I read once that kindness is a strength because the kindest people in the world choose to be kind in the face of everything that has happened to them. That is the type of kind that I want to be. I want to look at all of the struggles I have faced and know that they have made me kind. My dad passed away when I was seven years old, and that left a lasting impact on my life that took a long time for me to recognize. When my father died, he left behind his wife and five children. My mother raised us by herself, and she taught me how to be strong, even when you're struggling. I have struggled with my mental health since I was young. As a teenager I was eventually diagnosed with depression and anxiety, and I have taken medication and gone to therapy. However, healing isn't linear, and there are some days when I feel like for every step forward I take three steps backward. Some days I have a hard time getting out of bed, and the thought of being friendly and cheerful seems impossible. But I know the importance of a smile, both for myself and for others. Sometimes when you feel like you're helpless, the best thing to do is to help someone else. Who you are as a person is reflected in your actions and your passions. Your love is an expression of yourself. I love to help others, because I have been shown kindness and I want to show that same kindness to others. I know that the world is not perfect, and I know that the world has pain in it. I have struggled with that pain in the form of depression and anxiety, but I don't want that pain to make me cruel. I do not want to become jaded and resigned to the suffering of others. Kindness is not a weakness, and I choose to see the world in a kinder light. Where there are struggles, there is someone offering a helping hand. I have received that helping hand from people, and those people are the strongest people I know. Even when it is difficult, I want to be kind. I want to extend the same helping hand that was offered to me. I know that I will face trials, because everyone faces trials, but I will keep going and I will always be kind.

When I saw this scholarship, I laughed and went to show my mother. One of my childhood nicknames was "Sparkle Shine" because of my love of anything and everything shiny, my tendency to get distracted by the closest glittery object, and my upbeat, happy attitude. My ADHD has been apparent since I was young, and I have often struggled with balancing life and school with my ADHD. Both of my brothers have ADHD and are worse at managing themselves, so my mother has often had to focus on them, leaving me to cope with any difficulties I have entirely on my own. I did well in school, because I refused to let others see me struggling. I was, and still am, very easily distracted but I forced myself to focus at school and while doing homework. The constant forced concentration often left me feeling burnt out and mentally exhausted, but I continued to push past my limits. I was determined not to let my ADHD hinder me in my learning, so I forced myself to follow "traditional" learning methods rather than adapting to my ADHD. After I started high school I realized that the ways I had been addressing my ADHD weren't long term solutions. I knew that I couldn't keep pushing myself past burnout at all times, but I also knew that I couldn't afford to get distracted and zone out in class. I had to find a way to balance my ADHD and my studying. In classes that I enjoyed, this wasn't a problem because I could gladly hyperfocus and fall down endless research wormholes as I studied. However, in classes that I didn't enjoy, focusing became a problem. So I had to figure out how I could concentrate on my classwork while also staying mentally stimulated so that my mind wouldn't wander. The answer was simpler than I had expected: doodling. I found that if I was bored in a class and I became distracted, I could doodle in the margins of my notes while still listening to what the professor was saying. I also found that in classes like chemistry and anatomy, making doodles that were related to my notes helped to improve my memory. I learned to adapt to my ADHD so that my mind wouldn't wander. While I have come a long way since middle school and pushing myself to burnout, I cannot say that I have completely perfected my ways of overcoming ADHD. I still occasionally get distracted by shiny objects, but I have found ways to cope with ADHD that allow me to embrace my ADHD instead of viewing it as something that needs to be fixed.

I lost my father in a motorcycle accident when I was seven. He left behind my mother and he left behind his five children. I don't remember much about him, but I treasure the things that I do know. I know that he loved to sail and fish, and that he was brave and adventurous and full of passion for what he did. I like to think that I am following in his footsteps in my choice of career. I am going to the Great Lakes Maritime Academy, which is part of Northwestern Michigan College. I am part of their Deck Officer Program, and I am working towards my Bachelor of Science Degree in Maritime Technology and my Third Mate Great Lakes and any Oceans Unlimited Tonnage and First Class Great Lakes Pilot license. I love the water, and I am incredibly excited to pursue a career on the water. The maritime industry is a very male-dominated career field, and I hope to help change that as a woman entering into the industry. My mother raised me to follow my dreams, and that is what I will be doing as I enter college. I will be continuing my father's legacy as a sailor, but I also want to create my own legacy. I know that I will face challenges, but I am not afraid of the obstacles I may face because I know that there will be people who support me. In the future I want to be able to offer others the same help and support that I need now by creating my own scholarships for others who have struggled with paying for college. As one of five children in a single-parent household, I know what it is like to struggle with financial insecurity. This scholarship would help to ease my worries about finances as I embark on my college journey and begin to plan my future. More than that though, this scholarship can help me to follow in the footsteps of my late father, and help keep his legacy alive while creating a lasting impact.

Women grow up being told they can't do things. I can't count how many times I heard someone say "that's not ladylike". As a girl, I am expected to fit into a certain box and to present myself in a certain way. Women are held to a certain standard of femininity that sometimes constricts us. But women are more than just our femininity. I am a nuanced, complex person regardless of if I like to wear makeup or paint my nails. As a child, my view of who I am was different from other children. I was raised in a single parent home, alongside four siblings. My father passed away suddenly when I was seven, so I was raised without a masculine figure in my life. I grew up sharing one room with my two sisters and my two brothers. I am part of a set of quadruplets, and I have one brother who is younger than I am by two years. My mother raised me to believe in the value of hard work and perseverance since I was little. My mother also shared with me her love of the arts from a young age. She loves to read, and would read to my siblings and me all of the time. She encouraged my love of reading, so much so that my reading level has always been several levels above what was the average for a child of my age. She also passed on her love of music to me. My mother has always been disparaging of her singing voice, but she always sings along to the music she loves on the radio. I inherited her inability to carry a tune in a bucket, but that does not stop me from singing out loud and proud. She taught me to do what I love, because you love it. In the same way, she encourages my love of science and technology, even though she herself does not enjoy science. STEAM is a fascinating subject, and the arts and sciences go hand in hand. There is so much that we have yet to discover, and I want to be part of that process of discovery. More than that, there is so much that we can learn and improve, and that process is incredibly important. I am going to the Great Lakes Maritime Academy, which is a subsection of Northwestern Michigan College. I plan on getting my Bachelor of Science Degree in Maritime Technology and my Third Mate Great Lakes and any Oceans Unlimited Tonnage and First Class Great Lakes Pilot license. My career plan takes me into a largely male-dominated field, which I know will present its share of challenges. However, it is incredibly important to me that women are able to pursue their passions, just as I am pursuing mine. I believe that all women should be able to follow their dreams without having to face bias on account of their gender. I want to help pave the way for more women to join STEAM fields by going into a STEAM field myself, and offering resources and advice to other women who want to pursue careers in STEAM fields. Gender bias, the wage gap, and discrimination have no place in STEAM fields, but women do have a place in them.

My name is Evelyn Harden, and my father died suddenly when I was seven. He was in a motorcycle accident. I was so young at the time that I barely remember him. I don't know who I would be if I didn't lose him, because most of my life has been spent without him. I am part of a set of quadruplets and besides them I also have one younger brother. My mother raised us on her own, and she is an incredibly strong woman who did an amazing job. But sometimes I wonder what it would be like to have a father. My mother raised five children on a single income, so money was tight. Although she did her best not to show it, she was often stressed and worried and as a result, I was as well. As I grew older, I began to struggle with anxiety and depression. I did everything I could to hide it from my mother, because she already had so much on her plate and I couldn't bear to add more for her to worry about. I largely tried to deal with my anxiety and depression alone, with limited success. No man is an island, and I am not either. Despite my best attempts, I was plagued with self-hatred and doubt. I criticized everything about myself and only saw my flaws and failures. Anxiety and stress plagued my footsteps, and I struggled to keep going day after day. I thought that my mental health was my responsibility and mine alone, and I was afraid of being a burden to others. I struggled for years on my own, before my depression and anxiety became overwhelming and the family doctor realized what was wrong. Once the doctor realized, I opened up to my mother about how I felt and started taking medication for my anxiety and depression. I began going to therapy and I worked to open up more about my mental health. My mother was an incredible support throughout that time, and she helped me to grow from grief I hadn't realized I still carried from my father's death. It was a difficult process, full of ups and downs. Some days I felt better, but then there were others that made me feel like I had lost all of the progress I had worked so hard to get. Healing is not linear, but I have worked to open up and express how I truly feel. I have learned that being vulnerable is not a weakness, and that I am not a burden to other people simply because of my existence. I have embraced the person I have become and I am working to learn and grow as a person. There are still hard days, but now I have a support system and I know that I am not alone. Although loss has always been a part of my life, I no longer let it define me. I know that a road ahead of me will not be easy, but I would not have it any other way. I feel prepared to face the future and to give others the same support that I needed. I have learned that asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. Now that I am stronger, I want to share that strength with others and help them, just as so many people have helped me.

To go to the Great Lakes Maritime Academy and get my Bachelor of Science Degree in Maritime Technology and my Third Mate Great Lakes and any Oceans Unlimited Tonnage and First Class Great Lakes Pilot license is my dream. This scholarship would help me achieve my dream. I will be financing my college education entirely on my own. I am one of a set of quadruplets and part of a total of five children. My father died when I was seven, and with four children graduating at once my mother cannot help us go through college on her single income. Since I will be paying for college alone, this scholarship would take some of that burden off of my shoulders and allow me to focus more on my schooling, rather than worrying about student loans and debt. I do not have the words to express how much scholarships like this mean to me. These scholarships are an incredible gift to receive, and I hope to one day be the one giving the gift. As someone who has struggled financially, I understand the stress and anxiety that comes with paying for college. Once I graduate and begin working, I want to create a scholarship of my own, so that I can help others pay for their college education. The author Ayesha Siddiqi said, "Be the person you needed when you were younger" and I have taken that to heart. I know that I am still young, but I strive to be the person my child self needed. I want to be able to provide the support, understanding, and encouragement for others that I wanted when I was young. One of the greatest struggles I face at the moment is paying for college, and this scholarship may help to alleviate that struggle. In that same way, I want to be able to eliminate that stress for others once I have the ability to do so. I know that the degree and field that I have chosen is difficult, but I am used to difficulties and I am not afraid of hard work. I am incredibly passionate about the career I have chosen, and I will do my best to succeed. I lost my dad when I was young and my mother raised my siblings and I by herself, but I refuse to let that daunt me. I know that the field I have chosen is largely male-dominated but I refuse to be intimidated by that. I have worked hard to overcome my own self-doubt and mental health issues, and I will do everything I can to be successful.

Sometimes I think that my greatest achievement is that I have not stopped smiling. I know others have it far worse than I, but that does not make the struggles I have faced any easier. I am proud of my perseverance. I didn't stop at seven when my father passed away suddenly, leaving my mother alone to raise five children. I kept going through high school and my struggles with ADHD, depression, and anxiety. I stayed strong as I dealt with several injuries that affected my cross country, track, and wrestling seasons on multiple different occasions. I didn't quit when I was faced with the loss of several relatives and the stress of senior year. I've learned how to keep growing and hold my head up high. I know that no matter what, I will keep going. But the thought of college terrifies me. It isn't the thought of college that terrifies me; rather, the thought of paying for college fills me with dread. I am part of a set of quadruplets: three girls (including myself) and one boy. In addition, I have a brother who is two years younger than me. My mother has single-handedly paid for all five of us to go through high school. I know that I cannot expect help from my mother in paying for college, though I know she wishes she could help me. However, there is no way for a single mother to pay to put four of her children through college and a fifth through high school. I know that I cannot ask that of my mother. She has raised five children on her own through countless struggles and trials. She went to every cross-country meet, basketball game, wrestling meet, and track meet that we had. She has always been there to support me in everything I need. She has encouraged my dreams in everything I have done. She is my biggest supporter in my college plans, which means the world to me. I am going to college at the Great Lakes Maritime Academy, which is a division of Northwestern Michigan College. I plan on being a part of the Deck Officer program that they offer and earning both my Bachelor's Degree of Science in Maritime Technology and my Third Mate Great Lakes and any Oceans Unlimited Tonnage and First Class Great Lakes Pilot license. My father used to sail, and I love that I can follow in his footsteps in my career and plans for the future. I aim to become a captain on freight and cargo ships in the Great Lakes and later work on the oceans as well. I would love to be able to travel and see the world, and as a captain, I will be able to do that while working. Even though it won't be easy, I know that I have support behind me and I know that I can push my way through anything. There will be challenges and struggles, but I have learned to keep going even when the times are tough. More than simply following in my father's footsteps, I also want to help other women who face the same struggles that I do. I have proven myself to be determined and hardworking, and I don't plan on changing that in college. Male-dominated fields will always stay that way if women aren't willing to join them, so I hope to inspire other women to go into less "traditional" fields and explore new careers. I am not afraid to dream big: I want to be a ship captain as a woman in a male-dominated field; I want to travel the world; I want to be independent and make my own money. This scholarship is a way to help me achieve my dreams and make my own way in the world. It offers me support as I make my way in the world, support that I plan to use as I enter this new stage of my life. I have faced challenges before, and I know that I will face more, but I will not let that stop me from following my dreams

To the average seven year old, death is nearly incomprehensible. But at seven years old, I was introduced quite suddenly to death and its aftershocks. My father died when I was seven in a motorcycle accident. It was sooner than anyone in my family could have imagined and in his death he left behind his grieving widow and five young children. One man's death does not stop the world from turning, though to seven year old me it felt like the world was ending. I was faced with uncertainty and grief that I could barely understand. Some people tell you that grief fades with time, but it never really does. I got used to carrying my grief with me, and I grew accustomed to its weight. I was too young to truly know my father, but I have always wondered what he would think of me. Would he be proud of all that I have achieved in school? Would he approve of my choice to run cross country and track in high school? How would he feel about me being one of my school's first female wrestlers? I have often wondered, if I stood face to face with my father again, what he would think of me. Although I will never know for certain, I hope he would approve of the young woman I have become. He loved to sail and I hope he would have loved that I am following in his footsteps. I am pursuing my Bachelor of Science Degree in Maritime Technology and my Third Mate Great Lakes and any Oceans Unlimited Tonnage and First Class Great Lakes Pilot license at the Great Lakes Maritime Academy. It brings me comfort to think that he would approve of what I have chosen to do, but I know that he would be happy no matter what because I am doing what I love. A degree in Maritime Technology gives me the chance to work on the water that I love so much and to gain a better understanding of the fascinating technology that maritime vessels use. The biggest challenge that I face as I head into college is the entirely financial. As one of five children in a single parent household, I will be financing my college education on my own. This scholarship allows me to pursue my passion while also lessening the monetary burden I am facing. No matter what my circumstances are, I will be following my dreams and earning my degree. I do not know what my future will hold, but I know that I will make it the best it can be.

The drive back to school from the doctor's office after my appointment was a quiet one. It was my senior year of high school and I had just been officially diagnosed with depression and anxiety, something I have struggled with for a long time. I was surprised to get the diagnosis, because I had spent so long hiding how I felt that I never expected someone to realize that I wasn't okay. When the doctor told my mother about my depression, she was heartbroken that I hadn't felt comfortable enough to share my difficulties with her. The problem was that I didn't know how to share them and that I thought of my struggles as a personal failure on my part. There are people who struggle far more than I, but I wouldn't say that I've had it easy. My father passed away when I was seven years old, leaving behind his window and five children. My mother is a strong woman, but raising five children on a single income isn't easy, and we weren't strangers to financial insecurity. I didn't want to add more to her already overflowing plate. Sitting in that silent car after the doctor discussed my options for treatment, I decided that I wanted to be better. I wanted to be truly happy, not just pretend to be. I was always so concerned with taking care of my friends that I had forgotten to take care of myself. The process of opening up, confronting how I felt, and allowing myself to be vulnerable scared me. But however much it scared me, there was no way around it if I wanted to heal. I put in the work. I went to therapy, took my meds, and tried to figure out who I was as a person. It hasn't been an easy process. I took exams, started planning my future, got into a relationship, got broken up with, applied for college, and then graduated. Healing isn't linear, and I've always found it easier to love others than it is to love myself. But I'm learning who I am and becoming who I want to be. My anxiety and depression haven't magically gone away and some days are still hard. Sometimes I still struggle to care for myself the way that I care for others, but I have a support system that helps me remember to take care of myself. It isn't perfect, but I want to be better so I am learning to change. I still care for my friends and family, but now I care about myself too.

My name is Evelyn Harden, and I am one of a set of quadruplets. That means that there were four children born at the same time, in my case three girls and one boy. Two years later, my mother gave birth again to another boy. Then, when I was seven, my father died in a motorcycle accident, leaving my mother alone to raise five children. My mother is an incredibly strong woman, but growing up, our financial situation was unsteady. My mother's time was spent raising five children, and she didn't have the time to work, so we lived off of social security and government aid. My mother doesn't like to talk about finances because she doesn't want us to worry, but high school has been hard for her. Now she has four newly graduated children who are all heading off to college, and I know that as much as she wishes she could, she cannot give me the financial support I need as I head to college. I will be paying for college entirely on my own, which is a terrifying prospect. College is one of the biggest financial commitments a person can make in their life, and as someone who comes from a financially tight home, college is a daunting prospect. I know how to be frugal and thrifty, how to save money and find the best deals when I'm shopping. But I also understand that quality is important when it comes to what you need. I heard it explained once like this: a poor man needs new boots for work, so he goes out and buys a cheap $10 pair of boots because he can't afford a more expensive pair. Soon enough, his boots wear out, and he has to go buy another pair, so he buys another cheap $10 pair that will eventually wear out and force him to buy a new pair. So part of his paycheck is always going towards new work boots. If he could buy a nicer, more expensive pair of boots that were better quality, then he wouldn't have to replace his boots and could save money because he doesn't have to constantly go out and buy new footwear. Going to college is a similar concept, in that I want to go into a career that will provide a steady income and allow me to support myself. I am going to the Great Lakes Maritime Academy to get my Bachelor of Science Degree in Maritime Technology and my Third Mate Great Lakes and any Oceans Unlimited Tonnage and First Class Great Lakes Pilot license. I plan on becoming a ship captain on freight and cargo ships, a well paying career with plenty of job opportunities. However, this means my college and program of choice will be more expensive, though the benefits will be better. Sometimes no risk means no reward, or in this case higher risk means higher reward. My childhood taught me to be smart with my money, but also to recognize when spending a bit more money will have better results than spending less money. Although college is one of the first major financial commitments where this principle comes into play at such a large scale, I know that as an adult there will be other decisions I have to make in which I have to understand what decision will be most financially beneficial.

I, like many other people, have struggles with my mental health. I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression at the beginning of my senior year, after my mental health had led me into an increasingly downward spiral. Although I only got my diagnosis senior year, I have struggled for a long time. Mental health always seemed like such a taboo subject, so I always felt that I should hide how I feel. I have had to face a lot of internal preconceptions and learn to look past them. My mental health has been a battle, and my college nerves have not helped in that area. I am going into a largely male-dominated field, and I've had to face my own anxiety and self-doubt. I find that sometimes I am my biggest enemy in that regard. When I act as my own biggest critic, I have to remember that perfection is an unachievable standard, and my best is more than enough. I have learned to ignore the negative thoughts and doubtful voices in my mind, but it hasn't always been an easy journey. Besides self-doubt, I have also had to face my depression and the person I have become with it. I have struggled with depression for a long time and have hidden it by masking and pretending that everything is fine, even when I feel like my world is crumbling. But ignoring my problems didn't make them go away. I had to realize that I couldn't keep pretending everything was okay, because everything wasn't okay, and pretending otherwise wasn't helping me. I knew that I didn't want to live a lie, and I decided to face my ghosts so that I could learn to heal. If I kept trying to pretend I was fine, I would only make things worse. To learn to heal from my scars, I had to confront my issues, both past and present, so that I could begin to heal. It has been a difficult journey, and it hasn't been perfect. Healing is never straight or easy, but I am healing. I want other people to heal, the same way that I have and that process is made easier when mental health is seen as something that needs to be spoken about and not seen as a taboo subject. Mental health is a battle, but it is not a battle that should be faced alone. Anyone and everyone struggling with their mental health should have the resources and support that they need so that they can heal.

My name is Evelyn Harden and my life sometimes feels like it has been solely about perseverance. I persevered at the age of seven when my father passed away suddenly, leaving my mother alone to raise five children. I persevered through high school and my struggles with ADHD, depression, and anxiety. I persevered as I dealt with several injuries that affected my cross country, track, and wrestling seasons on multiple different occasions. I persevered when faced with the loss of several relatives and the stress of senior year. I know how to persevere, and I know the importance of it. And I know how valuable that perseverance will be going into a male-dominated field. I will be going into a male-dominated field but that isn't unusual, because male-dominated fields are everywhere. Male-dominated fields are as common as street signs or grocery stores. But the number of women joining male-dominated fields is starting to rise. It isn't an easy process, and women in male-dominated fields have more than their fair share of struggles to face. I know what I am getting myself into going into a male-dominated field, but I refuse to let that stop me. I know the value of perseverance and how important it is to work for what I want. I am going to the Great Lakes Maritime Academy, which is a part of Northwestern Michigan College. I will be getting my Bachelor of Science Degree in Maritime Technology and my Third Mate Great Lakes and any Oceans Unlimited Tonnage and First Class Great Lakes Pilot license. I want to become a captain on freight and cargo ships. This is a field with a high salary and a high demand as older workers begin to retire, and I would love to see more women in the industry. As I go into the industry when I graduate, I want to encourage other women who share my passion for the water, but more than that I want to be able to support all women regardless of their passions. Women everywhere face challenges and I want to help change that in any way that I can; whether it be helping fund the education of other women, or by helping women make their way into male-dominated fields. Change can be slow to happen, but perseverance is important in anyone looking to make changes and perseverance is one thing that I have in spades.

I still remember the first thing I ever built in Minecraft. I was in creative mode and I built a house made entirely out of diamond blocks. It was hideous but I didn't care, because I was creating something. I was making something. I have since become a better builder, but my favorite way to play Minecraft is just building in creative mode. I enjoy the blank canvas, and the process of making something unique and amazing. From the first time I played Minecraft, I was hooked. My love for Minecraft extended into Minecraft youtubers, which was how I was introduced to the Minecraft youtuber Technoblade. I loved the content and community that I found within Technoblade's fan base, and through his videos my love of Minecraft grew. When Technoblade passed away from cancer I was distraught, but the community came together to provide support for each other through their grief. The community still supports each other and donates money to buy Technoblade merchandise and fund sarcoma cancer research. Technoblade's community illustrates just what Minecraft means to me: a chance to create something bigger than yourself, to create something good, something that outlasts you. Minecraft is about creation, about making something and sharing with a community of different people. Technoblade's community was full of people from all walks of life with different backgrounds and beliefs. They were all brought together because of their love of Minecraft and a Minecraft youtuber named Technoblade, and with that love they created an amazing, supportive community. That is what Minecraft is to me: creation. What you make doesn't have to be big or beautiful or brilliant, all that matters is that you made it. The lesson that Minecraft has taught me to be unafraid to go out into the world and create something new.

I am an incredibly anxious person. I have faced struggles with both anxiety and depression that have sent me into a deep downward spiral, but with the help of therapy and antidepressants I have been doing a lot better. There are still hard days: days when my anxiety makes me want to curl up in a ball and hide from the world, days when my anxiety tells me that I'm never going to make it, days when my anxiety says I'll never achieve my dreams. I have had anxiety from a very young age, though I only recently got diagnosed. But I have also been a dreamer from a very young age, and I refuse to give up on my dreams. When my anxiety threatens to overwhelm me, I look ahead to the future I want. When times are hard, when it seems like my world is falling apart around me, I still let myself dream. My father passed away when I was seven years old, leaving behind a widow and five young children. There is a lot that I never got to know about my father, but I know that he loved to sail. My dream is to follow in his footsteps as a ship captain. I am going to Northwestern Michigan College, and I am attending the Great Lakes Maritime Academy so that I can get my Bachelor of Science Degree in Maritime Technology and my Third Mate Great Lakes and any Oceans Unlimited Tonnage and First Class Great Lakes Pilot license. This is my dream, but even though it's my dream, I am still anxious about college. I will be going somewhere entirely new, two hours away from my home and everyone I've ever known. I will be paying for college completely by myself and I will be going into a largely male-dominated field as a young woman. My anxiety tells me that this is a terrifying prospect, but it is still my dream. My degree means that I can follow in my father's footsteps and pave the way for other women in a male-dominated field. I have worked hard to conquer my anxiety and it is still an ongoing battle, but I refuse to let my anxiety get in the way of following my dreams. I know that it will be difficult and that I will struggle and face challenges. But I am not afraid of the difficulties and struggles and challenges, because I love what I am doing and I am following my dreams.

I wear a black ring on the middle finger of my right hand every day. It's a sign that I am asexual and a way that I can signal my identity to other members of the LGBTQ+ community. Being asexual means that I have little to no interest in sexual relationships. It is not something that is easily understood by people who don't feel the same way, and one of my biggest challenges has been coming to terms with it and explaining it to others. Asexuality is not defined by the feeling of something but rather by the lack of feeling. This can make it harder to realize that you are asexual. I was lucky in that, when I found out about asexuality, it seemed to make something inside of me click. I felt understood in a way that I had never felt before. That didn't make it easier to explain to other people who wanted me to be like them. It didn't make coming out to my boyfriend easier, and although we broke up on good terms and still remain friends, it doesn't make it any less heartbreaking. I know that a lot of people expect certain things in a relationship, and I'm not able to provide those things. It makes relationships difficult, but that doesn't mean that my love is lesser. Nor does it make my love any less queer. I am asexual, and I am proud of who I am. Being asexual does not define me, though it is a huge part of me. I simply show my love in a different way.  I am going to the Great Lakes Maritime Academy, which is a subsection of Northwestern Michigan College. I will be going to get my Bachelor of Science Degree in Maritime Technology and my Third Mate Great Lakes and any Oceans Unlimited Tonnage and First Class Great Lakes Pilot license. The maritime field is a growing one, but many ship captains are reaching retirement age, and there is a need for younger captains. However, it is a largely male-dominated field, and I will be facing challenges both as a woman in the field and even more so as a queer woman in the field. But I think that it is important that we make room for women, the LGBTQ+ community, and other underrepresented minorities in all fields. While I cannot claim to be part of a minority as a white woman, I will still do my best to open the field to others who share my same passion for the water.  One of the biggest challenges I face in college is the financial burden that comes with attending college for four years. I come from a single-parent household because my father passed away when I was seven years old. My mother raised five children on her own, four of whom were the same age. I am part of the set of quadruplets, and I have another brother who is younger by two years. My mother put all of us through school, but she does not have the means to help any of us afford college. I will be paying for college entirely on my own, which adds more stress to the pressure of studying for and succeeding in college. This scholarship would help to relieve some of that stress and allow me to focus more on my schooling so that I can be the most successful version of myself.

I wear a black ring on the middle finger of my right hand every day. It's a sign that I am asexual and a way that I can signal my identity to other members of the LGBTQ+ community. Being asexual means that I have little to no interest in sexual relationships. It is not something that is easily understood by people who don't feel the same way, and one of my biggest challenges has been coming to terms with it and explaining it to others. Asexuality is not defined by the feeling of something but rather by the lack of feeling. This can make it harder to realize that you are asexual. I was lucky in that, when I found out about asexuality, it seemed to make something inside of me click. I felt understood in a way that I had never felt before. That didn't make it easier to explain to other people who wanted me to be like them. It didn't make coming out to my boyfriend easier, and although we broke up on good terms and still remain friends, it doesn't make it any less heartbreaking. I know that a lot of people expect certain things in a relationship, and I'm not able to provide those things. It makes relationships difficult, but that doesn't mean that my love is lesser. Nor does it make my love any less queer. I am asexual, and I am proud of who I am. Being asexual does not define me, though it is a huge part of me. I simply show my love in a different way.  I am going to the Great Lakes Maritime Academy, which is a subsection of Northwestern Michigan College. I will be going to get my Bachelor of Science Degree in Maritime Technology and my Third Mate Great Lakes and any Oceans Unlimited Tonnage and First Class Great Lakes Pilot license. The maritime field is a growing one, but many ship captains are reaching retirement age, and there is a need for younger captains. However, it is a largely male-dominated field, and I will be facing challenges both as a woman in the field and even more so as a queer woman in the field. But I think that it is important that we make room for women, the LGBTQ+ community, and other underrepresented minorities in all fields. While I cannot claim to be part of a minority as a white woman, I will still do my best to open the field to others who share my same passion for the water.  One of the biggest challenges I face in college is the financial burden that comes with attending college for four years. I come from a single-parent household because my father passed away when I was seven years old. My mother raised five children on her own, four of whom were the same age. I am part of the set of quadruplets, and I have another brother who is younger by two years. My mother put all of us through school, but she does not have the means to help any of us afford college. I will be paying for college entirely on my own, which adds more stress to the pressure of studying for and succeeding in college. This scholarship would help to relieve some of that stress and allow me to focus more on my schooling so that I can be the most successful version of myself.

When you don't have the words to describe how you're feeling, Taylor Swift does. And this year has left me with lots of different feelings, and when I'm fumbling for words, I can always find an escape in music. My year's soundtrack has been more mixed than I would like it to be, with "Shake It Off",  "Bad Blood",  and "New Romantics".  My year hasn't been easy, but I have grown so much from the challenges that I've faced. My mental health has been a battle lately, and my college nerves have not helped in that area. I am going into a largely male-dominated field, and I've had to face my own anxiety and self-doubt. As Taylor said, "the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate" and sometimes I am my biggest enemy in that regard. But then the rest of the chorus comes in, and I remember, "Baby, I'm just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake, shake it off, shake it off." When I act as my own biggest critic, I have to remember that perfection is an unachievable standard, and my best is more than enough. I have learned to shake off the negative thoughts and doubtful voices in my mind, but it hasn't been an easy journey. Besides self-doubt, I have also had to face the person I have become. I have struggled with depression for a long time and have hidden it by masking and pretending that everything is fine, even when I feel like my world is crumbling. But "band-aids don't fix bullet holes", and ignoring my problems didn't make them go away. It was the song "Bad Blood" that made me realize that I couldn't keep pretending everything was okay, because everything wasn't okay, and pretending otherwise wasn't helping me. I knew that I didn't want to live a lie, because "If you live like that, you live with ghosts". I decided to face my ghosts so that I could learn to heal. If I kept trying to pretend I was fine, I would only make things worse. As "Bad Blood" says, "Did you think we'd be fine? Still got scars on my back from your knife, so don't think it's in the past, these kinds of wounds they last and they last". To heal from my scars, I had to confront my issues, both past and present, so that I could begin to heal. It has been a difficult journey, and it hasn't been perfect. Healing is never straight or easy, but I am healing. It makes the lyrics, "cause baby, I could build a castle out of all the bricks they threw at me" really resonate with me. I feel that I am finally building my own castle, out of all of the bricks that were thrown at me. I am building my future on a firm foundation. Every day may be "like a battle", but the nights are finally starting to feel "like a dream".

My father passed away when I was seven. Growing up, I heard stories about him and how he loved to sail. I never had the chance to connect with him, because he passed away when I was young, but I often wonder what he'd think about my plans for the future. I am going to attend the Great Lakes Maritime Academy, to get my Bachelors of Science in Maritime Technology and my license as a Third Mate Great Lakes and any Oceans Unlimited Tonnage and First Class Great Lakes Pilot. There is so much that we don't know about the oceans, even though they cover so much of our planet. Even in the Great Lakes there is fascinating history and incredible aquatic flora and fauna. I want to learn more about aquatic flora and fauna, and I can do this by piloting marine science research vessels. The biggest obstacle that I am currently facing as I look ahead towards college is the financial difficulties in paying for college. I have always done excellent in school, and I graduated from high school with high honors. I work hard in all of my academics, so I have no fear on that front. The rigorous work and studying of college does not phase me, but the financial commitment does. I am one of a set of quadruplets, and while my mother has been absolutely amazing in her support of me, she is not in the position to help me pay for college. I know that this will only be one of the obstacles that I have to face, and that there will be many more along the way. But there is so much to explore, and I refuse to let gender bias and unfair stereotypes interfere with my passion. I know that as a young woman in a career field largely dominated by older men, I will face challenges. However, I am prepared to face and overcome these challenges, so that I can inspire other girls to go into scientific fields. College will not be easy, but nothing in life is easy. Every good thing requires work, and I am not afraid to put in that work. I am passionate and ambitious and I will be pursuing my dreams. I have done everything I can to prepare for the obstacles that I have to face, and I will overcome them. I have never been the type of person who backs down from a challenge, and to me the maritime industry is the next in a long line of challenges. However, my plan for the future are not just a challenge. My career in the maritime industry gives me the chance to explore an unknown part of our world, and there is so much that I have yet to learn. I am excited to learn and to grow in my understanding of both marine science and marine technology. I am incredibly grateful that I have been given the chance to apply for the William Griggs Memorial Scholarship, as it offers support as I continue in my education. William Griggs's passion and dedication to science and math and to exploration is amazing, and receiving this scholarship would be an honor and a privilege. I know that I am not the only one who needs financial support in their educational journey, and even if I do not win, I will do my best to embody the passion of William Griggs and I will be grateful that this scholarship has gone to someone deserving and passionate.

I want to become a captain on freight and cargo ships working in the Great Lakes. I am pursuing my Bachelor of Science Degree in Maritime Technology and my license as a Third Mate Great Lakes and any Oceans Unlimited Tonnage and First Class Great Lakes Pilot. I will be attending the Great Lakes Maritime Academy to do this, and I plan on working immediately after I graduate so that I can get the experience I need to become a captain. I know that this won't be the easiest career path and that I will face many challenges. The biggest challenge I currently face is financial. My father passed away when I was seven, leaving my mother to raise my four siblings and me alone. It has not been the easiest life, and I do not come from a wealthy family, so I will be paying for college entirely on my own. I have submitted the FAFSA, applied for a multitude of scholarships, and have been taking on as much work as I can so that I will have the money that I need for college. I am not afraid of hard work, and I am excited for the challenges that I may face in pursuit of my degree. I am determined that, whatever happens, I will be going into a career in the maritime industry, and the only question is how much I need to take out in loans to pay for college. Many students take out college loans, but I am still daunted by the thought of student debt. While loans and debt may be a reality I have to face, I want to do everything I can to avoid them as much as possible, and once I graduate, it is my goal to get any debts I have paid off as quickly as possible. I want to be able to become financially stable and independent as quickly as I can, so that I can help others pursue their dreams. There are so many people who face struggles far worse than mine, and I want to become a captain so that I can help people who are like me. I want to help those facing adversity, and I want to be the person my family needed when I was younger. More than that, I want to be the person I need now: a person who has the desire to do good and the financial ability to see that good through to the end.

There are multitudes of jobs and careers and trades and specialties that a person can decide to go into. When I was a little girl I wanted to be a fashion designer and an astronaut and an English literature professor. These were all careers that fascinated me, but none of them were careers that I was passionate about in the long term. I have found a career that I am passionate about now, and I am working to pursue that career. I will be going to the Great Lakes Maritime Academy, a subdivision of Northwestern Michigan College. I am going to get my Bachelor's of Science in Maritime Technology and my license as a Third Mate Great Lakes and any Oceans Unlimited Tonnage and First Class Great Lakes Pilot. My passion for a Maritime career comes from my father, who used to sail. I aim to become a captain on freight and cargo ships in the Great Lakes and later work on the oceans as well. I would love to be able to travel and see the world, and as a captain, I will be able to do that while working. The industry tends to be male-dominated, but I refuse to let that faze me. I have proven myself to be determined and hardworking, and I don't plan on changing that in college. Male-dominated fields will always stay that way if women aren't willing to join them, so I hope to inspire other women to go into less "traditional" fields and explore new careers. I am not afraid to dream big: I want to be a ship captain as a woman in a male-dominated field; I want to travel the world; I want to be independent and make my own money. This scholarship is a way to help me achieve my dreams and make my own way in the world. It offers me support as I make my way in the world, support that I plan to use as I enter this new stage of my life. I have faced challenges before, and I know that I will face more, but I will not let that stop me from following my dreams as I follow in my father's footsteps.I love that I can follow in his footsteps in my career and plans for the future. More than that, as a women going into a male-dominated field, I hope to mentor and guide other women as they pursue similar careers.

Empowerment means change. Empowerment means opportunity. Empowerment means speaking out and being heard. Empowerment means being treated as an equal. Empowerment means standing at the head of the room, in the spotlight, leading the charge, and no one thinking differently of me because of my gender. When people look at me, I want them to see me for what I have done without the lens of gender bias. I have been, and always will be, a fighter. I fought through grief when my father passed away so that I could keep going and live a life he'd be proud of. I fought through injuries in high school so that I could keep doing the sports I loved. I fought through the perceptions of boys who thought they were better than me simply because they were men. Empowerment may be something I have to fight for, but it won't be my first battle, and I'm willing to fight if it means the girls who come after me don't have to. And I'll find a way to fight through the financial barriers that try to prevent me from pursuing the career I want. Power is not something easily given, and sometimes you have to fight for it. Maybe the person you must battle is yourself. Your own self doubt and disbelief will cripple you if you let them, but this is key: you must not let them. Know your own worth, know that you have a choice, know that you have a say, know that it may be a fight, a struggle, or a battle, and be willing to do it anyway. Carpe diem is a popular saying, but more than that, carpe occasiunculam. Seize the opportunity, seize what you are given with both hands, and use it to the best of your ability. Don't be afraid to learn, to grow, to try, and to fail. Men do it all the time; why should women be any different? Every woman has just as much potential as any man, and every woman should get the chance to see her potential. Empowerment, to me, isn't just about me. Empowerment is about every woman getting the chance to do what they want, to follow their dreams, to change things, and to challenge our preconceived notions. Sometimes, empowerment is a challenge we have to face. Sometimes you have to come to terms with yourself, with who you are, and what that means. To empower yourself, you have to know that you deserve that power, and to do that, you have to know yourself. Empowerment is about understanding yourself and knowing your own worth. Empowerment is a battle, but at its core, empowerment is love. In my journey to find that empowerment, I learned to love myself, and that was the best thing I could have done. I am not afraid to speak out, to take up space, or to stand out. I am not afraid to be powerful.

My name is Evelyn Harden. My father passed away when I was seven, and my four siblings and I were raised by my mother. I am part of a set of quadruplets, and while I love my siblings more than anything in the world, I have often been seen as part of a matched set, interchangeable with the other three. Some people have not bothered to get to know me as a person and instead clumped me with my siblings and my younger brother, who was born two years after I was. However, those who get to know my siblings and I learn that we are all incredibly unique in our interests and passions. I have run cross country, wrestled, and run track in high school. I love to read and write poetry, and I am an avid theater lover. I love living my life to the fullest, trying new foods, visiting new places, and having new adventures. One of my favorite memories is going on a drop slide for the first time at a water park and feeling the floor fall out from underneath my feet. Another memory that comes to mind is my first time zip-lining and the exhilarating feeling of stepping off of the platform and flying through the air. I love new experiences, and I love to learn new things. When I consider what I want to do as a career, I want something that gives me the feeling of a free fall every day. My ideal career involves being able to explore, learn, and discover new things every day. I have lived in Michigan my whole life, and I love the Great Lakes, but I also love to travel and see new places. If I could do anything with my life, I think I would do exactly what I'm doing now. I want to go to Northwestern Michigan College and get my Bachelor of Science Degree in Maritime Technology, as well as my Third Mate Great Lakes and any Oceans Unlimited Tonnage and First Class Great Lakes Pilot license. I want to sail on the Great Lakes and the oceans so that I can see the world and all of the wonderful things it has to offer. There is so much out there to learn, and I want to seize every chance I can to do just that.  STEM is an incredibly fascinating subject with boundless potential for different developments, but my favorite facet of STEM is the technological one. The technology we use to predict tides and currents is fascinating, and I have always had an interest in the technological aspects of STEM. The technology that ships use is amazing in its accuracy, but there is always room for improvement. While we may be able to predict tides based on the positions of the sun and moon, we cannot fully predict other oceanic meteorological phenomena. This can endanger lives, as unpredictable weather can damage important ship equipment and the ships themselves. The best way to learn more about meteorological and marine events in the Great Lakes and oceans is through data and research. Tides may change, and that means that the instruments we use to predict them must change as well. While I plan on focusing on the technological part of this research, the scientific process behind marine weather also needs to be understood. To best make instruments to predict different weather and weather patterns, we must first understand the causes of that weather. A better understanding of oceanic and meteorological episodes would allow us to anticipate these episodes and prepare for them. Drowning presents a risk for anyone stepping foot on a ship, even in moderate weather, without taking into account harsh winds, high waves, or potentially inaccurate equipment. The science behind the prediction of tides and oceanic meteorological events and the technology that measures them is an interesting and important subject. Oceans and lakes are dangerous places, and many people lose their lives every year. We have a duty to those who have died to take the technology we have now and improve it so that we can save lives in the future.  Every challenge is an opportunity to learn, but some lessons may be harder than others. My father passed away when I was seven. He was in a motorcycle accident and died very suddenly. For me as a seven-year-old kid, I hugged him goodbye as he went on a bike ride one night, and the next morning when I woke up, I was told that he was gone and I would never see him again. How does a child process that kind of loss? My grief was staggering, and it is something that I still struggle to come to terms with sometimes. The funeral was a quiet affair, of which I don't remember much. There are brief flashes: of my mother crying, of the overwhelming smell of flowers, of "Son of a Son of a Sailor" playing along with a slideshow of pictures. After the funeral, my father's side of the family cut contact with us. My mother was left to raise five children without a father or the support of his family. It was hard for a while, but it taught me the value of the family you choose over the family you're born with. I have not had contact with my father's side of the family in a little over ten years. There is much I don't know about my father, which made it hard to process the grief I felt. But I have grown from the seven-year-old child who lost her father. I have taken the time and put in the work to recognize the emotions that I've felt and to process them. I have learned not to let loss define me. Instead of grieving for the parts of my father I will never know, I take joy in the parts of my father I had the chance to know.

Enormous, undiscovered, expansive, and unexplored. While many may think of the vast expanses of space, I think of someplace far more close to home. About 90% of Earth's oceans have yet to be explored. Our oceans contain fascinating plant and animal life that could be the key to new scientific discoveries, as long as we have the technology necessary to explore them. The oceans contain countless species, many of which we do not fully understand. Take the Turritopsis dohrnii, which may reverse its own age cycle to avoid death, the Costasiella kuroshimae, which is the only animal capable of photosynthesis, or the Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni, which can grow up to 45 feet. How much do we really know about the creatures that live in our oceans? The technology we have developed can only do so much, and with only so much accuracy in predicting storms and tidal events, we can only learn so much.  There is untapped potential in the marine industry, and there are countless opportunities to learn. However, there are only a small number of women in these fields. I aim to change that. I plan to get a Bachelor of Science degree in Maritime Technology, and my Third Mate Great Lakes and any Oceans Unlimited Tonnage and First Class Great Lakes Pilot's license, and I am considering the possibility of captaining a marine research vessel. I would love to lead the exploration into what will literally be uncharted waters, with a crew of like-minded women in STEM.  However, the marine industry is not the only industry with untapped potential. The maritime industry also offers possibilities for new technological discoveries. While we are currently able to predict tides and currents with some degree of accuracy, we are unable to fully account for unknown variables like weather events and other meteorological happenings. A job in the shipping industry would allow me to learn more about the technology we use to predict the tides and other oceanic weather patterns, and that would allow me to learn more about these often unpredictable phenomena. This data can be used to expand our knowledge of marine activity so that we may be better prepared to weather the tides. We can upgrade existing technology to further reflect what we learn and predict oceanic meteorological events with more accuracy. This information could be potentially life-saving as it offers us better warnings for events like storms, riptides, and potentially even tidal waves or other major events.  A career in either the marine or maritime industry would allow me to make new discoveries and learn more about the oceans that impact our lives. I want to learn more about the deep waters that are such a large part of the planet we call home. I also want to serve as an example to girls who share my passion for the maritime and marine industries so that they too might be encouraged to chart their own course in the industry.

My name is Evelyn Harden, and the thought of college terrifies me. It isn't the thought of college that terrifies me; rather, the thought of paying for college fills me with dread. I am part of a set of quadruplets: three girls (including myself) and one boy. In addition, I have a brother who is two years younger than me. My father died when I was seven, so my mother has single-handedly paid for all five of us to go through high school. I know that I cannot expect help from my mother in paying for college, though I know she wishes she could help me. However, there is no way for a single mother to pay to put four of her children through college and a fifth through high school. I know that I cannot ask that of my mother. She has raised five children on her own through countless struggles and trials. She went to every cross-country meet, basketball game, wrestling meet, and track meet that we had. She has always been there to support me in everything I need. She has encouraged my dreams in everything I have done. She is my biggest supporter in my college plans, which means the world to me. I am going to college at the Great Lakes Maritime Academy, which is a division of Northwestern Michigan College. I plan on being a part of the Deck Officer program that they offer and earning both my Bachelor's Degree of Science in Maritime Technology and my Third Mate Great Lakes and any Oceans Unlimited Tonnage and First Class Great Lakes Pilot license. My father used to sail, and I love that I can follow in his footsteps in my career and plans for the future. I aim to become a captain on freight and cargo ships in the Great Lakes and later work on the oceans as well. I would love to be able to travel and see the world, and as a captain, I will be able to do that while working. The industry tends to be male-dominated, but I refuse to let that faze me. I have proven myself to be determined and hardworking, and I don't plan on changing that in college. Male-dominated fields will always stay that way if women aren't willing to join them, so I hope to inspire other women to go into less "traditional" fields and explore new careers. I am not afraid to dream big: I want to be a ship captain as a woman in a male-dominated field; I want to travel the world; I want to be independent and make my own money. This scholarship is a way to help me achieve my dreams and make my own way in the world. It offers me support as I make my way in the world, support that I plan to use as I enter this new stage of my life. I have faced challenges before, and I know that I will face more, but I will not let that stop me from following my dreams as I follow in my father's footsteps.

I have never won a wrestling match. I only wrestled for one season in my senior year. My school held very traditional values, and there was some resistance to girls wrestling. After four years of asking, the school extracurricular board finally decided to allow girls to wrestle, just in time for my senior year. I leapt at the chance to wrestle, something I'd wanted to do since freshman year. I was one of three girls who joined the team; all of us were allowed in on the condition that we were not to wrestle any of the guys. I went into my first and only wrestling season excited and full of determination to be the best I could. This attitude held firm through the long practices and meets spent sitting on the sidelines while the coaches tried to find a girl in my weight class so that I could wrestle. However, my attitude faced its first hurdle when I stepped out onto the mat for my first official match. I lost, and I continued to lose every match after that. This was hard to deal with at first. No one wants to lose, and not a lot of people enjoy doing something that they aren't good at. It is disheartening to get knocked down over and over again, but it taught me to keep getting up. I realized that if I focused solely on my losses, I would never grow. Instead, I focused on how I lost, what I did wrong, and how I could improve. As the season progressed, I developed my technique and learned an astonishing amount, both about wrestling and myself. My determination was tested every time I was knocked down or pinned, but I always kept going. I faced girls with far more experience and knowledge, but I did my best and didn't let my lack of experience faze me. I knew that I wasn't the best wrestler, or even a very good one, so I went into each match with the intention of learning and improving. I gave my all in every match, even though to most people it looked like it never paid off. My losses reminded me of the principles of sportsmanship, and I never begrudged another girl for her hard-fought victory. In every match, I knew that I had tried my best, and that allowed me to lose with dignity and grace. I never won any awards for my wrestling, but I love wrestling. I went into wrestling feeling like I had something to prove as one of the first female wrestlers at the school, and when I failed to win a match, I threw myself even harder into my practices, trying to make up for my perceived failings. But without my losses, I would never have uncovered the endlessness of my determination and tenacity. Failure may be a hard lesson, but you never learn to get back up if you don't fall down first.

My father passed away when I was seven years old. No one expects their father to die, especially not a seven year old child. Death was still a foreign concept to me at the time, but that didn't stop me from having to learn about it far sooner than I ever wanted to. He left behind my siblings and me to be raised by our mother on her own. This was no small task, as I am part of a set of quadruplets, with another brother two years younger. Despite having to single-handedly raise five children, my mom has always made the time to be my biggest supporter. She has been there through everything I have faced. If I struggled with a grade school math lesson, she would talk me through it while making supper. If I was stressed out about a test, she would review the material and quiz me on it while folding laundry. She had an enormous amount of responsibilities to carry, and she carried them all while helping me and picking me up when I fell. My mom always encourages my interests and has done so since I was young. She always loved to read my siblings and me stories at all times of the day and would lull us to sleep by reciting nursery rhymes. She taught me to love reading, and it was because of her that I have become such an avid reader. From Byron to Tolkien and from sci-fi to horror, my love for books of all kinds is entirely thanks to my mom. She has shown herself to be more than willing to listen to me when I discuss literary parallels and themes in Shakespeare, even though she freely admits that Shakespeare isn't her cup of tea. As the years have passed, she has continued to support me as I grow, encouraging the new hobbies I take an interest in learning, even if she doesn't necessarily love them. My decision to join my high school's newly formed girls wrestling team was met with her unconditional support. My mom saw that this would provide new opportunities for me to learn as well as new experiences that I could apply to my life ahead. So, although she worried that I might get injured, she allowed me to wrestle and was always in the stands cheering me on. However, my mom has not just supported me during the highs. She has also been there for me through the lows: the anxiety, stress, and breakdowns that I have faced as I navigate high school, the tears and worries over the SAT, and the burnout from a heavy course load and intense exams. In every challenge I have faced, she has stood by me and supported me. She never held my hand or coddled me, but she watched over me as I faced challenges and trials. My mom has always been there for me, providing constant support when I needed her the most.

I cannot claim to be the most experienced wrestler to apply for a scholarship like this. I struggled to get into wrestling from the very beginning. Going to a small high school with very traditional values, wrestling was considered a boys-only sport. Despite showing interest in wrestling since my freshman year, I was unable to join the team until my senior year of high school. During my senior year, the extracurricular board finally made the decision to allow girls to join the wrestling team, on the condition that they do not wrestle with any boys in tournaments or competitions. This proved to be its own challenge, as there weren't many girls interested in wrestling at our school, and finding female wrestling tournaments was not the easiest. Despite this, I had two encouraging coaches who wholeheartedly supported girls joining the wrestling team. We had a small team, consisting of just three girls, but my teammates and I were always working our hardest. I knew that as the first girls to wrestle, people's eyes would be on us, and I was determined to give my all. Wrestling was tough, and I was hard on myself when I was unsuccessful, which was often. I love wrestling, and I poured my heart and soul into every meet, match, and practice; however, this does not change the fact that for all of my striving and trying, I did not win a single match. My knowledge and technique improved vastly throughout the season, and I learned so much from every match I had. I never won a match, but each match taught me how to get back up when I was knocked down. I worked to view each loss as not just a failure, but also as an opportunity to learn. When I lost, I did so with grace and respect towards my opponent. While no one likes losing, I do not begrudge the well-earned success of others. There were other temporary roadblocks as well, one of which being the injuries I faced as a result of my refusal to be pinned without a fight. While I never won a match, I refused to go down easily. My somewhat limited knowledge and a pinch of natural stubbornness meant that if my opponent wanted a pin, they would have to fight me for it. The same determination and stubbornness showed in practices, where I was reminded of the results of perseverance and hard work. Although there were times when I struggled and felt I was moving backwards more than forward, I never gave up. Even when we were running laps up and down stairs and around the gym, I was focused and gave it everything I had. The practices were long and rough, and the matches were even more so. But my season of wrestling challenged me, allowed me to face difficulties head on, showed me the importance of determination, and taught me the importance of getting back up when you're knocked down. All of these are valuable lessons, not just in life, but also in my career. I will be going to the Great Lakes Maritime Academy, a division of Northwestern Michigan College. There I will be enrolled in the Deck Officer program, with the intention of getting my ship pilot's license and working as a navigator onboard freighters in the Great Lakes. I know that this will not necessarily be an easy path, and that I will face a multitude of challenges. However, I feel prepared to face these challenges, as I have learned how to persevere and to keep on fighting.