My parents got divorced in 2019 when I was in 8th grade. Although this is not that uncommon these days, what was "uncommon" in my situation was that my father abruptly picked up and left. He ended up moving to Minnesota (I live in New Jersey) to live with another family, and currently, I do not have a relationship with my dad at all. Dealing with abruptly losing my dad was very difficult for me. However, somehow, I managed to not only survive high school - but thrive. I had excellent grades and took all honors classes. I maintained good grades all while working a solid 25 hours a week throughout high school at an Italian restaurant and participating in sports and activities in school. Recently, I have begun my first semester at my dream school, the University of Rhode Island - where I am currently a freshman. What got me through the hard emotional times when my dad left were my mom and my three brothers. They were there to support me and pick me up when I felt the lowest - especially my twin brother, Ethan. But I also had great relationships with both my therapist and my high school guidance counselor. Both of these women were real role models for me - and showed me that if I kept working hard, and had confidence in my abilities, I could do anything. The relationships I have with both my therapist and my guidance counselor have inspired my career path - and I have decided I want to study Psychology in college and become a counselor. I am so grateful for what these two women did for me, that I want to make it my life mission to do the same for the next generation of struggling teen girls. I have learned from my own experiences how a kind, listening ear can essentially save someone’s life, and keep someone on the right path. I had people there for me when I needed it the most, and I want to do the same for others. I plan to serve the public in the future by having an open door to young people struggling – and making it my life’s work to counsel those dealing with difficult family situations. Recently over the past few months, my mom was diagnosed with Stage One Breast Cancer, and she just completed her treatment. Once again, my family has been marched into battle. We are all there for my mom – and supporting her throughout this journey. I know in my heart she will be OK – but dealing with cancer is always a scary experience. I have been inspired by my mom’s determination, faith, and perseverance. I feel very strongly that I have taken roadblocks that would have put some people on the sidelines (divorce, losing a relationship with my dad, and cancer)- and turned them into an opportunity to grow, work hard, learn to have faith, and be the best I can be. There have been many moments over the past few years where I felt like life was just “too hard”. I was fortunate to have a great support network and people there for me in my darkest times. I plan to be there for the next struggling “me”. I have worked hard to prevent what happened to me from derailing my college and career plans - but it has not always been easy. I would be honored if you selected me for this scholarship, and you have my word I will work my hardest to make you proud.

My parents got divorced in 2019 when I was in 8th grade. Although this is not that uncommon these days, what was "uncommon" in my situation was that my father abruptly picked up and left. He ended up moving to Minnesota (I live in New Jersey) to live with another family, and currently, I do not have a relationship with my dad at all. Dealing with abruptly losing my dad was very difficult for me. However, somehow, I managed to not only survive high school - but thrive. I had excellent grades and took all honors classes. I maintained good grades all while working a solid 25 hours a week throughout high school at an Italian restaurant and participating in sports and activities in school. Recently, I have begun my first semester at my dream school, the University of Rhode Island - where I am currently a freshman. What got me through the hard emotional times when my dad left were my mom and my three brothers. They were there to support me and pick me up when I felt the lowest - especially my twin brother, Ethan. But I also had great relationships with both my therapist and my high school guidance counselor. Both of these women were real role models for me - and showed me that if I kept working hard, and had confidence in my abilities, I could do anything. The relationships I have with both my therapist and my guidance counselor have inspired my career path - and I have decided I want to study Psychology in college and become a counselor. I am so grateful for what these two women did for me, that I want to make it my life mission to do the same for the next generation of struggling teen girls. I have learned from my own experiences how a kind, listening ear can essentially save someone’s life, and keep someone on the right path. I had people there for me when I needed it the most, and I want to do the same for others. I plan to serve the public in the future by having an open door to young people struggling – and making it my life’s work to counsel those dealing with difficult family situations. Recently over the past few months, my mom was diagnosed with Stage One Breast Cancer, and she just completed her treatment. Once again, my family has been marched into battle. We are all there for my mom – and supporting her throughout this journey. I know in my heart she will be OK – but dealing with cancer is always a scary experience. I have been inspired by my mom’s determination, faith, and perseverance. I feel very strongly that I have taken roadblocks that would have put some people on the sidelines (divorce, losing a relationship with my dad, and cancer)- and turned them into an opportunity to grow, work hard, learn to have faith, and be the best I can be. There have been many moments over the past few years where I felt like life was just “too hard”. I was fortunate to have a great support network and people there for me in my darkest times. I plan to be there for the next struggling “me”. If not for the constant encouragement from my therapist, my guidance counselor, and my mom - I most certainly would not have continued to work hard to get into my dream college and be where I am today. These three women kept me on a solid path, and I am forever grateful.

My parents got divorced in 2019 when I was in 8th grade. Although this is not that uncommon these days, what was "uncommon" in my situation was that my father abruptly picked up and left. He ended up moving to Minnesota (I live in New Jersey) to live with another family, and currently, I do not have a relationship with my dad at all. Dealing with abruptly losing my dad was very difficult for me. However, somehow, I managed to not only survive high school - but thrive. I had excellent grades and took all honors classes. I maintained good grades all while working a solid 25 hours a week throughout high school at an Italian restaurant and participating in sports and activities in school. Recently, I have begun my first semester at my dream school, the University of Rhode Island - where I am currently a freshman. What got me through the hard emotional times when my dad left were my mom and my three brothers. They were there to support me and pick me up when I felt the lowest - especially my twin brother, Ethan. But I also had great relationships with both my therapist and my high school guidance counselor. Both of these women were real role models for me - and showed me that if I kept working hard, and had confidence in my abilities, I could do anything. The relationships I have with both my therapist and my guidance counselor have inspired my career path - and I have decided I want to study Psychology in college and become a counselor. I am so grateful for what these two women did for me, that I want to make it my life mission to do the same for the next generation of struggling teen girls. I have learned from my own experiences how a kind, listening ear can essentially save someone’s life, and keep someone on the right path. I had people there for me when I needed it the most, and I want to do the same for others. I plan to serve the public in the future by having an open door to young people struggling – and making it my life’s work to counsel those dealing with difficult family situations. I feel very strongly that I have taken roadblocks that would have put some people on the sidelines (divorce, losing a relationship with my dad)- and turned them into an opportunity to grow, work hard, learn to have faith, and be the best I can be. There have been many moments over the past few years where I felt like life was just “too hard”. I was fortunate to have a great support network and people there for me in my darkest times. I plan to be there for the next struggling “me”. I have worked hard to prevent what happened to me from derailing my college and career plans - but it has not always been easy. I would be honored if you selected me for this scholarship, and you have my word I will work my hardest to make you proud.

My parents got divorced in 2019 when I was in 8th grade. Although this is not that uncommon these days, what was "uncommon" in my situation was that my father abruptly picked up and left. He ended up moving to Minnesota (I live in New Jersey) to live with another family, and currently, I do not have a relationship with my dad at all. Dealing with abruptly losing my dad was very difficult for me. However, somehow, I managed to not only survive high school - but thrive. I had excellent grades and took all honors classes. I maintained good grades all while working a solid 25 hours a week throughout high school at an Italian restaurant and participating in sports and activities in school. Recently, I have begun my first semester at my dream school, the University of Rhode Island - where I am currently a freshman. What got me through the hard emotional times when my dad left were my mom and my three brothers. They were there to support me and pick me up when I felt the lowest - especially my twin brother, Ethan. But I also had great relationships with both my therapist and my high school guidance counselor. Both of these women were real role models for me - and showed me that if I kept working hard, and had confidence in my abilities, I could do anything. The relationships I have with both my therapist and my guidance counselor have inspired my career path - and I have decided I want to study Psychology in college and become a counselor. I am so grateful for what these two women did for me, that I want to make it my life mission to do the same for the next generation of struggling teen girls. I have learned from my own experiences how a kind, listening ear can essentially save someone’s life, and keep someone on the right path. I had people there for me when I needed it the most, and I want to do the same for others. I plan to serve the public in the future by having an open door to young people struggling – and making it my life’s work to counsel those dealing with difficult family situations. Recently over the past few months, my mom was diagnosed with Stage One Breast Cancer, and she just completed her treatment. Once again, my family has been marched into battle. We are all there for my mom – and supporting her throughout this journey. I know in my heart she will be OK – but dealing with cancer is always a scary experience. I have been inspired by my mom’s determination, faith, and perseverance. I feel very strongly that I have taken roadblocks that would have put some people on the sidelines (divorce, losing a relationship with my dad, and cancer)- and turned them into an opportunity to grow, work hard, learn to have faith, and be the best I can be. There have been many moments over the past few years where I felt like life was just “too hard”. I was fortunate to have a great support network and people there for me in my darkest times. I plan to be there for the next struggling “me”. I have worked hard to prevent what happened to me from derailing my college and career plans - but it has not always been easy. I would be honored if you selected me for this scholarship, and you have my word I will work my hardest to make you proud.

I believe that the way I can make the greatest positive impact in the world around me is simply by lending a listening ear to those in need, and being a safe person for people to come to with their problems. My parents got divorced in 2019 when I was in 8th grade. Although this is not that uncommon these days, what was "uncommon" in my situation was that my father abruptly picked up and left. He ended up moving to Minnesota (I live in New Jersey) to live with another family, and currently, I do not have a relationship with my dad at all. Dealing with abruptly losing my dad was very difficult for me. However, somehow, I managed to not only survive high school - but thrive. I have excellent grades and take all honors classes, and a few AP/ community college courses as well. I have kept good grades all while working a solid 25 hours a week throughout high school at an Italian restaurant and participating in sports and activities in school. What got me through the hard emotional times when my dad left were my mom and my three brothers. They were there to support me and pick me up when I felt the lowest - especially my twin brother, Ethan. But I also had great relationships with both my therapist and my high school guidance counselor. Both of these women were real role models for me - and showed me that if I kept working hard, and had confidence in my abilities, I could do anything. The relationships I have with both my therapist and my guidance counselor have inspired my career path - and I have decided I want to study Psychology in college and become a counselor. I am so grateful for what these two women did for me, that I want to make it my life mission to do the same for the next generation of struggling teen girls. I have learned from my own experiences how a kind, listening ear can essentially save someone’s life, and keep someone on the right path. I had people there for me when I needed it the most, and I want to do the same for others. I plan to serve the public in the future by having an open door to young people struggling – and making it my life’s work to counsel those dealing with difficult family situations. Recently over the past few months, my mom was diagnosed with Stage One Breast Cancer, and she just completed her treatment. Once again, my family has been marched into battle. We are all there for my mom – and supporting her throughout this journey. I know in my heart she will be OK – but dealing with cancer is always a scary experience. I have been inspired by my mom’s determination, faith, and perseverance. I feel very strongly that I have taken roadblocks that would have put some people on the sidelines (divorce, losing a relationship with my dad, and cancer)- and turned them into an opportunity to grow, work hard, learn to have faith, and be the best I can be. There have been many moments over the past few years where I felt like life was just “too hard”. I was fortunate to have a great support network and people there for me in my darkest times. I plan to be there for the next struggling “me”.

Over the past few years, I have had to overcome several obstacles. I am fighting hard every day to be my best and reach my dreams, and my biggest supporter in life is my mom. My parents got divorced in 2019 when I was in 8th grade. Although this is not that uncommon these days, what was "uncommon" in my situation was that my father abruptly picked up and left. He ended up moving to Minnesota (I live in New Jersey) to live with another family, and currently, I do not have a relationship with my dad at all. Dealing with abruptly losing my dad was very difficult for me. However, somehow, I managed to not only survive high school - but thrive. I have excellent grades and take all honors classes, and a few AP/ community college courses as well. I have kept good grades all while working 25 hours a week throughout high school at an Italian restaurant and participating in sports and activities in school. What got me through the hard emotional times when my dad left were my mom and my three brothers. They were there to support me and pick me up when I felt the lowest - especially my mom. But I also had great relationships with both my therapist and my high school guidance counselor. All of these women were real role models for me - and showed me that if I kept working hard, and had confidence in my abilities, I could do anything. The relationships I have with both my therapist and my guidance counselor have inspired my career path - and I have decided I want to study Psychology in college and become a counselor. I am so grateful for what these two women did for me, that I want to make it my life mission to do the same for the next generation of struggling teen girls. I have learned from my own experiences how a kind, listening ear can essentially save someone’s life, and keep someone on the right path. I had people there for me when I needed it the most, and I want to do the same for others. I plan to serve the public in the future by having an open door to young people struggling – and making it my life’s work to counsel those dealing with difficult family situations. Recently over the past few months, my mom was diagnosed with Stage One Breast Cancer, and she just completed her treatment. Once again, my family has been marched into battle. We are all there for my mom – and supporting her throughout this journey. I know in my heart she will be OK – but dealing with cancer is always a scary experience. I have been inspired by my mom’s determination, faith, and perseverance. I feel very strongly that I have taken roadblocks that would have put some people on the sidelines (divorce, losing a relationship with my dad, and cancer)- and turned them into an opportunity to grow, work hard, learn to have faith, and be the best I can be. There have been many moments over the past few years where I felt like life was just “too hard”. I was fortunate to have a great support network and people there for me in my darkest times. I plan to be there for the next struggling “me”. Just like Jeanie was her children's biggest supporter - so is my mom. There are three of us in college this year all at the same time, and my mom is our loudest chearleader.

The future Emma is confident, successful, vibrant, and living her best life every single day.

My parents got divorced in 2019 when I was in 8th grade. Although this is not that uncommon these days, what was "uncommon" in my situation was that my father abruptly picked up and left. He ended up moving to Minnesota (I live in New Jersey) to live with another family, and currently, I do not have a relationship with my dad at all. Dealing with abruptly losing my dad was very difficult for me. However, somehow, I managed to not only survive high school - but thrive. I had excellent grades and took all honors classes. I maintained good grades all while working a solid 25 hours a week throughout high school at an Italian restaurant and participating in sports and activities in school. Recently, I have begun my first semester at my dream school, the University of Rhode Island - where I am currently a freshman. What got me through the hard emotional times when my dad left were my mom and my three brothers. They were there to support me and pick me up when I felt the lowest - especially my twin brother, Ethan. But I also had great relationships with both my therapist and my high school guidance counselor. Both of these women were real role models for me - and showed me that if I kept working hard, and had confidence in my abilities, I could do anything. The relationships I have with both my therapist and my guidance counselor have inspired my career path - and I have decided I want to study Psychology in college and become a counselor. I am so grateful for what these two women did for me, that I want to make it my life mission to do the same for the next generation of struggling teen girls. I have learned from my own experiences how a kind, listening ear can essentially save someone’s life, and keep someone on the right path. I had people there for me when I needed it the most, and I want to do the same for others. I plan to serve the public in the future by having an open door to young people struggling – and making it my life’s work to counsel those dealing with difficult family situations. Recently over the past few months, my mom was diagnosed with Stage One Breast Cancer, and she just completed her treatment. Once again, my family has been marched into battle. We are all there for my mom – and supporting her throughout this journey. I know in my heart she will be OK – but dealing with cancer is always a scary experience. I have been inspired by my mom’s determination, faith, and perseverance. I feel very strongly that I have taken roadblocks that would have put some people on the sidelines (divorce, losing a relationship with my dad, and cancer)- and turned them into an opportunity to grow, work hard, learn to have faith, and be the best I can be. There have been many moments over the past few years where I felt like life was just “too hard”. I was fortunate to have a great support network and people there for me in my darkest times. I plan to be there for the next struggling “me”. I have worked hard to prevent what happened to me from derailing my college and career plans - but it has not always been easy. I would be honored if you selected me for this scholarship, and you have my word I will work my hardest to make you proud.

Reading has always been a passion of mine, and over the past few years, books - in a way - saved my life. My parents got divorced in 2019 when I was in 8th grade. Although this is not that uncommon these days, what was "uncommon" in my situation was that my father abruptly picked up and left. He ended up moving to Minnesota (I live in New Jersey) to live with another family, and currently, I do not have a relationship with my dad at all. Dealing with abruptly losing my dad was very difficult for me. However, somehow, I managed to not only survive high school - but thrive. I became an avid reader, and poured myself into self-help books or stories of people who a similar experience to my own. Despite everything I was dealing with, I had excellent grades throughout high school, and took all honors classes, and a few AP/ community college courses as well. I kept good grades all while working a solid 25 hours a week throughout high school at an Italian restaurant and participating in sports and activities in school. What got me through the hard emotional times when my dad left were my mom and my three brothers. They were there to support me and pick me up when I felt the lowest - especially my twin brother, Ethan. But I also had great relationships with both my therapist and my high school guidance counselor. Both of these women were real role models for me - and showed me that if I kept working hard, and had confidence in my abilities, I could do anything. The relationships I have with both my therapist and my guidance counselor - along with the many books I read about the mental health field - inspired my career path - and I have decided I want to study Psychology in college and become a counselor. I am so grateful for what these two women did for me, that I want to make it my life mission to do the same for the next generation of struggling teen girls. I have learned from my own experiences how a kind, listening ear can essentially save someone’s life, and keep someone on the right path. I had people there for me when I needed it the most, and I want to do the same for others. I plan to serve the public in the future by having an open door to young people struggling – and making it my life’s work to counsel those dealing with difficult family situations. I feel very strongly that I have taken roadblocks that would have put some people on the sidelines (divorce, losing a relationship with my dad)- and turned them into an opportunity to grow, work hard, learn to have faith, and be the best I can be. There have been many moments over the past few years where I felt like life was just “too hard”. I was fortunate to have a great support network and people there for me in my darkest times. I plan to be there for the next struggling “me”. I have recently moved into my dream college and am now living in a Freshman dorm for my first fall semester at the University of Rhode Island. My mom is struggling to make ends meet with three of us in college all at the same time. I am doing everything I can to apply for as many scholarships as possible to try and help. I would be honored if you selected me for this opportunity.

My name is Emma Platzke and I am from Red Bank, NJ. I am from a single-parent household, living with my mom and 3 brothers (one of whom is my twin). I love everything about New Jersey - the beach , the boardwalk, and hiking in all of the great parks - and consider myself a "New Jersey girl" at heart. My parents got divorced in 2019 when I was in 8th grade. Although this is not that uncommon these days, what was "uncommon" in my situation was that my father abruptly picked up and left. He ended up moving to Minnesota (I live in New Jersey) to live with another family, and currently, I do not have a relationship with my dad at all. Dealing with abruptly losing my dad was very difficult for me. However, somehow, I managed to not only survive high school - but thrive. I have excellent grades and take all honors classes, and a few AP/ community college courses as well. I have kept good grades all while working a solid 25 hours a week throughout high school at an Italian restaurant and participating in sports and activities in school. I played lacrosse and field hockey all through my high school career and was also very involved in volunteering my time as a coach and mentor for the town youth lacrosse program. What got me through the hard emotional times when my dad left were my mom and my three brothers. They were there to support me and pick me up when I felt the lowest - especially my twin brother, Ethan. But I also had great relationships with both my therapist and my high school guidance counselor. Both of these women were real role models for me - and showed me that if I kept working hard, and had confidence in my abilities, I could do anything. The relationships I have with both my therapist and my guidance counselor have inspired my career path - and I have decided I want to study Psychology in college and become a counselor. I am so grateful for what these two women did for me, that I want to make it my life mission to do the same for the next generation of struggling teen girls. I plan to serve the public in the future by having an open door to young people struggling – and making it my life’s work to counsel those dealing with difficult family situations. Recently over the past few months, my mom was diagnosed with Stage One Breast Cancer, and she just completed her treatment. Once again, my family has been marched into battle. We are all there for my mom – and supporting her throughout this journey. I know in my heart she will be OK – but dealing with cancer is always scary. I have been inspired by my mom’s determination, faith, and perseverance. I feel very strongly that I have taken roadblocks that would have put some people on the sidelines (divorce, losing a relationship with my dad, and cancer)- and turned them into an opportunity to grow, work hard, and be the best I can be. There have been many moments over the past few years where I felt like life was just “too hard”. I was fortunate to have a great support network and people there for me in my darkest times. I plan to be there for the next struggling “me”. I would be so grateful if you selected me for this scholarship opportunity and I will do my best to make your organization proud.

I believe that the way I can make the greatest positive impact in the world around me is simply by lending a listening ear to those in need, and being a safe person for people to come to with their problems. My parents got divorced in 2019 when I was in 8th grade. Although this is not that uncommon these days, what was "uncommon" in my situation was that my father abruptly picked up and left. He ended up moving to Minnesota (I live in New Jersey) to live with another family, and currently, I do not have a relationship with my dad at all. Dealing with abruptly losing my dad was very difficult for me. However, somehow, I managed to not only survive high school - but thrive. I have excellent grades and take all honors classes, and a few AP/ community college courses as well. I have kept good grades all while working a solid 25 hours a week throughout high school at an Italian restaurant and participating in sports and activities in school. What got me through the hard emotional times when my dad left were my mom and my three brothers. They were there to support me and pick me up when I felt the lowest - especially my twin brother, Ethan. But I also had great relationships with both my therapist and my high school guidance counselor. Both of these women were real role models for me - and showed me that if I kept working hard, and had confidence in my abilities, I could do anything. The relationships I have with both my therapist and my guidance counselor have inspired my career path - and I have decided I want to study Psychology in college and become a counselor. I am so grateful for what these two women did for me, that I want to make it my life mission to do the same for the next generation of struggling teen girls. I have learned from my own experiences how a kind, listening ear can essentially save someone’s life, and keep someone on the right path. I had people there for me when I needed it the most, and I want to do the same for others. I plan to serve the public in the future by having an open door to young people struggling – and making it my life’s work to counsel those dealing with difficult family situations. Recently over the past few months, my mom was diagnosed with Stage One Breast Cancer, and she just completed her treatment. Once again, my family has been marched into battle. We are all there for my mom – and supporting her throughout this journey. I know in my heart she will be OK – but dealing with cancer is always a scary experience. I have been inspired by my mom’s determination, faith, and perseverance. I feel very strongly that I have taken roadblocks that would have put some people on the sidelines (divorce, losing a relationship with my dad, and cancer)- and turned them into an opportunity to grow, work hard, learn to have faith, and be the best I can be. There have been many moments over the past few years where I felt like life was just “too hard”. I was fortunate to have a great support network and people there for me in my darkest times. I plan to be there for the next struggling “me”.

My name is Emma Platzke and I live in Red Bank, NJ with my mom, my two older brothers – Ryan and Luke, and my twin brother - Ethan. My father is a veteran of the Gulf War and served on submarines for the United States Navy. I do not currently have a relationship with my father, but I greatly admire the fact that he served our country. I recently (2023) graduated from Middletown High School South where I was very involved. I was a multi-sport athlete, playing both Field Hockey and Lacrosse; and was involved in many school clubs, like the Future Business Leaders of America and the Safe Drivers Club. In addition, I worked year-round at Birravino Italian restaurant, juggling school work, clubs, sports, and friends all at the same time. In August 2023 I moved into my new freshman dorm at my dream school, the University of Rhode Island where I plan to spend the next four years studying Psychology. My parents got divorced in 2019 when I was in 8th grade. Up until this point, my dad had been very involved in my life. Being a veteran was very important to him, and he spoke about his time in the United States Navy very often. My dad with very little warning woke up one day and announced he was going to move to Minnesota to live with another family. Since that time, I have not had a relationship with him at all. Dealing with abruptly losing my dad was very difficult for me during my high school years. Somehow, I managed to not only survive high school - but thrive. I have excellent grades and take honor-level courses, and a few community college courses as well. My success was largely due to the support I got from my mom and my brothers. In addition, I had great relationships with many of my teachers, my therapist, and my high school guidance counselor – and all of these relationships contributed toward my success as well. I plan to graduate from the University of Rhode Island with a major in Psychology. My career goal is to eventually have my own therapy practice, and work with teens. I am also considering becoming a high school guidance counselor. My therapist and my counselor helped me in so many ways, and it has inspired me to be there in the same way for the next generation of struggling teen girls…the “next” me. I feel very strongly that I have taken obstacles that would have put some people on the sidelines - and turned them into an opportunity to grow, work hard and be the best I can be. I have learned to hold my head up high, carry myself with positivity and grace, and always keep reaching for my goals. The lack of a relationship I have had with my dad the last few years has directly shaped my career goals. I doubt highly I would be planning on a Psychology major or a career as a therapist if my life had taken a different path. I would be very grateful if you consider me for this scholarship. I will put all scholarship funds directly toward tuition. Although I do not talk to my dad, I am very patriotic and am proud to say I am the child of a veteran. It is the only part of my relationship with him that makes me proud.

My name is Emma Platzke and I live in Red Bank, NJ with my mom, my two older brothers – Ryan and Luke, and my twin brother - Ethan. I love everything about the Jersey shore – and enjoy spending a lot of my free time at the beach, taking hikes with my dog Russell, or shopping with my friends. I recently (2023) graduated from Middletown High School South where I was very involved. I was a multi-sport athlete, playing both Field Hockey and Lacrosse; and was involved in many school clubs, like the Future Business Leaders of America and the Safe Drivers Club. In addition, I worked year-round at Birravino Italian restaurant, juggling school work, clubs, sports, and friends all at the same time. In August 2023 I moved into my new freshman dorm at my dream school, the University of Rhode Island where I plan to spend the next four years studying Psychology. On the outside, I think I am a very “typical” fun-loving and happy teen. Most of my friends would describe me as fun to be around, loud, and always up for an adventure. While this is true, I have dealt with my share of obstacles in the past few years that I have had to work hard to overcome. My parents got divorced in 2019 when I was in 8th grade. My dad ended up moving to Minnesota to live with another family, and currently, I do not have a relationship with my dad at all. It has been over three years since I have seen or spoken to him. Dealing with abruptly losing my dad was very difficult for me during my high school years. Somehow, I managed to not only survive high school - but thrive. I have excellent grades and take honor-level courses, and a few community college courses as well. My success was largely due to the support I got from my mom and my brothers. In addition, I had great relationships with many of my teachers, my therapist, and my high school guidance counselor – and all of these relationships contributed toward my success as well. This past year has been a difficult one for my mom. She was diagnosed with Stage One Breast Cancer in September 2022. She had to have two lumpectomies (Oct and Dec 2022) and just recently in February 2023, she finished her four weeks of Radiation treatment. During her cancer surgeries and treatment, my mom STILL managed to work full time and help my twin brother and I apply for colleges, apply for financial aid, and tour schools. I plan to graduate from the University of Rhode Island with a major in Psychology. My career goal is to eventually have my own therapy practice, and work with teens. I am also considering becoming a high school guidance counselor. My therapist and my counselor helped me in so many ways, and it has inspired me to be there in the same way for the next generation of struggling teen girls…the “next” me. This is how I feel I could best make a positive impact on the world. I feel very strongly that I have taken obstacles that would have put some people on the sidelines - and turned them into an opportunity to grow, work hard and be the best I can be. I have learned to hold my head up high, carry myself with positivity and grace, and always keep reaching for my goals. I would be very grateful if you consider me for this scholarship. I will put all scholarship funds directly toward tuition.

I believe that the way I can make the greatest positive impact in the world around me is simply by lending a listening ear to those in need and being a safe person for people to come to with their problems. My parents got divorced in 2019 when I was in 8th grade. Although this is not that uncommon these days, what was "uncommon" in my situation was that my father abruptly picked up and left. He ended up moving to Minnesota (I live in New Jersey) to live with another family, and currently, I do not have a relationship with my dad at all. Dealing with abruptly losing my dad was very difficult for me. However, somehow, I managed to not only survive high school - but thrive. I have excellent grades and take all honors classes, and a few AP/ community college courses as well. I have kept good grades all while working a solid 25 hours a week throughout high school at an Italian restaurant and participating in sports and activities in school. What got me through the hard emotional times when my dad left were my mom and my three brothers. They were there to support me and pick me up when I felt the lowest - especially my twin brother, Ethan. But I also had great relationships with both my therapist and my high school guidance counselor. Both of these women were real role models for me - and showed me that if I kept working hard, and had confidence in my abilities, I could do anything. The relationships I have with both my therapist and my guidance counselor have inspired my career path - and I have decided I want to study Psychology in college and become a counselor. I am so grateful for what these two women did for me, that I want to make it my life mission to do the same for the next generation of struggling teen girls. I have learned from my own experiences how a kind, listening ear can essentially save someone’s life, and keep someone on the right path. I had people there for me when I needed it the most, and I want to do the same for others. I plan to serve the public in the future by having an open door to young people struggling – and making it my life’s work to counsel those dealing with difficult family situations. Recently over the past few months, my mom was diagnosed with Stage One Breast Cancer, and she just completed her treatment. Once again, my family has been marched into battle. We are all there for my mom – and supporting her throughout this journey. I know in my heart she will be OK – but dealing with cancer is always a scary experience. I have been inspired by my mom’s determination, faith, and perseverance. I feel very strongly that I have taken roadblocks that would have put some people on the sidelines (divorce, losing a relationship with my dad, and cancer)- and turned them into an opportunity to grow, work hard, learn to have faith, and be the best I can be. There have been many moments over the past few years where I felt like life was just “too hard”. I was fortunate to have a great support network and people there for me in my darkest times. I plan to be there for the next struggling “me”.

I believe that the way I can make the greatest positive impact in the world around me is simply by lending a listening ear to those in need and being a safe person for people to come to with their problems. My parents got divorced in 2019 when I was in 8th grade. Although this is not that uncommon these days, what was "uncommon" in my situation was that my father abruptly picked up and left. He ended up moving to Minnesota (I live in New Jersey) to live with another family, and currently, I do not have a relationship with my dad at all. Dealing with abruptly losing my dad was very difficult for me. However, somehow, I managed to not only survive high school - but thrive. I have excellent grades and take all honors classes, and a few AP/ community college courses as well. I have kept good grades all while working a solid 25 hours a week throughout high school at an Italian restaurant and participating in sports and activities in school. What got me through the hard emotional times when my dad left were my mom and my three brothers. They were there to support me and pick me up when I felt the lowest - especially my twin brother, Ethan. But I also had great relationships with both my therapist and my high school guidance counselor. Both of these women were real role models for me - and showed me that if I kept working hard, and had confidence in my abilities, I could do anything. The relationships I have with both my therapist and my guidance counselor have inspired my career path - and I have decided I want to study Psychology in college and become a counselor. I am so grateful for what these two women did for me, that I want to make it my life mission to do the same for the next generation of struggling teen girls. I have learned from my own experiences how a kind, listening ear can essentially save someone’s life, and keep someone on the right path. I had people there for me when I needed it the most, and I want to do the same for others. I plan to serve the public in the future by having an open door to young people struggling – and making it my life’s work to counsel those dealing with difficult family situations. Recently over the past few months, my mom was diagnosed with Stage One Breast Cancer, and she just completed her treatment. Once again, my family has been marched into battle. We are all there for my mom – and supporting her throughout this journey. I know in my heart she will be OK – but dealing with cancer is always a scary experience. I have been inspired by my mom’s determination, faith, and perseverance. I feel very strongly that I have taken roadblocks that would have put some people on the sidelines (divorce, losing a relationship with my dad, and cancer)- and turned them into an opportunity to grow, work hard, learn to have faith, and be the best I can be. There have been many moments over the past few years where I felt like life was just “too hard”. I was fortunate to have a great support network and people there for me in my darkest times. I plan to be there for the next struggling “me”.

My name is Emma Platzke and I live in Red Bank, NJ with my mom, my two older brothers – Ryan and Luke, and my twin brother - Ethan. I love everything about the Jersey shore – and enjoy spending a lot of my free time at the beach, taking hikes with my dog Russell, or shopping with my friends. I recently (2023) graduated from Middletown High School South where I was very involved. I was a multi-sport athlete, playing both Field Hockey and Lacrosse; and was involved in many school clubs, like the Future Business Leaders of America and the Safe Drivers Club. In addition, I worked year-round at Birravino Italian restaurant, juggling school work, clubs, sports, and friends all at the same time. In August 2023 I moved into my new freshman dorm at my dream school, the University of Rhode Island where I plan to spend the next four years studying Psychology. On the outside, I think I am a very “typical” fun-loving and happy teen. Most of my friends would describe me as fun to be around, loud, and always up for an adventure. While this is true, I have dealt with my share of obstacles in the past few years that I have had to work hard to overcome. My parents got divorced in 2019 when I was in 8th grade. My dad ended up moving to Minnesota to live with another family, and currently, I do not have a relationship with my dad at all. It has been over three years since I have seen or spoken to him. Dealing with abruptly losing my dad was very difficult for me during my high school years. Somehow, I managed to not only survive high school - but thrive. I have excellent grades and take honor-level courses, and a few community college courses as well. My success was largely due to the support I got from my mom and my brothers. In addition, I had great relationships with many of my teachers, my therapist, and my high school guidance counselor – and all of these relationships contributed toward my success as well. This past year has been a difficult one for my mom. She was diagnosed with Stage One Breast Cancer in September 2022. She had to have two lumpectomies (Oct and Dec 2022) and just recently in February 2023, she finished her four weeks of Radiation treatment. During her cancer surgeries and treatment, my mom STILL managed to work full time and help my twin brother and I apply for colleges, apply for financial aid, and tour schools. My plan is to graduate from the University of Rhode Island with a major in Psychology. My career goal is to eventually have my own therapy practice, and work with teens. I am also considering becoming a high school guidance counselor. My therapist and my counselor helped me in so many ways, and it has inspired me to be there in the same way for the next generation of struggling teen girls…the “next” me. I feel very strongly that I have taken obstacles that would have put some people on the sidelines - and turned them into an opportunity to grow, work hard and be the best I can be. I have learned to hold my head up high, carry myself with positivity and grace, and always keep reaching for my goals. I would be very grateful if you consider me for this scholarship. I will put all scholarship funds directly toward tuition.

I believe that the way I can make the greatest positive impact in the world around me is simply by lending a listening ear to those in need, and being a safe person for people to come to with their problems. My parents got divorced in 2019 when I was in 8th grade. Although this is not that uncommon these days, what was "uncommon" in my situation was that my father abruptly picked up and left. He ended up moving to Minnesota (I live in New Jersey) to live with another family, and currently, I do not have a relationship with my dad at all. Dealing with abruptly losing my dad was very difficult for me. However, somehow, I managed to not only survive high school - but thrive. I have excellent grades and take all honors classes, and a few AP/ community college courses as well. I have kept good grades all while working a solid 25 hours a week throughout high school at an Italian restaurant and participating in sports and activities in school. What got me through the hard emotional times when my dad left were my mom and my three brothers. They were there to support me and pick me up when I felt the lowest - especially my twin brother, Ethan. But I also had great relationships with both my therapist and my high school guidance counselor. Both of these women were real role models for me - and showed me that if I kept working hard, and had confidence in my abilities, I could do anything. The relationships I have with both my therapist and my guidance counselor have inspired my career path - and I have decided I want to study Psychology in college and become a counselor. I am so grateful for what these two women did for me, that I want to make it my life mission to do the same for the next generation of struggling teen girls. I have learned from my own experiences how a kind, listening ear can essentially save someone’s life, and keep someone on the right path. I had people there for me when I needed it the most, and I want to do the same for others. I plan to serve the public in the future by having an open door to young people struggling – and making it my life’s work to counsel those dealing with difficult family situations. Recently over the past few months, my mom was diagnosed with Stage One Breast Cancer, and she just completed her treatment. Once again, my family has been marched into battle. We are all there for my mom – and supporting her throughout this journey. I know in my heart she will be OK – but dealing with cancer is always a scary experience. I have been inspired by my mom’s determination, faith, and perseverance. I feel very strongly that I have taken roadblocks that would have put some people on the sidelines (divorce, losing a relationship with my dad, and cancer)- and turned them into an opportunity to grow, work hard, learn to have faith, and be the best I can be. There have been many moments over the past few years where I felt like life was just “too hard”. I was fortunate to have a great support network and people there for me in my darkest times. I plan to be there for the next struggling “me”.

I believe that the way I can make the greatest positive impact in the world around me is simply by lending a listening ear to those in need, and being a safe person for people to come to with their problems. My parents got divorced in 2019 when I was in 8th grade. Although this is not that uncommon these days, what was "uncommon" in my situation was that my father abruptly picked up and left. He ended up moving to Minnesota (I live in New Jersey) to live with another family, and currently, I do not have a relationship with my dad at all. Dealing with abruptly losing my dad was very difficult for me. However, somehow, I managed to not only survive high school - but thrive. I have excellent grades and take all honors classes, and a few AP/ community college courses as well. I have kept good grades all while working a solid 25 hours a week throughout high school at an Italian restaurant and participating in sports and activities in school. What got me through the hard emotional times when my dad left were my mom and my three brothers. They were there to support me and pick me up when I felt the lowest - especially my twin brother, Ethan. But I also had great relationships with both my therapist and my high school guidance counselor. Both of these women were real role models for me - and showed me that if I kept working hard, and had confidence in my abilities, I could do anything. The relationships I have with both my therapist and my guidance counselor have inspired my career path - and I have decided I want to study Psychology in college and become a counselor. I am so grateful for what these two women did for me, that I want to make it my life mission to do the same for the next generation of struggling teen girls. I have learned from my own experiences how a kind, listening ear can essentially save someone’s life, and keep someone on the right path. I had people there for me when I needed it the most, and I want to do the same for others. I plan to serve the public in the future by having an open door to young people struggling – and making it my life’s work to counsel those dealing with difficult family situations. Recently over the past few months, my mom was diagnosed with Stage One Breast Cancer, and she just completed her treatment. Once again, my family has been marched into battle. We are all there for my mom – and supporting her throughout this journey. I know in my heart she will be OK – but dealing with cancer is always a scary experience. I have been inspired by my mom’s determination, faith, and perseverance. I feel very strongly that I have taken roadblocks that would have put some people on the sidelines (divorce, losing a relationship with my dad, and cancer)- and turned them into an opportunity to grow, work hard, learn to have faith, and be the best I can be. There have been many moments over the past few years where I felt like life was just “too hard”. I was fortunate to have a great support network and people there for me in my darkest times. I plan to be there for the next struggling “me”.

My parents got divorced in 2019 when I was in 8th grade. Although this is not that uncommon these days, what was "uncommon" in my situation was that my father abruptly picked up and left. He ended up moving to Minnesota (I live in New Jersey) to live with another family, and currently, I do not have a relationship with my dad at all. Dealing with abruptly losing my dad was very difficult for me. However, somehow, I managed to not only survive high school - but thrive. I have excellent grades and take all honors classes, and a few AP/ community college courses as well. I have kept good grades all while working a solid 25 hours a week throughout high school at an Italian restaurant and participating in sports and activities in school. What got me through the hard emotional times when my dad left were my mom and my three brothers. They were there to support me and pick me up when I felt the lowest - especially my twin brother, Ethan. But I also had great relationships with both my therapist and my high school guidance counselor. Both of these women were real role models for me - and showed me that if I kept working hard, and had confidence in my abilities, I could do anything. The relationships I have with both my therapist and my guidance counselor have inspired my career path - and I have decided I want to study Psychology in college and become a counselor. I am so grateful for what these two women did for me, that I want to make it my life mission to do the same for the next generation of struggling teen girls. I have learned from my own experiences how a kind, listening ear can essentially save someone’s life, and keep someone on the right path. I had people there for me when I needed it the most, and I want to do the same for others. I plan to serve the public in the future by having an open door to young people struggling – and making it my life’s work to counsel those dealing with difficult family situations. Recently over the past few months, my mom was diagnosed with Stage One Breast Cancer, and she just completed her treatment. Once again, my family has been marched into battle. We are all there for my mom – and supporting her throughout this journey. I know in my heart she will be OK – but dealing with cancer is always a scary experience. I have been inspired by my mom’s determination, faith, and perseverance. I feel very strongly that I have taken roadblocks that would have put some people on the sidelines (divorce, losing a relationship with my dad, and cancer)- and turned them into an opportunity to grow, work hard, learn to have faith, and be the best I can be. There have been many moments over the past few years where I felt like life was just “too hard”. I was fortunate to have a great support network and people there for me in my darkest times. I plan to be there for the next struggling “me”. This year, there are three children in my family in college all at the same time. We are a single-parent household and have a hard time getting by every month. I am doing all I can to afford a college education to make my dreams of a career in mental health come true. I would be honored to win this scholarship.

I believe that the way I can make the greatest positive impact in the world around me is simply by lending a listening ear to those in need, and being a safe person for people to come to with their problems. My parents got divorced in 2019 when I was in 8th grade. Although this is not that uncommon these days, what was "uncommon" in my situation was that my father abruptly picked up and left. He ended up moving to Minnesota (I live in New Jersey) to live with another family, and currently, I do not have a relationship with my dad at all. Dealing with abruptly losing my dad was very difficult for me. However, somehow, I managed to not only survive high school - but thrive. I have excellent grades and take all honors classes, and a few AP/ community college courses as well. I have kept good grades all while working a solid 25 hours a week throughout high school at an Italian restaurant and participating in sports and activities in school. What got me through the hard emotional times when my dad left were my mom and my three brothers. They were there to support me and pick me up when I felt the lowest - especially my twin brother, Ethan. But I also had great relationships with both my therapist and my high school guidance counselor. Both of these women were real role models for me - and showed me that if I kept working hard, and had confidence in my abilities, I could do anything. The relationships I have with both my therapist and my guidance counselor have inspired my career path - and I have decided I want to study Psychology in college and become a counselor. I am so grateful for what these two women did for me, that I want to make it my life mission to do the same for the next generation of struggling teen girls. I have learned from my own experiences how a kind, listening ear can essentially save someone’s life, and keep someone on the right path. I had people there for me when I needed it the most, and I want to do the same for others. I plan to serve the public in the future by having an open door to young people struggling – and making it my life’s work to counsel those dealing with difficult family situations. Recently over the past few months, my mom was diagnosed with Stage One Breast Cancer, and she just completed her treatment. Once again, my family has been marched into battle. We are all there for my mom – and supporting her throughout this journey. I know in my heart she will be OK – but dealing with cancer is always a scary experience. I have been inspired by my mom’s determination, faith, and perseverance. I feel very strongly that I have taken roadblocks that would have put some people on the sidelines (divorce, losing a relationship with my dad, and cancer)- and turned them into an opportunity to grow, work hard, learn to have faith, and be the best I can be. There have been many moments over the past few years where I felt like life was just “too hard”. I was fortunate to have a great support network and people there for me in my darkest times. I plan to be there for the next struggling “me”.

Mental Health is something that has affected my family over the past couple of years, and as a result of what I have been through, I have learned what I want to do with my life. My parents got divorced in 2019 when I was in 8th grade. My dad ended up moving to Minnesota (I live in New Jersey) to live with another family, and I do not currently have a relationship with my dad. My dad had sort of a mid-life crisis, or a mental breakdown - I do not know another way to describe it. He quit his job, moved across the country, and left my mom, me and three brothers very unexpectedly. In the years that followed, he struggled with depression and his own mental health and on two instances contacted us to say he was thinking of ending his own life, and that he was battling depression. My dad came to visit me once about a year after he moved to Minnesota, and took me out to lunch. On this visit he broke down in front of me, crying, telling me how he had ruined his life and was thinking of ending things. I was in 10th grade when this happened, and it was too much for me to handle at the time. My dad got upset with me for crying and being silent, and he ended up punching out a car window in front of me. I remember being terrified and not knowing how to react or what to say. I walked away and called my mom asking to be picked up. This was one of the last times I saw my dad in person. Over the years, he has been doing a lot of therapy on his own, and he has reached out to me multiple times. However, he still lives with his girlfriend in Minnesota, and I still feel like he abandoned me, and we have not currently mended our relationship. I am very glad he is healing on himself and doing better, but he and I still have a long way to go to mend our relationship. Dealing with abruptly losing my dad was very difficult for me during my high school years. Somehow, I managed to not only survive high school - but actually thrive. I have excellent grades and take all honors classes. I have kept good grades all while working a solid 25 hours a week throughout high school at an Italian restaurant and participating in sports and activities in school. Many of my friends work summer jobs - but I work year-round, very hard - juggling school, work, sports, and volunteering. My mom put me into regular weekly therapy when my dad left. I have a great relationship with my therapist, and also a great relationship with my high school guidance counselor. Both women have been a huge support to me for the past four years. My career goals are to study psychology in college and become a therapist. I want to be there for the next generation of struggling teens - essentially, the next "me". I feel very strongly that I have taken a roadblock that would have put some people on the sidelines - and turned it into an opportunity to grow, work hard and be the best I can be. I would be very grateful if you consider me for this scholarship. Please know I will work my hardest to make you and your entire organization proud.

Mental Health is something that has affected my family over the past couple of years, and as a result of what I have been through, I have learned what I want to do with my life. My parents got divorced in 2019 when I was in 8th grade. My dad ended up moving to Minnesota (I live in New Jersey) to live with another family, and I do not currently have a relationship with my dad. My dad had sort of a mid-life crisis, or a mental breakdown - I do not know another way to describe it. He quit his job, moved across the country, and left my mom, me and three brothers very unexpectedly. In the years that followed, he struggled with depression and his own mental health and on two instances contacted us to say he was thinking of ending his own life, and that he was battling depression. My dad came to visit me once about a year after he moved to Minnesota, and took me out to lunch. On this visit he broke down in front of me, crying, telling me how he had ruined his life and was thinking of ending things. I was in 10th grade when this happened, and it was too much for me to handle at the time. My dad got upset with me for crying and being silent, and he ended up punching out a car window in front of me. I remember being terrified and not knowing how to react or what to say. I walked away and called my mom asking to be picked up. This was one of the last times I saw my dad in person. Over the years, he has been doing a lot of therapy on his own, and he has reached out to me multiple times. However, he still lives with his girlfriend in Minnesota, and I still feel like he abandoned me, and we have not currently mended our relationship. I am very glad he is healing on himself and doing better, but he and I still have a long way to go to mend our relationship. Dealing with abruptly losing my dad was very difficult for me during my high school years. Somehow, I managed to not only survive high school - but actually thrive. I have excellent grades and take all honors classes. I have kept good grades all while working a solid 25 hours a week throughout high school at an Italian restaurant and participating in sports and activities in school. Many of my friends work summer jobs - but I work year-round, very hard - juggling school, work, sports, and volunteering. My mom put me into regular weekly therapy when my dad left. I have a great relationship with my therapist, and also a great relationship with my high school guidance counselor. Both women have been a huge support to me for the past four years. My career goals are to study psychology in college and become a therapist. I want to be there for the next generation of struggling teens - essentially, the next "me". I feel very strongly that I have taken a roadblock that would have put some people on the sidelines - and turned it into an opportunity to grow, work hard and be the best I can be. I would be very grateful if you consider me for this scholarship. Please know I will work my hardest to make you and your entire organization proud.

Mental Health is something that has affected my family over the past couple of years, and as a result of what I have been through, I have learned what I want to do with my life. My parents got divorced in 2019 when I was in 8th grade. My dad ended up moving to Minnesota (I live in New Jersey) to live with another family, and I do not currently have a relationship with my dad. My dad had sort of a mid-life crisis or a mental breakdown - I do not know another way to describe it. He quit his job, moved across the country, and left my mom, me and three brothers very unexpectedly. In the years that followed, he struggled with depression and his mental health and on two instances contacted us to say he was thinking of ending his own life, and that he was battling depression. My dad came to visit me once about a year after he moved to Minnesota, and took me out to lunch. On this visit he broke down in front of me, crying, telling me how he had ruined his life and was thinking of ending things. I was in 10th grade when this happened, and it was too much for me to handle at the time. My dad got upset with me for crying and being silent, and he ended up punching out a car window in front of me. I remember being terrified and not knowing how to react or what to say. I walked away and called my mom asking to be picked up. This was one of the last times I saw my dad in person. Over the years, he has been doing a lot of therapy on his own, and he has reached out to me multiple times. However, he still lives with his girlfriend in Minnesota, and I still feel like he abandoned me, and we have not yet mended our relationship. I am very glad he is healing himself and doing better, but he and I still have a long way to go to mend our relationship. Dealing with abruptly losing my dad was very difficult for me during my high school years. Somehow, I managed to not only survive high school - but thrive. I have excellent grades and take all honors classes. I have kept good grades all while working a solid 25 hours a week throughout high school at an Italian restaurant and participating in sports and activities in school. Many of my friends work summer jobs - but I work year-round, very hard - juggling school, work, sports, and volunteering. My mom put me into regular weekly therapy when my dad left. I have a great relationship with my therapist, and also a great relationship with my high school guidance counselor. Both women have been a huge support to me for the past four years. My career goals are to study psychology in college and become a therapist. I want to be there for the next generation of struggling teens - essentially, the next "me". I feel very strongly that I have taken a roadblock that would have put some people on the sidelines - and turned it into an opportunity to grow, work hard and be the best I can be. I would be very grateful if you consider me for this scholarship. Please know I will work my hardest to make you and your entire organization proud. I work on my mental health every day, and I will work hard to honor Elizabeth's memory.

I believe that the way I can make the greatest positive impact in the world around me is simply by lending a listening ear to those in need, and being a safe person for people to come to with their problems. My parents got divorced in 2019 when I was in 8th grade. Although this is not that uncommon these days, what was "uncommon" in my situation was that my father abruptly picked up and left. He ended up moving to Minnesotta (I live in New Jersey) to live with another family, and currently, I do not have a relationship with my dad at all. Dealing with abruptly losing my dad was very difficult for me. However, somehow, I managed to not only survive high school - but thrive. I have excellent grades and take all honors classes, and a few AP/ community college courses as well. I have kept good grades all while working a solid 25 hours a week throughout high school at an Italian restaurant and participating in sports and activities in school. What got me through the hard emotional times when my dad left were my mom and my three brothers. They were there to support me and pick me up when I felt the lowest - especially my twin brother, Ethan. But I also had great relationships with both my therapist and my high school guidance counselor. Both of these women were real role models for me - and showed me that if I kept working hard, and had confidence in my abilities, I could do anything. The relationships I have with both my therapist and my guidance counselor have inspired my career path - and I have decided I want to study Psychology in college and become a counselor. I am so grateful for what these two women did for me, that I want to make it my life mission to do the same for the next generation of struggling teen girls. I have learned from my own experiences how a kind, listening ear can essentially save someone’s life, and keep someone on the right path. I had people there for me when I needed it the most, and I want to do the same for others. I plan to serve the public in the future by having an open door to young people struggling – and making it my life’s work to counsel those dealing with difficult family situations. Recently over the past few months, my mom was diagnosed with Stage One Breast Cancer, and she just completed her treatment. Once again, my family has been marched into battle. We are all there for my mom – and supporting her throughout this journey. I know in my heart she will be OK – but dealing with cancer is always a scary experience. I have been inspired by my mom’s determination, faith, and perseverance. I feel very strongly that I have taken roadblocks that would have put some people on the sidelines (divorce, losing a relationship with my dad, and cancer)- and turned them into an opportunity to grow, work hard, learn to have faith, and be the best I can be. There have been many moments over the past few years where I felt like life was just “too hard”. I was fortunate to have a great support network and people there for me in my darkest times. I plan to be there for the next struggling “me”.

My parents got divorced in 2019 when I was in 8th grade. Although this is not that uncommon these days, what was "uncommon" in my situation was that my father abruptly picked up and left. He ended up moving to Minnesota (I live in New Jersey) to live with another family, and currently, I do not have a relationship with my dad at all. Dealing with abruptly losing my dad was very difficult for me. However, somehow, I managed to not only survive high school - but thrive. I have excellent grades and take all honors classes, and a few AP/ community college courses as well. I have kept good grades all while working a solid 25 hours a week throughout high school at an Italian restaurant and participating in sports and activities in school. Many of my friends work summer jobs - but I work year-round, very hard - juggling school, work, and sports. I worked hard enough and even purchased my own car this past year when I turned 17. What got me through the hard emotional times when my dad left were my mom and my three brothers. They were there to support me and pick me up when I felt the lowest - especially my twin brother, Ethan. But I also had great relationships with both my therapist and my high school guidance counselor. Both of these women were real role models for me - and showed me that if I kept working hard, and had confidence in my abilities, I could do anything. The relationships I have with both my therapist and my guidance counselor have inspired my career path - and I have decided I want to study Psychology in college and become a counselor. I am so grateful for what these two women did for me, that I want to make it my life mission to do the same for the next generation of struggling teen girls. I have learned from my own experiences how a kind, listening ear can essentially save someone’s life, and keep someone on the right path. I had people there for me when I needed it the most, and I want to do the same for others. I plan to serve the public in the future by having an open door to young people struggling – and making it my life’s work to counsel those dealing with difficult family situations. Recently over the past few months, my mom was diagnosed with Stage One Breast Cancer, and she just completed her treatment. Once again, my family has been marched into battle. We are all there for my mom – and supporting her throughout this journey. I know in my heart she will be OK – but dealing with cancer is always a scary experience. I have been inspired by my mom’s determination, faith, and perseverance. I feel very strongly that I have taken roadblocks that would have put some people on the sidelines (divorce, losing a relationship with my dad, and cancer)- and turned them into an opportunity to grow, work hard, learn to have faith, and be the best I can be. There have been many moments over the past few years where I felt like life was just “too hard”. I was fortunate to have a great support network and people there for me in my darkest times. I plan to be there for the next struggling “me”.

My parents got divorced in 2019 when I was in 8th grade. Although this is not that uncommon these days, what was "uncommon" in my situation was that my father abruptly picked up and left. He ended up moving to Minnesota (I live in New Jersey) to live with another family, and currently, I do not have a relationship with my dad at all. Dealing with abruptly losing my dad was very difficult for me. However, somehow, I managed to not only survive high school - but thrive. I have excellent grades and take all honors classes, and a few AP/ community college courses as well. I have kept good grades all while working a solid 25 hours a week throughout high school at an Italian restaurant and participating in sports and activities in school. Many of my friends work summer jobs - but I work year-round, very hard - juggling school, work, and sports. I worked hard enough and even purchased my own car this past year when I turned 17. What got me through the hard emotional times when my dad left were my mom and my three brothers. They were there to support me and pick me up when I felt the lowest - especially my twin brother, Ethan. But I also had great relationships with both my therapist and my high school guidance counselor. Both of these women were real role models for me - and showed me that if I kept working hard, and had confidence in my abilities, I could do anything. In 2022, my mom was diagnosed with Stage One Breast Cancer. She had two lumpectomies (one in 2022 and one in early 2023) and just completed her Radiation a few months ago. Once again, my family has been marched into battle. We are all there for my mom – and supporting her throughout this journey. I know in my heart she will be OK – but dealing with cancer is always a scary experience. I have been inspired by my mom’s determination, faith, and perseverance. The relationships I have with my mom, my therapist, and my guidance counselor have inspired my career path - and I have decided I want to study Psychology in college and become a counselor. I am so grateful for what these two women did for me, that I want to make it my life mission to do the same for the next generation of struggling teen girls. I have learned from my own experiences how a kind, listening ear can essentially save someone’s life, and keep someone on the right path. I had people there for me when I needed it the most, and I want to do the same for others. I plan to serve the public in the future by having an open door to young people struggling – and make it my life’s work to counsel those dealing with difficult family situations. I feel very strongly that I have taken roadblocks that would have put some people on the sidelines (divorce, losing a relationship with my dad, and cancer)- and turned them into an opportunity to grow, work hard, learn to have faith, and be the best I can be. There have been many moments over the past few years where I felt like life was just “too hard”. I was fortunate to have a great support network and people there for me in my darkest times. I plan to be there for the next struggling “me”.

My parents got divorced in 2019 when I was in 8th grade. Although this is not that uncommon these days, what was "uncommon" in my situation was that my father abruptly picked up and left. He ended up moving to Minnesota (I live in New Jersey) to live with another family, and currently, I do not have a relationship with my dad at all. Dealing with abruptly losing my dad was very difficult for me. However, somehow, I managed to not only survive high school - but thrive. I have excellent grades and take all honors classes, and a few AP/ community college courses as well. I have kept good grades all while working a solid 25 hours a week throughout high school at an Italian restaurant and participating in sports and activities in school. Many of my friends work summer jobs - but I work year-round, very hard - juggling school, work, and sports. I worked hard enough and even purchased my own car this past year when I turned 17. What got me through the hard emotional times when my dad left were my mom and my three brothers. They were there to support me and pick me up when I felt the lowest - especially my twin brother, Ethan. But I also had great relationships with both my therapist and my high school guidance counselor. Both of these women were real role models for me - and showed me that if I kept working hard, and had confidence in my abilities, I could do anything. The relationships I have with both my therapist and my guidance counselor have inspired my career path - and I have decided I want to study Psychology in college and become a counselor. I am so grateful for what these two women did for me, that I want to make it my life mission to do the same for the next generation of struggling teen girls. I have learned from my own experiences how a kind, listening ear can essentially save someone’s life, and keep someone on the right path. I had people there for me when I needed it the most, and I want to do the same for others. I plan to serve the public in the future by having an open door to young people struggling – and making it my life’s work to counsel those dealing with difficult family situations. Recently over the past few months, my mom was diagnosed with Stage One Breast Cancer, and she just completed her treatment. Once again, my family has been marched into battle. We are all there for my mom – and supporting her throughout this journey. I know in my heart she will be OK – but dealing with cancer is always a scary experience. I have been inspired by my mom’s determination, faith, and perseverance. I feel very strongly that I have taken roadblocks that would have put some people on the sidelines (divorce, losing a relationship with my dad, and cancer)- and turned them into an opportunity to grow, work hard, learn to have faith, and be the best I can be. There have been many moments over the past few years where I felt like life was just “too hard”. I was fortunate to have a great support network and people there for me in my darkest times. I plan to be there for the next struggling “me”.

My parents got divorced in 2019 when I was in 8th grade. Although this is not that uncommon these days, what was "uncommon" in my situation was that my father abruptly picked up and left. He ended up moving to Minnesota (I live in New Jersey) to live with another family, and currently, I do not have a relationship with my dad. Dealing with abruptly losing my dad was very difficult for me. However, somehow, I managed to not only survive high school - but thrive. I have excellent grades and take all honors classes, and a few AP/ community college courses as well. I have kept good grades all while working a solid 25 hours a week throughout high school at an Italian restaurant and participating in sports and activities in school. Many of my friends work summer jobs - but I work year-round, very hard - juggling school, work, and sports. I worked hard enough and even purchased my own car this past year when I turned 17. What got me through the hard emotional times when my dad left were my mom and my three brothers. They were there to support me and pick me up when I felt the lowest - especially my twin brother, Ethan. But I also had great relationships with both my therapist and my high school guidance counselor. Both of these women were real role models for me - and showed me that if I kept working hard, and had confidence in my abilities, I could do anything. The relationships I have with both my therapist and my guidance counselor have inspired my career path - and I have decided I want to study Psychology in college and become a counselor. I am so grateful for what these two women did for me, that I want to make it my life mission to do the same for the next generation of struggling teen girls. I have learned from my own experiences how a kind, listening ear can essentially save someone’s life, and keep someone on the right path. I had people there for me when I needed it the most, and I want to do the same for others. I plan to serve the public in the future by having an open door to young people struggling – making it my life’s work to counsel those dealing with difficult family situations. I feel very strongly that I have taken roadblocks that would have put some people on the sidelines (divorce, losing a relationship with my dad)- and turned them into an opportunity to grow, work hard, learn to have faith, and be the best I can be. There have been many moments over the past few years where I felt like life was just “too hard”. I was fortunate to have a great support network and people there for me in my darkest times. I plan to be there for the next struggling “me” and make a real change by supporting girls (and young people in general) who are struggling. I am the "go-to" person in my friend group for advice and/or a listening ear - and I truly believe this is a simple way you can support your community.

There is nothing that completes the perfect fall day more for me than a quick stop at Starbucks for an Iced Pumpkin Chai with two pumps of cinnamon dolce. The minute it hits my lips, it puts me in the mood for taking a nature hike to look at the changing leaves, a visit to the pumpkin patch, or sitting by a fire pit. Fall symbolizes a lot of things - and one of the main things for kids my age is "Back to School". This year, that is even more different for me, because this coming weekend I am moving into my freshman dorm at the University of Rhode Island. During my high school years, my best friend Kennedy worked at the Starbucks in Shrewsbury, NJ alongside her dad. They were baristas together! I would stop in their Starbucks at least 3x a week to say a quick hello, visit briefly, and get my favorite beverage of choice that day. I spent many high school days with a Starbucks in hand. And now...I will be starting a new chapter of life in college this fall - finding a new favorite Starbucks location in Rhode Island - and hopefully hanging out there with brand new friends. Some of my favorite fall memories from my senior year of high school were spent at the local parks and trails looking at the fall foliage, and making movies and videos with my friends, all with an Iced Pumpkin Chai in hand. It is the perfect accessory to any fall day - and just makes you feel happy when you take a sip. It was my barista Kennedy who suggested the two pumps of cinnamon dolce - and she was spot on! It gives the drink just a little extra kick and fall flavor, and once you try it you will never turn back. My advice to anyone this fall is to stop by your local Starbucks, give my favorite fall beverage a try, thank your barista, and then take a walk through a park with a friend. Great conversations, sipping a Starbucks in the woods, wearing a flannel shirt, and hearing the leaves crunch under your feet are the true makings of the perfect fall day. If you decide to try the Iced Pumpkin Chai with the two pumps of cinnamon dolce - tell them Emma and Kennedy sent you. Happy sipping and enjoy!

My parents got divorced in 2019 when I was in 8th grade. My father abruptly picked up and left - He ended up moving to Minnesota (I live in New Jersey) to live with another family, and currently I do not have a relationship with my dad at all. Dealing with abruptly losing my dad was very difficult for me. When this first happened, it was time for me to enter high school. This is a hard time even when everything is going great in your life. I was terrified and felt like the world was against me. Somehow, I managed to not only survive high school - but thrive. I have excellent grades and take all honors classes. I have kept good grades all while working 25 hours a week throughout high school at an Italian restaurant, and participating in multiple sports and activities in school. What got me through the hard emotional times when my dad left were my mom and my three brothers. They were there to support me and pick me up when I felt the lowest - especially my mom. My mom is a single parent in every sense of the word – yet she always manages to figure things out and make the best of things. Every time I was struggling, she was there to pick me up. She supports me (and my brothers) in all that we do – sports, school, activities, jobs. She gets up early every morning, works a full day, and is up late every night. I have no idea how she gets everything done, but she always does. I have always looked up to her. But, in the past four years, I have looked up to her more than I can even put into words. This past year has been a difficult one for my mom. She was diagnosed with Stage One Breast Cancer in September 2022. She had to have two lumpectomies (Oct and Dec 2022) and in February 2023 she finished her four weeks of Radiation. During her cancer surgeries and treatment my mom STILL managed to work full time and help my twin brother and I apply for colleges and tour schools. Once again, my family has been faced with tough times – and my mom has found a way to keep going with a positive attitude, and keep us all together and still working towards our future goals. I guess this is just what a mom does. Watching my mom over the past couple of years has truly shaped me into the person I am today, and she is my biggest role model. I have learned that you never turn your back on family and you do whatever you need to do to be there for one another. I have learned that no matter what happens (divorce, cancer) you keep waking up every day like the day is a gift – and you keep giving 110% and you keep a positive outlook. You hold yourself with grace even in the hardest times. My mom is dealing with a lot of financial burdens. I am applying for scholarships and doing all I can to help her financially so that my twin brother and I can attend our dream colleges. I plan to attend the University of Rhode Island and study Psychology. My career goal is to have my own therapy practice. So many people were there for me when I needed guidance and encouragement – and I want to dedicate my life to doing the same for the next generation.

My parents got divorced in 2019 when I was in 8th grade. My father abruptly picked up and left - He ended up moving to Minnesota (I live in New Jersey) to live with another family, and currently I do not have a relationship with my dad at all. Dealing with abruptly losing my dad was very difficult for me. When this first happened, it was time for me to enter high school. This is a hard time even when everything is going great in your life. For me, I was terrified and felt like the world was against me. Somehow, I managed to not only survive high school - but actually thrive. I have excellent grades and take all honors classes. I have kept good grades all while working 25 hours a week throughout high school at an Italian restaurant, and participating in multiple sports and activities in school. What got me through the hard emotional times when my dad left were my mom and my three brothers. They were there to support me and pick me up when I felt the lowest - especially my mom. My mom is a single parent in every sense of the word – yet she always manages to figure things out and make the best of things. Every time I was struggling, she was there to pick me up. She supports me (and my brothers) in all that we do – sports, school, activities, jobs. She gets up early every morning, works a full day, and is up late every night. I have no idea how she gets everything done, but she always does. I have always looked up to her. But, in the past four years, I have looked up to her more than I can even put into words. This past year has been a difficult one for my mom. She was diagnosed with Stage One Breast Cancer in September 2022. She had to have two lumpectomies (Oct and Dec 2022) and in February 2023 she finished her four weeks of Radiation. During her cancer surgeries and treatment my mom STILL managed to work full time and help my twin brother and I apply for colleges, and tour schools. Once again, my family has been faced with tough times – and my mom has found a way to keep going with a positive attitude, and keep us all together and still working towards our future goals. I guess this is just what a mom does. Watching my mom over the past couple of years has truly shaped me into the person I am today, and she is my biggest role model. I have learned that you never turn your back on family and you do whatever you need to do to be there for one another. I have learned that no matter what happens (divorce, cancer) you keep waking up every day like the day is a gift – and you keep giving 110% and you keep a positive outlook. You hold yourself with grace even in the hardest times. My mom is dealing with a lot of financial burdens. I am applying for scholarships and doing all I can to help her financially so that my twin brother and I can attend our dream colleges. I plan to attend the University of Rhode Island and study Psychology. My career goal is to have my own therapy practice. So many people were there for me when I needed guidance and encouragement – and I want to dedicate my life to doing the same for the next generation.

Mental Health is something that has affected my family over the past couple of years, and as a result of what I have been through, I have learned what I want to do with my life. My parents got divorced in 2019 when I was in 8th grade. My dad ended up moving to Minnesota (I live in New Jersey) to live with another family, and I do not currently have a relationship with my dad. My dad had sort of a mid-life crisis, or a mental breakdown - I do not know another way to describe it. He quit his job, moved across the country, and left my mom, me and three brothers very unexpectedly. In the years that followed, he struggled with depression and his own mental health and on two instances contacted us to say he was thinking of ending his own life, and that he was battling depression. My dad came to visit me once about a year after he moved to Minnesota, and took me out to lunch. On this visit he broke down in front of me, crying, telling me how he had ruined his life and was thinking of ending things. I was in 10th grade when this happened, and it was too much for me to handle at the time. My dad got upset with me for crying and being silent, and he ended up punching out a car window in front of me. I remember being terrified and not knowing how to react or what to say. I walked away and called my mom asking to be picked up. This was one of the last times I saw my dad in person. Over the years, he has been doing a lot of therapy on his own, and he has reached out to me multiple times. However, he still lives with his girlfriend in Minnesota, and I still feel like he abandoned me, and we have not currently mended our relationship. I am very glad he is healing and working on himself and doing better, but he and I still have a long way to go to mend our relationship. Dealing with abruptly losing my dad was very difficult for me during my high school years. Somehow, I managed to not only survive high school - but actually thrive. I have excellent grades and take all honors classes. I have kept good grades all while working a solid 25 hours a week throughout high school at an Italian restaurant and participating in sports and activities in school. Many of my friends work summer jobs - but I work year-round, very hard - juggling school, work, sports, and volunteering. My mom put me into regular weekly therapy when my dad left. She saw how much I was struggling with everything that was happening. I was starting to retreat from life, was not eating enough and was sometimes not bothering to shower. I started working through everything in therapy and really leaned on my family. I have a great relationship with my therapist, and also a great relationship with my high school guidance counselor. Both women have been a huge support to me for the past four years - and in part, they helped inspire my future path. My career goals are to study psychology in college and become a therapist. I want to be there for the next generation of struggling teens - essentially, the next "me". Reading about what happened in the aftermath of your mom's passing hit home for me. After my dad moved far away, and threatened that he was planning to take his own life - I felt like I could not really talk about it to anyone. I was afraid to open up to any of my friends, and I became extremely isolated. I felt like no one would understand, and perhaps I even felt a little bit embarrassed. Therapy saved me from the dark hole I was entering, and I am so grateful that I am now able to talk about my feelings openly. I feel very strongly that I have taken a roadblock that would have put some people on the sidelines - and turned it into an opportunity to grow, work hard and be the best I can be. Mental health is a real passion of mine, and I would be very grateful if you consider me for this scholarship. I will work hard to honor your mother's memory by doing well in college.

My name is Emma Platzke and I live in Red Bank, NJ with my mom, my two older brothers – Ryan and Luke, and my twin brother - Ethan. I love everything about the Jersey shore – and enjoy spending a lot of my free time at the beach, taking hikes with my dog Russell, or shopping with my friends. I attend Middletown High School South and am very involved. I am a multi-sport athlete, playing both Field Hockey and Lacrosse. I am involved in many school clubs, like the Future Business Leaders of America and the Safe Drivers Club, of which I am the founding member and Vice President. In addition, I work year-round at Birravino Italian restaurant and have been working there for a little over three years. On the outside, I think I am a very “typical” fun-loving and happy teen. Most of my friends would describe me as fun to be around, and always up for an adventure. While this is true, I have dealt with my share of obstacles the past few years that I have had to work hard to overcome. My parents got divorced in 2019 when I was in 8th grade. My dad ended up moving to Minnesota to live with another family, and currently, I do not have a relationship with my dad at all. Dealing with abruptly losing my dad was very difficult for me during my high school years. Somehow, I managed to not only survive high school - but actually thrive. I have excellent grades and take honor level courses, and a few community college courses as well. I have maintained good grades all while working a solid 25 hours a week, and participating in sports and activities. My success was largely due to the support I got from my mom, and my brothers. In addition, I had great relationships with many of my teachers, my therapist, and my high school guidance counselor – and all of these relationships contributed toward my success as well. This past year has been a difficult one for my mom. She was diagnosed with Stage One Breast Cancer in September 2022. She had to have two lumpectomies (Oct and Dec 2022) and just recently in February 2023, she finished her four weeks of Radiation treatment. During her cancer surgeries and treatment, my mom STILL managed to work full time and help my twin brother and I apply for colleges, apply for financial aid, and tour schools. This Fall I will attend the University of Rhode Island and plan to major in Psychology. My career goal is to eventually have my own therapy practice, and work with teens. I am also considering becoming a high school guidance counselor. My therapist and my counselor helped me in so many ways, and it has inspired me to be there in the same way for the next generation of struggling teen girls…the “next” me. I feel very strongly that I have taken obstacles that would have put some people on the sidelines - and turned it into an opportunity to grow, work hard and be the best I can be. Everything my family has been through has brought my mom, my brothers and I closer than I could have ever imagined. I have learned to hold my head up high, carry myself with positivity and grace, and always keep reaching for my goals. I would be very grateful if you consider me for this scholarship. Please know I will work my hardest to make you and your entire organization proud.

Mental Health is something that has affected my family over the past couple of years, and as a result of what I have been through, I have learned what I want to do with my life. My parents got divorced in 2019 when I was in 8th grade. My dad ended up moving to Minnesota (I live in New Jersey) to live with another family, and I do not currently have a relationship with my dad. My dad had sort of a mid-life crisis or a mental breakdown - I do not know another way to describe it. He quit his job, moved across the country, and left my mom, me and three brothers very unexpectedly. In the years that followed, he struggled with depression and his mental health and on two instances contacted us to say he was thinking of ending his own life, and that he was battling depression. My dad came to visit me once about a year after he moved to Minnesota, and took me out to lunch. On this visit he broke down in front of me, crying, telling me how he had ruined his life and was thinking of ending things. I was in 10th grade when this happened, and it was a lot for me to handle at the time. My dad got upset with me for crying and being silent, and he ended up punching out a car window in front of me. I remember being terrified and not knowing how to react or what to say. I walked away and called my mom asking to be picked up. This was one of the last times I saw my dad in person. Over the years, he has been doing a lot of therapy on his own, and he has reached out to me multiple times. However, he still lives with his girlfriend in Minnesota, and I still feel like he abandoned me, and we have not currently mended our relationship. I am very glad he is healing himself and doing better, but he and I still have a long way to go to mend our relationship. Dealing with abruptly losing my dad was very difficult for me during my high school years. Somehow, I managed to not only survive high school - but thrive. I have excellent grades and take all honors classes. I have kept good grades all while working a solid 25 hours a week throughout high school at an Italian restaurant and participating in sports and activities in school. My mom put me into regular weekly therapy when my dad left. I have a great relationship with my therapist, and also a great relationship with my high school guidance counselor. Both women have been a huge support to me for the past four years. My career goals are to study psychology in college and become a therapist. I want to be there for the next generation of struggling teens - essentially, the next "me". I feel very strongly that I have taken a roadblock that would have put some people on the sidelines - and turned it into an opportunity to grow, work hard and be the best I can be. I would be very grateful if you consider me for this scholarship. Please know I will work my hardest to make you and your entire organization proud. I work on my mental health every day, and my career plans for the future involve helping others with their own struggles.

Mental Health is something that has affected my family over the past couple of years, and as a result of what I have been through, I have learned what I want to do with my life. My parents got divorced in 2019 when I was in 8th grade. My dad ended up moving to Minnesota (I live in New Jersey) to live with another family, and I do not currently have a relationship with my dad. My dad had sort of a mid-life crisis, or a mental breakdown - I do not know another way to describe it. He quit his job, moved across the country, and left my mom, me and three brothers very unexpectedly. In the years that followed, he struggled with depression and his own mental health and on two instances contacted us to say he was thinking of ending his own life, and that he was battling depression. My dad came to visit me once about a year after he moved to Minnesota, and took me out to lunch. On this visit he broke down in front of me, crying, telling me how he had ruined his life and was thinking of ending things. I was in 10th grade when this happened, and it was too much for me to handle at the time. My dad got upset with me for crying and being silent, and he ended up punching out a car window in front of me. I remember being terrified and not knowing how to react or what to say. I walked away and called my mom asking to be picked up. This was one of the last times I saw my dad in person. Over the years, he has been doing a lot of therapy on his own, and he has reached out to me multiple times. However, he still lives with his girlfriend in Minnesota, and I still feel like he abandoned me, and we have not currently mended our relationship. I am very glad he is healing on himself and doing better, but he and I still have a long way to go to mend our relationship. Dealing with abruptly losing my dad was very difficult for me during my high school years. Somehow, I managed to not only survive high school - but actually thrive. I have excellent grades and take all honors classes. I have kept good grades all while working a solid 25 hours a week throughout high school at an Italian restaurant and participating in sports and activities in school. Many of my friends work summer jobs - but I work year-round, very hard - juggling school, work, and sports. My mom put me into regular weekly therapy when my dad left. I have a great relationship with my therapist, and also a great relationship with my high school guidance counselor. Both women have been a huge support to me for the past four years. My career goals are to study psychology in college and become a therapist. I want to be there for the next generation of struggling teens - essentially, the next "me". I feel very strongly that I have taken a roadblock that would have put some people on the sidelines - and turned it into an opportunity to grow, work hard and be the best I can be. I would be very grateful if you consider me for this scholarship. Please know I will work my hardest to make you and your entire organization proud. I work on my mental health every day, and I will keep Elizabeth's memory alive.

Mental Health is something that has affected my family over the past couple of years, and as a result of what I have been through, I have learned what I want to do with my life. My parents got divorced in 2019 when I was in 8th grade. My dad ended up moving to Minnesota (I live in New Jersey) to live with another family, and I do not currently have a relationship with my dad. My dad had sort of a mid-life crisis, or a mental breakdown - I do not know another way to describe it. He quit his job, moved across the country, and left my mom, me and three brothers very unexpectedly. In the years that followed, he struggled with depression and his own mental health and on two instances contacted us to say he was thinking of ending his own life, and that he was battling depression. My dad came to visit me once about a year after he moved to Minnesota, and took me out to lunch. On this visit he broke down in front of me, crying, telling me how he had ruined his life and was thinking of ending things. I was in 10th grade when this happened, and it was too much for me to handle at the time. My dad got upset with me for crying and being silent, and he ended up punching out a car window in front of me. I remember being terrified and not knowing how to react or what to say. I walked away and called my mom asking to be picked up. This was one of the last times I saw my dad in person. Over the years, he has been doing a lot of therapy on his own, and he has reached out to me multiple times. However, he still lives with his girlfriend in Minnesota, and I still feel like he abandoned me, and we have not currently mended our relationship. I am very glad he is healing on himself and doing better, but he and I still have a long way to go to mend our relationship. Dealing with abruptly losing my dad was very difficult for me during my high school years. Somehow, I managed to not only survive high school - but actually thrive. I have excellent grades and take all honors classes. I have kept good grades all while working a solid 25 hours a week throughout high school at an Italian restaurant and participating in sports and activities in school. Many of my friends work summer jobs - but I work year-round, very hard - juggling school, work, and sports. My mom put me into regular weekly therapy when my dad left. I have a great relationship with my therapist, and also a great relationship with my high school guidance counselor. Both women have been a huge support to me for the past four years. My career goals are to study psychology in college and become a therapist. I want to be there for the next generation of struggling teens - essentially, the next "me". I feel very strongly that I have taken a roadblock that would have put some people on the sidelines - and turned it into an opportunity to grow, work hard and be the best I can be. I would be very grateful if you consider me for this scholarship. Please know I will work my hardest to make you and your entire organization proud. I work on my mental health every day, and I will keep Brian's memory alive.

Mental Health is something that has affected my family over the past couple of years, and as a result of what I have been through, I have learned what I want to do with my life. My parents got divorced in 2019 when I was in 8th grade. My dad ended up moving to Minnesota (I live in New Jersey) to live with another family, and I do not currently have a relationship with my dad. My dad had sort of a mid-life crisis, or a mental breakdown - I do not know another way to describe it. He quit his job, moved across the country, and left my mom, me and three brothers very unexpectedly. In the years that followed, he struggled with depression and his own mental health and on two instances contacted us to say he was thinking of ending his own life, and that he was battling depression. My dad came to visit me once about a year after he moved to Minnesota, and took me out to lunch. On this visit he broke down in front of me, crying, telling me how he had ruined his life and was thinking of ending things. I was in 10th grade when this happened, and it was too much for me to handle at the time. My dad got upset with me for crying and being silent, and he ended up punching out a car window in front of me. I remember being terrified and not knowing how to react or what to say. I walked away and called my mom asking to be picked up. This was one of the last times I saw my dad in person. Over the years, he has been doing a lot of therapy on his own, and he has reached out to me multiple times. However, he still lives with his girlfriend in Minnesota, and I still feel like he abandoned me, and we have not currently mended our relationship. I am very glad he is healing on himself and doing better, but he and I still have a long way to go to mend our relationship. Dealing with abruptly losing my dad was very difficult for me during my high school years. Somehow, I managed to not only survive high school - but actually thrive. I have excellent grades and take all honors classes. I have kept good grades all while working a solid 25 hours a week throughout high school at an Italian restaurant and participating in sports and activities in school. Many of my friends work summer jobs - but I work year-round, very hard - juggling school, work, sports, and volunteering. My mom put me into regular weekly therapy when my dad left. I have a great relationship with my therapist, and also a great relationship with my high school guidance counselor. Both women have been a huge support to me for the past four years. My career goals are to study psychology in college and become a therapist. I want to be there for the next generation of struggling teens - essentially, the next "me". I feel very strongly that I have taken a roadblock that would have put some people on the sidelines - and turned it into an opportunity to grow, work hard and be the best I can be. I would be very grateful if you consider me for this scholarship. Please know I will work my hardest to make you and your entire organization proud. I work on my mental health every day, see my therapist weekly, and I will work hard to honor your mother's memory by doing well in college.

Mental Health is something that has affected my family over the past couple of years, and as a result of what I have been through, I have learned what I want to do with my life. My parents got divorced in 2019 when I was in 8th grade. My dad ended up moving to Minnesota (I live in New Jersey) to live with another family, and I do not currently have a relationship with my dad. My dad had sort of a mid-life crisis, or a mental breakdown - I do not know another way to describe it. He quit his job, moved across the country, and left my mom, me and three brothers very unexpectedly. In the years that followed, he struggled with depression and his own mental health and on two instances contacted us to say he was thinking of ending his own life, and that he was battling depression. My dad came to visit me once about a year after he moved to Minnesota, and took me out to lunch. On this visit he broke down in front of me, crying, telling me how he had ruined his life and was thinking of ending things. I was in 10th grade when this happened, and it was too much for me to handle at the time. My dad got upset with me for crying and being silent, and he ended up punching out a car window in front of me. I remember being terrified and not knowing how to react or what to say. I walked away and called my mom asking to be picked up. This was one of the last times I saw my dad in person. Over the years, he has been doing a lot of therapy on his own, and he has reached out to me multiple times. However, he still lives with his girlfriend in Minnesota, and I still feel like he abandoned me, and we have not currently mended our relationship. I am very glad he is healing on himself and doing better, but he and I still have a long way to go to mend our relationship. Dealing with abruptly losing my dad was very difficult for me during my high school years. Somehow, I managed to not only survive high school - but actually thrive. I have excellent grades and take all honors classes. I have kept good grades all while working a solid 25 hours a week throughout high school at an Italian restaurant and participating in sports and activities in school. Many of my friends work summer jobs - but I actually work year round, very hard - juggling school, work, and sports. My mom put me into regular weekly therapy when my dad left. I have a great relationship with my therapist, and also a great relationship with my high school guidance counselor. Both women have been a huge support to me the past four years. My career goals are to study psychology in college and become a therapist. I want to be there for the next generation of struggling teens - essentially, the next "me". I feel very strongly that I have taken a roadblock that would have put some people on the sidelines - and turned it into an opportunity to grow, work hard and be the best I can be. I would be very grateful if you consider me for this scholarship. Please know I will work my hardest to make you and your entire organization proud. I work on my mental health every day, and I will keep Trever's memory alive.

My name is Emma Platzke and I live in Red Bank, NJ with my mom, my two older brothers – Ryan and Luke, and my twin brother - Ethan. I love everything about the Jersey shore – and enjoy spending a lot of my free time at the beach, taking hikes with my dog Russell, or shopping with my friends. I attend Middletown High School South and am very involved. I am a multi-sport athlete, playing both Field Hockey and Lacrosse. I am involved in many school clubs, like the Future Business Leaders of America and the Safe Drivers Club, of which I am the founding member and Vice President. In addition, I work year round at Birravino Italian restaurant, and have been working there for a little over three years. On the outside, I think I am very “typical” fun-loving and happy teen. Most of my friends would describe me as fun to be around, loud, and always up for an adventure. While this is true, I have dealt with my share of obstacles the past few years that I have had to work hard to overcome. My parents got divorced in 2019 when I was in 8th grade. My dad ended up moving to Minnesota to live with another family, and currently, I do not have a relationship with my dad at all. In fact, it has been over three years since I have seen or spoken to him. Dealing with abruptly losing my dad was very difficult for me during my high school years. Somehow, I managed to not only survive high school - but actually thrive. I have excellent grades and take honor level courses, and a few community college courses as well. I have maintained good grades all while working a solid 25 hours a week all throughout high school, and participating in sports and activities. My success was largely due to the support I got from my mom, and my brothers. In addition, I had great relationships with many of my teachers, my therapist, and my high school guidance counselor – and all of these relationships contributed toward my success as well. This past year has been a difficult one for my mom. She was diagnosed with Stage One Breast Cancer in September 2022. She had to have two lumpectomies (Oct and Dec 2022) and just recently in February 2023, she finished her four weeks of Radiation treatment. During her cancer surgeries and treatment, my mom STILL managed to work full time, and help my twin brother and I apply for colleges, apply for financial aid, and tour schools. My goal is to attend either the College of Charleston or the University of Rhode Island, and to major in Psychology. My career goal is to eventually have my own therapy practice, and work with teens. I am also considering becoming a high school guidance counselor. My therapist and my counselor helped me in so many ways, and it has inspired me to be there in the same way for the next generation of struggling teen girls…the “next” me. I feel very strongly that I have taken obstacles that would have put some people on the sidelines - and turned it into an opportunity to grow, work hard and be the best I can be. I have learned to hold my head up high, carry myself with positivity and grace, and always keep reaching for my goals. I would be very grateful if you consider me for this scholarship. I will put all scholarship funds directly toward tuition.

My name is Emma Platzke and I live in Red Bank, NJ with my mom, my two older brothers – Ryan and Luke, and my twin brother - Ethan. I love everything about the Jersey shore – and enjoy spending a lot of my free time at the beach, taking hikes with my dog Russell, or shopping with my friends. I attend Middletown High School South and am very involved. I am a multi-sport athlete, playing both Field Hockey and Lacrosse. I am involved in many school clubs, like the Future Business Leaders of America and the Safe Drivers Club, of which I am the founding member and Vice President. In addition, I work year round at Birravino Italian restaurant, and have been working there for a little over three years. On the outside, I think I am very “typical” fun-loving and happy teen. Most of my friends would describe me as fun to be around, loud, and always up for an adventure. While this is true, I have dealt with my share of obstacles the past few years that I have had to work hard to overcome. My parents got divorced in 2019 when I was in 8th grade. My dad ended up moving to Minnesota to live with another family, and currently I do not really have much of a relationship with my dad at all. Dealing with abruptly losing my dad was very difficult for me during my high school years. Somehow, I managed to not only survive high school - but actually thrive. I have excellent grades and take honor level courses, and a few community college courses as well. I have maintained good grades all while working a solid 25 hours a week all throughout high school, and participating in sports and activities. My success was largely due to the support I got from my mom, and my brothers. In addition, I had great relationships with many of my teachers, my therapist, and my high school guidance counselor – and all of these relationships contributed toward my success as well. This past year has been a difficult one for my mom. She was diagnosed with Stage One Breast Cancer in September 2022. She had to have two lumpectomies (Oct and Dec 2022) and just recently in February 2023, she finished her four weeks of Radiation treatment. During her cancer surgeries and treatment, my mom STILL managed to work full time, and help my twin brother and I apply for colleges, apply for financial aid, and tour schools. My goal is to attend the College of Charleston in Charleston, SC and to major in Psychology. My career goal is to eventually have my own therapy practice, and work with teens. I am also considering becoming a high school guidance counselor. My therapist and my counselor helped me in so many ways, and it has inspired me to be there in the same way for the next generation of struggling teen girls…the “next” me. I feel very strongly that I have taken obstacles that would have put some people on the sidelines - and turned it into an opportunity to grow, work hard and be the best I can be. Everything my family has been through has brought my mom, my brothers and I closer than I could have ever imagined. I have learned to hold my head up high, carry myself with positivity and grace, and always keep reaching for my goals. I would be very grateful if you consider me for this scholarship. Please know I will work my hardest to make you proud.

My parents got divorced in 2019 when I was in 8th grade. My dad ended up moving to Minnesota (I live in New Jersey) to live with another family, and currently I do not have much of a relationship with my dad at all. Dealing with abruptly losing my dad was very difficult for me during my high school years. Somehow, I managed to not only survive high school - but actually thrive. I juggled honors classes, my part-time job, sports, volunteering, and was active in many clubs. This success was largely due to the support I got from my mom, my three brothers, and also my high school guidance counselor. In particular, my mom and my guidance counselor were real role models for me - and showed me that if I kept working hard, and had confidence in my abilities, that I could do anything. The relationships I have with both my guidance counselor has inspired my career path - and I have decided I want to study Psychology in college and become a counselor. I am so grateful for what she did for me, that I want to make it my life mission to do the same for the next generation of struggling teen girls. I have learned from my own experiences how a kind, listening ear can essentially save someone’s life, and keep someone on the right path. I had people there for me when I needed it the most, and I want to do the same for others. Some people may not realize how hard it is to wake up and do your best every single day when you are missing a parent - but when you have a strong support system in place, and people rooting for you, anything is possible. I want to be that support for the next “me”. I plan to serve the public in the future by having an open door to young people struggling – and make it my life’s work to counsel those dealing with difficult family situations. My mom has raised 4 kids alone for the past four years, and I am applying to scholarships and doing all I can to help her financially so that my twin brother and I can attend our dream colleges. Financially and physically, this past year has been a difficult one for my mom. She was diagnosed with Stage One Breast Cancer in September 2022. She had to have two lumpectomies (Oct and Dec 2022) and this past week she just finished her four weeks of Radiation treatment. During her cancer surgeries and treatments my mom STILL managed to work full time and help my twin brother and I apply for colleges, apply for financial aid, and tour schools. Watching her be so positive this entire time has been such an inspiration to me and my siblings, and has made me want to work even harder. She has taught me to never give up, and that is why I am determined to make my education affordable. I would be honored if you selected me for this scholarship. I promise to work hard and keep the memory of Curtis alive. I will work hard to honor him while I am in college. I was inspired reading the story of this scholarship and reading about how great of a father Curtis was. I understand I did not “lose” a parent via death and that my circumstances are different; however, I know very much what the loss of a parent feels like and I live with it every day.

I have been playing lacrosse and field hockey since I was very young. In high school, as a member of the Girl's Lacrosse team, I got very involved in volunteering with the town youth lacrosse program. As a volunteer, we would attend the two nightly practices each week, run drills, and help assistant coach at the weekend games. I enjoyed so much working with young girls and teaching them how to play a new sport. I was able to serve as a role model and enjoyed having these girls look up to me on the sidelines. I would go so far as to say that this experience of volunteering helped me to figure out my future career path. My parents got divorced in 2019 when I was in 8th grade. My dad ended up moving to Minnesota (I live in New Jersey) to live with another family, and currently, I do not really have much of a relationship with my dad at all. Dealing with abruptly losing my dad was very difficult for me during my high school years. Somehow, I managed to not only survive high school - but actually thrive. I juggled honors classes, my part-time job, sports, volunteering, and was active in many clubs. This success was largely due to the support I got from my mom, my three brothers, and also my high school guidance counselor - who was always there for me. My career goals are to study psychology in college and to become a high school guidance counselor or therapist. My counselor helped me in so many ways. She was there for me during my parent’s divorce, there for me when I had friend issues or had a hard time in a particular class, and has been there for me this year, with all of the countless college questions. My career path and goals have been shaped very directly from my experiences volunteering with young girls teaching lacrosse, and my experiences of being able to rely so closely on my own counselor. I want to be there for the next generation of struggling girls or teens – the next “me”. Financially and physically, this past year has been a difficult one for my mom. She was diagnosed with Stage One Breast Cancer in September 2022. She had to have two lumpectomies (Oct and Dec 2022) and this past week she just finished her four weeks of Radiation treatment. During her cancer surgeries and treatments my mom STILL managed to work full-time, and help my twin brother and I apply for colleges, apply for financial aid, and tour schools. Watching her be so positive this entire time has been such an inspiration to me and my siblings, and has made me want to work even harder. Next year my mom will have three kids in college full-time (myself, my twin brother Ethan, and my older brother Luke). I know she is panicking about how she will find a way to make this work, so I am doing my best to apply for scholarships to help. I would be honored if you selected me for this scholarship. I promise to keep the memory of Lauren alive and do my very best to achieve my dreams.

My parents got divorced in 2019 when I was in 8th grade. Although this is not that uncommon these days, what was "uncommon" in my situation was that my father abruptly picked up and left. He ended up moving to Minnesota (I live in New Jersey) to live with another family. Currently, I do not have a relationship with my dad at all – and it has been about two years since I have spoken to or seen him. Dealing with abruptly losing my dad was very difficult for me during my high school years - what made it even harder was feeling like he had chosen to leave me, and chosen to live on the other side of the county with another family. My mental health was poor when my parent's got divorced and I was not sure at first how I would survive high school. Somehow, I managed to not only "just survive" high school - but actually thrive. I have excellent grades and take primarily all honors classes. I have kept good grades all while working a solid 25 hours a week all throughout high school at an Italian restaurant, and participating in sports and activities in school. I worked hard enough and even purchased my own used car this past year when I turned 17. What got me through the hard emotional times when my dad left were my mom and my three brothers. They were there to support me, and pick me up when I felt the lowest - especially my mom. My mom is a single parent in every sense of the word – yet she always manages to figure things out, make it work, and make the best of things. She put me in therapy, which has helped me heal tremendously. What also helped me was the relationship I had with my high school guidance counselor - she always had an open door for me, and encouraged me along the way. My relationship with her helped me so much - that in part, it has inspired my future career path. This past year has been a difficult one for my mom. She was diagnosed with Stage One Breast Cancer in September 2022. She had to have two lumpectomies (Oct and Dec 2022) and this past week she just finished her four weeks of Radiation treatment. During her cancer surgeries and treatments my mom STILL managed to work full time, and help my twin brother and I apply for colleges, apply for financial aid, and tour/look at schools. Once again, my family has been faced with tough times – and my mom has found a way to keep going with a positive attitude, and keep us all together and still working towards our future goals. I guess this is just what a mom does. Watching my mom the past couple of years has truly shaped me into the person I am today. I value the relationships with each of my siblings. We are actually all very close friends – and it is my mom who has instilled this in us. I have learned that you never turn your back on family and you do whatever you need to do to be there for one another. I have learned that no matter what happens (divorce, cancer) you keep waking up every day like the day is a gift. You keep fighting and you keep giving 110%. You hold yourself with grace even in the hardest times. I feel very strongly that I have taken a roadblock that would have put some people on the sidelines - and turned it into an opportunity to grow, work hard and be the best I can be. At this point, I feel like nothing will stop me from reaching my goals. My plan is to attend a four year college and study Psychology. My career goal is to become a high school guidance counselor, and possibly also have my own therapy practice. So many people were there for me when I needed guidance and encouragement – and I want to dedicate my life to doing the same for the next generation. I had positive role models in my life in the darkest of times, and I plan to be there for the next “me” who is struggling.

My parents got divorced in 2019 when I was in 8th grade. Although this is not that uncommon these days, what was "uncommon" in my situation was that my father abruptly picked up and left. He ended up moving to Minnesota (I live in New Jersey) to live with another family. Currently I do not have a relationship with my dad at all – and it has been about two years since I have spoken to or seen him. I realize this scholarship is about losing a loved one or family member through death – but I can assure you, losing a parent the way I did is equally heartbreaking. Dealing with abruptly losing my dad was very difficult for me during my high school years - what made it even harder was feeling like he had chosen to leave me, and chosen to live on the other side of the county with another family. Somehow, I managed to not only survive high school - but actually thrive. I have excellent grades and take primarily all honors classes. I have kept good grades all while working a solid 25 hours a week all throughout high school at an Italian restaurant, and participating in sports and activities in school. I worked hard enough and even purchased my own used car this past year when I turned 17. What got me through the hard emotional times when my dad left were my mom and my three brothers. They were there to support me, and pick me up when I felt the lowest - especially my mom. My mom is a single parent in every sense of the word – yet she always manages to figure things out, make it work, and make the best of things. She put me in therapy, which has helped me heal tremendously. She supports me (and my brothers) in all that we do – sports, school, activities, jobs, everything. She gets up early every morning, works a full day, and is up late every night. I have no idea how she gets everything done, but she always does. This past year has been a difficult one for my mom. She was diagnosed with Stage One Breast Cancer in September 2022. She had to have two lumpectomies (Oct and Dec 2022) and this past week she just finished her four weeks of Radiation treatment. During her cancer surgeries and treatments my mom STILL managed to work full time, and help my twin brother and I apply for colleges, apply for financial aid, and tour/look at schools. Once again, my family has been faced with tough times – and my mom has found a way to keep going with a positive attitude, and keep us all together and still working towards our future goals. I guess this is just what a mom does. Watching my mom the past couple of years has truly shaped me into the person I am today. I value the relationships with each of my siblings. We are actually all very close friends – and it is my mom who has instilled this in us. I have learned that you never turn your back on family and you do whatever you need to do to be there for one another. I have learned that no matter what happens (divorce, cancer) you keep waking up every day like the day is a gift. You keep fighting and you keep giving 110%. You hold yourself with grace even in the hardest times. I feel very strongly that I have taken a roadblock that would have put some people on the sidelines - and turned it into an opportunity to grow, work hard and be the best I can be. My mom has raised four kids alone for the past four years, has battled cancer, and is dealing with a lot of financial burden. I am applying to scholarships and doing all I can to help her financially so that my twin brother and I can attend our dream colleges. At this point, I feel like nothing will stop me from reaching my goals. My plan is to attend a four-year college and study Psychology. My career goal is to become a high school guidance counselor, and possibly also have my own therapy practice. So many people were there for me when I needed guidance and encouragement – and I want to dedicate my life to doing the same for the next generation. I had positive role models in my life in the darkest of times, and I plan to be there for the next “me” who is struggling.

My parents got divorced in 2019 when I was in 8th grade. Although this is not that uncommon these days, what was "uncommon" in my situation was that my father abruptly picked up and left. He ended up moving to Minnesota (I live in New Jersey) to live with another family, and currently I do not really have much of a relationship with my dad at all. Dealing with abruptly losing my dad was very difficult for me. However, somehow, I managed to not only survive high school - but actually thrive. I have excellent grades and take basically all honors classes, and a few AP/ community college courses as well. I have kept good grades all while working a solid 25 hours a week all throughout high school at an Italian restaurant, and participating in sports and activities in school. Many of my friends work summer jobs - but I actually work year round, very hard - juggling school, work, and sports. I worked hard enough and even purchased my own car this past year when I turned 17. What got me through the hard emotional times when my dad left were my mom and my three brothers. They were there to support me, and pick me up when I felt the lowest - especially my twin brother, Ethan. But I also had great relationships with both my therapist, and my high school guidance counselor. Both of these women were real role models for me - and showed me that if I kept working hard, and had confidence in my abilities, that I could do anything. The relationships I have with both my therapist and my guidance counselor have inspired my career path - and I have decided I want to study Psychology in college and become a counselor. I am so grateful for what these two women did for me, that I want to make it my life mission to do the same for the next generation of struggling teen girls. I have learned from my own experiences how a kind, listening ear can essentially save someone’s life, and keep someone on the right path. I had people there for me when I needed it the most, and I want to do the same for others. I plan to serve the public in the future by having an open door to young people struggling – and make it my life’s work to counsel those dealing with difficult family situations. Recently over the past few months my mom was diagnosed with Stage One Breast Cancer, and she is currently in treatment. Once again, my family has been marched into battle. We are all there for my mom – and supporting her throughout this journey. I know in my heart she will be OK – but dealing with cancer is always a scary experience. I have been inspired by my mom’s determination, faith, and perseverance. I feel very strongly that I have taken roadblocks that would have put some people on the sidelines (divorce, losing a relationship with my dad, and cancer)- and turned it them into an opportunity to grow, work hard, learn to have faith, and be the best I can be. There have been many moments over the past few years where I felt like life was just “too hard”. I was fortunate to have a great support network and people there for me in my darkest times. I plan to be there for the next struggling “me”.

My parents got divorced in 2019 when I was in 8th grade. Although this is not that uncommon these days, what was "uncommon" in my situation was that my father abruptly picked up and left. He ended up moving to Minnesota (I live in New Jersey) to live with another family, and currently I do not really have much of a relationship with my dad at all. Dealing with abruptly losing my dad was very difficult for me. However, somehow, I managed to not only survive high school - but actually thrive. I have excellent grades and take basically all honors classes, and a few AP/ community college courses as well. I have kept good grades all while working a solid 25 hours a week all throughout high school at an Italian restaurant, and participating in sports and activities in school. Many of my friends work summer jobs - but I actually work year round, very hard - juggling school, work, and sports. I worked hard enough and even purchased my own car this past year when I turned 17. What got me through the hard emotional times when my dad left were my mom and my three brothers. They were there to support me, and pick me up when I felt the lowest - especially my twin brother, Ethan. But I also had great relationships with both my therapist, and my high school guidance counselor. Both of these women were real role models for me - and showed me that if I kept working hard, and had confidence in my abilities, that I could do anything. The relationships I have with both my therapist and my guidance counselor have inspired my career path - and I have decided I want to study Psychology in college and become a counselor. I am so grateful for what these two women did for me, that I want to make it my life mission to do the same for the next generation of struggling teen girls. I have learned from my own experiences how a kind, listening ear can essentially save someone’s life, and keep someone on the right path. I had people there for me when I needed it the most, and I want to do the same for others. I plan to serve the public in the future by having an open door to young people struggling – and make it my life’s work to counsel those dealing with difficult family situations. Recently over the past few months my mom was diagnosed with Stage One Breast Cancer, and she is currently in treatment. Once again, my family has been marched into battle. We are all there for my mom – and supporting her throughout this journey. I know in my heart she will be OK – but dealing with cancer is always a scary experience. I have been inspired by my mom’s determination, faith, and perseverance. I feel very strongly that I have taken roadblocks that would have put some people on the sidelines (divorce, losing a relationship with my dad, and cancer)- and turned it them into an opportunity to grow, work hard, learn to have faith, and be the best I can be. There have been many moments over the past few years where I felt like life was just “too hard”. I was fortunate to have a great support network and people there for me in my darkest times. I plan to be there for the next struggling “me”.

What makes me unique is that I think I have had to adapt and overcome to a lot of roadblocks and struggles during my four years of high school- more than the average person. Rather than let this take me down, I have become a much stronger individual – and a result, know how I will give back to the next generation, and have a firm grasp on my career path. My parents got divorced in 2019 when I was in 8th grade. Although this is not that uncommon these days, what was "uncommon" in my situation was that my father abruptly picked up and left. He ended up moving to Minnesota (I live in New Jersey) to live with another family, and currently I do not really have much of a relationship with my dad at all. Dealing with abruptly losing my dad was very difficult for me. However, somehow, I managed to not only survive high school - but actually thrive. I have excellent grades and take basically all honors classes, and a few AP/ community college courses as well. I have kept good grades all while working a solid 25 hours a week all throughout high school at an Italian restaurant, and participating in sports and activities in school. Many of my friends work summer jobs - but I actually work year round, very hard - juggling school, work, and sports. I worked hard enough and even purchased my own car this past year when I turned 17. What got me through the hard emotional times when my dad left were my mom and my three brothers. They were there to support me, and pick me up when I felt the lowest - especially my twin brother, Ethan. But I also had great relationships with both my therapist, and my high school guidance counselor. Both of these women were real role models for me - and showed me that if I kept working hard, and had confidence in my abilities, that I could do anything. The relationships I have with both my therapist and my guidance counselor have inspired my career path - and I have decided I want to study Psychology in college and become a counselor. I am so grateful for what these two women did for me, that I want to make it my life mission to do the same for the next generation of struggling teen girls. I have learned from my own experiences how a kind, listening ear can essentially save someone’s life, and keep someone on the right path. I had people there for me when I needed it the most, and I want to do the same for others. I plan to serve the public in the future by having an open door to young people struggling – and make it my life’s work to counsel those dealing with difficult family situations. Recently over the past few months my mom was diagnosed with Stage One Breast Cancer, and she is currently in treatment. Once again, my family has been marched into battle. We are all there for my mom – and supporting her throughout this journey. I know in my heart she will be OK – but dealing with cancer is always a scary experience. I have been inspired by my mom’s determination, faith, and perseverance. I feel very strongly that I have taken roadblock that would have put some people on the sidelines - and turned it them into an opportunity to grow, work hard, learn to have faith, and be the best I can be.

I believe that I embody commitment, teamwork and discipline both off and on the field. Off the field, one main example is the job I have held for the past few years. At 15, I got a job as a Hostess at a local Italian restaurant, Birravino – and at the time, did not realize how much this would change my life. I have now been working at Birravino for about three years. I started as a Hostess, and eventually began filling in as Busser when needed, and now manage the “To Go” counter/area. I work there year round, not just in the summers, and during the school year average about 25 hours a week – juggling school, sports, friends and work hours. About a year ago, I was appointed as the “trainer” for all new Hosts/new hires, and am now sort of real leader on the team. I was the first ever “Employee of the Month” – and my manager actually never named another one, so technically I am the first (and only) recipient of this award. I started saving a lot of money working so much– more than I had anticipated when I first took the job. At 17, I was able to help my mom out and I purchased a used car for myself and my twin brother to drive. Over the past three years, I have felt a real sense of determination at work, and a passion for the restaurant business. I know that I will likely find a restaurant close by my college in the fall where I can work part time. Although my career plan is to become a High School Guidance Counselor or a Therapist, I do feel I could see myself staying involved in the restaurant industry long term – even if it is just part time. The restaurant business is truly in my blood. With the experience I have gained at this establishment, I have learned so much about myself. I have gained so much confidence in myself – and have had to handle some difficult customer situations. I have learned that hard work pays off- I am driving a car that I purchased myself! Similarly, on the field- I have been playing both Field Hockey and Lacrosse since Middle School- and I find myself often taking on a sort of “leadership role” to the younger/newer players. This fall season of Field Hockey, it was my idea as a senior to have all the senior girls pair with a freshman “little sister”. I organized socials that included the Freshman, JV, and Varsity to all participate together – and was always in charge of the motivational “play lists” for bus rides and pasta parties. I was the biggest cheerleader for everyone, because I truly love the game, and all my girls! My efforts won me the Coaches Award at the Field Hockey awards night this past Winter. My last "Senior" season of Lacrosse is starting soon, and I am excited to bring this same enthusiasm to the field. I am NOT the best player in terms of athleticism. I have learned that being a great teammate, and having the best attitude, is sometimes just as -if not more important- than being the best player. The memories I have made on the field have taught me invaluable lessons I will carry through life. Working and juggling school and sports at the same time has taught me a great deal about discipline, commitment, and teammwork.

My parents got divorced in 2019 when I was in 8th grade. Although this is not that uncommon these days, what was "uncommon" in my situation was that my father abruptly picked up and left. He ended up moving to Minnesota (I live in New Jersey) to live with another family, and currently, I do not have much of a relationship with my dad at all. Dealing with abruptly losing my dad was very difficult for me during my high school years - what made it even harder was feeling like he had chosen to leave me, and chosen to live on the other side of the county with another family. When this first happened it was time for me to enter high school. This is a hard time even when everything is going great in your life. For me, I was terrified and felt like the world was against me. Somehow, I managed to not only survive high school - but actually thrive. I have excellent grades and take basically all honors classes, and a few AP/ community college courses as well. I have kept good grades all while working a solid 25 hours a week all throughout high school at an Italian restaurant, and participating in sports and activities in school. Many of my friends work summer jobs - but I actually work year round, very hard - juggling school, work, and sports. I worked hard enough and even purchased my own car this past year when I turned 17. What got me through the hard emotional times when my dad left were my mom and my three brothers. They were there to support me, and pick me up when I felt the lowest - especially my twin brother, Ethan. But I also had great relationships with both my therapist and my high school guidance counselor. Both of these women were real role models for me - and showed me that if I kept working hard, and had confidence in my abilities, that I could do anything. When my dad moved out in 2019 my mom immediately got me into therapy – and it helped me to work through all of the emotions I was having. Similarly, my high school guidance counselor really opened her door to me, and assisted me with so many day-to-day issues – not just things related to school and my schedule, but issues with friends, sports, work, and just life in general. I am so grateful for what these two women did for me, that I want to make it my life mission to do the same for the next generation of struggling teen girls. I have learned from my own experiences how a kind, listening ear can essentially save someone’s life, and keep someone on the right path. I had people there for me when I needed it the most, and I want to do the same for others. I want to be that support for the next “me” and I plan to serve the public in the future by having an open door to young people struggling. I feel very strongly that I have taken a roadblock that would have put some people on the sidelines - and turned it into an opportunity to grow, work hard and be the best I can be. I plan to attend the College of Charleston, major in Psychology, and eventually have my own therapy practice geared toward helping teens. I would be very grateful if you consider me for this scholarship, and please know I will work my hardest to make you proud.

I have been working at an Italian restaurant, Birravino, since 2020. I work year-round, an average of 25 hours a week. I started as a hostess, but over the years have also worked as a busser and managed the "to-go"/ take-out counter. Having worked a lot more than many of my peers, I always had money. Many friends would expect me to pay for movies, food, and gas because they did not have jobs/ were broke. I had to learn very quickly to say no - and to set limits for myself. I worked hard to save my money and last year when I was 17 I purchased my own car - not something many kids in my school have done. I go to high school in a fairly wealthy area, but my family is not wealthy. My parents got divorced in 2019, and my dad moved many states away, and does not have a real relationship with me or my siblings. My mom has struggled to keep us in the same house, so we could finish high school with all of our friends. Many of my friends get things handed to them; I have had to work hard for the car I drive and the clothes that I wear. I love working, and think it has made me value the things that I have. When I realized I wanted to save up for a car, I went to both my boss and my grandfather and asked them for advice. Both of them gave me tips on how to save, which I implemented into my daily life. I started really looking at my spending and realized for example, I was going to Starbucks way too often. To fix this, I learned how to make my favorite drink at home. This one small change started to add up very quickly. Sometimes we do not realize how much we are spending over a long period of time on small, frivolous purchases. Overall, I am happy that I was forced to get a job when I was in 10th grade. I have met great people at my restaurant- and they have become like a second family. I would encourage all students to work, and learn how to be financially responsible. I have become more determined, gained a lot of confidence working with adults and the public, learned how to multi-task, and most importantly, learned how to manage my own money.