I first heard one of Sabrina Carpenter's songs the summer of 2024, and immediately I was hooked. "Espresso" was my song of the summer, and when I got back to school, hearing Sabrina's confident, calm voice over the radio was what helped me get through my homework. When I had swim practice and was endlessly swimming laps back and forth, I always sang one of her songs in my head, sometimes for hours on end. And miraculously, I never got tired of it! Sabrina's story has inspired me, as her start on Disney Channel to breaking out of the innocent, child-like mold made for her later on as a teen singer shows that anyone can achieve their dreams and become whoever they want to be regardless of what their background was, or where they started from. Now, no one even thinks of her as the little girl actor from her Disney days, only as a pop star with cool mystique and girlish charm. Some might think this is kind of sad, but I would say if it's exactly what Sabrina was going for, then she's achieved what so many other child actors turned-singers have found it hard to do- to break out of the mold. That's why I'm applying for this scholarship, because Sabrina's career has impacted my life by inspiring me to be like her, not just by going to a few concerts, or working hard, but by having the confidence, all day and every day, to break out of whatever molds may hold me back and aim for my goals no matter what.

While having a big house or not having to worry about taxes would be nice, I would be happy simply being able to give back to my community and living on an average wage, knowing that what I’ve done in my life to make a difference in others’ lives, as well as the educational and economic achievements I’ve made along the way are enough to remember. I don’t want to be an average run of the mill high school student, dreaming of Harvard or Yale and then attending the local community college. I have dreams, but I don’t want to lose my head in the clouds. I want to have my feet on the ground, creating goals for later in life but not relying on luck to make my living. Yes, earning a scholarship would be helpful financially, but I’m not going to rely on the chance of winning money to get me all the way to college. I plan on achieving as much as I can academically, athletically, and financially while in high school, and if I end up not getting any scholarships, I’ll work my way through it on pure grit and determination. I want others to have that confidence in life, and that means providing them and their children the opportunities that I’ve had, so that they can grow and learn everything they can before being turned loose into the world. I want others to be positively impacted by my work, and I want to die knowing that I’ve helped others live. Both educationally and emotionally, I want to provide enough support for those around me to be able to stop worrying about their next meal, or disease, or how their loans will get paid, and be able to experience the wonderful life they’ve been given. No human should have to worry about food, water, or medical help, and no student should be committing suicide because they’re too deep in debt to pay back loans, or because of discrimination against their race. Everyone should have access to shelter, education, and most of all, options. If I win this scholarship, I swear that I’ll always give everything I have to everyone who needs it, and I’ll never turn my back on anyone, not for anything. I appreciate your consideration of my submission and hope to be given the opportunity to make my goal happen.

As a child, I always enjoyed seeing hungry people eat. It sounds strange, but whenever my parents came home and I’d already eaten, I would be content to sit and watch them satisfy their hunger, their problems becoming less serious, their frowns disappearing. I knew nothing about cooking, but that I loved to help cheer others up by giving them food. I started making birthday cakes, muffins, bread, dinners, anything I could find a recipe on. I wanted to feel the satisfaction of giving others something that would make them happy. Food is a magic often unrecognized by people, but the effect it has on those who need it doesn’t go unnoticed. That’s why I want to be a part of that movement to bring others happiness and encouragement in the midst of whatever they may be facing, by giving them something to enjoy, and reminding them to stop and smell the roses. Serving others isn't done enough in today's world, and chefs remind people that life doesn't have to be so bad. We all need an outlet to comfort ourselves, and food is the perfect source. That is why I want to earn a culinary degree. With a culinary degree from a respectable school, I would be able to spread the joy of cooking through opening my own company, starting a philanthropic based bakery, as I’ve always wanted to do. Extra goods at the end of the day would be handed out to people on the streets and donated to shelters, and the tips gotten from customers would be used to supply shelters and those less fortunate with clothing and food. I believe that food shouldn’t just be for those able to afford it, but for everyone, the poor and rich together, enjoying a good meal and the happiness that comes with it. Some may say that work or a degree in the culinary arts is meaningless in the long run, but the most meaningful relationships, agreements and even political treaties have been achieved through a chef's best efforts at giving their customers a good meal. Food is universal, and good food should be shared by all, made with a purpose and given freely. By receiving this scholarship, I would be able to increase my chances of attending a top culinary school, so the products I serve are the best available to everyone who I come across, not just those who can afford it.

I have always considered pursuing one's education as one of the most important parts of being successful in life, and this viewpoint was only strengthened when I heard of how others had failed to chase or recognize the dreams they had of bettering themselves and becoming something through the means of education. My dad had told me how, when he was younger, he had dreamed of becoming a neurosurgeon, but one of his older cousins had been in the process of studying in high school, and told him about all of the schooling, applications, tests, and processes he would need to go through in order to achieve his goal, claiming that my father couldn't do it and should just "give up and focus on becoming something else". My father was only in elementary school, thus still at a very impressionable age, and, believing his cousin to be superior in all aspects to himself, took the advice to heart, and gave up on being a neurosurgeon. I was shocked, as the entirety of my family seemed very successful, my father included, and I had never dreamed of or realized that maybe, the job he had now wasn't the one he had always wanted to work toward. After hearing this story, I began to value achieving my education even higher than before, and resolved never to let what anyone else told me about how to get where I wanted to go determine my chances or belief in achieving my goals. Currently, I want to attend a 4-year university upon graduating high school, preferably at or near the top of my class, at either Georgetown University or the United States Military Academy. My dad is in the military, specifically the Army, and I have always been inspired by his dedication to serving not only his country, but our family, and the effort and extra lengths he always takes to balance prioritizing both. I have always loved this country from a young age, and so I believe the best educational option that also includes military service would be a service academy. Alternatively, if I cannot get into the USMA, I want to attend Georgetown University in Washington D.C or MIT to earn a major in math, and then attend Harvard for graduate school in order to achieve an MBA and go into work, preferably as a financial advisor or the owner of my own business. The opportunities education offers me and everyone around me is limitless, and if I were to receive this scholarship, I would ensure that anyone I have the opportunity to influence, whether it be my coworkers, children, or neighbors, always believes that they can achieve whatever they want to work towards in life, and encourage those who don't believe they can so that something like what happened to my father never happens to anyone else. In America of all places, people should be able to dream of achieving education beyond high school and become whoever they want to be to do their part in bettering our nation and the world in their own way, and since actions speak louder than words, overall it would be truly amazing to achieve my goals to turn around and show as well as tell people that it is possible to achieve or become whatever they put their minds to, so long as they are willing to give it their all and work towards it. Just as Patrick Moore exemplifies, the options offered from completing one's education are truly limitless, and learning continues not only in school but also outside of the classroom.

In order to prepare for the SAT, I have taken a 4-week course for the PSAT so that I can estimate what my SAT score (as a result) will be, as well as how and what I need to improve on before taking the test, so I can score as high as possible. Homework for the course included one full-length PSAT test from CollegeBoard's Bluebook due at the end of every week, one math or reading module of a practice test broken down into the span of two weeks, and reading a portion of a book made specifically to learn the rules of the SAT in both the math and reading sections. Classes were 3 hours on Saturdays and Sundays, and in the weeks leading up to the PSAT I would stay up late until 1 am every weekend to finish the homework on top of my schoolwork. On the last weekend of the course, I also began an overlapping SAT course to prepare for the SAT, which I am going to be taking in November. The SAT course class was also 3 hours on Saturdays and Sundays, each, and so that day I began my PSAT class at 3 pm and finished at 6 pm, in order to go directly into the SAT class, which went from 6 pm to 9 pm. The SAT course was a lot different from the PSAT course, with a "hard math quiz" composed of 10 of the hardest problems ever seen on the SAT each week, as well as a reading quiz composed of 20 SAT vocabulary words, in addition to a Bluebook SAT full-length practice test every week and one half of the math or reading module for one of the broken down practice tests. Reading was more intensive, with 50 pages of a book being assigned each class. This meant Saturday's homework was to be due on Sunday, and with only so much time to complete it during the day due to sports practice and volunteering, I stayed up until 1 am again in order to complete the homework. Additionally, I was not able to access any of the books online from my school computer due to the school administration blocking the company's Google Drive, and so I am currently working on reading the PDFs of the books off of my phone in my free time. The SAT course ended actually just last weekend, and I had raised my practice test score from 1230 to 1420, and continue to study 2 hours every day for the SAT to practice math and vocabulary words on top of 5 AP classes and three sports. I hope to perform well on the SAT, and would truly appreciate winning this scholarship.

I love math because it allows me to rationalize the world around me, helping solve practical problems and working to understand the ways to aid others in my life. Additionally, I want to become a math major from a top business school in order to go into economics and become a financial advisor, or start my own business and inspire others while learning to make a profit on my own. I believe math can provide a pathway to any career in the world, and it is truly inspiring to see all that has already been done by individuals who chose to incorporate math into their daily lives. Take for instance Albert Einstein, who was considered a social outcast by many but eventually became one of the most famous scientists in the world. Science and math don't even count as the same subject, but they blend in amazing ways that allow us to measure, build, and shape the world around us into whatever we want it to be. Physics, calculus, and mechanics are all tools that can be used to change our world instantly, simply by doing a math equation. I know of no other subject or part of core education that can do the same, and that is why I love math: not because I got a good grade on a test, or only because I love equations and their logic, but because it can help me become whoever I want to be.

My goals are to graduate high school at the top of my class, get into Georgetown University and then Harvard or Duke for graduate school as a Math and Business major (with English as minor). From there I will get a job on Wall Street or attend the top culinary school in America and start my own restaurant, giving food to the homeless and to shelters at the end of the day or if they come in asking with no money. I want to work in charity and have the resources to donate to these organizations and maybe even start my own, so I am aiming for a business major since businessmen are currently earning above the national wage level. I also enjoy math, which is why I want to have a math major since math is helpful in business and I’d enjoy doing it as part of my job. In the summers, I would travel on missionary trips with my church or on my own, since I’ve always wanted to see the world, and help people in more rural and less fortunate areas outside of the US in my spare time. Receiving this scholarship would help me in achieving this goal, cutting the cost of college and allowing me to focus on improving my education so that I can make myself into the most likely pick for the schools of my dreams. By going to college, I would be able to work my way toward a masters degree, and receiving a degree from a prestigious school in that field would allow me to reach my goals and become the person giving the resources to those who need them, as I’ve always wanted to. I would finally have enough resources to help those around me, and fulfill my duty to give back to the community and country that had given me so much. Others may need this scholarship more than me, and if they do, I want this to be given to them instead. I don’t want to take from others while working to give to others; I aim to work toward helping others with numerous resources without becoming corrupt or being unable to see the people right outside my door in need of help because my eyes are so fixed on those overseas, or vice versa. I sincerely hope that my application will be considered, and appreciate the time that has been taken to give this opportunity to others.

As a child, I always enjoyed seeing hungry people eat. It sounds strange, but whenever my parents came home and I’d already eaten, I would be content to sit and watch them satisfy their hunger, their problems becoming less serious, their frowns disappearing. I knew nothing about cooking, but that I loved to help cheer others up by giving them food. I started making birthday cakes, muffins, bread, dinners, anything I could find a recipe on. I wanted to feel the satisfaction of giving others something that would make them happy. Food is a magic often unrecognized by people, but the effect it has on those who need it doesn’t go unnoticed. That’s why I want to be a part of that movement to bring others happiness and encouragement in the midst of whatever they may be facing, by giving them something to enjoy, and reminding them to stop and smell the roses. We all need an outlet to comfort ourselves, and food is the perfect source. That’s why I want to earn a culinary degree. With a culinary degree from a respectable school, I would be able to spread the joy of cooking through opening my own company, starting a philanthropic based bakery, as I’ve always wanted to do. Extra goods at the end of the day would be handed out to people on the streets and donated to shelters, and the tips gotten from customers would be used to supply shelters and those less fortunate with clothing and food. I believe that food shouldn’t just be for those able to afford it, but for everyone, the poor and rich together, enjoying a good meal and the happiness that comes with it. Food is universal, and good food should be shared by all, made with a purpose and given freely.

Success for me is having the power to help others achieve anything they want in life. Making a lot of money and buying nice cars is what everyone pictures success as, but really in the end the only thing that matters is the impact you have on others’ lives. We aren’t here to make a name for ourselves, but to be that lifesaver in a sea of cruelty. We should help the impoverished, disadvantaged, and homeless whenever we can. By doing so we become richer than our wildest dreams, in a way that can never be taken from us. Others might dream of fame or fortune, but all I want to do is earn the power to help others. Whether that be by building shelters for the homeless, buying apartment buildings for free rooming, or starting my own company that gives free meals to the impoverished, I would be able to help those with less than me in a way that I cannot in my current situation. By achieving a solid education and being hired by the top charities, or making money through a business company, after college I’d finally be able to do what I’ve always wanted, and help everyone around me without having to worry about limits. I wouldn’t be giving twenty dollars to a person on the side of the road, I’d be buying them a house, funding their education, offering them free meals for an entire year. And so on. The higher I climb, I want to always know that others will see me as someone who sticks to their promises, and doesn’t become greedy at the sight of money. While having a big house or not having to worry about taxes would be nice, I would be happy simply being able to give back to my community and living on an average wage, knowing that what I’ve done in my life to make a difference in others’ lives, as well as the educational and economic achievements I’ve made along the way are enough to remember. I don’t want to be an average run of the mill high school student, dreaming of Harvard or Yale and then attending the local community college. I have dreams, but I don’t want to lose my head in the clouds. I want to have my feet on the ground, creating goals for later in life but not relying on luck to make my living. Yes, earning a scholarship would be helpful financially, but I’m not going to rely on the chance of winning money to get me all the way to college. I plan on achieving as much as I can academically, athletically, and financially while in high school, and if I end up not getting any scholarships, I’ll work my way through it on pure grit and determination. I want others to have that confidence in life, and that means providing them and their children the opportunities that I’ve had, so that they can grow and learn everything they can before being turned loose into the world. I want others to be positively impacted by my work, and I want to die knowing that I’ve helped others live. Both educationally and emotionally, I want to provide enough support for those around me to be able to stop worrying about their next meal, or disease, or how their loans will get paid, and be able to experience the wonderful life they’ve been given. No human should have to worry about food, water, or medical help, and no student should be committing suicide because they’re too deep in debt to pay back loans. Everyone should have access to shelter, education, and most of all, OPTIONS. Lots of charities encourage giving to those less fortunate, but once those people have food, money, or a job, they’re turned out and ignored as all of the attention is focused on those in worse need. This isn’t a bad thing, but it is devastating to have always dreamed of being in law enforcement, say, and then forced into a desk job. Having a job is fortunate, but my goal is to go further and offer those less fortunate the chance to choose to be what they want to-the chance they’ve never had. If I win this scholarship, I swear to you that I’ll always give everything I have to everyone who needs it, and I’ll never turn my back on anyone, not for anything. I appreciate your consideration of my submission and hope to be given the opportunity to make my goal happen.