When the spotlight shines and the music begins, it’s more than just dancing. You get one chance to show the judges that you deserve that first-place medal among competitors from around the globe. I had been preparing for this moment for three years. Being invited to The Dance Worlds is a true honor, but earning a place there is never about luck. My first year, I didn’t even make finals. I had never felt such heartbreak before. No one understands how competitive dance truly is-it demands blood, sweat, and countless tears as you compete against teams from Japan, England, and beyond. My second year at Worlds, I was on fire. I had shifted my mindset and wanted it more than anything. If I could win, maybe my coach would respect me. We made it to finals and were in second place-I thought, this is it. But when the awards came, we ended up fourth. That year, some of my other teammates took home the winning dance. Watching my teammates receive their winning medals and rings was more than just dancing. I couldn’t be upset-they earned that victory. What really hurt was not feeling that winning moment myself. I had never felt such a deep sense of failure. Was my dream even worth chasing? Something inside me told me it was-that this would be my year. Still, with doubts in my head, I was mentally exhausted. Practicing from five to ten every day after school, a job, and worrying what my parents thought- I was not okay. I never thought anything would be good enough for anyone. This past year, I was placed on a team where everyone had a medal except me. I wanted to perform on that World’s stage and prove I was good enough. I went through all the blood, sweat, and many tears by myself. I’d never felt so alone working toward something that I wanted so badly. Finals day came. I had one more shot to get the first place I deserved. I wasn’t going to let anyone take it from me. Being on the ramp about to get announced to go on stage, I was so nervous but so ready. “Now welcoming to the stage, The Vision Dance Center Open Lyrical,” they announced as my teammate squeezed my hand and said, “Let's do this, Harp.” Right then, I knew I had it. It was more than just dancing when we finished our dance and had hundreds of people cheering for us as we walked off. After coming off the stage, we all cried and hugged each other-having it be the seniors’ last time dancing and knowing we did our very best. Later, we watched as they announced each team’s placement. Finally, top two-we still had a chance. “And finally, our first-place winners taking home the gold medals are… The Vision Dance Center!” I was living a dream. Gold confetti rained down and cameras focused on my team. We had just become first in the world, competing against teams from everywhere. Three years later, with a medal around my neck and a ring on my finger, I was truly the best in the world. It was more than just dancing when I had completed the biggest goal I had for myself. Dance has taught me so much more than how to win. It showed me who my people are and to never give up on myself, even when I don’t reach my goals right away. Achieving anything takes time, and I trust that my life follows God’s plan. Dance has taught me that when no one else believes in me, I believe in myself-because, in the end, that’s all I truly have. Every struggle was worth it, because this dream didn’t just make me a champion; it shaped who I am today. It was always more than just dancing.

Ever since I was a little girl, I have loved being myself. I have always been a leader, not a follower, and growing up, that hasn’t changed. Now, as a senior in high school, I am ready to leave my hometown and see the world. Getting accepted into Tarleton State has made the first part of my dream possible. I first realized I wanted to go far when I was 13. I felt stuck in the same bubble I had been in my whole life, and I knew I didn’t want to follow the common paths of becoming a doctor or teacher. I wanted to be Harper. From that moment on, I became focused on creating the life I imagined for myself. I took my grades seriously, which has led me to a 4.02 GPA. Along the way, I discovered that I love working with people. That interest opened my eyes to studying business and marketing and eventually becoming a social media manager. I realized my passion for social media when I saw how powerful it can be. I’m inspired by the impact thoughtful content can create. My academic goal is to master the skills behind digital marketing and learn what captures the attention of the everyday viewer. What excites me most about this path is the opportunity to work with people and help brands discover their purpose through social media—just like I found mine. With this being my goal I have worked in retail for 3 years. I work at a women owned boutique, Jones and Daughters. Working there I have done social media and branding online. I continue to practice with my own branding on my personal social media accounts. One of the reasons I chose Tarleton State is because it is right by downtown Dallas, one of my favorite cities. I plan on doing internships and taking my future steps with companies located there. I also plan to try out for the Tarleton State Dance Team, combining my academic goals with my passion for performance. My love for dance also started when I was a little girl. I have done Allstar competitive dance for 5 years and before that regular studio dance. This past April I won my first gold medal at The Dance Worlds with my teammates. It was such an honor to be invited and then win. Through my school I am a part of Yearbook, NHS, Tutoring, Girl up, CAST, Dance Team Captain, and Book Club. I love being involved and helping in my community.As a dancer, I am very involved in the dance world, and I would love to create a “Dancer Closet” where people could donate gently used dance costumes, shoes, and accessories to support underprivileged dancers and studios. Funding could also go toward scholarships, which are often limited since many schools see dance as an art rather than a sport. I would serve by organizing donations, coordinating their distribution, and mentoring younger dancers on technique, performance, and confidence. Volunteers could help sort and clean donations, assist at fundraising events, and run donation drives. Together, we could provide resources, mentorship, and opportunities, ensuring all dancers have the chance to pursue their passion regardless of financial barriers.

Ever since I was a little girl, I have loved being my girly self. I have always been a leader, not a follower, and growing up, that hasn’t changed. Now, as a senior in high school, I am ready to leave my hometown and see the world. Getting accepted into Tarleton State has made the first part of my dream possible. I first realized I wanted to go far when I was 13. I felt stuck in the same bubble I had been in my whole life, and I knew I didn’t want to follow the common paths of becoming a doctor or teacher. I wanted to be Harper. From that moment on, I became focused on creating the life I imagined for myself. I took my grades seriously, which has led me to a 4.02 GPA. Along the way, I discovered that I love working with people. That interest opened my eyes to studying business and marketing and eventually becoming a social media manager. I realized my passion for social media when I saw how powerful it can be. I’m inspired by the impact thoughtful content can create. My academic goal is to master the skills behind digital marketing and learn what captures the attention of the everyday viewer. What excites me most about this path is the opportunity to work with people and help brands discover their purpose through social media—just like I found mine. With this being my goal I have worked in retail for 3 years. I work at a women owned boutique, Jones and Daughters. Working there I have done social media and branding online. I continue to practice with my own branding on my personal social media accounts. One of the reasons I chose Tarleton State is because it is right by downtown Dallas, one of my favorite cities. I plan on doing internships and taking my future steps with companies located there. I also plan to try out for the Tarleton State Dance Team, combining my academic goals with my passion for performance. My love for dance also started when I was a little girl. I have done Allstar competitive dance for 5 years and before that regular studio dance. This past April I won my first gold medal at The Dance Worlds with my teammates. It was such an honor to be invited and then win. Through my school I am a part of Yearbook, NHS, Tutoring, Girl up, CAST, Dance Team Captain, and Book Club. I love being involved and helping in my community. This scholarship would allow me to continue dancing at the college level while mentoring younger dancers, passing on the passion and courage that have shaped who I am. I want to be the inspiration for the next little girl dancing in her mirror, encouraging her to believe in herself and follow her dreams.

Ever since I was a little girl, I have loved being myself. I have always been a leader, not a follower, and growing up, that hasn’t changed. Now, as a senior in high school, I am ready to leave my hometown and see the world. Getting accepted into Tarleton State has made the first part of my dream possible. I first realized I wanted to go far when I was 13. I felt stuck in the same bubble I had been in my whole life, and I knew I didn’t want to follow the common paths of becoming a doctor or teacher. I wanted to be Harper. From that moment on, I became focused on creating the life I imagined for myself. I took my grades seriously, which has led me to a 4.02 GPA. Along the way, I discovered that I love working with people. That interest opened my eyes to studying business and marketing and eventually becoming a social media manager. I realized my passion for social media when I saw how powerful it can be. I’m inspired by the impact thoughtful content can create. My academic goal is to master the skills behind digital marketing and learn what captures the attention of the everyday viewer. What excites me most about this path is the opportunity to work with people and help brands discover their purpose through social media—just like I found mine. With this being my goal I have worked in retail for 3 years. I work at a women owned boutique, Jones and Daughters. Working there I have done social media and branding online. I continue to practice with my own branding on my personal social media accounts. One of the reasons I chose Tarleton State is because it is right by downtown Dallas, one of my favorite cities. I plan on doing internships and taking my future steps with companies located there. I also plan to try out for the Tarleton State Dance Team, combining my academic goals with my passion for performance. My love for dance also started when I was a little girl. I have done Allstar competitive dance for 5 years and before that regular studio dance. This past April I won my first gold medal at The Dance Worlds with my teammates. It was such an honor to be invited and then win. Through my school I am apart of Yearbook, NHS, Tutoring, Girl up, CAST, Dance Team Captain, and Book Club. As a dancer, I am very involved in the dance world, and I would love to create a “Dancer Closet” where people could donate gently used dance costumes, shoes, and accessories to support underprivileged dancers and studios. Funding could also go toward scholarships, which are often limited since many schools see dance as an art rather than a sport. I would serve by organizing donations, coordinating their distribution, and mentoring younger dancers on technique, performance, and confidence. Volunteers could help sort and clean donations, assist at fundraising events, and run donation drives. Together, we could provide resources, mentorship, and opportunities, ensuring all dancers have the chance to pursue their passion regardless of financial barriers.

For as long as I can remember, dance has always been a part of my life. When I was a little girl, I would dance in my room in front of my mirror because that was where I felt most powerful and most myself. Now, as I graduate high school, I can say I competed at The Dance Worlds and earned a gold medal — an achievement that required my blood, sweat, and tears. It wasn’t easy getting there, getting to Worlds required 3 years of dedication and hard work. Dance is both an art and a sport that is often looked down upon, yet it is the greatest form of storytelling I know. No matter if you are a professional dancer or someone just learning, dance has the power to bring people together. On stage, competing, you feel the energy of every dancer working for first place. At a wedding, it celebrates two souls coming together. Even at small gatherings with friends or family, dance unites and inspires joy. Dance has not only shaped who I am but I have found myself through the art of dance. Being able to dance has given me the chance to express myself without talking. It has given me a reason to live, to push myself when I thought I couldn’t, and to be proud of my progress. It has taught me discipline, resilience, and leadership — skills that carry over into my academics, my work, and my life. I remember warming up before competing on The Worlds stage. I was getting yelled at by my coach and she threatened to take me off the dance right then and there. I told her I can do this and my teammate grabbed my hand and said “let’s do this Harp.” Later that night I ended up winning my first gold medal at Worlds. Moments like that have shown me that I can do anything if I believe in myself. Applying for this scholarship weighs on me with a heavy heart but also serves as a reminder. Jake was doing something he loved, something he had done since he was little — just like I did when I danced in front of my mirror. Life is never promised, even while doing what we love. This scholarship would allow me to continue dancing at the college level while mentoring younger dancers, passing on the passion and courage that have shaped who I am. I want to be the inspiration for the next little girl dancing in her mirror, encouraging her to believe in herself and follow her dreams.