Throughout my life, I’ve learned not of my faithfulness to God, but rather of God's faithfulness to me. A pivotal moment in my faith was in 2023; I was seventeen years old when I learned that my sister’s first baby was going to die. She found out at her 20 week ultrasound that his head hadn’t fully developed in the womb and he was missing the top of his skull. My family and I knew God could perform miracles, so we prayed and prayed for weeks for this little child, asking God for help. I remember one day in particular, when I was silently praying to God, pouring out my heart, just like Hannah. Hannah had poured her heart out to God, asking Him to give her a son. I pleaded with God, “Please. Please Lord, heal this baby, save him.” And God answered, “No.” I knew at that moment that this was final, but I wasn’t angry with Him; in fact I didn’t even ask why. God had comforted me, giving me an indescribable peace. He was telling me to trust Him. I felt reminded by Him, “I have plans, plans not to hurt you, but to build you up.” Even when I didn’t understand, I knew I could trust in Him. Now, that doesn’t mean it didn’t hurt. I was very sad when the baby passed a few hours after birth, but God held me in His arms. That though, was only the beginning of my suffering. A few months later, I was told my mom was diagnosed with a brain tumor. As she was healthy and fit, the news came very unexpectedly. It was a scary time for me and my family—we didn’t know if her tumor could be removed or treated. When we found out that the tumor had grown in her brain stem, I wondered if she was going to survive, as surgeons explained that the fourth ventricle was a difficult location to operate in. The thought of losing my mom hit me hard, and I kept asking God, why? Why God, would you allow this right after our last tragedy? I wrestled a lot with God, struggling to submit to His plan. But God who is patient and faithful, begged the question, “Are you willing to love me, even if I won’t save your mom?” After a lot of prayer, I finally submitted, “Whatever your plan is God, I will trust you. If you save my mom or not, I will still follow you.” She underwent brain surgery and survived, though the tumor wasn’t able to be removed. God continues to teach me to trust in his faithfulness as he helps us navigate this ongoing trial. I’ve learned through pain, to praise Him and to trust Him. God uses trials to refine our faith. God is faithful, even when we are faithless. He works all the bad for our good. As Job said, are we only to accept the good from God and not the bad? Even if I don’t get this scholarship I know God will provide.

I’ve always had a love for art, whether it was coloring, drawing, digital or painting. This is why I’m using my passion for art to pursue my Bachelor’s of Science degree in Computer Animation. For years my artwork was primarily charcoal and pencil. I didn’t start using watercolor until recently. It has always been a challenge for me to use it properly. As a perfectionist, I disliked how I could never keep it within the “lines.” So, my mom decided it was a good idea for me to take a watercolor class. It really opened my eyes to the craft, helping me to see the different ways it could be used. I learned to relax and be okay with mistakes and understand that art isn’t perfect—just like life. Since then, I have loved it! Now, Watercolor is not just another medium to me, but a way to express my emotions. It captures what I’m thinking and how I feel more than any other art form. It has such a unique look: beautiful, powerful, yet gentle. I enjoy flipping through children’s books and graphic novels, and seeing the amazing watercolor illustrations that are painted. I love the soft touches of the paint, showing emotion and depth. It has such a signature look, distinguished from any other illustrative art form. A lot of my inspiration has come from kids' books and has influenced my artwork. My two watercolor pieces are ones quite personal to me. The first piece is one of a green forest, where a little red barn sits. Children run and play in this forest, happily. This reflects me and my family. We had moved a lot over the years, and one of the places we lived was Norway. This was my favorite place we have traveled to. It really felt like home. I was devastated when we had to move again, because I loved it so much there. It’s an art piece of “homesickness” and where many strong memories were made. The second piece is one of a family huddled together sitting by the firelight. All the children are looking up to their father sadly as their father listens to their story they tell. This shows the hard times my family and I had to undergo. Even with all the trials and hardships, we’d stand together.

If you asked me five years ago what I thought about cancer, I would have responded that it’s something that happens to other people. It’s not something I would ever have to think about. But when the disease shows up, it shows up when you’re least expecting it. I was only seventeen-years-old when I was told my mom had a brain tumor. As she was healthy and fit, the news came unexpectedly. It was a scary time for me and my family. We didn’t know if her tumor could be removed or treated. When we found out that her tumor had grown on her brain stem, I wondered if she was going to survive, as surgeons explained that the fourth ventricle was a difficult location to operate in. The thought of losing my mom hit me hard, as I felt I hadn’t prioritized our relationship and still need more time with her. So I decided to change that. I’ve spent the last two years getting to know her better. In a way, you can say the tumor gave me a deeper and stronger relationship with her. We still don’t know how long she has, as the tumor is inoperable. And although her health is failing, our relationship is thriving. Additionally, we had life changes that affected our family. Due to medical bills, my parents made the decision to sell our house and move somewhere less expensive. Norway. I was sad to leave all I knew behind—friends, family, our home— we had to get rid of everything! We could only bring our suitcases and nine boxes of possessions. Considering we are a family of six, we had only a sliver of our stuff. It was a super difficult transition; moving to a different country where we had to learn the language and the culture. In Norway, my dad had to get a second job. As the oldest child(at home), I’ve had to step up, helping where I could, especially when my mom has difficulties due to her symptoms. The tumor affects her sight, balance, energy and memory. My mom’s cancer definitely changed all our lives. For a time, I had to put aside college, in order to help the family. It caused me to grow up fast. I’ve had to learn more in one year that other kids my age. Waking up at the crack of dawn I would bake breakfast for my dad and siblings, making sure everyone was fed. I’d also pack lunches for them. Cleaning the house, laundry, walking to the grocery shopping, dog walking, and making dinner are all additional chores that I needed to jump in and do. Through my experience, I’ve learned to prioritize relationships, to step up and to work hard. To sacrifice my dreams for someone else. Learning the true meaning of love. Love is sacrificial. Receiving this scholarship would mean so much to me. With the debts that we already have as a family, I don’t want my parents to worry about college bills. With this scholarship I’d be able to pay a significant amount of my student debt, allowing me to earn my Bachelor’s of Science degree in Computer Animation. With this degree I hope to inspire others.

If you asked me five years ago what I thought of brain cancer, I would have responded that it’s something that happens to other people… right? It’s not something I would ever need to really think about. But when the disease shows up, it shows up when you are least expecting it. I was seventeen-years-old when I was told that my mom had a brain tumor. As she was healthy and fit, the news came unexpectedly. It was a scary time for me and my family—we didn’t know if her tumor could be removed or treated. When we found out that the tumor had grown on her brain stem, I wondered if she was going to survive, as surgeons explained that the fourth ventricle was a difficult location to operate in. The thought of losing my mom hit me hard, as I felt I hadn’t prioritized our relationship and still needed more time with her. So, I decided to change that. I’ve spent the last two years getting to know her better. In a way, you can say the tumor gave me a deeper and stronger relationship with her. We still don’t know how long she has, as the tumor is inoperable. And although her health is failing, our relationship is alive and thriving. If doctors never discovered the tumor, who knows if I’d know my mom as well as I do today. Additionally, we had life changes that affected our family. Due to medical bills, my parents made the decision to sell our house and move somewhere less expensive. My dad had to get a second job. As the oldest child (at home), I’ve had to step up—helping out where I could—especially when my mom has had difficulties due to her symptoms. The tumor affects her sight, balance, energy and memory. My mom’s cancer definitely changed all our lives. For a time, I had to put aside college, in order to help the family. It caused me to grow up fast. I’ve had to learn more in one year than other kids my age. Waking up at the crack of dawn I would bake breakfast for my dad and siblings, making sure everyone was fed. I’d also pack lunches for them. Cleaning the house, laundry, grocery shopping, dog walking, and making dinner are all additional chores that I needed to jump in and do. In 2024, my mom underwent a biopsy, but it was unsuccessful. The cost of her procedure was more than my family could afford. But, we weren’t alone. Those closest to us and our community helped by providing meals, yard work, paying some medical expenses, and encouragement. I am so grateful for our church community who has walked alongside us in this difficult journey. I am a Christian, and I firmly believe that God took care of us, providing all that we needed, not only through those closest to us, but also strangers. I’ll always, and forever, be grateful for everyone who helped us in this challenging time. Receiving this Scholarship would mean so much to me. With the debts that we already have as a family, I don’t want my parents to worry about college bills. With this scholarship I’d be able to pay a significant amount of my student debt, allowing me to earn my Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Animation. With this degree I hope to inspire others to know that cancer doesn’t have to keep us from the pursuit of our passions