When I took my first discovery flight two years ago in Nampa, ID, I never imagined I would be flying solo in a DA40 airplane from Logan, UT to Pocatello, ID over the Utah mountains. That airplane ride changed my life forever. I am excited to be attending Utah State University and pursuing my dreams of becoming a professional pilot with a degree in Aviation Technology. At Utah State, I have finished my private pilot training and hold a private pilot certificate. In May I will start my Commercial Cross Country course, followed by Instrument Rating. As I progress through the program, I plan to become a Certified Flight Instructor and help train future pilots at USU. Upon graduation from USU, with my degree in Aviation Technology, I hope to work in aviation in the Mountain West as either a professional commercial pilot or a corporate pilot. I have completed my first semester at Utah State with a 4.0 GPA, while simultaneously being proactive through my flight training and adding extra ground instruction and flight blocks. In addition to dedicating time to my courses, I am also a member of USU’s Women in Aviation International Chapter, the University Chorale Choir, and the Student Alumni Association Committee. I will be representing USU at the 2025 Women in Aviation International Conference in Denver, CO. In addition to being a member of Women in Corporate Aviation, I am also a member of the Flying Musicians Association and Catholic Aviation Association. I am thankful for these organizations and the education, networking and mentorship opportunities they provide. I believe my dedication to academics, strong work ethic and my positive attitude all make me a good choice and sound investment for this scholarship. Throughout my time in high school, I played on two varsity sports teams, was a four year member of the school choir, tutored in the school's writing center, volunteered in my community and held part time jobs. I always work hard in whatever environment I am in. I will continue this work ethic during my training at Utah State. Attending Utah State University and flight training is a huge financial commitment. While I did receive some academic scholarships and a Pell Grant, I have taken out both federal and private loans to finance my education and flight training. I will continue to take out loans as needed to cover the costs of school and training. This scholarship is important to me because without scholarships and loans, I would not be a student at USU. The world of aviation has so many possible careers to offer. I can not wait to explore the possibility of being a corporate pilot in the mountain west. I love everything about aviation, flying the plane, making flight plans, listening to towers, learning from my mentors and meeting other aviation enthusiasts. I hope you will consider me for this scholarship, as I can assure you, I will be a great investment. Thank you for your consideration.

When I took my first discovery flight two years ago in Nampa, ID, I never imagined I would be flying solo in a DA40 from Logan, UT to Pocatello, ID over the Utah mountains. I am excited to be attending Utah State University and pursuing my dreams of becoming a professional pilot. At Utah State, I have earned my Private Pilot Certificate and I am currently taking summer training for Cross Country. In the fall I will start my instrument training. As I progress through the program, I plan to become a Certified Flight Instructor and help train future pilots at USU. Upon graduation from USU, with my degree in Aviation Technology, I look forward to exploring the many career opportunities available for professional pilots. I have completed my first year at Utah State with a 4.0 GPA, while simultaneously being proactive through my flight training and adding extra ground instruction and flight blocks. In addition to dedicating time to my courses, I am also a member of USU’s Women in Aviation International Chapter, the University Chorale Choir, and the Student Alumni Association Committee. I recently represented USU at the 2025 Women in Aviation International Conference in Denver, CO. This summer, I will be an Aviation Leader for Utah State’s Aviation Summer Camp. I have joined several professional organizations, including Women in Corporate Aviation, the Flying Musicians Association and Catholic Aviation Association. I am thankful for these organizations and the education, networking and mentorship opportunities they provide. I believe my dedication to academics, strong work ethic and my positive attitude all make me a good choice and sound investment for this scholarship. Throughout my time in high school, I played on two varsity sports teams, was a four year member of the school choir, tutored in the school's writing center, volunteered in my community and held part time jobs. I always work hard in whatever environment I am in. I will continue this work ethic during my training at Utah State. Attending Utah State University and flight training is a huge financial commitment. While I did receive some academic scholarships and a Pell Grant, I have taken out both federal and private loans to finance my education and flight training. I will continue to take out loans as needed to cover the costs of school and training. This scholarship is important to me because without scholarships and loans, I would not be a student at USU. The cost of my next course, Commercial Cross Country, is $13,860, followed by Instrument Rating at $16,068. The world of aviation has so many possible careers to offer. I can not wait to explore the possibility of being a corporate pilot in the mountain west. I love everything about aviation, flying the plane, making flight plans, listening to towers, learning from my mentors and meeting other aviation enthusiasts. I hope you will consider me for this scholarship, as I can assure you, I will be a great investment.

When I took my first discovery flight two years ago in Nampa, ID, I never imagined I would be flying solo in a DA40 airplane from Logan, UT to Pocatello, ID over the Utah mountains. That airplane ride changed my life forever. I am excited to be attending Utah State University and pursuing my dreams of becoming a professional pilot with a degree in Aviation Technology. At Utah State, I have finished my private pilot training and hold a private pilot certificate. In May I will start my Commercial Cross Country course, followed by Instrument Rating. As I progress through the program, I plan to become a Certified Flight Instructor and help train future pilots at USU. Upon graduation from USU, with my degree in Aviation Technology, I hope to work in aviation in the Mountain West as either a professional commercial pilot or a corporate pilot. I have completed my first semester at Utah State with a 4.0 GPA, while simultaneously being proactive through my flight training and adding extra ground instruction and flight blocks. In addition to dedicating time to my courses, I am also a member of USU’s Women in Aviation International Chapter, the University Chorale Choir, and the Student Alumni Association Committee. I will be representing USU at the 2025 Women in Aviation International Conference in Denver, CO. In addition to being a member of Women in Corporate Aviation, I am also a member of the Flying Musicians Association and Catholic Aviation Association. I am thankful for these organizations and the education, networking and mentorship opportunities they provide. I believe my dedication to academics, strong work ethic and my positive attitude all make me a good choice and sound investment for this scholarship. Throughout my time in high school, I played on two varsity sports teams, was a four year member of the school choir, tutored in the school's writing center, volunteered in my community and held part time jobs. I always work hard in whatever environment I am in. I will continue this work ethic during my training at Utah State. Attending Utah State University and flight training is a huge financial commitment. While I did receive some academic scholarships and a Pell Grant, I have taken out both federal and private loans to finance my education and flight training. I will continue to take out loans as needed to cover the costs of school and training. This scholarship is important to me because without scholarships and loans, I would not be a student at USU. The world of aviation has so many possible careers to offer. I can not wait to explore the possibility of being a corporate pilot in the mountain west. I love everything about aviation, flying the plane, making flight plans, listening to towers, learning from my mentors and meeting other aviation enthusiasts. I hope you will consider me for this scholarship, as I can assure you, I will be a great investment. Thank you for your consideration.

When I took my first discovery flight two years ago in Nampa, ID, I never imagined I would be flying solo in a DA40 airplane from Logan, UT to Pocatello, ID over the Utah mountains. That airplane ride changed my life forever. I am excited to be attending Utah State University and pursuing my dreams of becoming a professional pilot. At Utah State, I have finished my private pilot training and hold a private pilot certificate. In May I will start my Commercial Cross Country course, followed by Instrument Rating. As I progress through the program, I plan to become a Certified Flight Instructor and help train future pilots at USU. Upon graduation from USU, with my degree in Aviation Technology, I hope to work in aviation in the Mountain West as either a professional commercial pilot or a corporate pilot. I have completed my first semester at Utah State with a 4.0 GPA, while simultaneously being proactive through my flight training and adding extra ground instruction and flight blocks. In addition to dedicating time to my courses, I am also a volunteer member of USU’s Women in Aviation International Chapter, the University Chorale Choir, and the Student Alumni Association Committee. I represented USU at the 2025 Women in Aviation International Conference in Denver, CO. In addition to being a member of Women in Corporate Aviation, I am also a member of the Flying Musicians Association and Catholic Aviation Association. I am thankful for these organizations and the education, networking and mentorship opportunities they provide. I believe my dedication to academics, strong work ethic and my positive attitude all make me a good choice and sound investment for this scholarship. Throughout my time in high school, I played on two varsity sports teams, was a four year member of the school choir, tutored in the school's writing center, volunteered in my community and held part time jobs. I always work hard in whatever environment I am in. I will continue this work ethic during my training at Utah State. Attending Utah State University and flight training is a huge financial commitment. While I did receive some academic scholarships and a Pell Grant, I have taken out both federal and private loans to finance my education and flight training. I will continue to take out loans as needed to cover the costs of school and training. This scholarship is important to me because without scholarships and loans, I would not be a student at USU. The world of aviation has so many possible careers to offer. I can not wait to explore the possibility of being a corporate pilot in the mountain west. I love everything about aviation, flying the plane, making flight plans, listening to towers, learning from my mentors and meeting other aviation enthusiasts. I hope you will consider me for this scholarship, as I can assure you, I will be a great investment. Thank you for your consideration. Ellie Cheek USU Aviation

When I took my first discovery aircraft flight two years ago in Nampa, ID, I never imagined I would be flying solo in a DA40 airplane from Logan, UT to Pocatello, ID over the Utah mountains. I am so excited to be attending Utah State University and pursuing my dreams of becoming a professional pilot. As a student pilot, I have passed my FAA Private Pilot Written exam and am waiting for a date for my final check ride. In May, I will start my cross-country training at Utah State and will begin my instrument training in the fall, followed by my commercial ground school and advanced maneuvers training. As I progress through the Aviation Technology program at Utah State University, I plan to become a Certified Flight Instructor and help train future pilots at USU. As a Certified Flight Instructor, I will be in charge of training incoming students and preparing them for their first solo flights. I am thankful for the instructors I have had and hope to impart the same level of professionalism and knowledge to future USU pilots. I have completed my first semester at Utah State with a 4.0 GPA. In addition to dedicating time to my courses, I am also a member of USU’s Women in Aviation International chapter, the University Chorale Choir, and the Student Alumni Association committee. These organizations give me the opportunity to volunteer in community events. I will be representing USU at the 2025 Women in Aviation International conference in Denver, CO. Additionally, our USU chapter of WAI provides on campus events and camps for girls interested in aviation. The Student Alumni Association is responsible for hosting campus wide events such as homecoming week, True Aggie nights and dances. As a singer in the university choir, we hold public concerts at local churches. I will be the first person in my family to be a pilot. Attending Utah State University and flight training is a huge financial commitment. While I did receive some academic scholarships and a Pell Grant, I have taken out both federal and private loans to finance my education and flight training. I will continue to take out loans as needed to cover the costs of school and training. This scholarship is important to me because, without scholarships and loans, I would not be a student at USU. As a student who is funding their own training through grants, scholarship and loans, I plan to repay organizations that have helped me achieve my aviation dreams when I am in the position to do so. Because I am responsible for funding my own education, I have a vested financial interest in ensuring I complete my training on time. I have a 4.0 GPA at Utah State and was a 4.0 student in high school as well. As a disciplined pilot, I assure you I will be a sound investment for your scholarship money. Thank you for your consideration.

When I took my first discovery flight two years ago in Nampa, ID, I never imagined I would be flying solo in a DA40 from Logan, UT to Pocatello, ID over the Utah mountains. I am excited to be attending Utah State University and pursuing my dreams of becoming a professional pilot. As a child, my family spent a year on the road traveling the US. It was amazing to see our country, but the countless hours in the back of a truck on highways had me looking out the window and counting airplanes. It was on that trip that I knew I wanted to pursue becoming a pilot. I am pursuing my career as a pilot because I love to travel. I get excited everytime I fly an airplane and I love learning about aircrafts and aviation in general. I have passed my FAA Private Pilot Written Test and am working on my private pilot. As I progress through the program, I plan to become a Certified Flight Instructor and help train future pilots at USU. I have completed my first semester at Utah State with a 4.0 GPA, while simultaneously being proactive through my flight training and adding extra ground instruction and flight blocks. In addition to dedicating time to my courses, I am also part of USU’s Women in Aviation International chapter, University Chorale Choir, and on the Student Alumni Association Committee. I believe my dedication to academics, strong work ethic, ability to work well in a group and my positive attitude all make me a good choice and sound investment for this scholarship. Throughout my time in high school, I played on two varsity sports teams, was a four year member of the school choir, tutored in the school's writing center, volunteered in my community and held part time jobs. I always work hard in whatever environment I am in. I plan to continue this work ethic during my whole time at Utah State. The world of aviation has so many possible careers to offer. I can not wait to explore the many possible career options open to pilots in the mountain west. I love everything about aviation, flying the plane, making flight plans, listening to towers, learning from my mentors and meeting other aviation enthusiasts. I will be the first person in my family to be a pilot. I have been navigating the process on my own and have enjoyed every minute of this journey towards my future career. I love reading about all things aviation for fun, listening to the airport towers and visiting airports and museums to learn more about aircraft. I hope you will consider me for this scholarship, as I can assure you, I will be a great investment.

When I took my first discovery flight two years ago in Nampa, ID, I never imagined I would be flying solo in a DA40 from Logan, UT to Pocatello, ID over the Utah mountains. I am excited to be attending Utah State University and pursuing my dreams of becoming a professional pilot. As a child, my family spent a year on the road traveling the US. It was amazing to see our country, but the countless hours in the back of a truck on highways had me looking out the window and counting airplanes. It was on that trip that I knew I wanted to pursue becoming a pilot. I am pursuing my career as a pilot because I love to travel. I get excited everytime I fly an airplane and I love learning about aircrafts and aviation in general. I have passed my FAA Private Pilot Written Test and am working on my private pilot. As I progress through the program, I plan to become a Certified Flight Instructor and help train future pilots at USU. I have completed my first semester at Utah State with a 4.0 GPA, while simultaneously being proactive through my flight training and adding extra ground instruction and flight blocks. In addition to dedicating time to my courses, I am also part of USU’s Women in Aviation International chapter, University Chorale Choir, and on the Student Alumni Association Committee. I believe my dedication to academics, strong work ethic, ability to work well in a group and my positive attitude all make me a good choice and sound investment for this scholarship. Throughout my time in high school, I played on two varsity sports teams, was a four year member of the school choir, tutored in the school's writing center, volunteered in my community and held part time jobs. I always work hard in whatever environment I am in. I plan to continue this work ethic during my whole time at Utah State. The world of aviation has so many possible careers to offer. I can not wait to explore the many possible career options open to pilots in the mountain west. I love everything about aviation, flying the plane, making flight plans, listening to towers, learning from my mentors and meeting other aviation enthusiasts. I will be the first person in my family to be a pilot. I have been navigating the process on my own and have enjoyed every minute of this journey towards my future career. I love reading about all things aviation for fun, listening to the airport towers and visiting airports and museums to learn more about aircraft. I hope you will consider me for this scholarship, as I can assure you, I will be a great investment.

When I took my first discovery flight two years ago in Nampa, ID, I never imagined I would be flying solo in a DA40 from Logan, UT to Pocatello, ID over the Utah mountains. I am excited to be attending Utah State University and pursuing my dreams of becoming a professional pilot. As a child, my family spent a year on the road traveling the US. It was amazing to see our country, but the countless hours in the back of a truck on highways had me looking out the window and counting airplanes. It was on that trip that I knew I wanted to pursue becoming a pilot. I am pursuing my career as a pilot because I love to travel. I get excited everytime I fly an airplane and I love learning about aircrafts and aviation in general. I have passed my FAA Private Pilot Written Test and am working on my private pilot. As I progress through the program, I plan to become a Certified Flight Instructor and help train future pilots at USU. I have completed my first semester at Utah State with a 4.0 GPA, while simultaneously being proactive through my flight training and adding extra ground instruction and flight blocks. In addition to dedicating time to my courses, I am also part of USU’s Women in Aviation International chapter, University Chorale Choir, and on the Student Alumni Association Committee. I believe my dedication to academics, strong work ethic, ability to work well in a group and my positive attitude all make me a good choice and sound investment for this scholarship. Throughout my time in high school, I played on two varsity sports teams, was a four year member of the school choir, tutored in the school's writing center, volunteered in my community and held part time jobs. I always work hard in whatever environment I am in. I plan to continue this work ethic during my whole time at Utah State. The world of aviation has so many possible careers to offer. I can not wait to explore the many possible career options open to pilots in the mountain west. I love everything about aviation, flying the plane, making flight plans, listening to towers, learning from my mentors and meeting other aviation enthusiasts. I will be the first person in my family to be a pilot. I have been navigating the process on my own and have enjoyed every minute of this journey towards my future career. I love reading about all things aviation for fun, listening to the airport towers and visiting airports and museums to learn more about aircraft. I hope you will consider me for this scholarship, as I can assure you, I will be a great investment.

When I took my first discovery flight two years ago in Nampa, ID, I never imagined I would be flying solo in a DA40 from Logan, UT to Pocatello, ID over the Utah mountains. I am excited to be attending Utah State University and pursuing my dreams of becoming a professional pilot. As a child, my family spent a year on the road traveling the US. It was amazing to see our country, but the countless hours in the back of a truck on highways had me looking out the window and counting airplanes. It was on that trip that I knew I wanted to pursue becoming a pilot. I am pursuing my career as a pilot because I love to travel. I get excited everytime I fly an airplane and I love learning about aircrafts and aviation in general. I have passed my FAA Private Pilot Written Test and am working on my private pilot. As I progress through the program, I plan to become a Certified Flight Instructor and help train future pilots at USU. I have completed my first semester at Utah State with a 4.0 GPA, while simultaneously being proactive through my flight training and adding extra ground instruction and flight blocks. In addition to dedicating time to my courses, I am also part of USU’s Women in Aviation International chapter, University Chorale Choir, and on the Student Alumni Association Committee. I believe my dedication to academics, strong work ethic, ability to work well in a group and my positive attitude all make me a good choice and sound investment for this scholarship. Throughout my time in high school, I played on two varsity sports teams, was a four year member of the school choir, tutored in the school's writing center, volunteered in my community and held part time jobs. I always work hard in whatever environment I am in. I plan to continue this work ethic during my whole time at Utah State. The world of aviation has so many possible careers to offer. I can not wait to explore the many possible career options open to pilots in the mountain west. I love everything about aviation, flying the plane, making flight plans, listening to towers, learning from my mentors and meeting other aviation enthusiasts. I will be the first person in my family to be a pilot. I have been navigating the process on my own and have enjoyed every minute of this journey towards my future career. I love reading about all things aviation for fun, listening to the airport towers and visiting airports and museums to learn more about aircraft. I hope you will consider me for this scholarship, as I can assure you, I will be a great investment.

Surprisingly enough, the most influential person in my life is my volleyball club director, Joyce. She is the bravest and strongest person I know. Volleyball means a lot to me, and therefore everyone involved means something to me as well. Although Joyce was never my coach, she has always done so much for me. She has selflessly offered me scholarships for the last two years to play on the 18's National team, as it is a very expensive commitment. Her generosity allowed me to enjoy a great season last year and the opportunity to travel to new cities. Without her, I would most likely have never afforded to play on that team. Just about a month ago, I was injured during the third practice of school season. A girl who was on JV last year came under the net when I was blocking and I tore the ATFL ligament in my ankle. Needless to say, it was crushing. Suddenly the season I was so excited about was slipping away, and all I could do was sit in bed and cry. But the morning after my injury, Joyce came to my rescue. Just a few months ago, she was in a terrible horse accident and ended up getting back surgery. She broke her spine in multiple places, and bones in other areas of her body. She couldn't move, and yet she still gave me things to take care of another ankle injury that I had at the time. Just like before, she supplied me with essential oil rollers filled with things like lemon grass that would help strengthen my ligaments. She has texted me almost every day of this month to check in on me and ask about my progress. Joyce lost her husband just about three years ago. Yet she still runs a whole volleyball club with hundreds of players year-round. She is the kindest and most supportive woman that I have ever met, and I hope that I can grow up to be someone like her. She takes time out of her day to ensure that other people are not just okay but thriving. She is a devout Christian, and she always reminds me to trust in God's plan, even when I'm in tough places. From Joyce, I have learned to be caring, aware, and brave. Because of her constant support in my life, my bravery has brought me to the realization that I am going to be a pilot. I could not be more excited about this career path. And I know she is excited for me as well.

Perhaps the most obvious thing that volleyball has taught me is teamwork. I love playing, and I have been on my high school's varsity team for two years. I have been the unfortunate victim of torn ligaments in both ankles, and have had to struggle with both the mental and physical repercussions of such injuries. I am a middle blocker and the leading blocker on my team. I can't be afraid of getting right up beside a teammate and pressing over the net. It's risk and success that I've come to love working for. Because of this, I plan to attend college and earn a bachelor of science degree. I am currently planning on becoming a professional pilot, and I have already applied to many aviation schools, and have been accepted to a few so far! I would love to play volleyball in college, but I'm not sure yet if that can work out. Many schools plan most of the flight training time for the fall while the weather is still good. But of course, volleyball is a fall sport and practices and games take up a good amount of time. Whether or not I can continue playing in college, I will be forever grateful for the lessons that volleyball taught me. With the most recent injury, I lost half my season. Next week I can begin playing again. There was nothing harder than being rushed to the hospital to make sure I didn't snap a bone, and coming out on crutches. I was crying, and nothing felt real. It felt like I was going to wake up and I wasn't going to have an injury. I was going to wake up and still be playing. It was only two weeks before our first games, and I was heartbroken. Volleyball means a lot to me and helps me define myself as a team player and cooperative and caring friend. In my experience as a starting middle, have gained knowledge of how to make quick decisions, which will help me be successful in my chosen career path. While it is unfortunate that I have lost half of my senior season, I will make the best of it. Similarly, it is unfortunate that I may not be able to devote the time required to a team in college, but I will still make the best of whatever college experiences come my way. I'm excited to fly, and I'm so grateful for all that my team has done for me.

I plan to pursue a bachelors degree in Aviation Science. In my sixth grade year, long before traveling in a trailer was instagram-worthy, my parents took my siblings and I on a year long road trip to explore the United States and leave our small New England town. Traveling and learning about each place we visited quickly became a natural high for me. I experienced our diverse country, from the Smoky Mountains to the Rocky Mountains, and countless areas in between. We even took time to learn more about our family heritage, including those of my Cherokee ancestors on the Trail of Tears. Each day taught me more about myself as a person from so many cultures. I learned more about our country in a hands-on way that year than I had ever thought possible. However, while all of this exploration and adventure had its high points, it did not come without the harsh reality that we were looking for our future hometown. Can you imagine moving from small-town New England to Boise, Idaho? Well, I did. Thankfully my year on the road taught me resilience. And if anybody can survive homeschooling in a trailer with my family, they can certainly adapt to any schooling situation. Do I wish I had never left New England? Honestly, there are many days when I find myself wondering what kind of person I would have become if I had stayed in my sleepy hometown. However, the significant events in my life, since age eleven, instilled in me a new sense of adventure. In fact, I have developed such a love for exploring new places and meeting new people that I have decided to pursue a career as a professional pilot. I am so glad that my parents encouraged me to take the trip and embrace our cross-country move. I am obsessed with traveling and a desire to learn. I can't wait to attend an aviation school and learn about aviation science. I love flying and have already taken discovery flights. As a professional pilot, I will be able to transport people across the country, and maybe even the world. I will learn about these amazing machines that are capable of doing incredible things. And above all, I will be doing something that I love! There are so few women in the aviation field, so I cannot wait to join the ranks as a next-generation female pilot, and change the norm.

When I was younger, I developed a great love for travel and adventure. This love and desire has set me on my path to becoming a pilot. In my sixth grade year, long before traveling in a trailer was Instagram-worthy, my parents took my siblings and I on a year-long road trip to explore the United States and leave our small New England town. The shock of leaving the only town I had ever known, something called homeschooling, and living in a 27 ft travel trailer for a year with my family of 5, was enough to make any sixth grader beg to be left behind. However, it didn’t take long on the road, in fact I think it was by the time we had hit Virginia, that the trip began to shape my character and I couldn't wait to explore our next destination. Traveling and learning about each place we visited quickly became a natural high for me. During the trip, I had the unique opportunity to earn junior ranger badges at over 50 national parks and historical landmarks. I experienced our diverse country, from the Smoky Mountains to the Rocky Mountains, and countless areas in between. We even took time to learn more about our family heritage, including those of my Cherokee ancestors on the Trail of Tears. Each day taught me more about myself as a person from so many cultures. I learned more about our country in a hands-on way that year than I had ever thought possible. However, while all of this exploration and adventure had its high points, it did not come without the harsh reality that we were looking for our future hometown. I’ve learned that life is about experiencing new things and growing at the same time, even when huge obstacles are thrown in your path. I was excited to start a new life in Idaho, but reality hit hard after just a few short months. My new school was shut down during Covid. I then had to learn from home, while knowing almost no one in this new state. The next year I started another new school where it was even harder to make new friends, especially with every face hidden behind a mask. It is almost unbelievable that within ten months I had not only attended two different schools, but also learned remotely. Thankfully my year on the road taught me resilience. And if anybody can survive homeschooling in a trailer with my family, they can certainly adapt to any schooling situation. Do I wish I had never left New England? Honestly, there are many days when I find myself wondering what kind of person I would have become if I had stayed in my sleepy hometown. However, the significant events in my life, since age eleven, instilled in me a new sense of adventure. In fact, I have developed such a love for exploring new places and meeting new people that I have decided to pursue a career as a professional pilot. While it’s true that children thrive under structure and routine, sometimes being forced into new situations may be just what they need to figure out what they want for their future. I am so glad that my parents encouraged me to take the trip and embrace our cross-country move. I was given the opportunity to learn so much about myself, my family, and my country.