My path to knowing that I want to become a nurse is not the normal one, but definitely beneficial in my future nursing career. I discovered a passion for the human body through my experience with a rare genetic condition that I have called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). EDS affects my connective tissue and causes heart, hip, and joint problems, which causes me to be in constant pain and to see many doctors. In the EDS community, we are referred to as "zebras" because we are rare and complex. This rare condition and being gaslighted by some doctors motivated me to learn more about my body and treatments. I took anatomy in high school which I truly loved and helped increase my knowledge of the human body. My first major occurrence with EDS came when I was diagnosed with hip dysplasia. Yes, I had pain and knew something wasn’t right but this motivated me to learn more about the pelvis and femur to understand my hip dysplasia, my pain better. Simply defined, hip dysplasia is when the hip socket is not formed properly, resulting in early-onset arthritis and pain. Funny enough, I thought dogs only had it…clearly not true. According to hip dysplasia experts, 1 in 1000 babies are born with hip dysplasia and I was that 1. My first surgery was in January 2022, my second was in June 2022 and my third will be this February. In my first two hip surgeries, the surgeon broke my pelvis in three places, reshaped it and added four screws; this is known as a Periacetabular Osteotomy (PAO). Sounds like fun senior year, right? On top of that, I went into septic shock and was rushed into emergency surgery. I was then admitted to the PICU at Cincinnati Children's. I will never forget the nurses that saved my life in the ICU and in the Emergency Room. As I recovered from the surgeries, I knew that I was missing pivotal events of my teenage years, but at the same time, I knew it would help me in the long run. Without these surgeries, I could be wheelchair-bound by the age of 30 and unable to do the activities in life I love. My health experiences have caused me to have more doctor appointments and hospital stays than any teenager should. However, in talking to many nurses and realizing the impact they have on their patients, I realized that I wanted to become a nurse, specifically a pediatric nurse. Nurses play a crucial role in patient care, administering medicine and helping with basic tasks, but most importantly, they provide support. I have encountered some excellent nurses and because of these encounters, I have learned what qualities make a nurse stand out and what nurse I want to become. My hip dysplasia and EDS journey has given me a unique perspective that not all nurses have, allowing me to understand better what patients are going through and connect with them on a deeper level. After graduation, I aspire to work as a pediatric surgical nurse at Cincinnati Children's. I am looking forward to the opportunities and experiences that lie ahead in my nursing career, and thanks to EDS and my own health challenges, I know I will be able to form a deeper connection with my patients going through similar situations

My path to knowing that I want to become a nurse is not the normal one, but definitely beneficial in my future nursing career. I discovered a passion for the human body through my experience with a rare genetic condition that I have called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). EDS affects my connective tissue and causes heart, hip, and joint problems, which causes me to be in constant pain and to see many doctors. In the EDS community, we are referred to as "zebras" because we are rare and complex. This rare condition and being gaslighted by some doctors motivated me to learn more about my body and treatments. I took anatomy in high school which I truly loved and helped increase my knowledge of the human body. My first major occurrence with EDS came when I was diagnosed with hip dysplasia. Yes, I had pain and knew something wasn’t right but this motivated me to learn more about the pelvis and femur to understand my hip dysplasia, my pain better. Simply defined, hip dysplasia is when the hip socket is not formed properly, resulting in early-onset arthritis and pain. Funny enough, I thought dogs only had it…clearly not true. According to hip dysplasia experts, 1 in 1000 babies are born with hip dysplasia and I was that 1. My first surgery was in January 2022, my second was in June 2022 and my third will be this February. In my first two hip surgeries, the surgeon broke my pelvis in three places, reshaped it and added four screws; this is known as a Periacetabular Osteotomy (PAO). Sounds like fun senior year, right? On top of that, I went into septic shock and was rushed into emergency surgery. I was then admitted to the PICU at Cincinnati Children's. I will never forget the nurses that saved my life in the ICU and in the Emergency Room. As I recovered from the surgeries, I knew that I was missing pivotal events of my teenage years, but at the same time, I knew it would help me in the long run. Without these surgeries, I could be wheelchair-bound by the age of 30 and unable to do the activities in life I love. My health experiences have caused me to have more doctor appointments and hospital stays than any teenager should. However, in talking to many nurses and realizing the impact they have on their patients, I realized that I wanted to become a nurse, specifically a pediatric nurse. Nurses play a crucial role in patient care, administering medicine and helping with basic tasks, but most importantly, they provide support. I have encountered some excellent nurses and because of these encounters, I have learned what qualities make a nurse stand out and what nurse I want to become. My hip dysplasia and EDS journey has given me a unique perspective that not all nurses have, allowing me to understand better what patients are going through and connect with them on a deeper level. After graduation, I aspire to work as a pediatric surgical nurse at Cincinnati Children's. I am looking forward to the opportunities and experiences that lie ahead in my nursing career, and thanks to EDS and my own health challenges, I know I will be able to form a deeper connection with my patients going through similar situations.

My path to knowing that I want to become a nurse is not the normal one, but definitely beneficial in my future nursing career. I discovered a passion for the human body through my experience with a rare genetic condition that I have called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). EDS affects my connective tissue and causes heart, hip, and joint problems, which causes me to be in constant pain and to see many doctors. In the EDS community, we are referred to as "zebras" because we are rare and complex. This rare condition and being gaslighted by some doctors motivated me to learn more about my body and treatments. I took anatomy in high school which I truly loved and helped increase my knowledge of the human body. My first major occurrence with EDS came when I was diagnosed with hip dysplasia. Yes, I had pain and knew something wasn’t right but this motivated me to learn more about the pelvis and femur to understand my hip dysplasia, my pain better. Simply defined, hip dysplasia is when the hip socket is not formed properly, resulting in early-onset arthritis and pain. Funny enough, I thought dogs only had it…clearly not true. According to hip dysplasia experts, 1 in 1000 babies are born with hip dysplasia and I was that 1. My first surgery was in January 2022, my second was in June 2022 and my third will be this February. In my first two hip surgeries, the surgeon broke my pelvis in three places, reshaped it and added four screws; this is known as a Periacetabular Osteotomy (PAO). Sounds like fun senior year, right? On top of that, I went into septic shock and was rushed into emergency surgery. I was then admitted to the PICU at Cincinnati Children's. I will never forget the nurses that saved my life in the ICU and in the Emergency Room. As I recovered from the surgeries, I knew that I was missing pivotal events of my teenage years, but at the same time, I knew it would help me in the long run. Without these surgeries, I could be wheelchair-bound by the age of 30 and unable to do the activities in life I love. My health experiences have caused me to have more doctor appointments and hospital stays than any teenager should. However, in talking to many nurses and realizing the impact they have on their patients, I realized that I wanted to become a nurse, specifically a pediatric nurse. Nurses play a crucial role in patient care, administering medicine and helping with basic tasks, but most importantly, they provide support. I have encountered some excellent nurses and because of these encounters, I have learned what qualities make a nurse stand out and what nurse I want to become. My hip dysplasia and EDS journey has given me a unique perspective that not all nurses have, allowing me to understand better what patients are going through and connect with them on a deeper level. After graduation, I aspire to work as a pediatric surgical nurse at Cincinnati Children's. I am looking forward to the opportunities and experiences that lie ahead in my nursing career, and thanks to EDS and my own health challenges, I know I will be able to form a deeper connection with my patients going through similar situations.

My path to knowing that I want to become a nurse is not the normal one, but definitely beneficial in my future nursing career. I discovered a passion for the human body through my experience with a rare genetic condition that I have called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). EDS affects my connective tissue and causes heart, hip, and joint problems, which causes me to be in constant pain and to see many doctors. In the EDS community, we are referred to as "zebras" because we are rare and complex. This rare condition and being gaslighted by some doctors motivated me to learn more about my body and treatments. I took anatomy in high school which I truly loved and helped increase my knowledge of the human body. My first major occurrence with EDS came when I was diagnosed with hip dysplasia. Yes, I had pain and knew something wasn’t right but this motivated me to learn more about the pelvis and femur to understand my hip dysplasia, my pain better. Simply defined, hip dysplasia is when the hip socket is not formed properly, resulting in early-onset arthritis and pain. Funny enough, I thought dogs only had it…clearly not true. According to hip dysplasia experts, 1 in 1000 babies are born with hip dysplasia and I was that 1. My first surgery was in January 2022, my second was in June 2022 and my third will be this February. In my first two hip surgeries, the surgeon broke my pelvis in three places, reshaped it and added four screws; this is known as a Periacetabular Osteotomy (PAO). Sounds like fun senior year, right? On top of that, I went into septic shock and was rushed into emergency surgery. I was then admitted to the PICU at Cincinnati Children's. I will never forget the nurses that saved my life in the ICU and in the Emergency Room. As I recovered from the surgeries, I knew that I was missing pivotal events of my teenage years, but at the same time, I knew it would help me in the long run. Without these surgeries, I could be wheelchair-bound by the age of 30 and unable to do the activities in life I love. My health experiences have caused me to have more doctor appointments and hospital stays than any teenager should. However, in talking to many nurses and realizing the impact they have on their patients, I realized that I wanted to become a nurse, specifically a pediatric nurse. Nurses play a crucial role in patient care, administering medicine and helping with basic tasks, but most importantly, they provide support. I have encountered some excellent nurses and because of these encounters, I have learned what qualities make a nurse stand out and what nurse I want to become. My hip dysplasia and EDS journey has given me a unique perspective that not all nurses have, allowing me to understand better what patients are going through and connect with them on a deeper level. After graduation, I aspire to work as a pediatric surgical nurse at Cincinnati Children's. I am looking forward to the opportunities and experiences that lie ahead in my nursing career, and thanks to EDS and my own health challenges, I know I will be able to form a deeper connection with my patients going through similar situations.

My path to knowing that I want to become a nurse is not the normal one, but definitely beneficial in my future nursing career. I discovered a passion for the human body through my experience with a rare genetic condition that I have called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). EDS affects my connective tissue and causes heart, hip, and joint problems, which causes me to be in constant pain and to see many doctors. In the EDS community, we are referred to as "zebras" because we are rare and complex. This rare condition and being gaslighted by some doctors motivated me to learn more about my body and treatments. I took anatomy in high school which I truly loved and helped increase my knowledge of the human body. My first major occurrence with EDS came when I was diagnosed with hip dysplasia. Yes, I had pain and knew something wasn’t right but this motivated me to learn more about the pelvis and femur to understand my hip dysplasia, my pain better. Simply defined, hip dysplasia is when the hip socket is not formed properly, resulting in early-onset arthritis and pain. Funny enough, I thought dogs only had it…clearly not true. According to hip dysplasia experts, 1 in 1000 babies are born with hip dysplasia and I was that 1. My first surgery was in January 2022, my second was in June 2022 and my third will be this February. In my first two hip surgeries, the surgeon broke my pelvis in three places, reshaped it and added four screws; this is known as a Periacetabular Osteotomy (PAO). Sounds like fun senior year, right? On top of that, I went into septic shock and was rushed into emergency surgery. I was then admitted to the PICU at Cincinnati Children's. I will never forget the nurses that saved my life in the ICU and in the Emergency Room. As I recovered from the surgeries, I knew that I was missing pivotal events of my teenage years, but at the same time, I knew it would help me in the long run. Without these surgeries, I could be wheelchair-bound by the age of 30 and unable to do the activities in life I love. My health experiences have caused me to have more doctor appointments and hospital stays than any teenager should. However, in talking to many nurses and realizing the impact they have on their patients, I realized that I wanted to become a nurse, specifically a pediatric nurse. Nurses play a crucial role in patient care, administering medicine and helping with basic tasks, but most importantly, they provide support. I have encountered some excellent nurses and because of these encounters, I have learned what qualities make a nurse stand out and what nurse I want to become. My hip dysplasia and EDS journey has given me a unique perspective that not all nurses have, allowing me to understand better what patients are going through and connect with them on a deeper level. After graduation, I aspire to work as a pediatric surgical nurse at Cincinnati Children's. I am looking forward to the opportunities and experiences that lie ahead in my nursing career, and thanks to EDS and my own health challenges, I know I will be able to form a deeper connection with my patients going through similar situations.

Community service is at the heart of who I am, and my Eagle Scout Project was definitely my most significant community service activity. After learning about food insecurity in the Cincinnati area, I thought, what if there was a way for our neighbors to access food even when the local food pantry is closed? It came to me that if I built a blessing box, a wooden structure that holds non-perishable foods, those that need food could access food whenever they need it. To complete this, I needed to raise money. I asked community members for donations and raised $700 for this worthy cause. I worked side by side with Inter Parish Ministry (IPM), the food pantry supporting the box, to determine their needs and wants in this box and then created the blueprint. I then went to a local building company that taught me the skills needed to build the Blessing Box so I could guide other scouts on the day of my project. There were over 20 scouts and volunteers from my troop that I recruited and managed. This project consisted of constructing the blessing box, cleaning up the food pantry grounds, and landscaping the area to make it more welcoming for clients. I also organized a food drive to collect items for the Blessing Box, so it was well-stocked for weeks. I had never managed a group of volunteers this large and learned how to delegate tasks. Everyone has different strengths and I wanted to ensure I used the correct volunteer for the right job. Since IPM is only open during certain hours and some people cannot come during those times to get food, the Blessing Box allows clients to access food whenever they need it. It has been over two years since this Blessing Box was built and it continues to be used daily. One of the most impactful moments of this journey was when a client left a note in the box. After taking the food they needed, they left a note that read, “I love this and I love all of you.” This project will be at IPM for years to come and will continue to be there for our neighbors in need. While building and managing this project was highly impactful for me, knowing that this Blessing Box will have a positive impact on my community for years to come is the true blessing.

Community service is at the heart of who I am, and my Eagle Scout Project was definitely my most significant community service activity. After learning about food insecurity in the Cincinnati area, I thought, what if there was a way for our neighbors to access food even when the local food pantry is closed? It came to me that if I built a blessing box, a wooden structure that holds non-perishable foods, those that need food could access food whenever they need it. To complete this, I needed to raise money. I asked community members for donations and raised $700 for this worthy cause. I worked side by side with Inter Parish Ministry (IPM), the food pantry supporting the box, to determine their needs and wants in this box and then created the blueprint. I then went to a local building company that taught me the skills needed to build the Blessing Box so I could guide other scouts on the day of my project. There were over 20 volunteers from my troop that I recruited and managed. This project consisted of constructing the blessing box, cleaning up the food pantry grounds, and landscaping the area to make it more welcoming for clients. I also organized a food drive to collect items for the Blessing Box, so it was well-stocked for weeks. I had never managed a group of volunteers this large and learned how to delegate tasks. Everyone has different strengths and I wanted to ensure I used the correct volunteer for the right job. Since IPM is only open during certain hours and some people cannot come during those times to get food, the Blessing Box allows clients to access food whenever they need it. It has been over two years since this Blessing Box was built and it continues to be used daily. One of the most impactful moments of this journey was when a client left a note in the box. After taking the food they needed, they left a note that read, “I love this and I love all of you.” This project will be at IPM for years to come and will continue to be there for our neighbors in need. While building and managing this project was highly impactful for me, knowing that this Blessing Box will have a positive impact on my community for years to come is the true blessing. Here is a video of this Blessing Box and its impact: A Community Blessing - Ella Willett

Community service is at the heart of who I am, and my Eagle Scout Project was definitely my most significant community service activity. After learning about food insecurity in the Cincinnati area, I thought, what if there was a way for our neighbors to access food even when the local food pantry is closed? It came to me that if I built a blessing box, a wooden structure that holds non-perishable foods, those that need food could access food whenever they need it. To complete this, I needed to raise money. I asked community members for donations and raised $700 for this worthy cause. I worked side by side with Inter Parish Ministry (IPM), the food pantry supporting the box, to determine their needs and wants in this box and then created the blueprint. I then went to a local building company that taught me the skills needed to build the Blessing Box so I could guide other scouts on the day of my project. There were over 20 volunteers from my troop that I recruited and managed. This project consisted of constructing the blessing box, cleaning up the food pantry grounds, and landscaping the area to make it more welcoming for clients. I also organized a food drive to collect items for the Blessing Box, so it was well-stocked for weeks. I had never managed a group of volunteers this large and learned how to delegate tasks. Everyone has different strengths and I wanted to ensure I used the correct volunteer for the right job. Since IPM is only open during certain hours and some people cannot come during those times to get food, the Blessing Box allows clients to access food whenever they need it. It has been over two years since this Blessing Box was built and it continues to be used daily. One of the most impactful moments of this journey was when a client left a note in the box. After taking the food they needed, they left a note that read, “I love this and I love all of you.” This project will be at IPM for years to come and will continue to be there for our neighbors in need. While building and managing this project was highly impactful for me, knowing that this Blessing Box will have a positive impact on my community for years to come is a true blessing. Here is a video of this Blessing Box and its impact: A Community Blessing - Ella Willett

Since I have severe dyslexia and ADHD, school has always been a challenge for me. My dyslexia made it difficult for me to understand concepts, read, and comprehend texts, which made my school experience miserable. However, I discovered a passion for the human body through my experience with a rare genetic condition called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS). EDS affects my connective tissue and causes heart, hip, and joint problems, which causes me to be in constant pain and to see many doctors. In the EDS community, we are referred to as "zebras" because we are rare and complex. This rare condition and being gaslighted by some doctors motivated me to learn more about my body and treatments. My parents and I have taken an active role in guiding my treatment, and my knowledge of human anatomy has been very beneficial. For example, when I had hip surgery, I learned about the pelvis and femur to better understand my hip dysplasia. Through my experiences with numerous appointments and hospital stays, I realized that I want to become a nurse, specifically a pediatric nurse. Nurses play a crucial role in patient care, administering medicine and helping with basic tasks, but most importantly, they provide support. I have encountered some excellent nurses and others who were just average, and through these experiences, I have learned what qualities make a nurse stand out. My hip dysplasia and EDS journey has given me a unique perspective that not all nurses have, allowing me to better understand what patients are going through and connect with them on a deeper level. I have continued to learn about the human body in my high school anatomy class. My favorite unit is the connective tissue unit, and I even did a project on EDS and presented it to the class. Despite being shy and dyslexic, I have a love of learning and have even read books on the human body. I have also joined Scouts BSA and followed my passion for the human body and helping others. I have earned the Public Health merit badge, and I am currently working on the Medicine merit badge. I even achieved my Eagle Scout and was one of the first in Cincinnati. In addition, I have been certified in CPR and first aid by the local fire department. Through Scouts, I have learned even more and have better prepared myself for nursing school. I am very excited about my future as a nurse and believe that my dyslexia and EDS will help make me an outstanding nurse.

My path to knowing that I want to become a nurse is not the normal one, but definitely beneficial in my future nursing career. I discovered a passion for the human body through my experience with a rare genetic condition that I have called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). EDS affects my connective tissue and causes heart, hip, and joint problems, which causes me to be in constant pain and to see many doctors. In the EDS community, we are referred to as "zebras" because we are rare and complex. This rare condition and being gaslighted by some doctors motivated me to learn more about my body and treatments. I took anatomy in high school, which I truly loved and which helped increase my knowledge of the human body. My first major occurrence with EDS came when I was diagnosed with hip dysplasia. Yes, I had pain and knew something wasn’t right but this motivated me to learn more about the pelvis and femur to understand my hip dysplasia, my pain better. Simply defined, hip dysplasia is when the hip socket is not formed properly, resulting in early-onset arthritis and pain. Funny enough, I thought dogs only had it…clearly not true. According to hip dysplasia experts, 1 in 1000 babies are born with hip dysplasia and I was that 1. My first surgery was in January 2022, my second was in June 2022 and my third will be this February. In my first two hip surgeries, the surgeon broke my pelvis in three places, reshaped it and added four screws; this is known as a Periacetabular Osteotomy (PAO). Sounds like fun senior year, right? On top of that, I went into septic shock and was rushed into emergency surgery. I was then admitted to the PICU at Cincinnati Children's. I will never forget the nurses that saved my life in the ICU and in the Emergency Room. As I recovered from the surgeries, I knew that I was missing pivotal events of my teenage years, but at the same time, I knew it would help me in the long run. Without these surgeries, I could be wheelchair-bound by the age of 30 and unable to do the activities in life I love. My health experiences have caused me to have more doctor appointments and hospital stays than any teenager should. However, in talking to many nurses and realizing the impact they have on their patients, I realized that I wanted to become a nurse, specifically a pediatric nurse. Nurses play a crucial role in patient care, administering medicine and helping with basic tasks, but most importantly, they provide support. I have encountered some excellent nurses and because of these encounters, I have learned what qualities make a nurse stand out and what nurse I want to become. My hip dysplasia and EDS journey has given me a unique perspective that not all nurses have, allowing me to understand better what patients are going through and connect with them on a deeper level. After graduation, I aspire to work as a pediatric surgical nurse at Cincinnati Children's. I am looking forward to the opportunities and experiences that lie ahead in my nursing career, and thanks to EDS and my own health challenges, I know I will be able to form a deeper connection with my patients going through similar situations.

My path to knowing that I want to become a nurse is not the normal one, but definitely beneficial in my future nursing career. I discovered a passion for the human body through my experience with a rare genetic condition that I have called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). EDS affects my connective tissue and causes heart, hip, and joint problems, which causes me to be in constant pain and to see many doctors. In the EDS community, we are referred to as "zebras" because we are rare and complex. This rare condition and being gaslighted by some doctors motivated me to learn more about my body and treatments. I took anatomy in high school which I truly loved and helped increase my knowledge of the human body. My first major occurrence with EDS came when I was diagnosed with hip dysplasia. Yes, I had pain and knew something wasn’t right but this motivated me to learn more about the pelvis and femur to understand my hip dysplasia, my pain better. Simply defined, hip dysplasia is when the hip socket is not formed properly, resulting in early-onset arthritis and pain. Funny enough, I thought dogs only had it…clearly not true. According to hip dysplasia experts, 1 in 1000 babies are born with hip dysplasia and I was that 1. My first surgery was in January 2022, my second was in June 2022 and my third will be this February. In my first two hip surgeries, the surgeon broke my pelvis in three places, reshaped it and added four screws; this is known as a Periacetabular Osteotomy (PAO). Sounds like fun senior year, right? On top of that, I went into septic shock and was rushed into emergency surgery. I was then admitted to the PICU at Cincinnati Children's. I will never forget the nurses that saved my life in the ICU and in the Emergency Room. As I recovered from the surgeries, I knew that I was missing pivotal events of my teenage years, but at the same time, I knew it would help me in the long run. Without these surgeries, I could be wheelchair-bound by the age of 30 and unable to do the activities in life I love. My health experiences have caused me to have more doctor appointments and hospital stays than any teenager should. However, in talking to many nurses and realizing the impact they have on their patients, I realized that I wanted to become a nurse, specifically a pediatric nurse. Nurses play a crucial role in patient care, administering medicine and helping with basic tasks, but most importantly, they provide support. I have encountered some excellent nurses and because of these encounters, I have learned what qualities make a nurse stand out and what nurse I want to become. My hip dysplasia and EDS journey has given me a unique perspective that not all nurses have, allowing me to understand better what patients are going through and connect with them on a deeper level. After graduation, I aspire to work as a pediatric surgical nurse at Cincinnati Children's. I am looking forward to the opportunities and experiences that lie ahead in my nursing career, and thanks to EDS and my own health challenges, I know I will be able to form a deeper connection with my patients going through similar situations.

Community service is at the heart of who I am, and my Eagle Scout Project was definitely my most significant community service activity. After learning about food insecurity in the Cincinnati area, I thought, what if there was a way for our neighbors to access food even when the local food pantry is closed? It came to me that if I built a blessing box, a wooden structure that holds non-perishable foods, those that need food could access food whenever they need it. To complete this, I needed to raise money. I asked community members for donations and raised $700 for this worthy cause. I worked side by side with Inter Parish Ministry (IPM), the food pantry supporting the box, to determine their needs and wants in this box and then created the blueprint. I then went to a local building company that taught me the skills needed to build the Blessing Box so I could guide other scouts on the day of my project. There were over 20 volunteers from my troop that I recruited and managed. This project consisted of constructing the blessing box, cleaning up the food pantry grounds, and landscaping the area to make it more welcoming for clients. I also organized a food drive to collect items for the Blessing Box, so it was well-stocked for weeks. I had never managed a group of volunteers this large and learned how to delegate tasks. Everyone has different strengths and I wanted to ensure I used the correct volunteer for the right job. Since IPM is only open during certain hours and some people cannot come during those times to get food, the Blessing Box allows clients to access food whenever they need it. It has been over two years since this Blessing Box was built and it continues to be used daily. One of the most impactful moments of this journey was when a client left a note in the box. After taking the food they needed, they left a note that read, “I love this and I love all of you.” This project will be at IPM for years to come and will continue to be there for our neighbors in need. While building and managing this project was highly impactful for me, knowing that this Blessing Box will have a positive impact on my community for years to come is the true blessing. Here is a video of this Blessing Box and its impact: A Community Blessing - Ella Willett

Community service is at the heart of who I am, and my Eagle Scout Project was definitely my most significant community service activity. After learning about food insecurity in the Cincinnati area, I thought, what if there was a way for our neighbors to access food even when the local food pantry is closed? It came to me that if I built a blessing box, a wooden structure that holds non-perishable foods, those who need food could access food whenever they need it. To complete this, I needed to raise money. I asked community members for donations and raised $700 for this worthy cause. I worked side by side with Inter Parish Ministry (IPM), the food pantry supporting the box, to determine their needs and wants in this box and then created the blueprint. I then went to a local building company that taught me the skills needed to build the Blessing Box so I could guide other scouts on the day of my project. There were over 20 volunteers from my troop that I recruited and managed. This project consisted of constructing the blessing box, cleaning up the food pantry grounds, and landscaping the area to make it more welcoming for clients. I also organized a food drive to collect items for the Blessing Box, so it was well-stocked for weeks. I had never managed a group of volunteers this large and learned how to delegate tasks. Everyone has different strengths and I wanted to ensure I used the correct volunteer for the right job. Since IPM is only open during certain hours and some people cannot come during those times to get food, the Blessing Box allows clients to access food whenever they need it. It has been over two years since this Blessing Box was built and it continues to be used daily. One of the most impactful moments of this journey was when a client left a note in the box. After taking the food they needed, they left a note that read, “I love this and I love all of you.” This project will be at IPM for years to come and will continue to be there for our neighbors in need. While building and managing this project was highly impactful for me, knowing that this Blessing Box will positively impact my community for years to come is the true blessing. Here is a video of this Blessing Box and its impact: A Community Blessing - Ella Willett

My path to knowing that I want to become a nurse is not the normal one, but definitely beneficial in my future nursing career. I discovered a passion for the human body through my experience with a rare genetic condition that I have called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). EDS affects my connective tissue and causes heart, hip, Sjogren's syndrome, and joint problems , which causes me to be in constant pain and to see many doctors. In the EDS community, we are referred to as "zebras" because we are rare and complex. This rare condition and being gaslighted by some doctors motivated me to learn more about my body and treatments. I took anatomy in high school which I truly loved and helped increase my knowledge of the human body. My first major occurrence with EDS came when I was diagnosed with hip dysplasia. Yes, I had pain and knew something wasn’t right but this motivated me to learn more about the pelvis and femur to understand my hip dysplasia, my pain better. Simply defined, hip dysplasia is when the hip socket is not formed properly, resulting in early-onset arthritis and pain. Funny enough, I thought dogs only had it…clearly not true. According to hip dysplasia experts, 1 in 1000 babies are born with hip dysplasia and I was that 1. My first surgery was in January 2022, my second was in June 2022 and my third will be this February. In my first two hip surgeries, the surgeon broke my pelvis in three places, reshaped it and added four screws; this is known as a Periacetabular Osteotomy (PAO). Sounds like fun senior year, right? On top of that, I went into septic shock and was rushed into emergency surgery. I was then admitted to the PICU at Cincinnati Children's. I will never forget the nurses that saved my life in the ICU and in the Emergency Room. As I recovered from the surgeries, I knew that I was missing pivotal events of my teenage years, but at the same time, I knew it would help me in the long run. Without these surgeries, I could be wheelchair-bound by the age of 30 and unable to do the activities in life I love. My health experiences have caused me to have more doctor appointments and hospital stays than any teenager should. However, in talking to many nurses and realizing the impact they have on their patients, I realized that I wanted to become a nurse, specifically a pediatric nurse. Nurses play a crucial role in patient care, administering medicine and helping with basic tasks, but most importantly, they provide support. I have encountered some excellent nurses and because of these encounters, I have learned what qualities make a nurse stand out and what nurse I want to become. My hip dysplasia and EDS journey has given me a unique perspective that not all nurses have, allowing me to understand better what patients are going through and connect with them on a deeper level. After graduation, I aspire to work as a pediatric surgical nurse at Cincinnati Children's. I am looking forward to the opportunities and experiences that lie ahead in my nursing career, and thanks to EDS and my own health challenges, I know I will be able to form a deeper connection with my patients going through similar situations.

Scouts has also offered me so many unique opportunities to build leadership skills. I have attended National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT), Kodiak and National Advanced Youth Leadership Experience (NAYLE). I was asked to staff NAYLE at Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico where I was tasked with training scouts from across America on being servant leaders. I volunteered 168 hours in 14 days. I am also involved in the Order of the Arrow (OA) and was the first female to complete the ordeal in our troop. After going to NAYLE in 2020, fellow scouts and I thought it would be a great idea to implement a weekend long leadership outing. This outing would provide other scouts skills to better lead the troop in their various positions. I created team building activities, discussions on leave no trace principles and taught basic communication skills. It was such a beneficial experience because it was the first outing that I planned from beginning to end. This weekend has continued for the past 3 years. I helped to establish a new scout Venturing Crew in 2021, which is one of six Venturing Crews across Southern Ohio. I am currently President of this crew and have recruited 8+ members. Given my love for scouting, I wanted to be able to stay in the program after the age of 18. A Venturing Crew allows us to do just that while doing all of the organizing and planning ourselves. Scouting gives me a sense of purpose and pride and being able to stay involved for as long as possible excites me and energizes me. I was asked to be Den Chief for female Pack 1 as these females knew me as someone that was extremely involved in our community. It has been exciting to see them progress from Cub Scouts to members of our scouting troop. I love being able to build into them and encourage their love of scouting. This has helped me become a more confident leader and allowed me to learn how to teach skills to a younger audience. I was asked to speak to another local troop during Diversity Day. I spoke about being a female scout in an established boys troop, the barriers and the successes. There were 40+ scouts in attendance. Currently, I am the assistant scoutmaster from Troop 1149. I plan to help still and organize troop outing form Xavier. Scouts has changed my life, and I want to give back to the amazing community that made me into the woman I am today.

My path to knowing that I want to become a nurse is not the normal one, but definitely beneficial in my future nursing career. I discovered a passion for the human body through my experience with a rare genetic condition that I have called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). EDS affects my connective tissue and causes heart, hip, and joint problems, which causes me to be in constant pain and to see many doctors. In the EDS community, we are referred to as "zebras" because we are rare and complex. This rare condition and being gaslighted by some doctors motivated me to learn more about my body and treatments. I took anatomy in high school which I truly loved and helped increase my knowledge of the human body. My first major occurrence with EDS came when I was diagnosed with hip dysplasia. Yes, I had pain and knew something wasn’t right but this motivated me to learn more about the pelvis and femur to understand my hip dysplasia, my pain better. Simply defined, hip dysplasia is when the hip socket is not formed properly, resulting in early-onset arthritis and pain. Funny enough, I thought dogs only had it…clearly not true. According to hip dysplasia experts, 1 in 1000 babies are born with hip dysplasia and I was that 1. My first surgery was in January 2022, my second was in June 2022 and my third will be this February. In my first two hip surgeries, the surgeon broke my pelvis in three places, reshaped it and added four screws; this is known as a Periacetabular Osteotomy (PAO). Sounds like fun senior year, right? On top of that, I went into septic shock and was rushed into emergency surgery. I was then admitted to the PICU at Cincinnati Children's. I will never forget the nurses that saved my life in the ICU and in the Emergency Room. As I recovered from the surgeries, I knew that I was missing pivotal events of my teenage years, but at the same time, I knew it would help me in the long run. Without these surgeries, I could be wheelchair-bound by the age of 30 and unable to do the activities in life I love. My health experiences have caused me to have more doctor appointments and hospital stays than any teenager should. However, in talking to many nurses and realizing the impact they have on their patients, I realized that I wanted to become a nurse, specifically a pediatric nurse. Nurses play a crucial role in patient care, administering medicine and helping with basic tasks, but most importantly, they provide support. I have encountered some excellent nurses and because of these encounters, I have learned what qualities make a nurse stand out and what nurse I want to become. My hip dysplasia and EDS journey has given me a unique perspective that not all nurses have, allowing me to understand better what patients are going through and connect with them on a deeper level. After graduation, I aspire to work as a pediatric surgical nurse at Cincinnati Children's. I am looking forward to the opportunities and experiences that lie ahead in my nursing career, and thanks to EDS and my own health challenges, I know I will be able to form a deeper connection with my patients going through similar situations.

My path to knowing that I want to become a nurse is not the normal one, but definitely beneficial in my future nursing career. I discovered a passion for the human body through my experience with a rare genetic condition that I have called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). EDS affects my connective tissue and causes heart, hip, and joint problems, which causes me to be in constant pain. My health experiences have caused me to have more doctor appointments and hospital stays than any teenager should. However, in talking to many nurses and realizing the impact they have on their patients, I realized that I wanted to become a nurse, specifically a pediatric nurse. I have encountered some excellent nurses and because of these encounters, I have learned what qualities make a nurse stand out and what nurse I want to become. After graduation, I aspire to work as a nurse at Cincinnati Children's. I am looking forward to the opportunities and experiences that lie ahead in my nursing career, and thanks to EDS and my own health challenges, I know I will be able to form a deeper connection with my patients going through similar situations.

My path to knowing that I want to become a nurse is not the normal one, but definitely beneficial in my future nursing career. I discovered a passion for the human body through my experience with a rare genetic condition that I have called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). EDS affects my connective tissue and causes heart, hip, and joint problems, which causes me to be in constant pain and to see many doctors. In the EDS community, we are referred to as "zebras" because we are rare and complex. This rare condition and being gaslighted by some doctors motivated me to learn more about my body and treatments. I took anatomy in high school which I truly loved and helped increase my knowledge of the human body. My first major occurrence with EDS came when I was diagnosed with hip dysplasia. Yes, I had pain and knew something wasn’t right but this motivated me to learn more about the pelvis and femur to understand my hip dysplasia, my pain better. Simply defined, hip dysplasia is when the hip socket is not formed properly, resulting in early-onset arthritis and pain. Funny enough, I thought dogs only had it…clearly not true. According to hip dysplasia experts, 1 in 1000 babies are born with hip dysplasia and I was that 1. My first surgery was in January 2022, my second was in June 2022 and my third will be this February. In my first two hip surgeries, the surgeon broke my pelvis in three places, reshaped it and added four screws; this is known as a Periacetabular Osteotomy (PAO). Sounds like fun senior year, right? On top of that, I went into septic shock and was rushed into emergency surgery. I was then admitted to the PICU at Cincinnati Children's. I will never forget the nurses that saved my life in the ICU and in the Emergency Room. As I recovered from the surgeries, I knew that I was missing pivotal events of my teenage years, but at the same time, I knew it would help me in the long run. Without these surgeries, I could be wheelchair-bound by the age of 30 and unable to do the activities in life I love. My health experiences have caused me to have more doctor appointments and hospital stays than any teenager should. However, in talking to many nurses and realizing the impact they have on their patients, I realized that I wanted to become a nurse, specifically a pediatric nurse. Nurses play a crucial role in patient care, administering medicine and helping with basic tasks, but most importantly, they provide support. I have encountered some excellent nurses and because of these encounters, I have learned what qualities make a nurse stand out and what nurse I want to become. My hip dysplasia and EDS journey has given me a unique perspective that not all nurses have, allowing me to understand better what patients are going through and connect with them on a deeper level. After graduation, I aspire to work as a pediatric surgical nurse at Cincinnati Children's. I am looking forward to the opportunities and experiences that lie ahead in my nursing career, and thanks to EDS and my own health challenges, I know I will be able to form a deeper connection with my patients going through similar situations.

My path to knowing that I want to become a nurse is not the normal one, but definitely beneficial in my future nursing career. I discovered a passion for the human body through my experience with a rare genetic condition that I have called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). EDS affects my connective tissue and causes heart, hip, and joint problems, which causes me to be in constant pain and to see many doctors. In the EDS community, we are referred to as "zebras" because we are rare and complex. This rare condition and being gaslighted by some doctors motivated me to learn more about my body and treatments. I took anatomy in high school, which I truly loved and which helped increase my knowledge of the human body. My first major occurrence with EDS came when I was diagnosed with hip dysplasia. Yes, I had pain and knew something wasn’t right but this motivated me to learn more about the pelvis and femur to understand my hip dysplasia, my pain better. Simply defined, hip dysplasia is when the hip socket is not formed properly, resulting in early-onset arthritis and pain. Funny enough, I thought dogs only had it…clearly not true. According to hip dysplasia experts, 1 in 1000 babies are born with hip dysplasia and I was that 1. My first surgery was in January 2022, my second was in June 2022 and my third will be this February. In my first two hip surgeries, the surgeon broke my pelvis in three places, reshaped it and added four screws; this is known as a Periacetabular Osteotomy (PAO). Sounds like fun senior year, right? On top of that, I went into septic shock and was rushed into emergency surgery. I was then admitted to the PICU at Cincinnati Children's. I will never forget the nurses who saved my life in the ICU and in the Emergency Room. As I recovered from the surgeries, I knew that I was missing pivotal events of my teenage years, but at the same time, I knew it would help me in the long run. Without these surgeries, I could be wheelchair-bound by the age of 30 and unable to do the activities in life I love. My health experiences have caused me to have more doctor appointments and hospital stays than any teenager should. However, in talking to many nurses and realizing the impact they have on their patients, I realized that I wanted to become a nurse, specifically a pediatric nurse. Nurses play a crucial role in patient care, administering medicine and helping with basic tasks, but most importantly, they provide support. I have encountered some excellent nurses and because of these encounters, I have learned what qualities make a nurse stand out and what nurse I want to become. My hip dysplasia and EDS journey has given me a unique perspective that not all nurses have, allowing me to understand better what patients are going through and connect with them on a deeper level. After graduation, I aspire to work as a pediatric surgical nurse at Cincinnati Children's. I am looking forward to the opportunities and experiences that lie ahead in my nursing career, and thanks to EDS and my own health challenges, I know I will be able to form a deeper connection with my patients going through similar situations.

My path to knowing that I want to become a nurse is not the normal one, but definitely beneficial in my future nursing career. I discovered a passion for the human body through my experience with a rare genetic condition that I have called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS). EDS affects my connective tissue and causes heart, hip, and joint problems, which causes me to be in constant pain and to see many doctors. In the EDS community, we are referred to as "zebras" because we are rare and complex. This rare condition and being gaslighted by some doctors motivated me to learn more about my body and treatments. I took anatomy in high school which I truly loved and helped increase my knowledge of the human body. My first major occurrence with EDS came when I was diagnosed with hip dysplasia. Yes, I had pain and knew something wasn’t right but this motivated me to learn more about the pelvis and femur to better understand my hip dysplasia, my pain. Simply defined, hip dysplasia is when the hip socket is not formed properly resulting in early onset arthritis and pain. Funny enough, I thought dogs only had it…clearly not true. According to hip dysplasia experts, 1 in 1000 babies are born with hip dysplasia and I was that 1. My first surgery was in January 2022, my second was in June 2022 and my third will be this February. In my first two hip surgeries the surgeon broke my pelvis in three places, reshaped it and added four screws; this is known as a Periacetabular Osteotomy (PAO). Sounds like fun senior year, right? On top of that, I went into septic shock and was rushed into emergency surgery. I was then admitted to the PICU at Cincinnati Children's. I will never forget the nurses who saved my life in the ICU and in the Emergency Room. As I recovered from the surgeries, I knew that I was missing pivotal events of my teenage years, but at the same time I knew it would help me in the long run. Without these surgeries, I could be wheelchair-bound by the age of 30 and unable to do the activities in life I love. My health experiences have caused me to have more doctor appointments and hospital stays than any teenager should. However, in talking to many nurses and realizing the impact they have on their patients, I realized that I wanted to become a nurse, specifically a pediatric nurse. Nurses play a crucial role in patient care, administering medicine and helping with basic tasks, but most importantly, they provide support. I have encountered some excellent nurses and because of these encounters, I have learned what qualities make a nurse stand out and what nurse I want to become. My hip dysplasia and EDS journey has given me a unique perspective that not all nurses have, allowing me to better understand what patients are going through and connect with them on a deeper level. After graduation, I aspire to work as a pediatric surgical nurse at Cincinnati Children's. I am looking forward to the opportunities and experiences that lie ahead in my nursing career, and thanks to EDS and my own health challenges, I know I will be able to form a deeper connection with my patients going through similar situations.

My path to knowing that I want to become a nurse is not the normal one, but definitely beneficial in my future nursing career. I discovered a passion for the human body through my experience with a rare genetic condition that I have called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). EDS affects my connective tissue and causes heart, hip, and joint problems, which causes me to be in constant pain and to see many doctors. In the EDS community, we are referred to as "zebras" because we are rare and complex. This rare condition and being gaslighted by some doctors motivated me to learn more about my body and treatments. I took anatomy in high school which I truly loved and helped increase my knowledge of the human body. My first major occurrence with EDS came when I was diagnosed with hip dysplasia. Yes, I had pain and knew something wasn’t right but this motivated me to learn more about the pelvis and femur to understand my hip dysplasia, my pain better. Simply defined, hip dysplasia is when the hip socket is not formed properly, resulting in early-onset arthritis and pain. Funny enough, I thought dogs only had it…clearly not true. According to hip dysplasia experts, 1 in 1000 babies are born with hip dysplasia and I was that 1. My first surgery was in January 2022, my second was in June 2022 and my third will be this February. In my first two hip surgeries, the surgeon broke my pelvis in three places, reshaped it and added four screws; this is known as a Periacetabular Osteotomy (PAO). Sounds like fun senior year, right? On top of that, I went into septic shock and was rushed into emergency surgery. I was then admitted to the PICU at Cincinnati Children's. I will never forget the nurses that saved my life in the ICU and in the Emergency Room. As I recovered from the surgeries, I knew that I was missing pivotal events of my teenage years, but at the same time, I knew it would help me in the long run. Without these surgeries, I could be wheelchair-bound by the age of 30 and unable to do the activities in life I love. My health experiences have caused me to have more doctor appointments and hospital stays than any teenager should. However, in talking to many nurses and realizing the impact they have on their patients, I realized that I wanted to become a nurse, specifically a pediatric nurse. Nurses play a crucial role in patient care, administering medicine and helping with basic tasks, but most importantly, they provide support. I have encountered some excellent nurses and because of these encounters, I have learned what qualities make a nurse stand out and what nurse I want to become. My hip dysplasia and EDS journey has given me a unique perspective that not all nurses have, allowing me to understand better what patients are going through and connect with them on a deeper level. After graduation, I aspire to work as a pediatric surgical nurse at Cincinnati Children's. I am looking forward to the opportunities and experiences that lie ahead in my nursing career, and thanks to EDS and my own health challenges, I know I will be able to form a deeper connection with my patients going through similar situations.

My path to knowing that I want to become a nurse is not the normal one, but definitely beneficial in my future nursing career. I discovered a passion for the human body through my experience with a rare genetic condition that I have called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS). EDS affects my connective tissue and causes heart, hip, and joint problems, which causes me to be in constant pain and to see many doctors. In the EDS community, we are referred to as "zebras" because we are rare and complex. This rare condition and being gaslighted by some doctors motivated me to learn more about my body and treatments. I took anatomy in high school which I truly loved and helped increase my knowledge of the human body. My first major occurrence with EDS came when I was diagnosed with hip dysplasia. Yes, I had pain and knew something wasn’t right but this motivated me to learn more about the pelvis and femur to better understand my hip dysplasia, my pain. Simply defined, hip dysplasia is when the hip socket is not formed properly resulting in early onset arthritis and pain. Funny enough, I thought dogs only had it…clearly not true. According to hip dysplasia experts, 1 in 1000 babies are born with hip dysplasia and I was that 1. My first surgery was in January 2022, my second was in June 2022 and my third will be this February. In my first two hip surgeries the surgeon broke my pelvis in three places, reshaped it and added four screws; this is known as a Periacetabular Osteotomy (PAO). Sounds like fun senior year, right? On top of that I went into septic shock and was rushed into emergency surgery. I then was admitted to the PICU at Cincinnati Childrens. I will never forget the nurses that saved my life in the ICU and in the Emergency Room. As I recovered from the surgeries, I knew that I was missing pivotal events of my teenage years, but at the same time I knew it would help me in the long run. Without these surgeries I could be wheelchair bound by the age of 30 and unable to do the activities in life I love. My health experiences have caused me to have more doctor appointments and hospital stays than any teenager should. However, in talking to many nurses and realizing the impact they have on their patients, I realized that I wanted to become a nurse, specifically a pediatric nurse. Nurses play a crucial role in patient care, administering medicine and helping with basic tasks, but most importantly, they provide support. I have encountered some excellent nurses and because of these encounters, I have learned what qualities make a nurse stand out and what nurse I want to become. My hip dysplasia and EDS journey has given me a unique perspective that not all nurses have, allowing me to better understand what patients are going through and connect with them on a deeper level. After graduation, I aspire to work as a pediatric surgical nurse at Cincinnati Children's. I am looking forward to the opportunities and experiences that lie ahead in my nursing career, and thanks to EDS and my own health challenges, I know I will be able to form a deeper connection with my patients going through similar situations.

My path to knowing that I want to become a nurse is not the normal one, but definitely beneficial in my future nursing career. I discovered a passion for the human body through my experience with a rare genetic condition that I have called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). EDS affects my connective tissue and causes heart, hip, and joint problems, which causes me to be in constant pain and to see many doctors. In the EDS community, we are referred to as "zebras" because we are rare and complex. This rare condition and being gaslighted by some doctors motivated me to learn more about my body and treatments. I took anatomy in high school which I truly loved and helped increase my knowledge of the human body. My first major occurrence with EDS came when I was diagnosed with hip dysplasia. Yes, I had pain and knew something wasn’t right but this motivated me to learn more about the pelvis and femur to better understand my hip dysplasia, my pain. Simply defined, hip dysplasia is when the hip socket is not formed properly resulting in early-onset arthritis and pain. Funny enough, I thought dogs only had it…clearly not true. According to hip dysplasia experts, 1 in 1000 babies are born with hip dysplasia and I was that 1. My first surgery was in January 2022, my second was in June 2022 and my third will be this February. In my first two hip surgeries the surgeon broke my pelvis in three places, reshaped it and added four screws; this is known as a Periacetabular Osteotomy (PAO). Sounds like fun senior year, right? On top of that, I went into septic shock and was rushed into emergency surgery. I then was admitted to the PICU at Cincinnati Children. I will never forget the nurses that saved my life in the ICU and the Emergency Room. As I recovered from the surgeries, I knew that I was missing pivotal events of my teenage years, but at the same time, I knew it would help me in the long run. Without these surgeries I could be wheelchair-bound by the age of 30 and unable to do the activities in life I love. My health experiences have caused me to have more doctor appointments and hospital stays than any teenager should. However, in talking to many nurses and realizing the impact they have on their patients, I realized that I wanted to become a nurse, specifically a pediatric nurse. Nurses play a crucial role in patient care, administering medicine and helping with basic tasks, but most importantly, they provide support. I have encountered some excellent nurses and because of these encounters, I have learned what qualities make a nurse stand out and what nurse I want to become. My hip dysplasia and EDS journey has given me a unique perspective that not all nurses have, allowing me to better understand what patients are going through and connect with them on a deeper level. After graduation, I aspire to work as a pediatric surgical nurse at Cincinnati Children's. I am looking forward to the opportunities and experiences that lie ahead in my nursing career, and thanks to EDS and my own health challenges, I know I will be able to form a deeper connection with my patients going through similar situations.

My path to knowing that I want to become a nurse is not the normal one, but definitely beneficial in my future nursing career. I discovered a passion for the human body through my experience with a rare genetic condition that I have called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). EDS affects my connective tissue and causes heart, hip, and joint problems, which causes me to be in constant pain and to see many doctors. In the EDS community, we are referred to as "zebras" because we are rare and complex. This rare condition and being gaslighted by some doctors motivated me to learn more about my body and treatments. I took anatomy in high school which I truly loved and helped increase my knowledge of the human body. My first major occurrence with EDS came when I was diagnosed with hip dysplasia. Yes, I had pain and knew something wasn’t right but this motivated me to learn more about the pelvis and femur to better understand my hip dysplasia, my pain. Simply defined, hip dysplasia is when the hip socket is not formed properly resulting in early-onset arthritis and pain. Funny enough, I thought dogs only had it…clearly not true. According to hip dysplasia experts, 1 in 1000 babies are born with hip dysplasia and I was that 1. My first surgery was in January 2022, my second was in June 2022 and my third will be this February. In my first two hip surgeries the surgeon broke my pelvis in three places, reshaped it and added four screws; this is known as a Periacetabular Osteotomy (PAO). Sounds like fun senior year, right? On top of that, I went into septic shock and was rushed into emergency surgery. I then was admitted to the PICU at Cincinnati Children. I will never forget the nurses that saved my life in the ICU and the Emergency Room. As I recovered from the surgeries, I knew that I was missing pivotal events of my teenage years, but at the same time, I knew it would help me in the long run. Without these surgeries I could be wheelchair-bound by the age of 30 and unable to do the activities in life I love. My health experiences have caused me to have more doctor appointments and hospital stays than any teenager should. However, in talking to many nurses and realizing the impact they have on their patients, I realized that I wanted to become a nurse, specifically a pediatric nurse. Nurses play a crucial role in patient care, administering medicine and helping with basic tasks, but most importantly, they provide support. I have encountered some excellent nurses and because of these encounters, I have learned what qualities make a nurse stand out and what nurse I want to become. My hip dysplasia and EDS journey has given me a unique perspective that not all nurses have, allowing me to better understand what patients are going through and connect with them on a deeper level. After graduation, I aspire to work as a pediatric surgical nurse at Cincinnati Children's. I am looking forward to the opportunities and experiences that lie ahead in my nursing career, and thanks to EDS and my own health challenges, I know I will be able to form a deeper connection with my patients going through similar situations.

My path to knowing that I want to become a nurse is not the normal one, but definitely beneficial in my future nursing career. I discovered a passion for the human body through my experience with a rare genetic condition that I have called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). EDS affects my connective tissue and causes heart, hip, and joint problems, which causes me to be in constant pain and to see many doctors. In the EDS community, we are referred to as "zebras" because we are rare and complex. This rare condition and being gaslighted by some doctors motivated me to learn more about my body and treatments. I took anatomy in high school which I truly loved and helped increase my knowledge of the human body. My first major occurrence with EDS came when I was diagnosed with hip dysplasia. Yes, I had pain and knew something wasn’t right but this motivated me to learn more about the pelvis and femur to better understand my hip dysplasia, my pain. Simply defined, hip dysplasia is when the hip socket is not formed properly resulting in early-onset arthritis and pain. Funny enough, I thought dogs only had it…clearly not true. According to hip dysplasia experts, 1 in 1000 babies are born with hip dysplasia and I was that 1. My first surgery was in January 2022, my second was in June 2022 and my third will be this February. In my first two hip surgeries the surgeon broke my pelvis in three places, reshaped it and added four screws; this is known as a Periacetabular Osteotomy (PAO). On top of that, I went into septic shock and was rushed into emergency surgery. I then was admitted to the PICU at Cincinnati Children. I will never forget the nurses that saved my life in the ICU and the Emergency Room. As I recovered from the surgeries, I knew that I was missing pivotal events of my teenage years, but at the same time, I knew it would help me in the long run. Without these surgeries I could be wheelchair-bound by the age of 30 and unable to do the activities in life I love. My health experiences have caused me to have more doctor appointments and hospital stays than any teenager should. However, in talking to many nurses and realizing the impact they have on their patients, I realized that I wanted to become a nurse, specifically a pediatric nurse. Nurses play a crucial role in patient care, administering medicine and helping with basic tasks, but most importantly, they provide support. I have encountered some excellent nurses and because of these encounters, I have learned what qualities make a nurse stand out and what nurse I want to become. My hip dysplasia and EDS journey has given me a unique perspective that not all nurses have, allowing me to better understand what patients are going through and connect with them on a deeper level. Receiving this scholarship would be a huge help to my family, as my parents have three children, two of whom will be in college at the same time. The financial stability that this scholarship would provide would allow them to focus on supporting my education and career goals After graduation, I aspire to work as a pediatric surgical nurse at Cincinnati Children's. I am looking forward to the opportunities and experiences that lie ahead in my nursing career, and thanks to EDS and my own health challenges, I know I will be able to form a deeper connection with my patients going through similar situations.

My path to knowing that I want to become a nurse is not the normal one, but definitely beneficial in my future nursing career. I discovered a passion for the human body through my experience with a rare genetic condition that I have called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). EDS affects my connective tissue and causes heart, hip, and joint problems, which causes me to be in constant pain and to see many doctors. In the EDS community, we are referred to as "zebras" because we are rare and complex. This rare condition and being gaslighted by some doctors motivated me to learn more about my body and treatments. I took anatomy in high school which I truly loved and helped increase my knowledge of the human body. My first major occurrence with EDS came when I was diagnosed with hip dysplasia. Yes, I had pain and knew something wasn’t right but this motivated me to learn more about the pelvis and femur to better understand my hip dysplasia, my pain. Simply defined, hip dysplasia is when the hip socket is not formed properly resulting in early-onset arthritis and pain. Funny enough, I thought dogs only had it…clearly not true. According to hip dysplasia experts, 1 in 1000 babies are born with hip dysplasia and I was that 1. My first surgery was in January 2022, my second was in June 2022 and my third will be this February. In my first two hip surgeries the surgeon broke my pelvis in three places, reshaped it and added four screws; this is known as a Periacetabular Osteotomy (PAO). Sounds like fun senior year, right? On top of that, I went into septic shock and was rushed into emergency surgery. I then was admitted to the PICU at Cincinnati Children. I will never forget the nurses that saved my life in the ICU and the Emergency Room. As I recovered from the surgeries, I knew that I was missing pivotal events of my teenage years, but at the same time, I knew it would help me in the long run. Without these surgeries I could be wheelchair-bound by the age of 30 and unable to do the activities in life I love. My health experiences have caused me to have more doctor appointments and hospital stays than any teenager should. However, in talking to many nurses and realizing the impact they have on their patients, I realized that I wanted to become a nurse, specifically a pediatric nurse. Nurses play a crucial role in patient care, administering medicine and helping with basic tasks, but most importantly, they provide support. I have encountered some excellent nurses and because of these encounters, I have learned what qualities make a nurse stand out and what nurse I want to become. My hip dysplasia and EDS journey has given me a unique perspective that not all nurses have, allowing me to better understand what patients are going through and connect with them on a deeper level. After graduation, I aspire to work as a pediatric surgical nurse at Cincinnati Children's. I am looking forward to the opportunities and experiences that lie ahead in my nursing career, and thanks to EDS and my own health challenges, I know I will be able to form a deeper connection with my patients going through similar situations.

My path to knowing that I want to become a nurse is not the normal one, but definitely beneficial in my future nursing career. I discovered a passion for the human body through my experience with a rare genetic condition that I have called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). EDS affects my connective tissue and causes heart, hip, and joint problems, which causes me to be in constant pain and to see many doctors. In the EDS community, we are referred to as "zebras" because we are rare and complex. This rare condition and being gaslighted by some doctors motivated me to learn more about my body and treatments. I took anatomy in high school which I truly loved and helped increase my knowledge of the human body. My first major occurrence with EDS came when I was diagnosed with hip dysplasia. Yes, I had pain and knew something wasn’t right but this motivated me to learn more about the pelvis and femur to better understand my hip dysplasia, my pain. Simply defined, hip dysplasia is when the hip socket is not formed properly resulting in early-onset arthritis and pain. Funny enough, I thought dogs only had it…clearly not true. According to hip dysplasia experts, 1 in 1000 babies are born with hip dysplasia and I was that 1. My first surgery was in January 2022, my second was in June 2022 and my third will be this February. In my first two hip surgeries the surgeon broke my pelvis in three places, reshaped it and added four screws; this is known as a Periacetabular Osteotomy (PAO). Sounds like fun senior year, right? On top of that, I went into septic shock and was rushed into emergency surgery. I then was admitted to the PICU at Cincinnati Children. I will never forget the nurses that saved my life in the ICU and the Emergency Room. As I recovered from the surgeries, I knew that I was missing pivotal events of my teenage years, but at the same time, I knew it would help me in the long run. Without these surgeries I could be wheelchair-bound by the age of 30 and unable to do the activities in life I love. My health experiences have caused me to have more doctor appointments and hospital stays than any teenager should. However, in talking to many nurses and realizing the impact they have on their patients, I realized that I wanted to become a nurse, specifically a pediatric nurse. Nurses play a crucial role in patient care, administering medicine and helping with basic tasks, but most importantly, they provide support. I have encountered some excellent nurses and because of these encounters, I have learned what qualities make a nurse stand out and what nurse I want to become. My hip dysplasia and EDS journey has given me a unique perspective that not all nurses have, allowing me to better understand what patients are going through and connect with them on a deeper level. After graduation, I aspire to work as a pediatric surgical nurse at Cincinnati Children's. I am looking forward to the opportunities and experiences that lie ahead in my nursing career, and thanks to EDS and my own health challenges, I know I will be able to form a deeper connection with my patients going through similar situations.

My path to knowing that I want to become a nurse is not the normal one, but definitely beneficial in my future nursing career. I discovered a passion for the human body through my experience with a rare genetic condition that I have called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). EDS affects my connective tissue and causes heart, hip, and joint problems, which causes me to be in constant pain and to see many doctors. In the EDS community, we are referred to as "zebras" because we are rare and complex. This rare condition and being gaslighted by some doctors motivated me to learn more about my body and treatments. I took anatomy in high school which I truly loved and helped increase my knowledge of the human body. My first major occurrence with EDS came when I was diagnosed with hip dysplasia. Yes, I had pain and knew something wasn’t right but this motivated me to learn more about the pelvis and femur to better understand my hip dysplasia, my pain. Simply defined, hip dysplasia is when the hip socket is not formed properly resulting in early-onset arthritis and pain. Funny enough, I thought dogs only had it…clearly not true. According to hip dysplasia experts, 1 in 1000 babies are born with hip dysplasia and I was that 1. My first surgery was in January 2022, my second was in June 2022 and my third will be this February. In my first two hip surgeries the surgeon broke my pelvis in three places, reshaped it and added four screws; this is known as a Periacetabular Osteotomy (PAO). Sounds like fun senior year, right? On top of that, I went into septic shock and was rushed into emergency surgery. I then was admitted to the PICU at Cincinnati Children. I will never forget the nurses that saved my life in the ICU and in the Emergency Room. As I recovered from the surgeries, I knew that I was missing pivotal events of my teenage years, but at the same time, I knew it would help me in the long run. Without these surgeries I could be wheelchair-bound by the age of 30 and unable to do the activities in life I love. My health experiences have caused me to have more doctor appointments and hospital stays than any teenager should. However, in talking to many nurses and realizing the impact they have on their patients, I realized that I wanted to become a nurse, specifically a pediatric nurse. Nurses play a crucial role in patient care, administering medicine and helping with basic tasks, but most importantly, they provide support. I have encountered some excellent nurses and because of these encounters, I have learned what qualities make a nurse stand out and what nurse I want to become. My hip dysplasia and EDS journey has given me a unique perspective that not all nurses have, allowing me to better understand what patients are going through and connect with them on a deeper level. After graduation, I aspire to work as a pediatric surgical nurse at Cincinnati Children's. I am looking forward to the opportunities and experiences that lie ahead in my nursing career, and thanks to EDS and my own health challenges, I know I will be able to form a deeper connection with my patients going through similar situations.

My path to knowing that I want to become a nurse is not the normal one, but definitely beneficial in my future nursing career. I discovered a passion for the human body through my experience with a rare genetic condition that I have called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). EDS affects my connective tissue and causes heart, hip, and joint problems, which causes me to be in constant pain and to see many doctors. In the EDS community, we are referred to as "zebras" because we are rare and complex. This rare condition and being gaslighted by some doctors motivated me to learn more about my body and treatments. I took anatomy in high school which I truly loved and helped increase my knowledge of the human body. My first major occurrence with EDS came when I was diagnosed with hip dysplasia. Yes, I had pain and knew something wasn’t right but this motivated me to learn more about the pelvis and femur to better understand my hip dysplasia, my pain. Simply defined, hip dysplasia is when the hip socket is not formed properly resulting in early onset arthritis and pain. Funny enough, I thought dogs only had it…clearly not true. According to hip dysplasia experts, 1 in 1000 babies are born with hip dysplasia and I was that 1. My first surgery was in January 2022, my second was in June 2022 and my third will be this February. In my first two hip surgeries the surgeon broke my pelvis in three places, reshaped it and added four screws; this is known as a Periacetabular Osteotomy (PAO). Sounds like fun senior year, right? On top of that, I went into septic shock and was rushed into emergency surgery. I then was admitted to the PICU at Cincinnati Children. I will never forget the nurses that saved my life in the ICU and the Emergency Room. As I recovered from the surgeries, I knew that I was missing pivotal events of my teenage years, but at the same time, I knew it would help me in the long run. Without these surgeries, I could be wheelchair-bound by the age of 30 and unable to do the activities in life I love. My health experiences have caused me to have more doctor appointments and hospital stays than any teenager should. However, in talking to many nurses and realizing the impact they have on their patients, I realized that I wanted to become a nurse, specifically a pediatric nurse. Nurses play a crucial role in patient care, administering medicine and helping with basic tasks, but most importantly, they provide support. I have encountered some excellent nurses and because of these encounters, I have learned what qualities make a nurse stand out and what nurse I want to become. My hip dysplasia and EDS journey has given me a unique perspective that not all nurses have, allowing me to better understand what patients are going through and connect with them on a deeper level. After graduation, I aspire to work as a pediatric surgical nurse at Cincinnati Children's. I am looking forward to the opportunities and experiences that lie ahead in my nursing career, and thanks to EDS and my own health challenges, I know I will be able to form a deeper connection with my patients going through similar situations.

My path to knowing that I want to become a nurse is not the normal one, but definitely beneficial in my future nursing career. I discovered a passion for the human body through my experience with a rare genetic condition that I have called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS). EDS affects my connective tissue and causes heart, hip, and joint problems, which causes me to be in constant pain and to see many doctors. In the EDS community, we are referred to as "zebras" because we are rare and complex. This rare condition and being gaslighted by some doctors motivated me to learn more about my body and treatments. I took anatomy in high school which I truly loved and helped increase my knowledge of the human body. I even was able to shadow a nurse in the orthopedic surgical wing at the University of Cincinnati. My first major occurrence with EDS came when I was diagnosed with hip dysplasia. Yes, I had pain and knew something wasn’t right but this motivated me to learn more about the pelvis and femur to better understand my hip dysplasia, my pain. Simply defined, hip dysplasia is when the hip socket is not formed properly resulting in early onset arthritis and pain. Funny enough, I thought dogs only had it…clearly not true. According to hip dysplasia experts, 1 in 1000 babies are born with hip dysplasia and I was that 1. My first surgery was in January 2022, my second was in June 2022 and my third will be this February. In my first two hip surgeries the surgeon broke my pelvis in three places, reshaped it and added four screws; this is known as a Periacetabular Osteotomy (PAO). Sounds like fun senior year, right? On top of that I went into septic shock and had an emergency surgery and was admitted to the PICU at Cincinnati Childrens. I will never forget the nurses that saved my life in the ICU and in the Emergency Room. As I recovered from the surgeries, I knew that I was missing pivotal events of my teenage years, but at the same time I knew it would help me in the long run. Without these surgeries I could be wheelchair bound by the age of 30 and unable to do the activities in life I love. My health experiences have caused me to have more doctor appointments and hospital stays than any teenager should. However, in talking to many nurses and realizing the impact they have on their patients, I realized that I wanted to become a nurse, specifically a pediatric nurse. Nurses play a crucial role in patient care, administering medicine and helping with basic tasks, but most importantly, they provide support. I have encountered some excellent nurses and because of these encounters, I have learned what qualities make a nurse stand out and what nurse I want to become. My hip dysplasia and EDS journey has given me a unique perspective that not all nurses have, allowing me to better understand what patients are going through and connect with them on a deeper level. After graduation, I aspire to work as a pediatric surgical nurse at Cincinnati Children's. I am looking forward to the opportunities and experiences that lie ahead in my nursing career, and thanks to EDS and my own health challenges, I know I will be able to form a deeper connection with my patients going through similar situations.

My path to knowing that I want to become a nurse is not the normal one, but definitely beneficial in my future nursing career. I discovered a passion for the human body through my experience with a rare genetic condition that I have called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS). EDS affects my connective tissue and causes heart, hip, and joint problems, which causes me to be in constant pain and to see many doctors. In the EDS community, we are referred to as "zebras" because we are rare and complex. This rare condition and being gaslighted by some doctors motivated me to learn more about my body and treatments. I took anatomy in high school which I truly loved and helped increase my knowledge of the human body. My first major occurrence with EDS came when I was diagnosed with hip dysplasia. Yes, I had pain and knew something wasn’t right but this motivated me to learn more about the pelvis and femur to better understand my hip dysplasia, my pain. Simply defined, hip dysplasia is when the hip socket is not formed properly resulting in early onset arthritis and pain. Funny enough, I thought dogs only had it…clearly not true. According to hip dysplasia experts, 1 in 1000 babies are born with hip dysplasia and I was that 1. My first surgery was in January 2022, my second was in June 2022 and my third will be this February. In my first two hip surgeries the surgeon broke my pelvis in three places, reshaped it and added four screws; this is known as a Periacetabular Osteotomy (PAO). Sounds like fun senior year, right? On top of that I went into septic shock and had an emergency surgery and was admitted to the PICU at Cincinnati Childrens. I will never forget the nurses that saved my life in the ICU and in the Emergency Room. As I recovered from the surgeries, I knew that I was missing pivotal events of my teenage years, but at the same time I knew it would help me in the long run. Without these surgeries I could be wheelchair bound by the age of 30 and unable to do the activities in life I love. My health experiences have caused me to have more doctor appointments and hospital stays than any teenager should. However, in talking to many nurses and realizing the impact they have on their patients, I realized that I wanted to become a nurse, specifically a pediatric nurse. Nurses play a crucial role in patient care, administering medicine and helping with basic tasks, but most importantly, they provide support. I have encountered some excellent nurses and because of these encounters, I have learned what qualities make a nurse stand out and what nurse I want to become. My hip dysplasia and EDS journey has given me a unique perspective that not all nurses have, allowing me to better understand what patients are going through and connect with them on a deeper level. After graduation, I aspire to work as a pediatric surgical nurse at Cincinnati Children's. I am looking forward to the opportunities and experiences that lie ahead in my nursing career, and thanks to EDS and my own health challenges, I know I will be able to form a deeper connection with my patients going through similar situations.

I'm Ella Willett, a senior in high school going to Xavier University to study Nursing. I am known as an adventurous girl, always hiking or camping. My high school experience was nothing but abnormal and I would never wish this experience on anyone. Well my path to knowing that I want to become a nurse is not the normal one, but definitely beneficial in my future nursing career. I discovered a passion for the human body through my experience with a rare genetic condition that I have called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). EDS affects my connective tissue and causes heart, hip, and joint problems, which causes me to be in constant pain and to see many doctors. In the EDS community, we are referred to as "zebras" because we are rare and complex. This rare condition and being gaslighted by some doctors motivated me to learn more about my body and treatments. I took anatomy in high school which I truly loved and helped increase my knowledge of the human body. My first major occurrence with EDS came when I was diagnosed with hip dysplasia. Yes, I had pain and knew something wasn’t right but this motivated me to learn more about the pelvis and femur to better understand my hip dysplasia, my pain. Simply defined, hip dysplasia is when the hip socket is not formed properly resulting in early-onset arthritis and pain. According to hip dysplasia experts, 1 in 1000 babies are born with hip dysplasia and I was that 1. My first surgery was in January 2022, my second was in June 2022 and my third will be this February. In my first two hip surgeries the surgeon broke my pelvis in three places, reshaped it and added four screws; this is known as a Periacetabular Osteotomy (PAO). My upcoming surgery is a femoral osteotomy where the surgeon will break my femur, rotate it and place a rod to create more stability. Sounds like fun senior year, right? As I recovered from the surgeries, I knew that I was missing pivotal events of my teenage years, but at the same time I knew it would help me in the long run. Without these surgeries I could be wheelchair-bound by the age of 30 and unable to do the activities in life I love. My health experiences have caused me to have more doctor appointments and hospital stays than any teenager should. However, in talking to many nurses and realizing the impact they have on their patients, I realized that I wanted to become a nurse, specifically a pediatric nurse. Nurses play a crucial role in patient care, administering medicine and helping with basic tasks, but most importantly, they provide support. I have encountered some excellent nurses and because of these encounters, I have learned what qualities make a nurse stand out and what nurse I want to become. My hip dysplasia and EDS journey has given me a unique perspective that not all nurses have, allowing me to better understand what patients are going through and connect with them on a deeper level. After graduation, I aspire to work as a pediatric surgical nurse at Cincinnati Children's. After I gain a few years experience, I hope to then further my career as a travel nurse, allowing me to explore different areas of pediatric nursing across the United States. I am looking forward to the opportunities and experiences that lie ahead in my nursing career, and thanks to EDS and my own health challenges, I know I will be able to form a deeper connection with my patients.

I'm Ella Willett, a senior in high school going to Xavier University to study Nursing. I am known as an adventurous girl, always hiking or camping. My high school experience was nothing but abnormal and I would never wish this experience on anyone. Well my path to knowing that I want to become a nurse is not the normal one, but definitely beneficial in my future nursing career. I discovered a passion for the human body through my experience with a rare genetic condition that I have called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). EDS affects my connective tissue and causes heart, hip, and joint problems, which causes me to be in constant pain and to see many doctors. In the EDS community, we are referred to as "zebras" because we are rare and complex. This rare condition and being gaslighted by some doctors motivated me to learn more about my body and treatments. I took anatomy in high school which I truly loved and helped increase my knowledge of the human body. My first major occurrence with EDS came when I was diagnosed with hip dysplasia. Yes, I had pain and knew something wasn’t right but this motivated me to learn more about the pelvis and femur to better understand my hip dysplasia, my pain. Simply defined, hip dysplasia is when the hip socket is not formed properly resulting in early-onset arthritis and pain. According to hip dysplasia experts, 1 in 1000 babies are born with hip dysplasia and I was that 1. My first surgery was in January 2022, my second was in June 2022 and my third will be this February. In my first two hip surgeries the surgeon broke my pelvis in three places, reshaped it and added four screws; this is known as a Periacetabular Osteotomy (PAO). My upcoming surgery is a femoral osteotomy where the surgeon will break my femur, rotate it and place a rod to create more stability. Sounds like fun senior year, right? As I recovered from the surgeries, I knew that I was missing pivotal events of my teenage years, but at the same time I knew it would help me in the long run. Without these surgeries I could be wheelchair-bound by the age of 30 and unable to do the activities in life I love. My health experiences have caused me to have more doctor appointments and hospital stays than any teenager should. However, in talking to many nurses and realizing the impact they have on their patients, I realized that I wanted to become a nurse, specifically a pediatric nurse. Nurses play a crucial role in patient care, administering medicine and helping with basic tasks, but most importantly, they provide support. I have encountered some excellent nurses and because of these encounters, I have learned what qualities make a nurse stand out and what nurse I want to become. My hip dysplasia and EDS journey has given me a unique perspective that not all nurses have, allowing me to better understand what patients are going through and connect with them on a deeper level. After graduation, I aspire to work as a pediatric surgical nurse at Cincinnati Children's. After I gain a few years experience, I hope to then further my career as a travel nurse, allowing me to explore different areas of pediatric nursing across the United States. I am looking forward to the opportunities and experiences that lie ahead in my nursing career, and thanks to EDS and my own health challenges, I know I will be able to form a deeper connection with my patients.

I'm Ella Willett, a senior in high school going to Xavier University to study Nursing. I am known as an adventurous girl, always hiking or camping. My high school experience was nothing but abnormal and I would never wish this experience on anyone. Well my path to knowing that I want to become a nurse is not the normal one, but definitely beneficial in my future nursing career. I discovered a passion for the human body through my experience with a rare genetic condition that I have called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). EDS affects my connective tissue and causes heart, hip, and joint problems, which causes me to be in constant pain and to see many doctors. In the EDS community, we are referred to as "zebras" because we are rare and complex. This rare condition and being gaslighted by some doctors motivated me to learn more about my body and treatments. I took anatomy in high school which I truly loved and helped increase my knowledge of the human body. My first major occurrence with EDS came when I was diagnosed with hip dysplasia. Yes, I had pain and knew something wasn’t right but this motivated me to learn more about the pelvis and femur to better understand my hip dysplasia, my pain. Simply defined, hip dysplasia is when the hip socket is not formed properly resulting in early-onset arthritis and pain. According to hip dysplasia experts, 1 in 1000 babies are born with hip dysplasia and I was that 1. My first surgery was in January 2022, my second was in June 2022 and my third will be this February. In my first two hip surgeries the surgeon broke my pelvis in three places, reshaped it and added four screws; this is known as a Periacetabular Osteotomy (PAO). My upcoming surgery is a femoral osteotomy where the surgeon will break my femur, rotate it and place a rod to create more stability. As I recovered from the surgeries, I knew that I was missing pivotal events of my teenage years, but at the same time, I knew it would help me in the long run. Without these surgeries I could be wheelchair-bound by the age of 30 and unable to do the activities in life I love (such as rock climbing, hiking and camping). My health experiences have caused me to have more doctor appointments and hospital stays than any teenager should. However, in talking to many nurses and realizing the impact they have on their patients, I realized that I wanted to become a nurse, specifically a pediatric nurse. Nurses play a crucial role in patient care, administering medicine and helping with basic tasks, but most importantly, they provide support. I have encountered some excellent nurses and because of these encounters, I have learned what qualities make a nurse stand out and what nurse I want to become. My hip dysplasia and EDS journey has given me a unique perspective that not all nurses have, allowing me to better understand what patients are going through and connect with them on a deeper level. After graduation, I aspire to work as a pediatric surgical nurse at Cincinnati Children's. After I gain a few years experience, I hope to then further my career as a travel nurse, allowing me to explore different areas of pediatric nursing across the United States. I am looking forward to the opportunities and experiences that lie ahead in my nursing career, and thanks to EDS and my own health challenges, I know I will be able to form a deeper connection with my patients.

Community service is at the heart of who I am, and my Eagle Scout Project was definitely my most significant community service activity. After learning about food insecurity in the Cincinnati area, I thought, what if there was a way for our neighbors to access food even when the local food pantry is closed? It came to me that if I built a blessing box, a wooden structure that holds non-perishable foods, those that need food could access food whenever they need it. To complete this, I needed to raise money. I asked community members for donations and raised $700 for this worthy cause. I worked side by side with Inter Parish Ministry (IPM), the food pantry supporting the box, to determine their needs and wants in this box and then created the blueprint. I then went to a local building company that taught me the skills needed to build the Blessing Box so I could guide other scouts on the day of my project. There were over 20 volunteers from my troop that I recruited and managed. This project consisted of constructing the blessing box, cleaning up the food pantry grounds, and landscaping the area to make it more welcoming for clients. I also organized a food drive to collect items for the Blessing Box, so it was well-stocked for weeks. I had never managed a group of volunteers this large and learned how to delegate tasks. Everyone has different strengths and I wanted to ensure I used the correct volunteer for the right job. Since IPM is only open during certain hours and some people cannot come during those times to get food, the Blessing Box allows clients to access food whenever they need it. It has been over two years since this Blessing Box was built and it continues to be used daily. IPM has used my blessing box drawings to make an additional 9 boxes around the Cincinnati area. One of the most impactful moments of this journey was when a client left a note in the box. After taking the food they needed, they left a note that read, “I love this and I love all of you.” This project will be at IPM for years to come and will continue to be there for our neighbors in need. While building and managing this project was highly impactful for me, knowing that this Blessing Box will have a positive impact on my community for years to come is the true blessing.

Community service is at the heart of who I am, and my Eagle Scout Project was definitely my most significant community service activity. After learning about food insecurity in the Cincinnati area, I thought, what if there was a way for our neighbors to access food even when the local food pantry is closed? It came to me that if I built a blessing box, a wooden structure that holds non-perishable foods, those that need food could access food whenever they need it. To complete this, I needed to raise money. I asked community members for donations and raised $700 for this worthy cause. I worked side by side with Inter Parish Ministry (IPM), the food pantry supporting the box, to determine their needs and wants in this box and then created the blueprint. I then went to a local building company that taught me the skills needed to build the Blessing Box so I could guide other scouts on the day of my project. There were over 20 volunteers from my troop that I recruited and managed. This project consisted of constructing the blessing box, cleaning up the food pantry grounds, and landscaping the area to make it more welcoming for clients. I also organized a food drive to collect items for the Blessing Box, so it was well-stocked for weeks. I had never managed a group of volunteers this large and learned how to delegate tasks. Everyone has different strengths and I wanted to ensure I used the correct volunteer for the right job. Since IPM is only open during certain hours and some people cannot come during those times to get food, the Blessing Box allows clients to access food whenever they need it. It has been over two years since this Blessing Box was built and it continues to be used daily. One of the most impactful moments of this Eagle Scout journey was when a client left a note in the box. After taking the food they needed, they left a note that read, “I love this and I love all of you.” This project will be at IPM for years to come and will continue to be there for our neighbors in need. While building and managing this project was highly impactful for me, knowing that this Blessing Box will have a positive impact on my community for years to come is the true blessing.

Well my path to knowing that I want to become a nurse is not the normal one, but definitely beneficial in my future nursing career. I discovered a passion for the human body through my experience with a rare genetic condition that I have called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS). EDS affects my connective tissue and causes heart, hip, and joint problems, which causes me to be in constant pain and to see many doctors. In the EDS community, we are referred to as "zebras" because we are rare and complex. This rare condition and being gaslighted by some doctors motivated me to learn more about my body and treatments. I took anatomy in high school which I truly loved and helped increase my knowledge of the human body. My first major occurrence with EDS came when I was diagnosed with hip dysplasia. Yes, I had pain and knew something wasn’t right but this motivated me to learn more about the pelvis and femur to better understand my hip dysplasia, my pain. Simply defined, hip dysplasia is when the hip socket is not formed properly resulting in early onset arthritis and pain. Funny enough, I thought dogs only had it…clearly not true. According to hip dysplasia experts, 1 in 1000 babies are born with hip dysplasia and I was that 1. My first surgery was in January 2022, my second was in June 2022 and my third will be this February. In my first two hip surgeries the surgeon broke my pelvis in three places, reshaped it and added four screws; this is known as a Periacetabular Osteotomy (PAO). My upcoming surgery is a femoral osteotomy where the surgeon will break my femur, rotate it and place a rod to create more stability. Sounds like fun senior year, right? As I recovered from the surgeries, I knew that I was missing pivotal events of my teenage years, but at the same time I knew it would help me in the long run. Without these surgeries I could be wheelchair bound by the age of 30 and unable to do the activities in life I love (such as rock climbing, hiking and camping). My health experiences have caused me to have more doctor appointments and hospital stays than any teenager should. However, in talking to many nurses and realizing the impact they have on their patients, I realized that I wanted to become a nurse, specifically a pediatric nurse. Nurses play a crucial role in patient care, administering medicine and helping with basic tasks, but most importantly, they provide support. I have encountered some excellent nurses and because of these encounters, I have learned what qualities make a nurse stand out and what nurse I want to become. My hip dysplasia and EDS journey has given me a unique perspective that not all nurses have, allowing me to better understand what patients are going through and connect with them on a deeper level. After graduation, I aspire to work as a pediatric surgical nurse at Cincinnati Children's. After I gain a few years experience, I hope to then further my career as a travel nurse, allowing me to explore different areas of pediatric nursing across the United States. I am looking forward to the opportunities and experiences that lie ahead in my nursing career, and thanks to EDS and my own health challenges, I know I will be able to form a deeper connection with my patients.

Well my path to knowing that I want to become a nurse is not the normal one, but definitely beneficial in my future nursing career. I discovered a passion for the human body through my experience with a rare genetic condition that I have called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS). EDS affects my connective tissue and causes heart, hip, and joint problems, which causes me to be in constant pain and to see many doctors. In the EDS community, we are referred to as "zebras" because we are rare and complex. This rare condition and being gaslighted by some doctors motivated me to learn more about my body and treatments. I took anatomy in high school which I truly loved and helped increase my knowledge of the human body. My first major occurrence with EDS came when I was diagnosed with hip dysplasia. Yes, I had pain and knew something wasn’t right but this motivated me to learn more about the pelvis and femur to better understand my hip dysplasia, my pain. Simply defined, hip dysplasia is when the hip socket is not formed properly resulting in early onset arthritis and pain. Funny enough, I thought dogs only had it…clearly not true. According to hip dysplasia experts, 1 in 1000 babies are born with hip dysplasia and I was that 1. My first surgery was in January 2022, my second was in June 2022 and my third will be this February. In my first two hip surgeries the surgeon broke my pelvis in three places, reshaped it and added four screws; this is known as a Periacetabular Osteotomy (PAO). My upcoming surgery is a femoral osteotomy where the surgeon will break my femur, rotate it and place a rod to create more stability. Sounds like fun senior year, right? As I recovered from the surgeries, I knew that I was missing pivotal events of my teenage years, but at the same time I knew it would help me in the long run. Without these surgeries I could be wheelchair bound by the age of 30 and unable to do the activities in life I love (such as rock climbing, hiking and camping). My health experiences have caused me to have more doctor appointments and hospital stays than any teenager should. However, in talking to many nurses and realizing the impact they have on their patients, I realized that I wanted to become a nurse, specifically a pediatric nurse. Nurses play a crucial role in patient care, administering medicine and helping with basic tasks, but most importantly, they provide support. I have encountered some excellent nurses and because of these encounters, I have learned what qualities make a nurse stand out and what nurse I want to become. My hip dysplasia and EDS journey has given me a unique perspective that not all nurses have, allowing me to better understand what patients are going through and connect with them on a deeper level. After graduation, I aspire to work as a pediatric surgical nurse at Cincinnati Children's. After I gain a few years experience, I hope to then further my career as a travel nurse, allowing me to explore different areas of pediatric nursing across the United States. I am looking forward to the opportunities and experiences that lie ahead in my nursing career, and thanks to EDS and my own health challenges, I know I will be able to form a deeper connection with my patients.

Well my path to knowing that I want to become a nurse is not the normal one, but definitely beneficial in my future nursing career. I discovered a passion for the human body through my experience with a rare genetic condition that I have called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS). EDS affects my connective tissue and causes heart, hip, and joint problems, which causes me to be in constant pain and to see many doctors. In the EDS community, we are referred to as "zebras" because we are rare and complex. This rare condition and being gaslighted by some doctors motivated me to learn more about my body and treatments. I took anatomy in high school which I truly loved and helped increase my knowledge of the human body. My first major occurrence with EDS came when I was diagnosed with hip dysplasia. Yes, I had pain and knew something wasn’t right but this motivated me to learn more about the pelvis and femur to better understand my hip dysplasia, my pain. Simply defined, hip dysplasia is when the hip socket is not formed properly resulting in early onset arthritis and pain. Funny enough, I thought dogs only had it…clearly not true. According to hip dysplasia experts, 1 in 1000 babies are born with hip dysplasia and I was that 1. My first surgery was in January 2022, my second was in June 2022 and my third will be this February. In my first two hip surgeries the surgeon broke my pelvis in three places, reshaped it and added four screws; this is known as a Periacetabular Osteotomy (PAO). My upcoming surgery is a femoral osteotomy where the surgeon will break my femur, rotate it and place a rod to create more stability. Sounds like fun senior year, right? As I recovered from the surgeries, I knew that I was missing pivotal events of my teenage years, but at the same time I knew it would help me in the long run. Without these surgeries I could be wheelchair bound by the age of 30 and unable to do the activities in life I love (such as rock climbing, hiking and camping). My health experiences have caused me to have more doctor appointments and hospital stays than any teenager should. However, in talking to many nurses and realizing the impact they have on their patients, I realized that I wanted to become a nurse, specifically a pediatric nurse. Nurses play a crucial role in patient care, administering medicine and helping with basic tasks, but most importantly, they provide support. I have encountered some excellent nurses and because of these encounters, I have learned what qualities make a nurse stand out and what nurse I want to become. My hip dysplasia and EDS journey has given me a unique perspective that not all nurses have, allowing me to better understand what patients are going through and connect with them on a deeper level. After graduation, I aspire to work as a pediatric surgical nurse at Cincinnati Children's. After I gain a few years experience, I hope to then further my career as a travel nurse, allowing me to explore different areas of pediatric nursing across the United States. I am looking forward to the opportunities and experiences that lie ahead in my nursing career, and thanks to EDS and my own health challenges, I know I will be able to form a deeper connection with my patients.

Well my path to knowing that I want to become a nurse is not the normal one, but definitely beneficial in my future nursing career. I discovered a passion for the human body through my experience with a rare genetic condition that I have called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS). EDS affects my connective tissue and causes heart, hip, and joint problems, which causes me to be in constant pain and to see many doctors. In the EDS community, we are referred to as "zebras" because we are rare and complex. This rare condition and being gaslighted by some doctors motivated me to learn more about my body and treatments. I took anatomy in high school which I truly loved and helped increase my knowledge of the human body. My first major occurrence with EDS came when I was diagnosed with hip dysplasia. Yes, I had pain and knew something wasn’t right but this motivated me to learn more about the pelvis and femur to better understand my hip dysplasia, my pain. Simply defined, hip dysplasia is when the hip socket is not formed properly resulting in early onset arthritis and pain. Funny enough, I thought dogs only had it…clearly not true. According to hip dysplasia experts, 1 in 1000 babies are born with hip dysplasia and I was that 1. My first surgery was in January 2022, my second was in June 2022 and my third will be this February. In my first two hip surgeries the surgeon broke my pelvis in three places, reshaped it and added four screws; this is known as a Periacetabular Osteotomy (PAO). My upcoming surgery is a femoral osteotomy where the surgeon will break my femur, rotate it and place a rod to create more stability. Sounds like fun senior year, right? As I recovered from the surgeries, I knew that I was missing pivotal events of my teenage years, but at the same time I knew it would help me in the long run. Without these surgeries I could be wheelchair bound by the age of 30 and unable to do the activities in life I love (such as rock climbing, hiking and camping). My health experiences have caused me to have more doctor appointments and hospital stays than any teenager should. However, in talking to many nurses and realizing the impact they have on their patients, I realized that I wanted to become a nurse, specifically a pediatric nurse. Nurses play a crucial role in patient care, administering medicine and helping with basic tasks, but most importantly, they provide support. I have encountered some excellent nurses and because of these encounters, I have learned what qualities make a nurse stand out and what nurse I want to become. My hip dysplasia and EDS journey has given me a unique perspective that not all nurses have, allowing me to better understand what patients are going through and connect with them on a deeper level. After graduation, I aspire to work as a pediatric surgical nurse at Cincinnati Children's. After I gain a few years experience, I hope to then further my career as a travel nurse, allowing me to explore different areas of pediatric nursing across the United States. I am looking forward to the opportunities and experiences that lie ahead in my nursing career, and thanks to EDS and my own health challenges, I know I will be able to form a deeper connection with my patients.

Maintaining my Mental, Physical, and Nutritional Health is vital to me. Maintaining my mental health throughout the school year is especially hard. At school, there is so much pressure to be the best. Especially during junior and senior year people start comparing who has the highest ACT/SAT score, who is taking the most AP classes. Comparing yourself to others is mentally draining and does not do you any good. To maintain my mental health throughout this time I have learned coping skills from my counselor, which I meet once a month. At counseling, we discuss managing my anxiety, upcoming stressful situations and how to approach them. I have also been working on journaling, allowing me to write down everything that happened during that day and then just letting it go. My anxiety controlled my life until 4th grade and this is when I started on medication(Prozac) and started seeing a therapist. My physical health, Is taking up most of my free time now. Currently, I am going through three hip surgeries and a couple of rare chronic health conditions. This causes me to have many doctor appointments and physical therapy every week. I see a physical therapist twice weekly to work on recovery and building muscles. I also have an at-home PT program that I do every day. I also try to go to the gym two times a week. At the gym, I walk in the pool. This allows me to get physical activity without hurting myself or causing more pain. I love working out but at this moment my body is not able to handle any high-impact activities. I maintain my nutritional health by ensuring I eat three well-balanced meals daily. I also try to eat around the same time every day since I realized it's a migraine trigger for me to eat at irregular times. I am also working with a nutritionist and GI doctor to ensure I am getting proper nutrition. While during my recovery from hip surgery, my mental health was not the best. It was not the best since I could not do physical and pleasant activities like hanging out with my friends, hiking, and playing softball. While school is extremely important to me, I have learned that my mental and physical health is more important than school. Sometimes it is ok to take a mental health day. Mental, Physical, and Nutritional Health are important to me.