When the lives of animals are on the line, you need someone dedicated and passionate to care for them. My dedication to animals and the passion I have to care for them is something that I will be able to show one day, when I become a veterinarian. I have known since I was four years old that I wanted to help animals, an aspiration started by many of the animals I bonded with growing up. As a shy young girl, my closest friends were my cat Penelope, and my pet fish, because I struggled to make friends with other children. Animals showed me unconditional love, so from that realization I decided that I would pursue a career that would return that love to the animals that helped raise me and grow my confidence. I chose this path of studying veterinary medicine not because it is easy, because it is not, but rather because of my passion for helping others. I have always been the person to rescue a turtle in the middle of a busy road or befriend the scared dog at the kennel, and I know that having such a passion and care for animals is so crucial to becoming a veterinarian. To go through the years of schooling, and work in a high-stress environment, knowing that at the end of the day I love the animals I have helped is something that I pride myself on. I want to have a career where whether I had a good day or a bad day, I still feel a sense of purpose and interest in what I am doing. This is exactly why I will become a veterinarian one day. Although I am currently in my undergraduate years, I hope to continue to make connections with others and gain experience with the animals around me. I look forward to veterinary school, where I hope to explore a new part of the United States while growing my skills under the supervision of some of the greatest teachers. I hope to make deeper connections with the animals around me as I’ve always strived to do, and I overall hope that with my higher education I can further fall in love with this profession and one day become a veterinarian. I cannot wait for the day where I get to call myself Dr. Hornberger, something that my four year old self would be so happy and proud to see!

Ever since I was four years old, I have dreamt of becoming a veterinarian. I have had a passion for helping animals of all sizes, and I hope that one day, through the help of this scholarship, I will be able to continue my collegiate journey so I can achieve this dream of mine. My name is Emily Hornberger and I am a sophomore Animal Science major with an Equine Science minor, at Penn State University-University Park. I have always had a love for animals that has continued to blossom further, and this devotion most likely stemmed from my trouble making friends as a child. I was shy and introverted, so I quickly realized that animals were accepting and kind, and did not care if you were quiet and didn't talk much to others. The love I shared with animals was something that was much deeper and more impactful than I ever had with other kids my age growing up. While I slowly came out of my shell when I reached high school, I have continued to keep strong bonds with animals, and I will always have a great empathy for all animals and a great desire to help them. This scholarship would be a great donation towards my education, due to the many years of education needed to become a veterinarian, and the many education expenses of being in college. I have been working so hard to fund my education and have little debt so I can thrive once I graduate both college and veterinary school, so any amount of scholarships that I can gain is incredibly helpful and allows for me to continue pursuing the dream I've had since I was young, to save the lives of animals. Helping others is an important value that I have, so being able to help animals as my profession is something truly special. I have always had an interest in animal welfare, so I hope that through becoming a veterinarian I can help with animal welfare even more. I used to volunteer at an animal rescue/sanctuary, and having that experience was extremely impactful for me, especially when animal cruelty hit so close to home. Me and my mother realized that one of our neighbors had a number of livestock and dogs in deplorable conditions, so with the animal rescue I worked with, we rescued calves and dogs from my neighbors property. These animals were in horrific conditions, with puppies born into filth, calves taken away from their mothers too soon, and overall disgusting conditions. It truly broke my heart to see animals in such horrific conditions, so helping rescue these animals while also being there for a number of the calves that passed away shortly after being rescued was very eye-opening. Animal welfare and advocacy is such an impactful space, and I know that one day I will be able to use my platform as a veterinarian to help animals that are in need, and help advocate for better care and treatment of all animal lives.

Ever since I was four-years-old I have dreamt of becoming a veterinarian. I wanted to heal the animals I love most, and save their lives. This dream has continued to brew inside me since then, into a passion I cannot let go of. This dream has given me a drive for success that will never end. You may be wondering why I have chosen to go on the long and challenging path of becoming a veterinarian, and I need to explain. The main experience that started my need to pursue veterinary science was when my childhood dog, Brownie, passed away. I was just four years old when he had passed, and the situation behind his passing was what changed my career aspiration the most. Brownie was the happiest chocolate lab you could find, he was a strong but sweet young dog, and he always brought me joy. I had grown up with him for my first few years of my life, and he gave me the unconditional love that sparked my love for animals of all shapes and sizes. One day in 2010, when I went to check on Brownie in his playpen outside, he did not get up and run over to me to greet me as usual. I was upset because as a four-year-old child, I thought that he did not love me anymore, so I went inside and cried to my mom that Brownie did not get up and say hello to me. My mom also thought that it was strange, so she picked me up and took me outside to Brownie to go check on him. But when we got there my mom gasped. Brownie was injured, and was laying in a puddle of blood. He did not even wag his tail when my mom ran into his outdoor enclosure. My mom realized that a coyote had gotten in to Brownie enclosure overnight since Brownie would not come inside that night, and it attacked him. Since Brownie was such a gentle dog he did not fight the coyote, and he got seriously bitten in return. My mom called for my dad, and they both called every veterinarian they could, but they all said they were too busy. How could they be too busy to help my dying dog? How could they do this to the sweetest dog that ever lived? They finally were able to call a veterinarian who could take care of him, but this veterinarian was an hour from our house. Me and my brother had to go to my grandmother’s house, but half an hour later, my mom called and told my grandmother what had happened. Brownie was such an amazing and loving dog, and his death that day changed me, the grief, the pain, and the disappointment was hard for my four-year-old self to handle. The fact that my dog was treated like another patient instead of someone that needed immediate attention broke my heart. The fact that he had to pass away in the backseat of my mom’s car in pain, when the veterinarian five minutes away from my house could have saved him was a new kind of pain that still hurts to this day. I decided to pursue veterinary medicine because I do not want any other four year old to go through that pain, and have to lose a beloved pet due to veterinary negligence. I want to make a positive change and save lives, instead of letting animals die unnecessarily. I know that one day, I will become Dr. Hornberger, and I will save lives like Brownies’.

Volunteering is like nothing else. It is selfless, it is kind, and it is important. I volunteer frequently because I strive to help better the lives of others, and I want to make a difference for those in need. My name is Emily Hornberger, and I am a senior at Selinsgrove Area High School. As soon as I entered high school, I knew that I wanted to volunteer so I could have a real impact on others. I have never been a sporty person or a top-tier debater, so I knew I needed to do something different to fill my free time, but also allow myself to be noticed for high achievement. This is where volunteering fit in perfectly. At the beginning of my freshman year of high school, I started by joining my school's Key Club. This was during the COVID-19 restrictions, so I tried my best to volunteer despite frequent virtual learning and a lack of club meetings. I was one of the few freshmen who joined Key Club that year, and I was able to volunteer about 15 hours of my time to the club that year. During my sophomore and junior years, I started to help with Meals for Seals through Key Club, and I started to feel my impact on others in a new form. Each time I would show up to the church and help package food for the needy in my town, I thought of all the kids I was helping to feed, I thought of the relief of the parents that their children would have food for that week, and I still to this day value my commitment to volunteering there. Key Club has given me many chances to volunteer, and I have spent over 60 hours of my high school career on my passion of volunteering for Key Club. Helping humans is not the only volunteer work I have ever done though, and I have extended my impact to animals too! I started volunteering for Ashburns Animals, a local nonprofit animal rescue, in my freshman year of high school. I helped to take care of all different types of animals, from reptiles to horses, cows to chickens, rabbits to amphibians, and so many more. I learned to care for all types of animals, and I also helped lead and teach children to care for and appreciate animals in need. The enjoyment I felt as the children learned to mix the horses' grain on their own, have the patience to befriend the shyest of creatures, and so many more things, is like nothing else I have ever experienced. Volunteering at Ashburns Animals has taught me so much about caring for others, and teaching others how to better themselves for those around them. Overall, volunteering has been one of the most amazing and important things I have ever done. I have felt such a deep passion for volunteering ever since I started, and I continue to become more and more involved to help create even larger changes for my community, and for the world.

I can hear my heart go thump thump thump, I can feel my chest squeezing my lungs, and I can see my hands start to shake in an inexplainable rhythm. Like an annoying friend that just will not be quiet, anxiety has been pestering me since I was a young child. My name is Emily Hornberger, and my friend, anxiety, has affected me my entire life. Mental illness has been something I have struggled with privately since I was young. The stress of school and negative friendships took a toll on my as a child, and I am just now as a senior in high school, even beginning to heal and have peace in the fact that my mental illness is going to stay with me for life. Anxiety has made my life more challenging, yet it has made me a better student at the same time. I have always panicked about deadlines on assignments, and worried about not having my work completed on time. This has led me to stay up late at night, completing assignments that are not due for weeks. Yes, I have never had any late assignments, but this is because of how anxiety has controlled me. Since I spent on my time on these assignments that were not due, I did not have a great social life. I did not have any real friends, and I mostly stayed at home alone, instead of going to sporting events and spending time with others. I missed out on the joy and happiness I could have had when I was younger because of my anxiety. My mental illness also had a large impact on my family. My mother constantly worried about me, and stayed home with me instead of working, just in case I had a panic attack. In addition to this, my brother did not get to enjoy my company, or our mother's company, because I was so closed off from the world. Luckily, I have been able to be more social as I have been in high school, but I still think about the burden I became as a child. Mental illness is something others usually ignore or make fun of, but I hope that someday others like me can find pride in their mental illness, and overcome the struggles and challenges that it brings. I know that my journey of healing and strength is just starting, but as I transition into college, I am going to put my mental health first and allow my anxiety to coexist with me, instead of controlling me.

My name is Emily Hornberger, and I hope to become one of the best veterinarians the world has ever seen. Ever since I was four years old, I have wanted to become a veterinarian, and save the lives of the animals that I love the most. My introverted self has always felt closer to animals than humans, so I have continued to do anything I can to be around the creatures I care about. As I have gone through my senior year of high school so far, I have worked hard to get excellent grades, while continuing my passion for animals through my job at a boarding kennel, and volunteering with animal rescues and sanctuaries. I have continued to build my experience with animals so I will be prepared for my higher education, and eventually my career as a veterinarian. As I grew up, my focus shifted from just saving lives around me, to saving lives around the world. I want to create a larger impact, and I want to save animals everywhere I can. Veterinarians tend to join a practice or create their own clinic, and then they settle down and work at one place, but I do not want to narrow myself to a small impact career. I have started to become more interested in traveling, so I hope that once I become an amazing and skilled veterinarian, I can travel to underserved countries and save animals there! I have seen many news articles and social media posts about animals suffering in war zones, animal testing laboratories, and slaughterhouses. Although these situations are dangerous and difficult for people to talk about, no one feels as helpless as those animals, that need medical care and someone to prioritize their lives. I know that someday I can hopefully be that person to save an animal from a bad situation, and give them a new lease on life. I know that being a veterinarian does not have to be a one-size fits all sort of career, it can be more expansive, and if I put in the work, I can achieve my dreams of helping animals everywhere. Looking back at my younger self, I do not think she could have imagined all of the dreams and passion I have now. I am only becoming more passionate and hopeful for my future as a veterinarian as ever before. Hopefully, this scholarship will be able to fund my education so I can do what I was meant to do, save lives!

After reading about the Ode To Millennials-Gen Z, I was intrigued. I have always thought about how my generation has struggled with a number of different issues like global warming, a mental health crisis, reproductive rights, a possible World War III, and many other pressing topics. The one thing I did not realize until reading this text is how similar my generation is to the generations that lived during the Great Depression and World War I. The struggle, the hardships, the impending issues that were mostly ignored by the government and the upper class proves the unbelievable similarities of these two time periods. I truly understand why the generations of the Great Depression to World War I are named, ‘The Greatest Generation,’ and I know that the same reasons are why some see my generation as ‘The Greatest Generation 2.0’. We both seem to have such a large divide on many issues, yet we all had to endure growing up in a time of hardships. This is so interesting to me, because one would think that we would know to come together in harmony more than any other generations! I believe that fixing these pressing issues we have in current society will need more support from all generations instead of just a strong support from one generation or political group. The Ode To Millennials-Gen Z text allowed me to think about the complexity and similarity of not only the Great Depression to World War I generations, but also the Millennials and Gen Z generations.

Many people have pets. Many people love their pets. Some may wonder what their pets really need. Using this scholarship, I will be able to help fund my education so I can become a successful veterinarian that will be able to figure out what your pet needs. I might save their lives too! Ever since I was four years old, I always knew I wanted to save the lives of the creatures that mean the most to me. No, I am not talking about humans, I am talking about animals! I have always had a passion for animals of all shapes and sizes, and my passion has continued to evolve into the one thing I cannot imagine my life without. As I have grown up, I have always been an introvert, and I do not have many friends. Sometimes I feel different than my peers, but over time I have realized that I am able to build deeper and stronger connections with animals. My closest friend is not a human being, but instead my seven-year-old dachshund named Tiggs. Ever since my mother brought him home, we have been inseparable. He is constantly near me, and we share the same anxious, introverted personality. He is one of the main reasons I continue to care for animals on such a deep level. I have always been a determined and hard working person, which is why I know a career as a veterinarian will be a perfect combination of problem solving and challenging tasks. One other thing I am determined to do is find a way to pay for my education without burdening my parents with the costs of not only undergraduate studies, but also veterinary school. I know that this scholarship will go a long way in helping to reach my goals of self-funding my education. This career choice will be challenging and difficult to endure on a daily basis, but I know that my passion for animals will help me be successful. Someday, I would love to look back on my life so far and feel the same amount of determination and dedication that I felt as that four-year-old girl with a dream of saving lives. I would have never imagined that dream staying alive for almost fourteen years so far. I know now that I cannot picture my life and career goals any different, and that my passion will lead me to success. This scholarship will help me fuel my dreams and my education, and I will have the determination to work hard for what I care about most, animals.

To start I would like to thank the Kohute Family for their generosity, and I would like to send my condolences to you. I appreciate that you have given me a space to share my story. When I think of the success that I have experienced so far in my life, I cannot think of anyone that has been more integral than my grandmother. Whenever I doubted myself and my abilities, she would always keep me hopeful for my future, and she allowed me to reach my full potential. My grandmother was very important to me, and when I lost her three years ago, I felt like my happiness and drive was torn out of me. Losing her so unexpectedly led me to believe I could not be successful without her support. The day after she passed, I was sitting in my front yard, contemplating my life and my future. I thought that my aspirations of going to college, and eventually becoming a veterinarian, had collapsed the second she took her last breath. I had spent my whole life imagining graduating high school, college, and veterinary school with her cheering me on, but I had to grasp onto the reality that she would not see me do any of that. I started to feel the most hopeless that I had ever felt, but then I saw something out of the corner of my eye. A monarch butterfly, my grandmother’s favorite creature. It was flying towards me, and it landed right on my arm. I was flabbergasted, I never had such an experience. Many people have their superstitions about where you go when you leave earth, but that day I had a deep feeling inside that my grandmother was right inside that butterfly. I looked at it for a couple of minutes, and then it flew away into the depths of the blue sky. I felt that my grandmother was with me, and all I could think about was my future. I realized that she is with me regardless, I realized that she will continue to guide me in my future, and I realized that I can still be successful. My grandmother was the most important person in my life, and I continue to feel her presence every day. She has helped me continue to keep my grades up, continue to reach for greatness, and I am more focused on my future as I have ever been. I know that without her motivating me for the first fourteen years of my life, I would have never been able to achieve what I have achieved so far. Although I do not get to see her on earth anymore or hear her kind words, I know that she will continue to be the person that has impacted my life more than anyone else will be able to.

As I look across the horizon of the red and pink sunset, I see my Barbie Dream House! Located at the wooded outskirts of Barbieland, it is surrounded by the natural landscape that most Barbie’s do not dare to encounter. Unlike the usual city apartments and beachside mansions, my Barbie Dream House is a woodsy Victorian-style cottage. This house is quite large, and has intricate details in pink, along with a short pink picket fence. With rounded windows and doors with stained glass features, there is plenty of light that enters the house. The landscaping is immaculate, with enormous bushes and bright flower gardens full of the whole rainbow of colors. Although many Barbie’s only want luxury items and little to no landscaping, being surrounded by nature and the beauty of it is something that I treasure more than anything else. Inside my cottage is a colorful maximalist-style interior. As soon as you enter, you are attacked by every color in the rainbow, whether it is on the walls, or on my giant electric blue couch. The house is decorated from head to toe, with no empty wall space. Shelves with hundreds of little trinkets and walls full of paintings and posters bring a sense of childhood whimsy to me, and all the other Barbie’s that visit. No matter where you look you are bound to find joy and happiness, which is the reason I bring so much color into my life, and into my Barbie Dream House. I’m different than most Barbie’s in Barbieland, but my house is something I only dream of having in real life!

My name is Emily Hornberger, and I am a senior at Selinsgrove Area High School. I am an ambitious, determined, and creative person, and I am hoping to pursue a career as a Veterinarian. Although this is a large task, with a lot of schooling, I hope to prove to others and my family that I can be successful, and be the first person out of my family to go to college. Ever since I was four years old, I have dreamed of caring for animals, and saving lives. I have worked hard in school and in life to continue to work towards this goal. Although my family struggles with money from time to time, I have always made the most out of what we had, and continued to spread positivity, even when we struggled. My love for animals has continued throughout my life, and I usually spend most of my time with whatever animals I can find. My mother has always pushed me to success, because she wants me to achieve whatever I put my mind to. She hopes that I can succeed so I never have to worry about money again, and I hope that all of the support she has given me can help me return some of that kindness back to her. If I win this money, I would use it to create a better life for myself, through funding my education. My mother has talked about how she wishes she could pay for my education, but we do not have enough money for that to be possible. I would use this money to pay for my college education, so I can continue to achieve anything I put my mind to. I want to be able to follow my lifelong passion of becoming a veterinarian, and be successful. My hopes are that I can create a life for myself that I do not have to worry about money, and I can also give some money to my mother someday, to show her how her efforts have helped me become the best version of myself. My whole life, I have been preparing myself for what is ahead of me. I have studied hard, helped around the house, and taken care of others. I know that the money from this scholarship will be used well, so I can fund a better life for myself, and so I can support those who have helped me throughout my life.

As I look around, all I can think of is the feeling of joy and happiness. The whimsy and childlike attributes of this place may turn away some teenagers my age, but unlike them this aura of delight attracts me. What is this magical place I speak of? Disney, one of the most popular franchises and place of family vacations! Disney has been a part of my life since I was young. Whether I was watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on TV, or sorting through the hundreds of VHS tapes my mother bought when I was a baby. I was adding to the collection, and expanding my love for Disney. The characters have always been an enormous source of joy for me, and continue to be to this day. Even though I have only been able to travel to Disney World once because of financial reasons, I made the most out of that trip, and that joy I experienced is irreplaceable. My favorite thing about Disney is the way that it creates contagious happiness to all. No matter how old you are, if you would see a Mickey Mouse figurine in a storefront, I know that you would smile at it. If you saw Buzz Lightyear in a Halloween Parade, you would point him out and remember him for the rest of the week. Disney is not that type of thing that gets old, or you forget about when you grow old, it sticks with you, and all the happy memories with it. Whenever I see a little girl with a Minnie Mouse shirt on, or see a little boy holding a cup with Goofy on it and laughing, I always feel a deep happiness inside of me, the joy you get from something that truly changed your life. Disney has changed my life for the better, because I will always have those characters in my memory, and in my imagination. If I’m lonely, Minnie is there to cheer me up, if I need a friend Woody and Bullseye will be my friend. I never have to worry about daily struggles if I can escape to the world and magic of Disney. Disney is very important to me and will continue to be forever. Although my passion for Disney might be greater than others, I hope that I will continue to be drawn in by the whimsy, joy, and happiness. I hope to bring that same joy to others for years to come, so everyone can feel the same magic I have felt for my whole life thus far.

“It’s like I got this music in my mind, saying it’s gonna be alright.” When I think of this lyric of ‘Shake It Off’ by Taylor Swift, it truly helps me know it is going to be alright. My favorite song of Taylor’s fifth studio album has been leading me on a happy and carefree path ever since it’s release in 2014. Although many of my fellow Taylor Swift fans think of this song as simple and overrated, I think of it as a call to action, to allow the listener to ‘shake off’ any negativity that is thrown their way. This is my favorite song of the ‘1989’ album because it helped me overcome a long period of bullying in intermediate school. During this time, I experienced a heavy amount of bullying. I was an overweight, energetic kid, that many thought of as ‘too much’. I was isolated, and had only a handful of friends that truly cared about me. I spent all of my time in intermediate school playing on the playground alone, because every time I tried to play with my classmates, they told me to go away. When my mom would pick me up from school, I would cry in the car, and the only thing that helped was when she put on my favorite song, ‘Shake It Off’. She did not just put the song on the radio though, she would sing along to the song in the weirdest voice, which made me feel better immediately. I would laugh until the sad tears turned tears of joy. I can remember my mom comforting me each day, and together we would scream, “and the haters gonna, hate, hate, hate, hate, hate.” The haters did hate, but I learned over time that I needed to throw their negativity aside, and instead be a joyful person. As I moved into middle school, my social life was better, and I had more and more friends that cared about me. When anyone tried to be rude or mean towards me, I just ignored them and continued being positive. Eventually negativity from others could not even get close to me, and instead of relying on my favorite song to heal, I can now use ‘Shake It Off’ to bring me a sense of joy. Taylor Swift may never know how much her music means to me, but I will forever be grateful that I learned to shake off the negativity of others.

As I walk into work I hear the hungry howls and barks of around forty dogs. Everything around me is chaos as I try to collect myself. My greatest achievement to date is being able to find a sense of calmness, even when I’m surround by the clenching jaws of anxiety and panic. Currently, I am a kennel worker. This job entails feeding, caring for, and cleaning after 20-40 dogs each day. The amount of stress that comes from walking in to work to messy kennels and dogs screaming for food usually turns most away from the job, but I have learned to stay calm throughout the shift. Others may say that winning an award, or being the MVP of their baseball team is a greater achievement, but I feel that being able to better yourself is a much greater feat. When I was younger, the stress and anxiety I had from daily tasks was debilitating. I could never find a way to calm myself, and I never thought that would change. I was incorrect. Once I found my passion for animals, I could achieve anything I needed to. Whether it was caring for my own pets, or helping a local nonprofit, I have always been able to deal with the stress. Experiencing less stress when I worked with animals helped me realize that I wanted to work with animals for life. This was when I realized I wanted to be a veterinarian. Although veterinarians deal with a large amount of stress each day, I know that my newfound sense of calm will aid me in this journey. I hope to achieve a great education that will lead to me getting into veterinary school. I want to be able to treat all types of animals, and save lives. I know that the path I am choosing will be difficult, but I also know that even with the stress of this career, I will be able to remain calm. Life is stressful, and as a move through life, I do have times where I have trouble with anxious feelings. Luckily, I am able to accept some of that self-doubt, and move on. I still have times where I cannot find a sense of calmness. This is normal human nature, but I always make sure I reflect on the moments when I was calm, so I can help recover from the daily stresses of life. Overall, I know that my greatest achievement is being able to stay calm in the midst of life’s worries and stresses.

Leadership has always been an important part of my life. Ever since I was young, I have helped my younger brother whenever he has struggled. Even though he usually does not want the help, I have always made sure that he understood how vital it is to get help when he needs it. This helped him as he grew up because as his classes started to get harder, he learned from my leadership that he needs to get help so he does not have to struggle with his schoolwork. When I was younger, I always struggled with asking for help, because as a bright young mind, I felt that asking for help made me lesser than my peers. This part of my life is important to my leadership role because of my teachers in school. All of my teachers helped to lead not only myself but also the rest of my class. My teachers began to teach me to be a leader like they were, and I began to become a leader as they imagined. It was an integral shift in my perspective on life, so instead of my leading my brother at home, and being afraid to speak to others in school, I was a leader to anyone in need! Ever since I was four years old, I dreamed of becoming a veterinarian. I have continued to have that passion to this day, and I hope to use my future career choice to lead others. My greatest aspiration is to own a veterinary practice, where I can lead a team of people so they can save as many lives as possible. I have spent a large amount of my time leading others in school, so I know that I will be able to lead a team of experienced veterinarians, vet techs, receptionists, and many other important people. Working with others can be difficult, but my experience in leading a group in school will aid me in this process. Achieving success in my life is important to me, and I know that because of my impactful teachers and leading my brother, I will be able to lead others in a workplace setting. I have always dreamed of having a veterinary practice, and throughout my years of schooling, I have gained the leadership skills necessary to lead a team of people who share the same passion for animals and their welfare.

Feminism is a powerful and vital part of my life. If I were to define this important word, I would define feminism as the fight for women's gender equality. Feminism is not only integral in my life, but is essential for everyone. Whether you are a woman, a man, or someone in between, supporting equality for women should be universally accepted and supported. Feminism is important because it is a basic human need to support others, especially those who are struggling with their rights being taken away. When thinking about the large population of women being affected by new legislation and laws, there is plenty to talk about. On one hand, the overturning of Roe v. Wade took away the right to bodily autonomy for any woman with a uterus. This left many women struggling with a lack of proper reproductive healthcare, and others coping with the fact that if they have an unwanted pregnancy they might not be able to keep the privacy of having an abortion. On the other hand, transgender women are fighting discrimination and laws being placed against them just for being who they are. Legislation against transgender people competing in their chosen sports, stopping transgender youth from transitioning, and many other laws are starting the slow genocide against transgender people, especially transgender women. The amount of hate and discrimination against all kinds of women is the main reason why I am so passionate about feminism and activism. One inspirational person when I look at feminism is Dylan Mulvaney, a transgender woman, and influencer that continues to show positivity through all of the hate she experiences. She continues to impact my view on feminism because of how she supports other women and fights against the constant hate that people send her way. She always keeps a smile on her face during tough times, which has inspired me to not give up when others try to bring me down. When I see such a powerful and inspirational woman, I cannot help but want to continue the fight for women's equality. I try to be honest and truthful about my personal views when speaking to others, so I am always trying to contribute to the feminist movement. For example, every week I go onto Instagram and share posts that educate others about current feminist ideas and what issues are happening that attack womanhood. I usually share about four or five posts on my Instagram story, which everyone that follows me can see. I have a multitude of different political views and genders that see these posts, so I hope that through them at least one person is educated about important issues that are harming women. Another way I contribute is by focusing on feminist topics for school projects, so I can better educate my peers. In my history class, we had a project where we needed to educate our class about a vital court case. I chose to educate the class on Roe v. Wade, which I completed just before it was overturned. Overall, I try to contribute to the feminist movement by educating others so they can become better feminists. Feminism is one of the most important parts of my life, and I will continue to spread positivity and close the gender gap through this. I want all women to feel safe and loved by their peers and loved ones.

One of my closest family members was my grandmother, and when she passed it left a hole in my heart that will probably never be filled. I have always been a determined student, but sometimes it is a struggle when I know that when I graduate high school she won't be there. My lifelong supporter, no matter what I did, my grandma always wanted the best for me. When she got sick, I knew that if she died, I would never be the same. The problem with this idea is that when she died, it didn't change me, it allowed me to evolve. I went from someone that could handle losing my hairbrush, let alone a person. Every time I would lose an item, or even a pet, I would be depressed for weeks and wouldn't be able to function. I thought that this same thing would happen when my heart broke into pieces that day. Little did I know that I would be able to feel her presence, and it wasn't as hard on me when she left the Earth. Instead of me thinking goodbye was forever, I realized that I will see her again someday. I didn't think this would happen to me, because if my friends would tell me about their grandparents or other family members dying, I never related to them. Before my grandma, I never experienced the loss of a human being, I have only experienced my pets passing on. I didn't think I needed to worry about anyone in my life dying, so when she died unexpectedly, it was a major shock in my life. Somedays, it doesn't even feel real to me that she's gone. Although life won't be the same without my grandmother, I still continue to focus on my schooling and being successful. I will fight to achieve things in life that will make her proud since she won't be there to celebrate my victories and mourn my losses.

One of the funniest moments of my life that always makes others laugh is when my dad asked me to give him a haircut. My brother was going to help him but he had to clean his room first, and my dad is impatient. Instead of waiting, he asked me to cut his hair. I have very specific things that I excel at, with cutting hair not being one of them. My dad has always been stubborn and impatient, which is one of the reasons I don’t try to cut his hair at all! I didn’t think that he would ever trust me, since he never goes to a hairdresser, but he has insisted for years that he can do his own buzzcut! The only problem with this is that he can’t cut the back of his hair by himself, so he always needs to put his faith into someone not messing his hair up. Once in a while if he grows his hair out a bit, he will go to a hairdresser next to Walmart, but they usually mess his hair up more than if he did it himself! When thinking about the moments leading up to the hair disaster, I told him he would regret having me cut his hair. He said he didn’t want to wait another five minutes, which was interesting for him to say but I let it go. The thing about this haircut was that my dad is not good at giving directions. He told me to cut along the back, not telling me that he only wanted me to go along the edges of his hair. This lead me to cutting an ugly and crooked line right across the back of his head, shorter than the rest of his hair. To make matters even worse, my brother finally finished cleaning his room and came downstairs to see that same ugly and crooked line across the back of my dad’s head. My brother, the dramatic sibling out of the two of us, screamed at how I had cut our dad’s hair, causing me to mess up the line even more. My dad then picked up his handheld mirror and looked at the back of his head! He gave me the look of disappointment, but then I had to explain to him that he told me to cut the back of his head, which made him realize that he gave me the wrong directions. Being his silly self, my dad left his hair as I left it and let it grow out, so his coworkers laughed at him for about two weeks until his hair grew back! That is a story from my life that was not only funny to me, but to others.