My favorite way to help others is to provide them with basic needs. Whether that is bringing them food, school supplies, clothing or even lending a listening ear. One of my favorite memories is when I was on a mission trip in Houston, Texas and my youth group was helping put up drywall and paint. The homeowners wanted to help as much as they could. However, this homeowner was an 89-year-old lady who had lived in that house her whole life. When she came to her house toward the end of the first day working on it, she was amazed. She fell on her knees and started crying with joy that someone was willing to help her.

I believe everyone should stand up for educational inequity. For me, I understand education inequity on a level for myself. My high school is in an agricultural small community where a majority of the members do have a higher education past high school but live in debt. My high school pushes each student to try to go to a college, university, or trade school. Many of my classmates that graduated when to a trade school, university, or college. Although, many classmates went that does not mean that we did not have inequity in our school. Our school has some of the lowest test scores in the state. That does not mean that the students are not smart but that because of teaching faculty that our school highers and the priority of extracurriculars over the education does not help prepare the students. Many of my classmates felt that we came into college not as prepared as students who went to school that surrounded our high school. I felt that I did not know the material that I needed for my general classes and that some of the material was never taught to me. If people do not know if they should stand up for educational inequity then what they should ask themselves is, do they want to see the nation grow to improve the quality of life for every individual? Because if they reply, yes, then in the classroom where most American's spend their childhood learn should be priority number one.

My name is Faith Weiland, I am a junior at South Dakota State University. I am pursuing a degree in Exercise Science, Pre-Physical Therapy. I come from a small agricultural town where I saw a lot of substance use from many members of my community. The biggest substance use that has continued to be visible in my life is alcohol. From a young age, I was introduced to what a functioning alcoholic looks like as my uncle is one. I have seen how that has impaired his relationship with his children and those in the community. One of my best friend's dads had been in and out of rehabilitation centers for his alcoholism. This caused stress and strain on not only the marriage but also on their family dynamics. In the end, the marriage ended in a divorce. The father is no longer able to attend this daughter's extracurricular activities that are on school grounds because of this temper while intoxicated. To make a positive impact on the world, I believe in using social media to reach the younger generation about Substance Use Disorders and stigmas that fall around them. By using social media you can share testimonies from individuals who are on their journey in recovery to the caregivers of a loved one who struggles with Substance Use Disorder. To reach the older population of the world the use of Facebook to share resources or articles or testimonies for them to see in a way that is more suitable to their liking. As the younger generation likes to receive their information fact and through something to catch their eyes, like Snapchat, TikTok, or Instagram. Sharing in the use of social media can spark the idea in others' eyes to research and be an advocate for those whose voices are not heard as loudly as they should be. I want to educate others by creating a personalized platform for each different target population in my community. For example, in my small town, there are a lot of minors who have access to alcohol and host parties. To reach those individuals, educational posters, formal talks and those same boring presentations do not reach the individuals who need the most help. I believe that having those hard conversations about substance use on personal levels, providing information for those who want to get further help, and providing an accountability system for the individuals who are experiencing peer pressure. In small towns, like where I am from, it is considered a normal and cool thing for minors to drink or do illegal drugs. By erasing that normalization of minors consuming alcohol and providing a positive outlook on the fact that these minors do illegal substances while at home and not at college. I have grown up knowing that drinking changes a person and I have seen it first hand. I want to use my story and the story of so many others in my community to present that you can still have a good time and be "cool" without being under the influence of substances. To help people who are recovering, I want to be a listening ear and to be there when they are struggling. No one should have to go through any journey that is hard like this alone.

The most helpful piece of financial advice I was given was by my grandma. She said," Never underestimate the damage from an unexpected situation. Always be prepared and save more than you spend."

My mom has stage 4 breast cancer and this year after she was fully vaccinated we took a mother-daughter spring break trip to the Arches in Moab, Utah. Hiking was outside of my mom's wheelhouse and I am always down for exploring the beautiful world but doing it safely. This image represents the joy that I experienced while being on a trip I was never supposed to get. I was overwhelmed with joy for being able to see the beautiful Arches, for walking around there with my mom, and for being able to spend the time with her.

In high school, I was a three-sport athlete and was always competing against my teammates to be the best. When I started college I was still on a sports team where I could keep my love for fitness and running in high drive. During the pandemic, I obtained an injury that put my fitness on hold. I had been through injuries before but I was always able to maintain some fitness. However, I had partially torn ligaments in my hip that would forbid me from doing anything that involved fitness. I was able to reflect on how my passion for running and fitness was much greater than just being able to compete on a team. Throughout the many virtual physical therapy sessions and the small amount of exercise I was allowed to do, I saw how happy I was when I could exercise. Staying fit helps keep me grounded in knowing what my body needs and wants. Along with being able to challenge the emotions I was feeling and put them into the workout. I found that after putting all my heart into a workout I was able to see my situation clearly. Staying fit is my way of de-stressing and being able to prove a positive outlook on everything that gets thrown my way, while having a good time and a good sweat going.

In my community, there are many different areas of need in such a small community. I have created awareness of many available programs to help assist those in need financially in my community. I made members of my community aware by repainted a sign for the local Faith In Action organization. I have volunteered with Faith In Action organization by organizing canned food drives. I also participated in the Angel Tree program and helping package the Angel Tree gifts for the families. I have volunteered with the local Meals on Wheels program to deliver meals to the elderly or homebound. I have volunteered to helped prepare and serve meals for the homeless at The Banquet. I collected and donated clothing with my church group for families that are in need. I have gathered personal hygiene products for the St. Francis House with my church group. I have planted flowers in a local flower bed with my 4H club. I believe that the impact on my community through my actions has been positive. Many of the families that I have helped have expressed gratitude toward my gestures. I also believe that I have to help to create normalcy during the holidays. My impacts are not just on those who I am helping but those who are alongside me volunteering. I have learned that my actions impact those who I am serving and those who I serve alongside. Through many years, I believe that I have helped others see the joy that helping others creates. I noticed that I experienced those who volunteer to see it as an opportunity for outreach and enjoyment instead of work or punishment. In the future, I hope to improve the opportunities available for those in middle and high school to be able to help small organizations and businesses to help find their future career path. I want to improve the transparency between the organization that helping financially so that community members know where to go for the right help. I want to improve the local flower bed that my 4H club has adopted. I want to make that flower bed provide some brightness throughout the year. I also want to use the flower bed to educate the community about agricultural opportunities in town.

I grew up in a strong Christian family. We were that family would be at church in their stop every Sunday and was always help out at church functions. During my 8th grade year, my mom drove my brother, sister, and three church friends to a youth conference. On the way there, we were on the interstate where we hit a patch of black ice, crossed the median, and got struck by a semi-truck. One of the church friends got ejected from the vehicle and died on the scene. My sister sustained a traumatic brain bleed. Others received minor injuries from whiplash, and I received a concussion. From that day, I was so angry with God. Why was my family put through another challenge like this? What did we do wrong? I felt defeated with my faith. I had experienced something I never want anyone to have to watch. I had spent many days sitting in the chapel talking to God, asking him to help me understand this. It was in one of those moments when I felt that changed forever. In my relationship with Christ at that time was me going through the motions. I have grown to build a stronger relationship and not just going through the motions. I have put Christ at the front of my life, in all of my actions, thoughts, and relationships.

Mental health has changed my beliefs about all that mental health involves. I experience my battle with mental health during my freshman year of college. I thought that mental health was just something that people who grew up in difficult situations experienced. Going to college opened my eyes to many of the stigmas that I believed about mental health. I learned that people in my everyday life were battling some mental health illness. I learned how to talk about mental health freely. The relationships that I have built since learning more about mental health and experiencing it first-hand have changed drastically. I am a very outgoing person and can form acquaintances very fast but taking the next step in any friendship is hard. I make sure that those with who I have a deeper relationship with I am continually asking about their days and make sure that they know it is a safe environment to talk with me about their mental health journey. I want to be a physical therapist when I finish school, but I want to be a Pediatric Physical therapist. I want to help improve their quality of life as a physical therapist, that is also a friend to listen to when they need one. I do not think that just because I am a physical therapist, I cannot do my job without knowing that my patients are getting quality care.