"If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door." - Milton Berle You can look for opportunities your whole life and never find what you're looking for. If you make your own opportunities, you create your own destiny. Life is too short to wander around waiting for an opportunity to present itself. Make your own opportunities and become the success that you want to be. The reason this quote means so much to me is because the first 7 years of my life included riu abuse and no real family or love. I was adopted by the age of 8 and that's when my life finally began. I learned early on that if I am not given what I need then I should find a way to get it on my own. With the help of my family, I will start my own mobile welding and fabrication company after college.

I need this scholarship because my parents chose family over career. My father was a truck driver and my mother worked for the county, and the money was great, but with dad being gone so much we were all miserable. Since FAFSA goes by the previous years income, I am not eligible for financial assistance even though they are making less than half of that year's income now. My goal is to have my own mobile welding and fabrication company after college but first I need to be able to pay for college. This scholarship will help me a great deal.

When I was 5 years old I lost my biological mother, father, and 3 siblings. This was a great loss to me in many ways, but it was ultimately for the best. They didn't die. They were mentally and physically abusive to me and I was placed in foster care. Even though they caused me so much trauma that I was diagnosed with PTSD, I still felt a massive amount of pain and loss. I vowed to never treat anyone the way they treated me and that I would help others in similar positions if I could. Losing my biological family meant getting a much nicer adoptive family by the time I was 7 years old. I realized that family is the most important thing in my life and I was never going to let anything happen that would potentially mean losing my family again. I am loyal and respectful and focus on my school work, but I also know how to have funand spend time with my parents and friends (that are like family to me). High school is coming to an end and thus another chapter in my life begins. I will attend Athens Technical College and major in welding. Since I already have 7 college courses, may graduate in less than 2 years. This is great news since I will be starting my own mobile welding and fabrication company. Family and a welding business are my life and I will fight, kicking and screaming, to protect them.

I am passionate about natural foods and the environment because we only have one body and one planet. We should do our best to protect them both from harm. When I was younger, prior to foster care, I was not fed a balanced diet. Sometimes I wasn't fed at all. Due to those circumstances I will eat anything. As I have matured, I realize the healthier choices are the natural foods. I enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables as well as grain fed chicken and fresh fish. When given an option, I will always choose locally grown and natural options. Locally grown means supporting farmers and the community I live in, while also keeping pesticides and other contaminants out of my food and the ecosystem. I am learning more about natural foods and the environment through my counties government wellness program and their videos. I also work at a local poultry plant and see exactly how the chicken is raised, humanely killed, processed, and shipped to local restaurants and stores. In order for the planet to continue being able to sustain its inhabitants, we must keep food sources as natural as possible. Introducing pesticides, herbicides, and other chemicals will harm the plants, animals, and the planet in general. Shop locally. Plant a garden. Grow your own vegetables and fruits. If you can't do that, make sure the foods you buy are not overly processed or chemically altered. Every little bit helps!

I am a 19 year old aspiring entrepreneur. I want to start my own mobile welding and fabrication company after I graduate from college with my welding diploma and an Associate's degree in Business Management. Entrepreneurship means I am my own boss and I control my company. If I want to do something free for the community, I can. If I want to build something for myself and use it at a welding expo to showcase my skills, I can. I will be able to contribute to the betterment of society with my company by providing free assistance to the financially burdened and the community in general. I will offer my welding services to those in need of vehicle or home repair, businesses that need pipes or other minor welding projects completed, and even the homeless! I would build small, sturdy shelters for them so they would have a place safe from the elements to rest. Our homeless shelter is overflowing, and I believe a series of smaller shelters throughout town would assist in keeping them safer. These are all reasons that I am a unique entrepreneur. I have a vision for myself and my community. With this scholarship, I will be able to make this vision a reality.

I believe that I am a unique entrepreneur because I want to start my own mobile welding and fabrication company after I graduate college. Entrepreneurship means I am my own boss and I control my company. If I want to do something free for the community, I can. If I want to build something for myself and use it at a welding expo to showcase my skills, I can. I will be able to contribute to the betterment of society with my company by providing free assistance to the financially burdened and the community in general. I will offer my welding services to those in need of vehicle or home repair, businesses that need pipes or other minor welding projects completed, and even the homeless! I would build small, sturdy shelters for them so they would have a place safe from the elements to rest. Our homeless shelter is overflowing, and I believe a series of smaller shelters throughout town would assist in keeping them safer. These are all reasons that I am a unique entrepreneur. I have a vision for myself and my community. With this scholarship, I will be able to make this vision a reality.

My biggest core value is loyalty. I believe loyalty plays an integral part in everyone's lives, whether or not they realize it. Loyalty to family and friends means you will stand by them, support them, and be there for them in good times and in bad. Loyalty to others also means getting the same in return. Loyalty is important to me because it shows that I care, will listen to you, and will help you if I can. I didn't have anyone that was loyal to me as a young child. Until I was adopted it was eat or be eaten, fight or hide, live or die. I wish that was an exaggeration, but it's not. Years of abuse and neglect made me realize that loyalty, coupled with trust, can be a saving grace. I use loyalty in school to show my friends and teachers that I am listening and actively paying attention to them and their needs. I use it in all of my relationships by being attentive and available whether the other person has a problem or is super happy. Loyalty is used throughout any volunteer or community service project simply by showing up and caring.

I was born in Baytown, Texas to a bipolar, drug and alcohol addict mother and an alcoholic and useless father. They cared so much for my health and well-being that I was dead in one month. Obviously I was resuscitated, and I didn't suffer any long-term damage, but I certainly died. I also suffered from multisystem organ failure, seizures, swelling, and malnourishment. I was in and out of the hospital for an additional 6 months due to mother refusing to administer my medication and feed me properly. I was repeatedly told that I was unwanted, a mistake, an idiot, and blamed for all of their problems. For 5 years I was mentally and emotionally abused, but that wasn't the worst of it. I was stabbed with a knife, burned with a pan, homeless, hit, and made to watch my older siblings eat while I had nothing. I was taken from mother and given to father. He didn't want me. He claimed I wasn't his and said I tried to molest my cousin (who was also 5). He gave me back to mother, even though it was illegal for him to do so, and we moved to avoid authorities. I was taken in Louisiana after mother drove to a hospital while intoxicated. I was in the back seat in a pull up and no car seat. The officer noticed how thin I was and I was introduced to the foster care system. I was placed in 3 different homes within a 2 year period. Home number one wanted to keep me, but they got a divorce and I headed to home number two. Number two said they wanted to adopt me, but decided I was too mean and sent me to an asylum for a week. Home number three only wanted foster children for money, so when a minority came along, I got booted. Home number four is where I have been since I was 7 years old. I was loved and accepted from day one. It took time to adjust to a new home and come to terms with the fact that my biological parents wanted nothing to do with me. After the initial adjustments, getting settled, and feeling loved, my PTSD kicked into overdrive. I was placed on medications. The first meds worked for a few years. When puberty began, I started having hallucinations. We stopped those meds and I didn't take any for a year. I had daily flashbacks that got worse when someone made me angry or scared. Eventually they got so bad that I would black out, only see the past, and had no idea what was going on around me. One time it happened while I was driving but I pulled over in time and then had a mental breakdown. Once the dosage was right, I was able to sleep without nightmares from the past, function like a normal human being during the day, and shower without fear of passing out or curling into a ball and crying. I have a great personality (with a dark sense of humor), I'm very polite and well mannered, I have spent 8 years practicing martial arts, love music and video games, and can't wait to start my own mobile welding and fabrication company. I realized that no matter how bad things had been, they could have been worse! I believe I am alive and where I am now because a higher power has a plan for me. It's my job to do everything I can to fulfill my destiny. This scholarship will help me do that.

As a young entrepreneur that has the goal of starting my own mobile welding and fabrication company, I would like to say that there are a lot of problems that need addressing. However, homelessness seems to be the biggest problem in my opinion. I see at least a dozen different homeless people in my town daily. Covid has recently closed down the shelter so even more people are on the streets. This problem is worth solving because human beings deserve to live in relative comfort; not worrying about cold, heat, or death from the elements. Wild animals have habitats and plac3s that are safe to live. Why should humans have to suffer because of lack of money? I believe Mechanism could work on finding land and providing small homes for the homeless across the nation. Use an old hotel or even a storage building. Anything that would be relatively cheap, helpful, and provide a free place for the homeless would be great!

Evan is a strange case. He was abused mentally and physically by his biological parents for 5 years, yet he doesn't have much damage to speak of. He had multisystem organ failure, seizures, and died when he was only one month old. He was stabbed at the age of three. He was made to watch siblings eat while he got nothing at age five. Two years of foster care didn't help matters either. His first 7 years were one, big defining moment. Those years would shape him into the successful, driven, and loyal young man he is today. Though he suffers from ADHD and PTSD, and he has cut himself due to the flashbacks that stem from the abuse, he still makes great grades. He has a 3.6 GPA in high school and college! He still has good friends that stand beside him during the tough times. He is surrounded by adults that care deeply about his well-being. His life is completely different than it would have been if he had stayed in the abusive living situation that he was in. He now has dreams and goals about owning his own mobile welding and fabrication company after college. He is proof that, given the right circumstances, your past does not define your future!

My life was one big unusual circumstance until the age of 18. I was born in Baytown, Texas to a bipolar, drug and alcohol addict mother and an alcoholic and useless father. They cared so much for my health and well-being that I was dead in one month. Obviously I was resuscitated, and I didn't suffer any long-term damage, but I certainly died. I also suffered from multisystem organ failure, seizures, swelling, and malnourishment. I was in and out of the hospital for an additional 6 months due to mother refusing to administer my medication and feed me properly. I was repeatedly told that I was unwanted, a mistake, an idiot, and blamed for all their problems. For 5 years I was mentally and emotionally abused, but that wasn't the worst of it. I was stabbed with a knife, burned with a pan, homeless, hit, and made to watch my older siblings eat while I had nothing. I was taken from mother and given to father. He didn't want me. He claimed I wasn't his and said I tried to molest my cousin (who was also 5). He gave me back to mother, even though it was illegal for him to do so, and we moved to avoid authorities. I was taken in Louisiana after mother drove to a hospital while intoxicated. I was in the back seat in a pull up and no car seat. The officer noticed how thin I was and I was introduced to the foster care system. I was placed in 3 different homes within a 2 year period. Home number one wanted to keep me, but they got a divorce and I headed to home number two. Number two said they wanted to adopt me, but decided I was too mean and sent me to an asylum for a week. Home number three only wanted foster children for money, so when a minority came along, I got booted. Home number four is where I have been since I was 7 years old. I was loved and accepted from day one. It took time to adjust to a new home and come to terms with the fact that my biological parents wanted nothing to do with me. After the initial adjustments, getting settled, and feeling loved, my PTSD kicked into overdrive. I was placed on medications. The first meds worked for a few years. When puberty began, I started having hallucinations. We stopped those meds and I didn't take any for a year. I had daily flashbacks that got worse when someone made me angry or scared. Eventually they got so bad that I would black out, only see the past, and had no idea what was going on around me. One time it happened while I was driving but I pulled over in time and then had a mental breakdown. When I cut myself everyone was scared for me. I was 17, but the doctor spoke with me without mom in the room. We decided medication was the way to go. Once the dosage was right I was able to sleep without nightmares from the past, function like a normal human being during the day, and shower without fear of passing out or curling into a ball and crying. Now I live life to the fullest. I have literally faced death and come back. I have been through mental hell and I am a different, and possibly better, person because of it. Everything I have learned means that when I start my own mobile welding and fabrication company NOTHING will stop me! I can do whatever I set out to do. If anything fails, I can persevere and come out stronger on the other side.

My life was one big unusual circumstance until the age of 18. I was born in Baytown, Texas to a bipolar, drug and alcohol addict mother and an alcoholic and useless father. They cared so much for my health and well-being that I was dead in one month. Obviously I was resuscitated, and I didn't suffer any long-term damage, but I certainly died. I also suffered from multisystem organ failure, seizures, swelling, and malnourishment. I was in and out of the hospital for an additional 6 months due to mother refusing to administer my medication and feed me properly. I was repeatedly told that I was unwanted, a mistake, an idiot, and blamed for all their problems. For 5 years I was mentally and emotionally abused, but that wasn't the worst of it. I was stabbed with a knife, burned with a pan, homeless, hit, and made to watch my older siblings eat while I had nothing. I was taken from mother and given to father. He didn't want me. He claimed I wasn't his and said I tried to molest my cousin (who was also 5). He gave me back to mother, even though it was illegal for him to do so, and we moved to avoid authorities. I was taken in Louisiana after mother drove to a hospital while intoxicated. I was in the back seat in a pull up and no car seat. The officer noticed how thin I was and I was introduced to the foster care system. I was placed in 3 different homes within a 2 year period. Home number one wanted to keep me, but they got a divorce and I headed to home number two. Number two said they wanted to adopt me, but decided I was too mean and sent me to an asylum for a week. Home number three only wanted foster children for money, so when a minority came along, I got booted. Home number four is where I have been since I was 7 years old. I was loved and accepted from day one. It took time to adjust to a new home and come to terms with the fact that my biological parents wanted nothing to do with me. After the initial adjustments, getting settled, and feeling loved, my PTSD kicked into overdrive. I was placed on medications. The first meds worked for a few years. When puberty began, I started having hallucinations. We stopped those meds and I didn't take any for a year. I had daily flashbacks that got worse when someone made me angry or scared. Eventually they got so bad that I would black out, only see the past, and had no idea what was going on around me. One time it happened while I was driving but I pulled over in time and then had a mental breakdown. When I cut myself everyone was scared for me. I was 17, but the doctor spoke with me without mom in the room. We decided medication was the way to go. Once the dosage was right I was able to sleep without nightmares from the past, function like a normal human being during the day, and shower without fear of passing out or curling into a ball and crying. As you can tell, my life has been one big ball of unusual circumstances. However, I have a great personality, I'm very polite and well mannered, I have spent 8 years practicing martial arts, love music and video games, and can't wait to start my own mobile welding and fabrication company. All of this background was what changed my perspective on life when I turned 18. I realized that no matter how bad things had been, they could have been worse! I believe I am alive and where I am now because a higher power has a plan for me. It's my job to do everything I can to fulfill my destiny.

Allow me to introduce myself. I am Evan Durden. I am 19 years old and a dual enrolled senior at Cedar Shoals High School. I was abused mentally and physically by my biological parents and suffer from PTSD and depression due to my history with them. I was 5 years old when I entered foster care and I found my adoptive mother and father when I was 7. I won't say life has been all rainbows and horseshoes but it sure has been fun and full of love. My chosen craft is welding. I became interested in it during my summer internship with CW Matthews Contracting in Athens, Ga. One of the full time employees let me practice with his equipment and I became hooked! I love making useful items from metals and welding allows me to do this in a big way. The main challenges I am facing are paying for college tuition and purchasing equipment. After I get my welding diploma, and Associate's degree in Business Management, I plan on starting my own mobile welding and fabrication company. I will need to have the necessary equipment in order to do so and my current job has to work around my school schedule. I am in desperate need of funding in order to achieve my goals. Tuition is approximately $2,000 per semester and equipment for my business will be around $1500 to get started. I'd rather not take out student loans, but I will do whatever I have to in order to make my dreams a reality.

A legacy is more than money, property, or gifts. A legacy is what you leave behind, after you die, and should focus on the good deeds you did in life. What you did affects how people remember you. I want to leave behind something that will remind everyone how much I cared for them. I want people to remember me with love and know that everything I went through made me who I was. A legacies value is only as good, or bad, as those that remember you. Alexander the Great, Nelson Mandela, and Marie Curie all left memorable and good lasting legacies. On the other hand, Adolf Hitler and Charles Manson left legacies that we all wish we could forget. I want to grab life by the horns and make sure I treat people fairly and with respect. I want to make sure any bills I have are paid so my family doesn't incur my debt. I want my legacy to be one involving loyalty, a respectful attitude, and a successful welding and fabrication company. Of course I would also like to have wealth and other physical items of worth to leave behind as well. As long as I am remembered fondly, I think that will be good enough for me.

Jesus meant nothing to me as a young child. I was abused mentally and physically and I even died! It wasn't until I was adopted that I found faith and Jesus. My parents read the Bible to me, got me a youth Bible, and sent me to Sunday school. I became Catholic and was baptized into the faith. I believe Jesus kept me alive and he has a plan for me. If it weren't for my faith in Jesus, my PTSD would have taken a lot firmer hold on me and I may have done something to harm myself. With Jesus all things are possible!

"Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time." - President Obama This quote means a lot to me because waiting leads to stagnation and stagnation means you aren't doing anything or achieving anything. This speaks to me on a personal level since I was abused as a child and in foster care for two years. I wanted change as a child but I was too young to do anything about it. I had to wait on other adults to necessitate the changes that I so desperately desired. If you want a job, a college education, or even a vehicle means you need to take accountability and do what needs to be done to achieve those goals. Do not wait for anyone else to give you what you want or execute the changes you want or need. Your life needs change, the world needs change, other people need change. Be the executor of the changes that are needed. Do not procrastinate or hold anyone else accountable. Be someone's savior.

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My role model is Master Ken Blumreich, owner and head instructor of AKF Athens Martial Arts. I have been practicing Kyukido at his school for eight years and will be a 3rd degree black belt in April 2020. He came to Georgia with his wife back in the 90's. It was supposed to be a temporary move then head back to Wisconsin after her stint at UGA was over. He planned on getting a job that used his English degree, and extreme intellect, but decided to open a martial arts school instead. He is also a superb author, aquarium enthusiast, and lover of Lovecraft. After that introduction, I can still say that if it weren't for him, I wouldn't be the person I am today. Master Blumreich hasn't just taught me martial arts, he has taught me how to control my anger and counseled me regarding my PTSD on numerous occasions. He has protected me and guided me through various trials and tribulations. He has always accepted me for who I am and always pushed me to do well in school. Master Blumreich has given me the opportunity to prove myself in leadership positions, has tutored me in math (even though he has an English degree), and he has been there for me on even my darkest days. When I was self-harming, he kept me with him while my parents worked. He put me to work, talked to me, and got my mind in a better place. In my pre-teen years, when I had problems with bullies, he made sure I knew that he understood my problems and gave me multiple options on how to handle them. In my early teens, when my PTSD flashbacks start getting bad, he let me bring a punching bag home. Even though it meant having one less bag at his school, he made sure I had an appropriate outlet for my frustrations at home. He has always told me I can do anything I put my mind to and has backed me up on any career choice I have had. When I wanted to run his school after he retired, he was all for it. When I told him that I wanted to be an industrial designer, he said I definitely had the grades to attend SCAD in Atlanta, Georgia. My final decision has landed on welding and being an entrepreneur. When I laid out my plans for my mobile welding and fabrication company, he fully supported me. He has given me glowing recommendations for jobs, colleges, and scholarships. I hope that one day I can help him and try and pay him back for everything he has done for me. I thank God that he brought Master Blumreich into my life. My family and I are his loyal students, trusted friends, and dedicated "family". No amount of money exists that could pay him back for everything he has done for us throughout the last eight years. I truly wish him the best in life and I know he wishes the same for me. All of the help he has given me makes me want to help him keep his school in top condition so he can be a role model for many other people in years to come. With my welding certification, and mobile welding and fabrication company, I would like to provide my services to him. I will weld anything he needs for free and use all of my talents and abilities to assist him.

My personal journey with mental illness began when I was born. My biological mother didn't want me. I was an accident and she tried her best to get rid of me early on. When I was one month old she made me sick. I don't know the exact details, but I do know that I was in the hospital and my paternal grandfather was planning my funeral. I had multisystem organ failure, seizures, and I died. Thanks to the efforts of a hospital in Baytown, Texas I was brought back and, through no help from my biological mother, I made a full recovery with no lasting effects. When I was 4 years old the state of South Carolina gave my biological father custody of me. He didn't want me either and, against the orders from the state, he gave me back to my biological mother. During the time I was with her I was homeless, stayed in a shelter where I was burned by a pan, made to watch my 1/2 siblings eat while getting nothing myself, stabbed, left in a store, and abused in numerous ways. I was placed in foster care at the age of 5 and was in two homes before finding my permanent home. I was under weight, under height, my shoes were too small, and the hand-me-down clothes were too big. I never heard from any of my biological family again. I thought that everything was my fault. I blamed myself for all of the abuse I suffered. Because of them I was in special therapy for two years and was on a multitude of medications for my PTSD and depression until the right one was found. PTSD, ADHD, mild depression, and APD (audio processing disorder) might not seem like much in the way of mental illness but they each affect me in a different way. My PTSD caused terrible flashbacks that led to the depression. My ADHD and APD have caused trouble in school and at home. I will stand up for others fighting with mental illness and not let others bully them!

If money wasn't an issue I would start setting up my mobile welding and fabrication company. I'd buy the different welders, soldering irons, tools, equipment, and much more! I would attend college and get my degree in welding technology and business management too.

To put it succinctly as possible, I want to create awareness for children in the United States that need adoptive families! I want to let people know that there are hundreds of thousands of children of all ages and nationalities in the United States. The world, and all adults in it, need to understand that the United States has children in foster care that need homes just as badly as other countries. My message is simple, yet profoundly ignored - adopt in country before adopting outside the country.

I know I want to study welding and business management. Welding has been a passion of mine ever since my grandfather introduced it to me when I was 8 years old. Ever since I had found my forever family at age 7, I knew I wanted more out of life. My first 5 years were filled with physical and emotional abuse. The 2 years after that I bounced around homes in the foster care system. All the while I knew I had to be destined for greater things. Once I saw my grandfather building horse trailers, fences, and carports by welding (which to a child looks like building with fire), I knew I wanted to learn how to do it myself. The only thing I was allowed to do was chip away any splash that occurred from welding. More often than not I had a welding helmet pulled down so I could watch him work without damaging my eyes. Now that I've had some hands on experience on a summer internship job site, my desire for welding has increased dramatically! So much so that I want to start my own mobile welding and fabrication company. I already have a portfolio of services I'd like to offer, equipment I'll need, and I plan on getting a degree in business management with an emphasis in entrepreneurship. There is nothing else I would rather do than weld and have my own successful business. Regardless of past trauma, the long term effects it has had on me, or how many times I was told I was useless, I have always believed that I was meant for greatness. For some, that's politics or being a doctor. For others, it's having a useful trade, degree, and their own business!

I am 19 years old and I have PTSD, ADHD, and mild depression. If it weren't for my ADHD my PTSD would have likely killed me. I have had suicidal ideations and cut myself on two separate occasions. My family had suspicions the first time, but I had a plausible story for the "scratches". The second time my mother knew without confirmation. It broke my parents heart to see me suffering. My friends were concerned and sad for me. One of my teachers let me work with him while my mom was at work so I wasn't alone. Needless to say, this was a trying time for all of us. I was placed on medication and, once the proper dosage was established, my mood elevated and I wasn't as prone to having PTSD flashbacks. My relationship with my parents grew stronger. I was able to open up more about my flashbacks and how they affected me. I could feel them coming on and we all learned how to cope together. I now know that there are not enough options for teenagers with mental health problems. There are medicinal options that can work but they are expensive and sometimes cause terrible side effects. Therapy only helps some people but not all. The same goes for medications. Society needs to find a better way to help those with mental health issues, especially teenagers! I want to have my own welding and fabrication company. If I hadn't had the tumultuous childhood; filled with homelessness, hunger, loneliness, and abuse, I would not know how ridiculously difficult it is to have mental problems in this day and age. I'd like to believe that my problems led me to a place where I care about bettering myself.

The United States is a country that is leading the world in space exploration and aviation yet we can not seem to come together on terra firma. Covid-19 was known about back in December of 2019. U.S. officials didn't take action against it until March 2020. In just two months we had over 80,000 deaths and millions of unemployed Americans. While the nationwide shutdown succeeded in mostly flattening the curve, or slowing down the spread of the virus, we reopened too soon and saw an almost immediate uptick in cases. Our president overhyped treatment options that were not proven or safe. The good news is that we didn't need extra ventilators and we didn't run out hospital beds in the vast majority of the country. We are now well over 200,000 deaths and are 8 months into the pandemic. The United States government has essentially failed it's people. How has all of this affected me? My depression has worsened and my mother lost her job. Her anxiety attacks are through the roof but she can't see her doctor to get a medication adjustment. I am a senior in high school and I have no idea if we will graduate like a normal class. My classes have all been online. I am learning nothing and my days are filled with boredom and loneliness. I went on Spring break and never got to return to school. The rest of the world seems to have gotten things under control for the most part. The United States is full of self serving, protect my rights, right-wing enthusiasts who won't wear a mask or maintain social distancing! Stay home unless you have to work. Wear a mask when you have to go out. Be mindful of who you're with and how close you get to people. Maybe, just maybe, we can return to our lives and I can attend school like a typical teenager.

I am currently working on achieving my goal of becoming a welder. I will have up to 7 college credits upon graduation from high school. Winning this grant would allow me to pay for a full semester of college tuition. I would be free to dedicate all of my time to improving my welding and getting the best grades possible so that I can start my own mobile welding and fabrication company.

Misfit, outcast, unpopular. All names given to those that truly choose to march to the beat of a different drummer. I was abused mentally and physically by my biological parents. I was taken into foster care at the age of five and never saw them again. It took two years to find my forever family. I have ADHD and PTSD, along with mild depression. I am different. I am smart, but I don't care what my peers say about me. I wear black and skulls, and I am dubbed goth or emo. I have piercings, so I must be gay. I talk to girls, so I must be a player. I stand up to bullies but don't fight, so I am a chicken. I am a loner but I have friends. I am by myself but crave company. My past is constantly battling trying to take over my future. Being a misfit means I get to be who I want to be and it determines who my real friends are. I am going to change the world, at least my world, by starting a mobile welding and fabrication company. Welding allows me to play with tools and fire while making/fixing things for people. It's hard work but fun. Welding reminds me of myself. Unique and different but very useful!

My role model is Master Ken Blumreich, owner and head instructor of AKF Athens Martial Arts. I have been practicing Kyukido at his school for eight years and will be a 3rd degree black belt in April 2020. He came to Georgia with his wife back in the 90's. It was supposed to be a temporary move then head back to Wisconsin after her stint at UGA was over. He planned on getting a job that used his English degree, and extreme intellect, but decided to open a martial arts school instead. He is also a superb author, aquarium enthusiast, and lover of Lovecraft. After that introduction, I can still say that if it weren't for him, I wouldn't be the person I am today. Master Blumreich hasn't just taught me martial arts, he has taught me how to control my anger and counseled me regarding my PTSD on numerous occasions. He has protected me and guided me through various trials and tribulations. He has always accepted me for who I am and always pushed me to do well in school. Master Blumreich has given me the opportunity to prove myself in leadership positions, has tutored me in math (even though he has an English degree), and he has been there for me on even my darkest days. When I was self-harming, he kept me with him while my parents worked. He put me to work, talked to me, and got my mind in a better place. In my pre-teen years, when I had problems with bullies, he made sure I knew that he understood my problems and gave me multiple options on how to handle them. In my early teens, when my PTSD flashbacks start getting bad, he let me bring a punching bag home. Even though it meant having one less bag at his school, he made sure I had an appropriate outlet for my frustrations at home. He has always told me I can do anything I put my mind to and has backed me up on any career choice I have had. When I wanted to run his school after he retired, he was all for it. When I told him that I wanted to be an industrial designer, he said I definitely had the grades to attend SCAD in Atlanta, Georgia. My final decision has landed on welding and being an entrepreneur. When I laid out my plans for my mobile welding and fabrication company, he fully supported me. He has given me glowing recommendations for jobs, colleges, and scholarships. I hope that one day I can help him and try and pay him back for everything he has done for me. I thank God that he brought Master Blumreich into my life. My family and I are his loyal students, trusted friends, and dedicated "family". No amount of money exists that could pay him back for everything he has done for us throughout the last eight years. I truly wish him the best in life and I know he wishes the same for me.

I had to learn to love myself before I could really learn to love others. I was taken into foster care at the age of 5 and thought I was unloveable. Surely something must be wrong with me to be taken from my birth family and never have them come for me. Around 9 years of age I learned that I was worthy of love and I had done nothing wrong. However, it wasn't until age 15 that I truly understood love. I was self harming and didn't realize how important I was to other people until I was caught. That is when I realized I wanted to do something with my life and not be put down by my PTSD all the time. Depression was a major problem for me. Family, friends, and a few strangers, came together to lift me up and get me through. Ever since then I have given my best in school, planned out college, will be the owner of a mobile welding and fabrication company, and truly accept love from family and friends. Life is a journey that will end soon enough. Enjoy what you have while you can. You can never get time back and second chances are rare. Love yourself, love those that love you, and always reach for the stars!

My parents have played the most important role in my life thus far. Not because they gave me life, but because they saved my life. I was abused for five years and in the foster system for two years. I came to my parents a battered and broken child with a heart that only wanted to be loved. They gave me everything I needed and more.

I will be a small business owner shortly after I graduate from college. I will start a mobile welding and fabrication company. My primary goal is to assist low income families by providing minor home and automotive repairs. My secondary goal is to provide a few jobs and internship positions to local high school students that have an interest in welding. By providing them with a job and career goal, it is my hope that they will graduate high school, attend college, and get a good paying job. Personally, I hope to expand my business and be able to travel throughout the state of Georgia. I also hope to have a shop where I can complete larger projects. My end goal is being successful enough to have a home by the time I am 30.

I have never considered myself a philanthropist though I do give help any time I can. I have been in the shoes of a homeless person, so I make it a point to give food and drink to the local homeless people when I see them. Every year I get toy and clothing donations for the foster children in my community. As a former child of the system, I know all to well how it feels to receive nothing for the holidays. My greatest challenge faced while giving back is my PTSD. Since I have been homeless and a foster child, helping them can lead to unpleasant flashbacks for me. My flashbacks will go away but they will still be homeless or in foster care. That's why I push through and keep giving. With this grant I will be able to pay for some of my college and devote time and money to making kits for the homeless and making sure foster children have a happy holiday season!

One thing affects another. When I talk to a friend about school, that affects how I think about them. When I discuss skateboarding with a new friend at school, that helps determine if I will socialize with them outside of school or at a party. Currently Covid is hindering face to face contact with friends and in class learning. This makes it difficult to have social interactions that would be considered normal. Social experiences outside of the classroom consist of skateboarding, martial arts, work, and grocery shopping. Though these experiences are limited and limiting I believe they still affect my ability to gsin skills and my career goals. Since my job mainly consists of changing filters (HVAC) there is zero chance that I will get to weld or learn about welding. My goal is to attain my welding certification, get an Associate's degree in Business Management, and start my own mobile welding and fabrication company. Covid has not stopped me from getting college credits towards my goals at all. Since I am still a high school senior, I do not have any college experiences. All of my college classes are currently online. This puts a damper on being able to weld in my manufacturing class, but I am still learning.

My biological parents didn't want me. According to them I was a mistake. For five years I was abused mentally and physically. I was stabbed, homeless, hit, made to watch my siblings eat McDonald's while I had nothing, and I died. At one month of age I suffered multisystem organ failure, seizures, and death. All of this was due to their neglect. I was placed in foster care at the age of five. My biological mother, who was drunk and on drugs, was driving a cousin to the hospital with me in the back seat. She was pulled over for erratic driving and escorted to the hospital by the officer. Upon arrival, the officer and hospital nurses noticed how thin I was. They asked me if I was hungry and fed me while waiting for the department of family and children's services to arrive. I was not fully potty trained, couldn't tie my shoes, and was severely underweight. I was angry all the time. I blamed myself for being taken. Maybe if I had said I wasn't hungry, or if I had stayed in the car, I'd still be with my family. I knew the way they treated me was wrong but it was all I knew and that was all I wanted. I spent two years in foster care before my new parents found me. My experience as an adoptee in the United States was very good. There were two other families that said they'd adopt me but didn't. One just wanted money and the other had personal problems (divorce). While I was in the system I was given the therapy I so desperately needed. I met my new parents when I was seven. I still didn't understand why my biological mother never came to see me or called. My siblings were with other family members, why wasn't I? Why didn't anyone want me? Was I a bad boy? My new parents immediately made me feel welcome. I had my own room with toys and a television. I had clothes and shoes that fit. I was enrolled in school and I was never hungry. My ADHD made it hard for me to focus and remember things but the biggest problem I had, and still have, is my PTSD. My PTSD stems from the abuse that I suffered pre-adoption. It causes severe anxiety and depression and the flashbacks will often leave me angry or curled in a corner crying. My (adoptive) parents made sure I recieved the continued therapy and medication that I needed. I have collapsed while taking showers and I have suffered from nightmares since I was five. I have suffered from suicidal ideations and cut myself with knives. The summer that I chose to self-harm, hoping to feel something, was terrible for all of us. My mother wouldn't leave me by myself when she had to work so a family friend let me work with him. Without my parents, and our friend, I would either be dead or continuing to self-harm with knives. If I win this award, I will use it to pay for college and help me start my mobile welding and fabrication business. I do not qualify for financial aid so I am making sure I keep my GPA at a 3.5 or higher so that I can qualify for multiple scholarships and grants. Loans are a last resort. One way or another I am going to attend college for welding and business management and graduate. I will build my business, hire employees, and be the success that some never wanted me to be!

My greatest achievement was defeating death at the age of one month. My birth parents severely neglected and abused me. This led to seizures, multisystem organ failure, and death. Paramedics revived me but my paternal grandfather still tried to find a casket small enough for me. I wasn't expected to live, and if I did, I would probably have medical problems. Needless to say, I am alive and well and have zero medical conditions from my untimely demise. This was the beginning of a terrible five years of abuse and neglect that would leave me in foster care for 2 years. Death taught me that I can overcome anything. Though I have PTSD and ADHD, as well as mild costochondritis, I have overcome the toughest thing life can throw at me...death. My PTSD caused suicidal ideations and self harming and my ADHD has made me think I'm worthless. However, any time I've experienced a "low", I tell myself that God must have a plan for me because I am alive and (pretty much) well! I am strong, determined, intelligent, and funny. I love music, Marvel, and skateboarding. When I graduate, I will attend college and open my own mobile welding and fabrication company. Currently I am a senior in high school and I have a 3.6 GPA. I have taken multiple college courses and have a college GPA of 3.7. I have been accepted to my first college choice and had a tour of the welding department and school. I will attend in the fall of 2021 and should graduate in less than 2 years. I will take my welding certification tests and I will continue going to college to get my degree in Business Management. My ultimate goal is to start my own mobile welding and fabrication company. As long as I have college paid for, I will be able to buy tools and equipment before graduating. A work truck that is capable of holding welders and equipment will also be needed. I work hard to keep my grades up and I believe I will be successful. I have been through a lot and come out on top. I would like to give back to the community and offer welding services to certain businesses, schools, and homeowners. Life is too short to be greedy and let others go without things they need. If I can assist others by providing a trailer for towing, a small carport, or fixing a bed, then I'll have been able to overcome my own obstacles and help others overcome some of theirs. If I win this contest it will help me accomplish the goals that I have set for myself throughout the past few years. I believe I can become a better person, and assist others in their endeavors to become better people. It all started by defeating death and ends with winning a scholarship. I thank all of you for your time and consideration and look forward to planning my future and living life.

The boldest thing I ever did was defeat death. Abused and hospitalized with multisystem organ failure and seizures at one month of age, I died. Doctors revived me but my paternal grandfather still started planning my funeral. I defeated death, homelessness, abuse, and two years of foster care, to be the bold individual I am today. I may have ADHD and PTSD but I am alive, a second degree black belt, and plan on having my own welding and fabrication company after college.

Being abused physically and mentally by my birth parents led to PTSD. Besides being in foster care for two years, my mental illness has definitely been a hardship to try and overcome. I was diagnosed at the age of 6 and was placed on ADHD medication. Obviously these did nothing to alleviate the symptoms of my PTSD. I suffered alongside my new parents for years until a pediatrician in Georgia finally realized that therapy and meditation wasn't helping. I suffered from debilitating flashbacks that brought on massive anxiety attacks and episodes of unwarranted anger towards family and friends. I fell in the shower twice, curled up in a corner of my room and cried, and resorted to self harm. My parents were at a loss and suffered as much as I did. I often wondered why I was alive if life was going to be so miserable. Even my dreams were racked with death, abuse, sadness, and anger. One way or another, I wanted it to stop. Once I was placed on a medication for PTSD and depression things started looking up. It took a few adjustments but the flashbacks started meaning less and stopped assaulting me as often. The sadness was replaced with anger, then acceptance, and finally darkness. Faces disappeared from the memories and the worst flashbacks started to become memories themselves. I still take the medication and, while that means I can't join the military, it means I can have a healthier mental lifestyle. I look forward to college and welding. I don't constantly second guess my decisions and wonder if I'll be able to make it in life on my own. I have more faith in myself and I believe I will be a successful business owner one day. Welding focuses my ADHD on the task at hand and keeps PTSD flashbacks (few though they are) at bay. My PTSD makes me who I am but it does not define me. It has helped mold and shape me, and tried very hard to break me, but my journey is just beginning. The abuse I have suffered allows me to be a better person, a more sensitive and understanding human being, and allows me to understand what others may be going through. Welding may not seem like a sensitive guy's business, but it's THIS sensitive guy's business!

What's the greatest challenge you've ever faced? How did you overcome it? What lessons did you learn from this experience? The greatest challenge I have overcome is my PTSD flashbacks. A combination of medication, meditation, and music helped me put them into a more manageable head space. I learned that a mental illness does not define me and can not hold me back!

I want to see equality in my community, throughout the country, and around the world. Too many people are treated unfairly due to their sex, race, religious beliefs, and sexual orientation. I qm an assistant instructor at my martial arts school and we always make sure everyone is treated equally and given the same opportunities. It doesn't matter if you are black or white, fat or skinny, neurotypical or special needs. If someone tries to treat anyone as anything other than an equal, they are politely taken to the side and informed that they need to show everyone respect. I have mainly had to do this with preteens and a few adults. One or two people have quit because they didn't want to be respectful towards others that were different. My actions may only affect a handful of people, but it only takes one person to make a change.

I made this playlist based off of Don't Stop Believin', by Journey. I was abused mentally and physically as a child and was in foster care for almost two years. I never stopped believing I would find a forever family. Through the years I have struggled with my PTSD and ADHD but I have always believed I could overcome any obstacle. My new goal is to own my own welding company and, like my inspiring song says, ..."hold on to the feelin'...". I've been through too much to give up now.

I have personal experience dealing with mental health. Due to my birth parents mental and physical abuse, I have PTSD. It is something I've been dealing with since I was 6 years old and it's a daily struggle. I believe that I have a greater purpose in life. I died as an infant due to their neglect and I was brought back. After surviving multisystem organ failure, seizures, and death...not to mention the years of abuse that followed... I had to believe that I was meant for more. Relationships are always strained at first. When people first find out that I have a mental health disorder they either distance themselves or feel sorry for me. A few have stuck around and become genuine friends. Usually this is due to their own issues and needing someone that understands in their lives. My welding career will not likely be affected but my PTSD has affected previous jobs. I have had flashbacks at work and school that have left me crying, angry, or disoriented. Medication and time have helped change the flashbacks and made them easier to deal with.

I am currently 18 years old and a senior at Cedar Shoals High School. I am also dual enrolled in multiple college classes. I stay fit by participating in martial arts, skateboarding, and lifting weights at the Y. My first option for staying fit helps my overall body condition. I learn how to defend myself and warm ups increase my strength and cardio. My second option increases my balance, leg strength, and cardio. My third option increases my overall strength by building muscle. I have a physical and mental workout at least 3 times a week.

Instagram handle - wolfy_castle01

I am most thankful for the failure to end my life. I became depressed due to my PTSD flashbacks and decided that I wanted to feel a physical pain that matched my emotional pain. Since I have collected knives for many years, it was easy to choose the sharpest and start cutting. When my family and friends found out, they cried and yelled at me. They helped me realize that my life is intertwined with theirs and if I had succeeded it wouldn't have just affected me. My mom and best female friend were most affected and concerned. I decided to contact my physician and get medication for my PTSD, depression, and ADHD. I have since made the decision to pursue a career in welding and start my own business after college. If I had not tried to end my life, I would still be silently suffering and wondering what to do after high school. Now I know exactly what I want to do and what I need to do to accomplish my goals. My failure has led to my love of welding. I have created an Instagram account, Facebook page, and website for Durden's Welding and Fabrication. I have a business portfolio and know what equipment I need to get started. I will never be happy with my past abuse, neglect, and poor decisions, but I can thank my past for securing my future. If I had never suffered, been adopted, and pushed to be the best I can be, then I would either be dead, on drugs, or floating in a fog of depression.

I died when I was 1 month old. I suffered abuse at the hands of my biological parents. Their neglect led to multisystem organ failure, seizures, and a hospital stay that led to my funeral being planned. At the tender age of 1 month, I had to fight for my life. Little did I know that I would be abused physically and emotionally for 5 years and in foster care for 2 more years. The first 7 years of my life were filled with trauma, fear, neglect, hunger, and a desperate need for love. I was homeless more often than not and I survived by eating dry Ramen. I was stabbed in the stomach, had a gun pulled on me, and was burned at a shelter. At the age of 4, I was blamed for starting a kitchen fire that destroyed the house. My clothes and shoes didn't fit and I was often made to watch my siblings eat while I got nothing. I suffer from PTSD, mild depression, and ADHD. I have had debilitating flashbacks that left me curled in a ball crying. I have cut myself just to see if I could feel physical pain that was similar to my mental pain. I have nightmares about the biological parents trying to kill my family and friends. Sometimes I wonder if life is worth having to deal with all of these things going on in my head. I had years of therapy to help me realize that I should not blame myself for what happened to me. I cried for the loss of siblings and "parents" that didn't care enough to show up to court and fight for me. I cried for the loss of a normal childhood. I cried because I "wanted my mommy" but she didn't want me. Certain songs still bring back memories of the day I left for good and never saw any of them again. I am a loyal and protective individual and I will always help when someone is being bullied. I believe my past made me this way, and for that I am grateful. I know what to avoid if I have children of my own. I will never let anything happen that could destroy my family. How do you overcome a childhood of severe abuse and neglect? Some never do. I ultimately decided to let go of hope. When I was 8, I realized I was not at fault and they were the reason I was in pain. I shoved my past into a dark box in the back of my mind. I try to keep it shut, but nightmares leak out and flashbacks still occur. Medication helps, but music is my real therapy. When I have a flashback I can listen to a song and either ride out the emotional rollercoaster or jump the track and mellow out. I am a warrior. I fought for my life. I fought to be loved. I fought to have a family. I have persevered through some extremely traumatic situations and come out on top. Now I sit here typing an essay in the hopes of attaining a scholarship. I sit here planning for college, my welding business, and ultimately...the rest of my life.