all, I am the person I am today because of my dad. He is the protector of my family, and he has inspired me in more ways than he will ever know.

My name is Elijah Trumbo, and I am a sophomore at Virginia Tech. In high school I was a member of the golf, baseball, and track teams. I was also a member of Student Council Association, Technology Student Association, International Club, Peer Mentors, and National Honor Society. Both of my parents are special education teachers, so I am a strong proponent for the fair treatment of individuals with disabilities. In general, I strongly dislike bullying of any sort, and I will not hesitate to stand up to a bully. As a child, I thoroughly enjoyed building things and playing with toys that involved the construction of something. As I got older, I participated in workshops to learn about Lego robotics and Computer Aided drafting. I have always known that I wanted to have a career in an area that involved design and construction. In my eighth-grade year, I started to play golf and I immediately fell in love with the sport. I soon realized that I probably did not have a future playing the sport, professionally, but that I wanted to stay close to it. I discovered the career of golf course design and became infatuated. This is a career that combines both of my passions, so I knew this was what I wanted to do. My central career goal is to be able to create accessible golf courses, because I have realized that golf is not easily accessible for people with disabilities. I also want to minor in smart and sustainable cities so that I know how to make my courses better for the environment. When researching the career, I discovered that I would need a degree in Landscape Architecture. The only college that offers this degree in Virginia is Virginia Tech, which, coincidentally, has always been my dream school. So, I set my goal and worked hard in my classes to make sure I had the credentials to achieve admission to Virginia Tech. Eventually I applied, and I got accepted. My only hurdle now is funding my education. My parents had to take loans for my sister's education because she could not pay for them herself. This means that they cannot help me pay for my education. If I am granted this scholarship, I will be able to afford my education and achieve my goals. In turn, I will be able to contribute to society, help the environment and advocate for better access to recreational opportunities for people with disabilities.

For the majority of my life, I've been known as an upbeat and cheerful individual, skilled at lifting others' spirits while maintaining my positive outlook. However, my journey took a turn when I entered college, marking a significant shift in my mental health. While navigating through the rigors of schoolwork and newfound independence, I found myself grappling with mounting stress and anxiety, a stark departure from the carefree days of high school. In high school, despite juggling a demanding course load and an active social life, I never felt overwhelmed. However, the transition to college life proved to be a formidable challenge. The combination of being away from home and confronting academic challenges of a higher magnitude than ever before took its toll on my mental health. Moreover, the weight of personal losses and significant life events added to my emotional burden, further influencing my struggles. Eventually, I found myself slipping academically and withdrawing from social interactions. My once vibrant and outgoing self retreated into the confines of my dorm room, overwhelmed by the weight of anxiety and unresolved grief. Recognizing the need for change, I reached a turning point where I knew I had to take proactive steps to reclaim control over my mental health and well-being. The first crucial step in my journey towards healing was acknowledging my feelings and seeking support from loved ones. Opening up to my parents and friends about my struggles not only provided me with much-needed emotional support but also paved the way for valuable insights and coping strategies. With this newfound motivation, I embarked on a journey of self-improvement and discipline. Integral to my recovery was the establishment of a structured daily routine, which helped me increase my stability and prevent overthinking. Through this routine, I gradually regained a sense of equilibrium and focus. While some of my anxiety still looms, I've learned how to reduce the impacts in my daily life and move on. In essence, my journey through college has been a testament to the transformative power of self-awareness and resilience in the face of adversity. Though challenges persist, I remain steadfast in my commitment to prioritize my mental health and embrace life's complexities with courage and grace. Through self-reflection and the unwavering support of my loved ones, I've discovered that even in the darkest of times, there is always a glimmer of hope and the potential for profound growth.

For the majority of my life, I've been known as an upbeat and cheerful individual, skilled at lifting others' spirits while maintaining my positive outlook. However, my journey took a turn when I entered college, marking a significant shift in my mental health. While navigating through the rigors of schoolwork and newfound independence, I found myself grappling with mounting stress and anxiety, a stark departure from the carefree days of high school. In high school, despite juggling a demanding course load and an active social life, I never felt overwhelmed. However, the transition to college life proved to be a formidable challenge. The combination of being away from home and confronting academic challenges of a higher magnitude than ever before took its toll on my mental health. Moreover, the weight of personal losses and significant life events added to my emotional burden, further influencing my struggles. Eventually, I found myself slipping academically and withdrawing from social interactions. My once vibrant and outgoing self retreated into the confines of my dorm room, overwhelmed by the weight of anxiety and unresolved grief. Recognizing the need for change, I reached a turning point where I knew I had to take proactive steps to reclaim control over my mental health and well-being. The first crucial step in my journey towards healing was acknowledging my feelings and seeking support from loved ones. Opening up to my parents and friends about my struggles not only provided me with much-needed emotional support but also paved the way for valuable insights and coping strategies. With this newfound motivation, I embarked on a journey of self-improvement and discipline. Integral to my recovery was the establishment of a structured daily routine, which helped me increase my stability and prevent overthinking. Through this routine, I gradually regained a sense of equilibrium and focus. While some of my anxiety still looms, I've learned how to reduce the impacts in my daily life and move on. In essence, my journey through college has been a testament to the transformative power of self-awareness and resilience in the face of adversity. Though challenges persist, I remain steadfast in my commitment to prioritize my mental health and embrace life's complexities with courage and grace. Through self-reflection and the unwavering support of my loved ones, I've discovered that even in the darkest of times, there is always a glimmer of hope and the potential for profound growth.

My name is Elijah Trumbo, and I am a Sophomore at Virginia Tech. I have always been an advocate for the upkeep of the environment and wildlife. From a very young age, I was taught to appreciate and respect our beautiful planet and the resources that it provides for us. My father has been a strong influence in fostering that appreciation and respect. My Dad often took me outdoors as a child as we would go hiking, fishing, hunting, and camping. While on these trips, he often repeated the same phrase, "Leave No Trace." This is the basic idea of leaving the wilderness in better shape than you found it. My Dad and I are active gardeners and built a compost bin in our backyard to reuse materials. On one of my birthdays, my Dad gave me a book that I could use to identify all kinds of different plants. As a result, I have always enjoyed the process of identifying different plants while on hikes. Every Easter, he would include flower seeds in my Easter basket that I could plant outside and nurture. My Dad also introduced me to the Boy Scouts of America organization which has been a major part of my life. Through this organization, I was able to continue learning about the activities which I love such as camping, cooking, hiking, and the environment. Through research for my Eagle Scout project, I discovered an old, forgotten cemetery, in my community, that is connected to a Civil War era African American town located right beside it. My Eagle project consisted of restoring/preserving this honored site and the surrounding environment. This process involved activities such as clearing leaves, brush, and trash; building a sign, gate, and bench to accurately identify the site and make it more welcoming for visitors; and, repairing/restoring broken/damaged parts of the cemetery. I have also been involved in other conservation projects through my Boy Scout troop and my school such as picking up trash at the Richmond race track, preservation of Camp Shenandoah, and recycling projects. In addition to these activities, I have earned merit badges in Sustainability, Environmental Science, and Gardening. Even in my desired career, I plan to focus on keeping the wilderness clean and sustainable. My goal is to become a landscape architect with an emphasis on sustainability. I would like to design and create parks, gardens, and public spaces with my end goal of becoming a golf course designer. I want to implement green ideas into the design of my projects so that they are better for the environment. I believe that I can lead by example, as an environmentally conscious architect. I feel that the most critical environmental issue in my area is littering. I find trash along the roads, in the woods, in bodies of water, and even in parks. Nowadays, people are too lazy to take their trash to a trashcan or recycling bin, so they just drop it where they are. This trash ends up in the habitat, or even the body, of wild animals. There are too many instances of animals being caught in trash and dying. I have spent a great deal of time picking up trash that others have left behind. Our earth only has a certain number of resources, and we are burning through them at an alarming rate. I believe that to preserve these resources, we should start using renewable resources like solar power and hydropower. By doing so, we would not only preserve the earth's precious materials, but we would also limit the emissions of harmful gasses into the environment.

My name is Elijah Trumbo, and I am a freshman at Virginia Tech. In high school, I was a member of the golf, baseball, and track teams. I was also a member of the Student Council Association, Technology Student Association, International Club, Peer Mentors, and National Honor Society. Both of my parents are or were educators of individuals with disabilities. Through their example, I learned the value of diversity, kindness, commitment, and hard work, among other things. I also learned that the world is not always fair, and sometimes, one has to advocate and speak up for those who are not always able to speak for themselves. I am a strong advocate for promoting the acceptance of all and extinguishing bullying, a staunch supporter of my community and a steadfast proponent of the preservation of my environment. From a very young age, I was taught to appreciate and respect our great planet and the resources that it provides for us. My father has been a very strong influence in fostering that appreciation and respect. My Dad often took me outdoors as a child. We went hiking, fishing, hunting, and camping. While on these trips, he often repeated the same phrase, "Leave No Trace." This is the basic idea of leaving the wilderness in better shape than you found it. My Dad also introduced me to the Boy Scouts of America organization which has been a major part of my life and has fostered, in me, an appreciation of and joy in serving others. In my eighth-grade year, I started to play golf and I immediately fell in love with the sport. I soon realized that I probably did not have a future playing the sport, professionally, but that I wanted to stay close to it. I have always known that I wanted to have a career in an area that involved design, construction, the environment and helping others. Through the research of different careers inclusive of these characteristics, I discovered the career of a landscape architect. and decided that I wanted to design and create parks, gardens and public spaces with my end goal to become a golf course designer. This is a career that combines many of my passions, so I knew this was what I wanted to do. I want to implement green ideas into the design of my projects so that they are better for the environment. In addition, I want to create golf courses that are more accessible for people with disabilities. I am going to minor in smart and sustainable cities so that I can create courses that are better for the environment. When researching the career, I discovered that I would need a degree in Landscape Architecture. The only college that offered this degree in Virginia was Virginia Tech, which, coincidentally, was my dream school. So, I set my goal and worked hard in my classes to make sure I had the credentials to achieve admission to Virginia Tech. Eventually, I applied, and I got accepted. My only hurdle now is funding my education. If I am granted this scholarship, I will be able to afford my education and achieve my goals. In turn, I will be able to contribute to society, help the environment and advocate for better access to recreational opportunities for people with disabilities.

My name is Elijah Trumbo, and I am a senior at Buffalo Gap High School. I am a strong advocate for the upkeep of the environment and wildlife. From a very young age, I was taught to appreciate and respect our great planet and the resources that it provides for us. My father has been a very strong influence in fostering that appreciation and respect. My Dad often took me outdoors as a child. We went hiking, fishing, hunting, and camping. While on these trips, he often repeated the same phrase, "Leave No Trace." This is the basic idea of leaving the wilderness in better shape than you found it. My Dad and I are active gardeners and built a compost bin in our backyard to reuse materials. For one of my birthdays, Dad gave me a book that I could use to identify all kinds of different plants. As a result, I have always enjoyed the process of identifying different plants while on hikes. Every Easter, he would include flower seeds in my Easter basket that I could plant outside and nurture. My Dad also introduced me to the Boy Scouts of America organization which has been a major part of my life. Through this organization, I was able to continue learning about the activities that I love such as camping, cooking, hiking and the environment. Through research for my Eagle Scout project, I discovered an old, forgotten cemetery, in my community, that is connected to a Civil War era African American town located right beside it. My Eagle project consisted of restoring/preserving this honored site and the surrounding environment. This process involved activities such as clearing leaves, brush, and trash; building a sign, gate and bench to accurately identify the site and make it more welcoming for visitors; and, repairing/restoration of broken/damaged parts of the cemetery. I have also been involved in other conservation projects through my Boy Scout troop and through my school such as picking up trash at the Richmond race track, preservation of Camp Shenandoah, and recycling projects. In addition to these activities, I have earned merit badges in Sustainability, Environmental Science and Gardening. Even in my desired career, I plan to focus on keeping the wilderness clean and sustainable. My goal is to become a landscape architect with an emphasis on sustainability. I would like to design and create parks, gardens and public spaces with my end goal to become a golf course designer. I want to implement green ideas into the design of my projects so that they are better for the environment. I believe that I can lead by example, as an environmentally conscious architect.