Rock climbing has always been an activity I enjoyed since I was a kid, but it was not until 2021 that it became a core part of my identity. Back in 2021, a friend of mine who I was visiting was working at a climbing gym and she took me bouldering with her. A light bulb went off when I was at the climbing gym with her, and I realized this was something I wanted to pursue on a regular basis. I have had chronic pain in my neck and back for years, and I realized that climbing was a way to develop and strengthen these muscles, while still having fun and engaging in the creative problem solving process. I had no idea at the time just how much I would get out of rock climbing. I had just started living in Helena, Montana at the time and all they had there was a tiny bouldering gym, but that was enough for me. I didn't even have a car at the time, so I was constantly trying to convince my friends to go climbing with me. It was a great way to build bonds and community in my new home of Helena. It was at this time I started dating my current partner, and I got him into climbing as well. We moved to Maine for the summer and climbed as many days per week as we could both in the gym and outside on ocean-side boulders. Now, we live in Denver and we climb together several days a week. Climbing has been an incredible bonding and trust-building exercise for us as a couple. It has also fostered my personal growth in incredible ways. It has taught me to trust myself, to focus, and to be present in the moment. It has made me the strongest I've ever been physically, and mentally. My confidence and self esteem have grown. I am currently pursuing my Masters in Social Work and I often get asked what I do for self-care activities outside of school. My first answer is always climbing because of the physical and mental benefits I reap. It has enhanced my connection with nature and grounded me into the Earth. With my degree, I intend to help individuals dealing with mental illness and trauma through nature therapy, animal-assisted therapy, and horticulture therapy on my own therapy farm. I plan to integrate a rock climbing program into this organization because I have seen how much it has fostered my own growth, and I want others to experience the same. Completing this Masters degree is challenging, time consuming, and expensive. On top of our courses, we are also required to complete an unpaid internship 16 hours per week which leaves little opportunity to earn money. This scholarship will help ease some of that burden so that I can focus more on my education and become the best social worker I can be for those in need.