When you're the only child, you're also the only test subject—every parenting decision lands directly on you. As an only-child in a single parent household, I have learned the importance of relying on myself, and the value of creativity. In addition, the experience of growing up as an only child has helped me develop a strong sense of responsibility, a mature perspective, and a close bond with my mother. Being an only child, I often look at my mother, and I wonder to myself, “What would my life be like if I had siblings? What would I do differently? Who would I be?” But I also realize that my own unique experience had shaped who I am. Being an only child taught me early in my life that independence isn’t just a trait—it’s a lifestyle, a process of continuous learning. This “lifestyle” involves a lot of self-reflection and analysis of past mistakes so that I could better myself. I have learned to rely on myself while witnessing how my mom had to do everything for my well-being while still balancing work and home. Watching my mom be self-motivated by setting goals for herself and achieving them, and self- sufficient by developing skills like financial management so that she can support both of us has also given me the resources to manage life on my own. There are also many personal challenges that come with being my mom’s only child, such as pressure to meet her high expectations. As I get older and hear my peers talk about how their parents' attention is only on their siblings, and they don’t really have bonding time, I appreciate the time I have with my mom. Sometimes these moments are interrupted with requests by my mom to do the dishes, clean the house or start the laundry. It’s at those moments that I wish I had a younger brother or sister to push some of this work onto. But as the only child I realise that these responsibilities are meant to assist my mother. All these moments helping my mother has taught me the self-sufficiency and discipline that is necessary for me to grow and thrive. All of these household responsibilities that I have to do on my own, have helped me become the person that I am today. The dedication that I put into helping my mother has transferred into school such as making sure that my grades are outstanding, and dedicating myself to participate in extra curricular activities. Being an only child I feel that I have a much more mature perspective and I have also learned a lot about navigating the world in a way that would benefit me in the future. I have learned to advocate for myself- asking for assistance when needed and joining programs that would benefit me. As an only child with an independent “lifestyle” I often stand in the intersection of expectations and desires. Navigating the silent pressure of being the only child while trying to accomplish my family's hopes - a challenge which while intimidating, became a powerful source of self-reliance and motivation has kept me growing to become the person that I am today. This motivates me to work harder so that I can complete all of my goals in a timely manner, and pushes me to succeed so that I could make my family proud, but most of all myself proud.

I am applying to this scholarship because it exemplifies more than just financial support, it is an opportunity to continue pursuing my goals after high school and an opportunity to contribute to my future career of what I would like to be architecture. I would like to continue to pursue and achieve my goals with ambition, drive, and a desire to make a meaningful impact in the world and in my community. Education has always been my main path towards building a better future for myself and others around me, and I have always told myself that I will strive to do better for myself so that I could give back to many communities and make the world a better place. Even though there were and are going to be many challenges along this process, I am still going to make sure that I push through and do my best to achieve my goals, so that I could be successful. As a high school student balancing school and outside activities can be a challenge, but it is all about balance and hard work. I have done many acts of community service and volunteering inside and outside of school which has landed me the position to be accepted into the National Honors Society. I have also been in many clubs in school such as MSK (My Sisters' Keeper) and the Caribbean Club. While participating in these clubs I still have some academic challenges, so I take full advantage of the resources that are in my school to help further my education, so that I can succeed to the best of my ability. There are also many other opportunities that I find very helpful, and there are also some that my mom introduced to me so that I can gain more knowledge. I am so thankful for all of these helpful resources and can't wait to finish my education so that I can pursue my dream career. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to apply to this scholarship.

From an early age- math has always been one of my favorite subjects. Math is not only just a subject in school, it is a language that explains how the world works, and we use it in our everyday life. I love learning math because it challenges me to think critically and solve problems in creative ways. Even though I don’t really like formulas, they are helpful, every formula has a purpose and every solution gives me a sense of accomplishment. Math has also taught me determination. There have been many times that I have struggled with a problem or a certain topic in class but learning to break down the problem step by step and work with others to fully understand the problem has also connected to life. These specific lessons have carried over into every part of my life, which mostly pertain to my education, and future career, such as teamwork, time management, and learning how to manage my money. Math teaches me to think, and not just how to think, it encourages me to approach challenges logically and to also be open to many possible solutions. Most importantly, I love math because its very inspirational. Math empowers innovation and discovery, and I want to continue using it to make a positive impact in the world.

My name is Hayley Rainey and I am a senior in high school. My chosen major that I would like to pursue in college is Architecture. As I currently have an architecture course that I am taking in high school, I also like to participate in many acts of community service and volunteering. This shows my dedication to pursue my career, while still giving back and helping my community. I plan to make a positive impact on the world through my chosen field by creating and constructing affordable and sustainable projects that would benefit communities and help those that are in need have shelter. The USMC Sgt. Owen J. Lennon Memorial Scholarship would greatly support my passion to pursue my masters in Architecture by easing the financial burden of school, while still allowing me to focus and continue on my academic excellence and growth. Architecture is a demanding field that requires a lot of time, effort, consistency, and patience, and this scholarship will help contribute to the financial stability that I would need to fully engage with my studies. In addition, Sgt. Lennon’s legacy of service and sacrifice aligns with my own commitments of community service and volunteering to give back the community. His example of his drive inspires me to balance professional ambition with civic responsibility. This inspiration will come handy as I use my architectural knowledge and skills to design spaces that strengthen neighborhoods and promote sustainable projects. With this scholarship, I would have the flexibility to continue volunteering, doing acts of service and participating in community based designs that will help better many communities without compromising my academic goals. It would give me the opportunity to channel my passion for architecture toward a meaning and social impact. Ultimately, this scholarship would not only help and support me to achieve my educational objectives but it will also allow me to honor his legacy through purposeful work that benefits others and many communities around the world. Receiving the USMC Sgt. Owen J. Lennon Memorial Scholarship would also motivate me to embody the same values of leadership, perseverance, and service. Through my studies in architecture, I hope to design projects that will bring people together and improve the quality of life with many different communities. The scholarship’s support would allow me to dedicate more time to mastering my craft, collaborating with peers, and pursuing community-based design initiatives that create lasting, positive change.I am inspired to honor Sgt. Lennon’s memory by making a meaningful impact in my field and my community. I am thankful I was given the opportunity to apply to this scholarship.

My NYC public school experience has taught me a lot. While being in the public school system for over 9 years I have learned that my voice matters and that I have to continue to advocate for myself. As I was in a NYC Public elementary school it fun and I didn't really worry about growing up, I would say to my friends, "I can't wait to be a big kid!". But, when I got to highschool I realized that life and worrying about your grades became serious and I have learned a handful in the past few years. These lessons will help me in the long run especially for college because I have learned that opportunites and resources are not just going to be handed in my lap. I learned that I have to speak up to find different opportunites that will benefit me. From being the only child and making new frieids while doing clubs and extra curriculars, I have gained connections, and have learned about opportunites that has helped me tremendously throughout my NYC public school experience. I am so greatful for these opprotunites, and what they have taught me, and I will now carry these lessons into my college exoperince. I have overcome many obstacles like being stressed about my grades, and not knowing how I was going to pass a class that I had difficultiy in. But, using the resources such as tutoring and office hours that my school has provided me has really helped me overcome those challenges. There are many things that motivate me such as my goals that I want to accomplish and my family, I want to not only make them proud, but I also want to make myslef proud. This scholarship will help me take the next step into my education by providing some financial relief, which will alow me to focus on my education and college applications. This scholarship will also help demonstrate my hardwork, determination, and ambition for my next chapter, which is getting me ready for my future career. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to apply to this scholarship.