I firmly believe that education plays a crucial role in shaping an individual's life, largely including my own. It provides a solid foundation of knowledge and essential skills for navigating complex situations and making informed decisions. As someone who has chosen the entrepreneurial path, I have realized the immense value of education in my journey. It has helped me gain a deeper understanding of the business world, hone my problem-solving skills, and equip me with the necessary tools to overcome challenges. I have chosen to major in business because I see myself pursuing a career primarily in nonprofit and business management. I seek to gain more expertise to enhance my leadership and business skills as I continue to build the nonprofit I founded at 16, South Dakota Youth Activism (SDYA). Passionate about social justice and politics, I took the significant step to found a nonprofit specifically to center and amplify youth voices in community engagement and policy-making. Although all the nonprofits I've been a part of have given me a great platform to stand up for myself, I have felt like youth in South Dakota still lack the attention and support we deserve when we stand up and speak out. SDYA has been founded to change that. Now that this organization has started rolling, we will continue making an impact on the state through our initiatives of education, community engagement, and legislative action. My education encompasses all the knowledge I have acquired through schooling, classes, and my experiences in public service and advocacy. In May 2024, I will be proud to have earned my diploma and completed my formal education. However, I will also be proud of the years of leadership development and societal awareness I have gained through my community work. These experiences have helped me grow and will be valuable assets as I step into the real world and the next chapter of my education. I have decided to attend a school within my state for the next few years to finish what I have started through SDYA. While pursuing my associate's degree in business at the University of South Dakota in Sioux Falls, I will prepare for my career's next steps. That is, continuing to build the foundation of SDYA, uplift youth voices, and build the personal network I have started locally and nationally. Once I feel that I have significantly impacted South Dakota, I plan to pursue a degree in political science out-state and establish new connections once again. Although unsure about the specific occupation I will pursue, I am certain it will involve social justice. I am looking forward to pursuing post-secondary education because I see the potential to specialize in the areas that will benefit me most as an activist and entrepreneur. Education is vital in enhancing our understanding of societal issues and developing leadership skills. This, in turn, helps us effectively contribute towards addressing societal challenges in the nonprofit field and, ultimately, leave the world better than we found it.

During my sophomore year of high school, I had a long-term project to rebuild my school's Gender & Sexuality Alliance club, which aims to provide a safe space for LGBTQ+ students to be themselves, have fun, and make a positive impact. I spent over two years working on this project to create a sustainable space that promotes leadership, activism, and community. I served as the club's president during my sophomore and junior years, dedicating much of my free time to planning activities and projects, building membership and leadership, and strategizing to make my school more inclusive. Despite my efforts, I was never able to maintain the interest of others for more than a month or two. I went through three leadership teams that dissolved due to personal conflicts and a lack of motivation from others. This was my first long-term project, and it put me in the spotlight. Every meeting that lacked attendance and every leader I had to turn away made me feel like I disappointed those who did show up. It began to feel impossible to impress anyone but also impossible to get others to participate and succeed together. It was devastating to finally conclude at the end of my junior year that I wasn't cut out to be successful in creating such a space in the environment I was given. I ended up burning myself out trying to create something that just wasn't meant to be. However, this experience taught me significant lessons in leadership and founding organizations. I learned that I can't force something to be what it was never meant to be, not everyone will see the potential I see, and not everyone is willing to put in the work to make their environment better, even if it benefits them in the end. Despite feeling like a complete waste of energy at first, this work was a stepping stone for me to become a successful leader and founder of a nonprofit today. It was a journey that gave me patience and perseverance, which I never would have had without that struggle. After my junior year, I didn't let the lack of success with the GSA club stop me from pursuing my dreams of building community and activism. I began a new journey outside of the walls of my high school, building a coalition of young people passionate about social justice and community building. A year and a half later, I officially established a 501(c)3 non-profit under the state of South Dakota called South Dakota Youth Activism. There is something special about looking back now at my younger self as a leader. Their unwillingness to give up prompts me to do the same because if they lost that perseverance, I wouldn’t be where I am today. So, if I quit when I struggle now, what does that mean for the future me? Would they lose out on something just as big? Well, I guess that won’t be a chance I’ll take. I applied for this scholarship as I am seeking support for my ambitions for educational and community involvement. I have decided to attend an in-state school to finish what I have started through SD Youth Activism. I plan to pursue an associate's degree in business at the University of South Dakota in Sioux Falls. If my tuition is (mostly) covered, I can focus on building my non-profit, accomplishing its mission, and furthermore, preparing for the next chapters of my advocacy career. I am determined to achieve my dreams, and any support could make a real difference. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Where I’m from, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, there have been a select few opportunities that empower the LGBTQ community; if anything, one has to create it for oneself and others. However, I’m confident this has been changing tremendously, and I’m so happy to be a part of it. I think that the future is promising for my community. I know with all the anti-queer and trans legislation, it doesn’t feel like that’s anything but false. This wave of anti-LGBTQ rhetoric directly harmed me. However, I still believe in a bright future. Over the last couple of years, I've gone to my state capital, Pierre, during the State Legislative Session to testify in front of legislators and advocate for transgender youth. The most memorable was my testimony in 2023 against HB 1080, which banned minors like myself from receiving gender-affirming care. Even though I was no longer able to receive gender-affirming care as a minor after the bill passed, I was able to speak out and be visible to my community like never before. I changed hearts and inspired trans kids like myself. On top of that, I’ve learned to look at legislation and backlash as a symbol of a movement’s progress. This year I had the honor to meet and speak with Shannon Minter, a civil rights attorney well-known for being a powerful transgender advocate. He pointed out that if we look at history, the greatest social justice achievements made came after periods of struggle. The Civil Rights Act wasn’t passed until after the atrocities against protesters in Birmingham occurred. Americans didn’t achieve marriage equality without heavy resistance before Obergefell v. Hodges. There are so many more examples to look at. It tells me that we are progressing. Frederick Douglass said, “If there is no struggle, there is no progress.” That, I believe, is what my generation and future ones will endure, just like the individuals who threw the first bricks. We are carrying the torch of the change-makers that came before and so there will be challenges, but there will certainly be opportunities and success. I'm proud to say I've found that for my journey. I, along with others who joined me, took the big step to found a non-profit centering and amplifying youth voices. My proudest community accomplishment has been the founding of a youth-led nonprofit called South Dakota Youth Activism. Although all the nonprofits I've worked with have given me a great platform to stand up for myself, I have felt like youth in SD still lack the attention and support we deserve when we stand up and speak out. SDYA has been founded to change that. I applied for this scholarship as I am in search of support for my educational and community involvement ambitions. I decided to attend an in-state school to complete what I have started through SD Youth Activism. While pursuing my associate's degree in business at the University of South Dakota in Sioux Falls, I will work on this non-profit organization. Organizing and mobilizing is time-consuming and requires a lot of energy. It’s been a challenge for my fellow leaders and me to accomplish all our ambitions with classes, part-time jobs, and futures to worry about. I’m proud to say I didn’t let this hold me back. I have saved up enough from my part-time job to prepare for college and to move out; any additional support would be highly appreciated and allow me to thrive. If my tuition is (mostly) covered, I can focus on building my non-profit and accomplishing its mission. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Where I’m from, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, there have been a select few opportunities that empower the LGBTQ community; if anything, one has to create it for oneself and others. However, I’m confident this has been changing tremendously, and I’m so happy to be a part of it. I think that the future is promising for my community. I know with all the anti-queer and trans legislation, it doesn’t feel like that’s anything but false. This wave of anti-LGBTQ rhetoric directly harmed me. However, I still believe in a bright future. Over the last couple of years, I've gone to my state capital, Pierre, during the State Legislative Session to testify in front of legislators and advocate for transgender youth. The most memorable was my testimony in 2023 against HB 1080, which banned minors like myself from receiving gender-affirming care. Even though I was no longer able to receive gender-affirming care as a minor after the bill passed, I was able to speak out and be visible to my community like never before. I changed hearts and inspired trans kids like myself. On top of that, I’ve learned to look at legislation and backlash as a symbol of a movement’s progress. This year I had the honor to meet and speak with Shannon Minter, a civil rights attorney well-known for being a powerful transgender advocate. He pointed out that if we look at history, the greatest social justice achievements made came after periods of struggle. The first pride parades didn’t happen without the Stonewall Riots a year before. The Civil Rights Act wasn’t passed until after the atrocities against protesters in Birmingham occurred. Americans didn’t achieve marriage equality without heavy resistance before Obergefell v. Hodges. There are so many more examples to look at. It tells me that we are progressing. Frederick Douglass said, “If there is no struggle, there is no progress.” That, I believe, is what my generation and future ones will endure, just like the individuals who threw the first bricks. We are carrying the torch of the change-makers that came before and so there will be challenges, but there will certainly be opportunities and success. I'm proud to say I've found that for my journey. I, along with others who joined me, took the big step to found a non-profit centering and amplifying youth voices. My proudest community accomplishment has been the founding of a youth-led nonprofit called South Dakota Youth Activism. Although all the nonprofits I've worked with have given me a great platform to stand up for myself, I have felt like youth in SD still lack the attention and support we deserve when we stand up and speak out. SDYA has been founded to change that. Now that this organization has started rolling, we will continue making an impact on the state through our initiatives of education, community engagement, and legislative action. I applied for this scholarship as I am in search of support for my educational and community involvement ambitions. I have decided to attend an in-state school to complete what I have started through SD Youth Activism. While pursuing my associate's degree in business at the University of South Dakota in Sioux Falls, I will be working on the non-profit organization that I founded when I was 16. I have saved up enough from my part-time job to prepare for college and to move out; any additional support would be highly appreciated and allow me to thrive. If my tuition is (mostly) covered, I can focus on building my non-profit, accomplishing its mission, and furthermore, preparing for the next chapters of my advocacy career. As the Chief Executive Officer of SDYA, which is a youth-led organization, I will eventually age out of the position. After I feel that I have made a considerable impact on South Dakota, I plan to pursue a degree in political science out-of-state and establish new roots once again. Although I am not sure about the occupation I will land in, I am certain that it will involve social justice. I have chosen to major in business because I see myself predominantly working in nonprofit and business management. As I have already started a nonprofit, gaining more insight into the logistics of business leadership will improve the organization I am working on now and any future corporations I may be part of or create. Besides, I love to become more educated on the things I am passionate about, such as leadership and advocacy. I'm going to study political science because I have a special interest in politics, activism, and policy-making. It's something I've been actively involved in, and I know I want to keep doing it in the future. I am determined to achieve my dreams, and any support could make a real difference. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Volunteering and advocacy have been my passion since I learned to be a leader. Being transgender and queer in South Dakota, I see the need to make my state a more inclusive place by advocating for myself, my community, and other marginalized groups. I have done this by working and getting involved with several local nonprofits, including the Transformation Project, Sioux Falls Pride, ACLU of South Dakota, Sioux Falls branch of the NAACP, and others. On the national scale, I was on the 2022-2023 National Student Council for GLSEN (Gay and Lesbian Student Education Network). Since 2022, I’ve been on the ACLU Youth Advisory Council and gone to Pierre during the State Legislative Session to testify in front of legislators and advocate for transgender youth. The most memorable was my testimony in 2023 against HB 1080, which banned minors like myself from receiving gender-affirming care. But my proudest community accomplishment has been the founding of a youth-led nonprofit called South Dakota Youth Activism. Passionate about all things social justice and politics, I took the big step to found a non-profit specifically to center and amplify youth voices in community engagement and policy-making. Although all the nonprofits I've been a part of have given me a great platform to stand up for myself, I have felt like youth in South Dakota still lack the attention and support we deserve when we stand up and speak out. SDYA has been founded to change that. Now that this organization has started rolling, we will continue making an impact on the state through our initiatives of education, community engagement, and legislative action. I applied for this scholarship as I am in search of support for my educational and community involvement ambitions. I have decided to attend an in-state school to complete what I have started through SD Youth Activism. While pursuing my associate's degree in business at the University of South Dakota in Sioux Falls, I will be working on the non-profit organization that I founded when I was 16. I have saved up enough from my part-time job to prepare for college and to move out; any additional support would be highly appreciated and allow me to thrive. If my tuition is (mostly) covered, I can focus on building my non-profit, accomplishing its mission, and furthermore, preparing for the next chapters of my advocacy career. As the Chief Executive Officer of SDYA, which is a youth-led organization, I will eventually age out of the position. After I feel that I have made a considerable impact on South Dakota, I plan to pursue a degree in political science out-of-state and establish new roots once again. Although I am not sure about the occupation I will land in, I am certain that it will involve social justice. I have chosen to major in business because I see myself predominantly working in nonprofit and business management. As I have already started a nonprofit, gaining more insight into the logistics of business leadership will improve the organization I am working on now and any future corporations I may be part of or create. Besides, I love to become more educated on the things I am passionate about, such as leadership and advocacy. I'm going to study political science because I have a special interest in politics, activism, and policy-making. It's something I've been actively involved in, and I know I want to keep doing it in the future. I am determined to achieve my dreams, and any support could make a real difference. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Volunteering and advocacy have been my passion since I learned to be a leader. Being transgender and queer in South Dakota, I see the need to make my state a more inclusive place by advocating for myself, my community, and other marginalized groups. I have done this by working and getting involved with several local nonprofits, including the Transformation Project, Sioux Falls Pride, ACLU of South Dakota, Sioux Falls branch of the NAACP, and others. On the national scale, I was on the 2022-2023 National Student Council for GLSEN (Gay and Lesbian Student Education Network). Since 2022, I’ve been on the ACLU Youth Advisory Council and gone to Pierre during the State Legislative Session to testify in front of legislators and advocate for transgender youth. The most memorable was my testimony in 2023 against HB 1080, which banned minors like myself from receiving gender-affirming care. But my proudest community accomplishment has been the founding of a youth-led nonprofit called South Dakota Youth Activism. Passionate about all things social justice and politics, I took the big step to found a non-profit specifically to center and amplify youth voices in community engagement and policy-making. Although all the nonprofits I've been a part of have given me a great platform to stand up for myself, I have felt like youth in South Dakota still lack the attention and support we deserve when we stand up and speak out. SDYA has been founded to change that. Now that this organization has started rolling, we will continue making an impact on the state through our initiatives of education, community engagement, and legislative action. I applied for this scholarship as I am in search of support for my educational and community involvement ambitions. I have decided to attend an in-state school to complete what I have started through SD Youth Activism. While pursuing my associate's degree in business at the University of South Dakota in Sioux Falls, I will be working on the non-profit organization that I founded when I was 16. I have saved up enough from my part-time job to prepare for college and to move out; any additional support would be highly appreciated and allow me to thrive. If my tuition is (mostly) covered, I can focus on building my non-profit, accomplishing its mission, and furthermore, preparing for the next chapters of my advocacy career. As the Chief Executive Officer of SDYA, which is a youth-led organization, I will eventually age out of the position. After I feel that I have made a considerable impact on South Dakota, I plan to pursue a degree in political science out-of-state and establish new roots once again. Although I am not sure about the occupation I will land in, I am certain that it will involve social justice. I have chosen to major in business because I see myself predominantly working in nonprofit and business management. As I have already started a nonprofit, gaining more insight into the logistics of business leadership will improve the organization I am working on now and any future corporations I may be part of or create. Besides, I love to become more educated on the things I am passionate about, such as leadership and advocacy. I'm going to study political science because I have a special interest in politics, activism, and policy-making. It's something I've been actively involved in, and I know I want to keep doing it in the future. I am determined to achieve my dreams, and any support could make a real difference. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Volunteering and advocacy have been my passion since I learned to be a leader. Being transgender and queer in South Dakota, I see the need to make my state a more inclusive place by advocating for myself, my community, and other marginalized groups. I have done this by working and getting involved with several local nonprofits, including but not limited to the Transformation Project, Sioux Falls Pride, ACLU of South Dakota, Sioux Falls branch of the NAACP, and others. On the national scale, I was on the 2022-2023 National Student Council for GLSEN (Gay and Lesbian Student Education Network). Since 2022, I’ve been on the ACLU Youth Advisory Council and gone to Pierre during the State Legislative Session to testify in front of legislators and advocate for transgender youth. The most memorable was my testimony in 2023 against HB 1080, which banned minors like myself from receiving gender-affirming care. But my proudest community accomplishment has been the founding of a youth-led nonprofit called South Dakota Youth Activism. Passionate about all things social justice and politics, I took the big step to found a non-profit specifically to center and amplify youth voices in community engagement and policy-making. Although all the nonprofits I've been a part of have given me a great platform to stand up for myself, I have felt like youth in South Dakota still lack the attention and support we deserve when we stand up and speak out. SDYA has been founded to change that. Now that this organization has started rolling, we will continue making an impact on the state through our initiatives of education, community engagement, and legislative action. In 2023, we organized a project that assembled 150 self-care boxes of mental, sexual, and menstrual health resources to be distributed in Sioux Falls and Rapid City; this year, we intend to double that. Additionally, we have put together events celebrating different communities and published our first zine, 2023 Legislative Recap, that educates South Dakotans on major bills that came out during state legislative session. I'm proud to say that I founded a non-profit at 16 years old, but I'm even prouder to recognize the amazing people who’ve joined me on this journey and the change we’ve already been able to achieve. I applied for this scholarship as I am in search of support for my educational and community involvement ambitions. I have decided to attend an in-state school to complete what I have started through SD Youth Activism. While pursuing my associate's degree in business at the University of South Dakota in Sioux Falls, I will work on this non-profit organization. Organizing and mobilizing is time-consuming and requires a lot of energy. Regardless of how much there still needs to be done, I’ve accomplished a lot while juggling high school and all else. I have saved up enough from my part-time job to prepare for college and to move out; any additional support would be highly appreciated and allow me to thrive. If my tuition is (mostly) covered, I can focus on building my non-profit and accomplishing its mission. Since my organization is youth-led, I will eventually age out of being the Chief Executive Officer of SDYA. Consequently, I plan to pursue a degree in political science out-of-state and establish new roots again. I’m not certain about the occupation I will land on, but I do know that it will absolutely include social justice. I am determined to achieve my dreams, and any support could make a real difference. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Volunteering and advocacy have been my passion since I learned to be a leader. Being transgender and queer in South Dakota, I see the need to make my state a more inclusive place by advocating for myself, my community, and other marginalized groups. I have done this by working and getting involved with several local nonprofits, including the Transformation Project, Sioux Falls Pride, ACLU of South Dakota, Sioux Falls branch of the NAACP, and others. On the national scale, I was on the 2022-2023 National Student Council for GLSEN (Gay and Lesbian Student Education Network). Since 2022, I’ve been on the ACLU Youth Advisory Council and gone to Pierre during the State Legislative Session to testify in front of legislators and advocate for transgender youth. The most memorable was my testimony in 2023 against HB 1080, which banned minors like myself from receiving gender-affirming care. But my proudest community accomplishment has been the founding of a youth-led nonprofit called South Dakota Youth Activism. Passionate about all things social justice and politics, I took the big step to found a non-profit specifically to center and amplify youth voices in community engagement and policy-making. Although all the nonprofits I've been a part of have given me a great platform to stand up for myself, I have felt like youth in South Dakota still lack the attention and support we deserve when we stand up and speak out. SDYA has been founded to change that. Now that this organization has started rolling, we will continue making an impact on the state through our initiatives of education, community engagement, and legislative action. I applied for this scholarship as I am in search of support for my educational and community involvement ambitions. I have decided to attend an in-state school to complete what I have started through SD Youth Activism. While pursuing my associate's degree in business at the University of South Dakota in Sioux Falls, I will be working on the non-profit organization that I founded when I was 16. I have saved up enough from my part-time job to prepare for college and to move out; any additional support would be highly appreciated and allow me to thrive. If my tuition is (mostly) covered, I can focus on building my non-profit, accomplishing its mission, and furthermore, preparing for the next chapters of my advocacy career. As the Chief Executive Officer of SDYA, which is a youth-led organization, I will eventually age out of the position. After I feel that I have made a considerable impact on South Dakota, I plan to pursue a degree in political science out-of-state and establish new roots once again. Although I am not sure about the occupation I will land in, I am certain that it will involve social justice. I have chosen to major in business because I see myself predominantly working in nonprofit and business management. As I have already started a nonprofit, gaining more insight into the logistics of business leadership will improve the organization I am working on now and any future corporations I may be part of or create. Besides, I love to become more educated on the things I am passionate about, such as leadership and advocacy. I'm going to study political science because I have a special interest in politics, activism, and policy-making. It's something I've been actively involved in and I know I want to keep doing it in the future. I am determined to achieve my dreams, and any support could make a real difference. Thank you for your time and consideration.