The biggest problem I have overcome in my life has been my depression. While I admit that I have not fully overcame this struggle (and possibly never will completely), I have made incredible progress. My depression used to sap all of my energy. I could not get out of bed, accomplish daily tasks, or function as a person. I was determined to get better, but I also did not have the support system I needed to do so. Despite this, I still pushed myself to find a doctor, seek out therapy and even get myself proper treatment. It has been an incredibly difficult journey, especially having done it on my own, and the journey is not over but I know that is has and will continue to be worth it. This scholarship will help me give back to my community by allowing me to focus on my schooling rather than financial strain. I am going into college with the goal of being the best teacher I can possibly be, but I worry that if I am more focused on paying my tuition than learning all I can, I will not be able to help future students in the way they deserve. I would love to come back to my hometown to work at the local music center when I am done with college, but even if I do not return home I will be certain to take the skills this scholarship helps me achieve with me anywhere I do end up. I think that the biggest way to promote the hobby of philately to young people is to talk about it! I personally know many people who would likely be interested in collecting and studying postage stamps, but I did not know that was even a thing that existed until very recently. I believe that collecting stamps would be on the same level as collecting Pokémon cards in the sense that it would be a fun challenge to track down and obtain the rare ones or the ones you have not collected yet. There would also be a fun history aspect of it, which I know many people find interesting when starting a collection. There is also the fact that many younger generations are being drawn to things that seem vintage, old or antique, which may draw them to collecting old coins or stamps. I truly believe that this hobby could be an incredibly popular thing in the younger generations, and the biggest thing that we can do to spread it is to share and talk about it!

My mental health journey has taught me a lot about helping others. Through my own struggles with depression and anxiety, I have learned to be empathetic and a better listener, and I have become dedicated to helping others who are going through similar struggles. I am by no means a professional, but I believe it is my purpose in life to make things better for those around me, and if that means working with them through their periods of low mental health then that is what I will do. In my darkest moments, the people who supported me the most have been my music community. In particular my music teachers, who were there to notice my struggles, comfort and listen to me, and assist in finding more professional help when I needed it. When I went through my most severe depressive episode in high school (and, to this day, my worst ever), it was my choir director who called a wellness check to ensure I was safe. These experiences are what has inspired me to go into music education as a career path. Not only am I passionate about music, but I want to be able to provide the same safety net and comfort that my music teachers have given me. When I think about what kind of teacher I want to be, the first priority that comes to mind is creating a safe and welcoming classroom. I want students to be able to come to me with whatever struggles they are facing so that they don't have to go through them alone. I am by no means a professional, and I am not planning to be a therapist or doctor or psychologist, but I hope to know each of my students on a level that will allow me to notice when they are having a hard time and be able to help get them through it, even if that is by helping them find someone else to help. I can say in full honesty that I would not be alive today without my music teachers. There is no way I can pay them back entirely, but I will dedicate my life to giving that support to future kids going through the same struggles I have. If I can help even a single person, then I will consider my purpose in life complete.

When I was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder, a lot of things clicked into place. For years, I thought I was broken – feeling too much, not feeling the ‘right’ things, never able to hold onto a friendship. My mental health had always made life a struggle, especially when it came to school. If I found something difficult, I would immediately shut down. My mood swings were so unpredictable that it pushed people away which, paired with an extreme fear of any perceived form of abandonment, caused me to become isolated and lonely. I was scared to even try to make friends, knowing that they would eventually leave me anyways. Looking back, this behavior likely started as early as second grade, but it became increasingly visible during middle school. I would live like that for a very long time. To everyone else, I seemed like I was thriving. I was involved in extracurriculars, an honors student and an active musician. In reality, I was just keeping myself busy to drown out any chance of feeling my emotions. It was my junior year of high school that I finally burned out. Something had to change. At the time, I was a full-time student at the local community college. About a month into the semester, I fell into a deep depressive episode. With most of my classes being online, I managed to hide it pretty well, but for my few in-person classes I missed nearly a full month of school. That episode that made me realize I really needed to seek help. I met with the counselors at the college, who directed me to a nearby clinic; I would be able to meet with a therapist, with the cost covered by the school. Taking that first step truly changed my life. I started meeting with my therapist weekly. It was there that I was diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder and, later on, Borderline Personality Disorder. While having a name for what I was experiencing did not magically make everything better, it did give me the chance to overcome it. I started Dialectical Behavior Therapy, one of the few things shown to be effective in treating BPD. I also started antidepressants to help with the symptoms of MDD. These were not miracle cures, and in fact made things much harder for a while. Through therapy I slowly gained the ability to notice the things that I was struggling with. This was a great first step, but I had not yet learned the skills to overcome these behaviors; I was able to see all of my flaws but had no way of correcting them. Additionally, finding an antidepressant type and dosage that worked to manage my symptom well would take years. I am not cured of my MDD or BPD. But between continued therapy, the right combination of medications and generally better life conditions, I am able to manage my day-to-day life much better. My experience with BPD has changed who I am immensely. I have become much more extroverted, as I become more confident in my social and emotional skills. I am generally able to remain calm in situations that would have previously made me a wreck. I have also become more empathetic. My struggles are also a part of why I have decided to study psychology. I think that the journey I have gone through to manage my mental health has turned me into a person I can be proud of.

My outlook on the current music landscape of the world is a very unique one. If you were to pick any song from my playlist and ask me who the artist was, there is a very large chance I would not be able to answer. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love music and spend a majority of my day listening to music of some kind, but I have always been one to pick songs based off of how they affect me the first time I hear them rather than having a favorite artist or genre. My personal experience as a musician comes largely from the classroom. I have always been heavily involved in band, orchestra and choir - that is the part of the music industry in which I truly thrive. A French horn player and singer by trade, I have gone on to learn several more instruments and continue to learn more as I continue improving my music skills. While I am not personally interested in being part of the more well-known music 'industry' (such as pop singers, DJs and studio producers), I am still going to make an impact on it through my career path: music education. As a music teacher, I plan to teach grade k-12 general music, as well as the standard band, choir and orchestra. Teaching such a broad range of grades and areas is going to allow me to do several very important things: inspire an appreciation for music, connect with my students interests within music, and guide students into pursuing the areas of music they are passionate about. I hope to pass on a lifelong appreciation of music onto my students. Even if they are not truly passionate about music (because let's be honest, not every single student will be), I want them to leave my classroom being able to appreciate all of the music in the world around them. I also want to connect with my students' interests within this area. Not every student will want to play an instrument - some will want to sing, compose or play electronic music. I am going to work to incorporate all of my students' interests into my teaching. I will teach about pop music and let them perform it, I will work to add digital elements into the music curriculum and I will offer students time to explore composition and song writing. I want my students to have as many opportunities as possible. I plan to allow student projects to be showcased in my class (for example, performing student-written songs) and, if a student is interested in some form or aspect of music that I am not teaching, I am going to do my best to bring those concepts into my teaching. Even if I am not actively performing or producing music, by doing these things in my classroom I will be able to send inspired, musically-intelligent young adults into the world to make their own changes in the modern music industry. I truly hope that my work as a music educator will make a positive impact on music in many ways.

The most impactful teacher I have had in my time in school has been, without a doubt, Christoph Dundas. As a band teacher he makes class fun and interesting every day and has given me space for my musical passions to grow. I entered high school actually hating band, but by the end of my freshman year I was in love with it. Dundas has given me endless opportunities to grow as a musician, from nominating me to dozens of honor bands to letting me learn new instruments and teaching me music theory. It is because of the love for music that Dundas inspired in me that I realized I wanted to go into music education, specifically planning to be a high school band director. When he learned that I was considering this career path, he nominated me to go to the first year of the Minnesota Future Music Educators Conference, where I learned so much about music education as a job and career path and realized I could not imagine myself doing anything else with my life. Dundas has also encouraged me to grow as a person. In my freshman year I had a friend that was going through a mental health crisis. As a fifteen-year-old with no experience in helping someone with something so serious, I reached out to Dundas. He took time out of his weekend to call with me and discuss this friend and her mental state and together came up with a plan of how to support her. This is one of the biggest examples of how deeply Dundas cares about his students on an individual level, rather than just caring about how they sound at a concert. Later in my high school years, when I started experiencing my own personal struggles, Dundas made sure that I felt supported and helped me to find the outside help that I needed. He makes sure that his class is a safe and welcoming place for students every day no matter what they are going through. When I think about what kind of person I want to be as a music teacher, Dundas is the person I think of. I hope that I can inspire the same level of passion for music in my students, but more importantly I aspire to create the same safe, comforting and welcoming environment in my classroom that Dundas has created for countless students. I can confidently say that if I had not been in Christoph Dundas’s classes for four years, I would not be nearly the person I am today.

I can actually name the exact moment that I realized music education was my true calling. Going into my junior year of high school, I had no idea what I was going to do with my life. I knew college applications and decisions were fast approaching and I was dreading having to face the fact that I was clueless. To distract myself from all of this ever-growing worry, I began spending all of my days in the music classrooms. I was always working on something - from jazz band to concert choir to symphony orchestra - and throughout high school this had developed into a true passion for music of all kinds. My band director had heard the brunt of my ramblings, especially of my college worries. He must have seen something in me that I hadn't seen in myself, because partway through the year he asked me if I would like to be nominated for a conference for potential music education majors. Out of mild curiosity and, admittedly, knowing I had nothing better to do that day, I said sure. The Minnesota Future Music Educators conference was a one-day event as part of the MMEA Midwinter Clinic hosted in Minneapolis. It was the first year they had offered this particular event, and I was one of about thirty students in the state who attended. The event talked about what it was like to be a music educator, what college would look like for someone choosing that path, and the different kinds of job opportunities available. We also had the chance to talk to people in these different job positions to see what we might be interested in. All of this information was interesting and the activities were fun, but the moment that solidified things for me was one sentence from the closing speech at the very end of the day. The host asked simply: Can you see yourself doing anything else? To my genuine shock, my answer was immediate. No. I truly could not see myself doing anything else with my life. That one question single handedly changed the course of my life, and I am so grateful that it did. Music education is truly my passion and I am so excited to be able to study it further.

Mental health struggles: Although I did not have a name for my experiences at the time, I began experiencing anxiety and depression in around third grade. I worried constantly, and had severe panic attacks that were often just seen as 'acting out' by the adults around me. In fifth grade my mental health began to deteriorate even more rapidly. I began to self harm, isolate myself, and even considered suicide. It honestly breaks my heart to know how dark my thoughts were when I was just a child. My depression and anxiety seemed to take over my life completely when I entered high school. I had no motivation to continue doing anything. I could not even see myself living to graduation. By sophomore year, I began abusing my migraine medication to dull my brain enough to seem happy during the day, doing the same later on with my antidepressants. My self harm tendencies worsened and in the fall of my senior year I nearly committed suicide. I write that as if it was not only five months ago, but a lot can change in five months. My family did not know about my mental health struggles until very recently. They have always been in the mindset of 'tough it out', and I never felt like I could say anything about how much I was struggling. When I was at my absolute lowest, I decided I could not live feeling like this anymore. I scheduled my own doctors appointments and finally found a medication that worked well for me. I also found a way for my community college to cover the cost of therapy and found a therapist that I have had a great connection with. While my journey of improvement is most certainly not over, I no longer abuse my medications, my self harming has been limited greatly, and I have been generally managing life a lot better. I can finally see myself living again. My educational goals have been greatly impacted by my mental health struggles. When I was deep in the depths of depression, I turned to music. I poured all of my time and passion into music and it became my primary reason for living for a very long time. My music teachers were the first to notice my mental decline, and the ones to help me through my worst struggles. These experiences led me to want to study music education. The arts can be such a safe haven, especially for those struggling with mental health issues, and I want to be able to provide the same support that my music teachers have given me. I plan to pursue a bachelor's in music education, becoming licensed to teach both instrumental and choral music for kindergarten through high school. I have also been deeply considering a minor (or even a double-major) in mental health psychology - both as a secondary career path and to make me a better teacher - though I have decided to leave this decision for later into my college career so that I do not overwhelm myself in my first year of college. I hope that even if I switch my major and end up doing something different, I can still use my future to help someone else who is in the same place I have been. I think that's what I was put on this world to do, and it is what I am living for. My recovery from depression, anxiety and addiction patterns is not done. I am committed to continuing my improvement, because I never want to reach that low again. I will continue to be on my medication, not being afraid to adjust it if needed. I also plan to continue meeting with my therapist. We have made great progress through Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and I am actually excited to see where the skills I am learning will take me. I am going to continue working hard for what I am passionate about and finding new reasons to live. I will get better. One day at a time.

The biggest problem I have overcome in my life has been my depression. While I admit that I have not fully overcame this struggle (and possibly never will completely), I have made incredible progress. My depression used to sap all of my energy. I could not get out of bed, accomplish daily tasks, or function as a person. I was determined to get better, but I also did not have the support system I needed to do so. Despite this, I still pushed myself to find a doctor, seek out therapy and even get myself proper treatment. It has been an incredibly difficult journey, especially having done it on my own, and the journey is not over but I know that is has and will continue to be worth it. This scholarship will help me give back to my community by allowing me to focus on my schooling rather than financial strain. I am going into college with the goal of being the best teacher I can possibly be, but I worry that if I am more focused on paying my tuition than learning all I can, I will not be able to help future students in the way they deserve. I would love to come back to my hometown to work at the local music center when I am done with college, but even if I do not return home I will be certain to take the skills this scholarship helps me achieve with me anywhere I do end up. I think that the biggest way to promote the hobby of philately to young people is to talk about it! I personally know many people who would likely be interested in collecting and studying postage stamps, but I did not know that was even a thing that existed until very recently. I believe that collecting stamps would be on the same level as collecting Pokémon cards in the sense that it would be a fun challenge to track down and obtain the rare ones or the ones you have not collected yet. There would also be a fun history aspect of it, which I know many people find interesting when starting a collection. There is also the fact that many younger generations are being drawn to things that seem vintage, old or antique, which may draw them to collecting old coins or stamps. I truly believe that this hobby could be an incredibly popular thing in the younger generations, and the biggest thing that we can do to spread it is to share and talk about it!

I plan to attend the University of Wisconsin - River Falls to study instrumental and choral Music Education. My goal is to become a high school band director, or the director of music at a smaller school where I can teach band, choir and orchestra. I also plan to continue my paid performing jobs as the opportunities present themselves, and this summer I am going to start offering private music lessons to beginner musicians, which I also plan to continue during and past college. Beyond this, I also hope to go on to gain my masters degree in music pedagogy or conducting. Money has been the biggest factor of concern in my college journey. My tuition will be approximately 19 thousand dollars per year, which is already significantly lower than the expected 26 thousand due to my accepted Minnesota Tuition Reciprocity application. I expect to get approximately 6 thousand dollars from Pell Grants my first year of school. I also am likely to qualify for a work-study program, which I will almost certainly take. Additionally, I have been applying for scholarships since my junior year of high school. I have applied to over 300 scholarships, ranging from local to national levels. So far I have been awarded one scholarship, although many of the local and school-specific ones will not be announced until later in the spring so I am hoping I will receive at least a few more. I have been setting aside 40% of all of my paychecks for over a year for the side costs of college (such as food and gas), so I have some cushioning that will not be used for tuition but will still support my goals. In total my tuition, including dorms, books and other necessities, is expected to cost approximately 80 thousand dollars over four years. Between Pell Grants (anticipated $6k per year), work study (the average pay being around $2k per year), and the one scholarship I have earned thus far (totaling $500), my expected tuition will be $47,500 throughout four years (about $11,875 per year). Once I have my official financial aid offers, I plan to reevaluate this total and determine my further plans. I will be working my current cashier job, teaching private music lessons, and am also looking into additional jobs, all of which I will take 50% (at least) from my paychecks and put them into a college savings account. I plan to continue applying for scholarships, especially ones offered through my high school and UWRF so that I have high odds of winning them and hope to be able to pay my college tuition with the smallest amount of student loans possible. Throughout college, I hope to take as many opportunities to prepare myself for my intended career path as possible. I hope that my hard work will pay off and I will be able to afford college without putting a strain on my family, and I plan to go on to make a positive impact on future students and musicians.

My favorite book-to-film adaptation is, without a doubt, the Maze Runner trilogy. I remember growing up with these books, first reading them in fifth grade. In fact, it was one of the only series that kept my full attention long enough for me to not only finish the series but also re-read it several times. They actually were a big inspiration for my own creative writing and is the reason I started creating stories in the first place. The books are wonderfully crafted and are such a fun read for lovers of science fiction and dystopian futures. The sad truth about books being turned into movies is that, more often than not, the movies are bad. Not necessarily bad as a movie - many people who watch them without the context of the initial book tend to love them - but it is very difficult for a movie to adapt the visions of the story that the readers have created in their own heads. If a reader's favorite scene is missing or a character doesn't look quite like they imagined, it can ruin the experience very fast. I think this is why the Maze Runner series worked so well as a movie series. The main character, Thomas, wakes up not remembering anything about his past. This already makes creating a movie easier, as you don't have to try to fit in the prior memories that the character in the book talks about. The setting of The Glade, the area where most of the movie takes place, is represented almost exactly as the book describes it, as are the characters. The movies served so well to bring the world that the series takes place in to life. The Maze Runner movies are so good at bridging the gap between readers and new audience members because it brings the world of the books to life and follows the descriptions and events of the series well, but the directors and writers also took creative liberties that made it more interesting in a movie context. They did a great job of putting just enough new content in it that old readers could still enjoy the story they knew without getting bored or frustrated, but new viewers who have not read the books can still enjoy the movies. I have actually found several accounts of people who have liked the movies and went on to read the books, and some who even fell in love with dystopian science fiction because of it! The Maze Runner trilogy is one of my all time favorite book series and it brings me so much joy to know that people can get the same experience watching the movies.

In the past four years, music has completely changed my life. I developed my true passion for music in ninth grade when I attended my first regional honor band event. I have played the French horn since fifth grade, but never really found interest in it until that performance. The director was amazing and I realized just how much I actually loved music. From that moment I jumped into music head on, and I will never regret that for a moment. Throughout high school I have played in nearly every music group my school has, as well as several community groups. I play French horn in the top-level band and orchestra, as well as singing in the top choir. I also learned trumpet and flugelhorn to perform jazz in both a big band and small combo setting. I also learned mellophone to be a part of the marching and pep band. I have sung in show choir since sophomore year. In my junior year, I was asked to join a local percussion ensemble despite having zero percussion experience and it has been such a fun experience to learn alongside experienced percussionists. At the beginning of my senior year I took a leap and auditioned for a paid position as a horn player in a local orchestra and actually got accepted, which has been an incredible experience. Music has given me so many opportunities to experience things and make connections. Through my music groups I have been able to travel throughout the state, down to Kansas City, and even a trip to New York City in the spring of 2025. I have made so many friends and connections - both within my daily rehearsals and the one-day events I attend. In fact, I even talk to my roommate from my All-State Band program on a regular basis. I cannot imagine a life without music, and that is one of my biggest motivators to attend college. When my band director found out I was considering music education as a career path, he nominated me to attend the MMEA Future Music Educators conference. While admittedly I don't remember a lot from that event, the thing that stuck with me was the ending notes. The speaker asked a simple question: could I see myself doing anything other than music education as a path? To my own surprise, my answer came immediately. No, I could not. From that moment on I knew I would be a music teacher. I will be attending college next year to study music education with an instrumental focus. I hope to provide the same incredible experiences that my high school music program has given me and inspire future musicians just like my directors inspired me. I hope to continue performing in as many ways as I can, and I would also like to be able to offer low-cost music lessons to anyone who has the passion for music because cost should not be a barrier. Most of all, I hope to inspire a future music educator to follow the same path I have. If I can change one young musician's life for the better, then I think I can consider my work worthwhile.

Music and art have been a huge part of my life for many years. I have been singing since I was in the cradle and making art since I could finger paint. Throughout my life, my passion for the arts has developed and help shape who I am today. I love to create - any form of art from sewing to painting to ceramics - and while I do not necessarily excel in any particular area of fine arts it always brings me immense joy to create. I have, however, found an ability to excel in music. I perform with seven different music groups through my school, ranging from concert choir to jazz band to symphony orchestra. I also play with a community percussion ensemble, have a paid job in a community orchestra, and pick up gigs on various instruments and voice whenever the opportunity presents itself. I truly live for music and being able to share that passion with my community (sometimes even getting paid for it) is a great honor. When I say I live for music and art, I do not mean that lightly. In fact, I likely would not be around today if it weren't for the opportunities and community I have been given through the arts. During my most severe depressive episodes, music and art were what I turned to. If I couldn't express what I was feeling with words, I expressed it through music. If I wanted to take an action I knew I would probably regret, I made pottery or painted to keep my hands busy and redirect my focus. I realize I am writing this in the past tense, but these are all things I still do today. This is why I believe art and music are so important to society; it brings a much needed outlet for any form of emotion. The arts are one of the best ways for people to learn how to manage themselves and their thoughts and emotions in a healthy and safe way. Whether you struggle with a mental illness or you have just had a stressful day, or even if you have had a great day, making music or art is a way for you to embrace those feelings and process them in a productive way. Beyond this, the arts can teach people responsibility, problem solving, creativity, empathy and so much more. Becoming a musician or an artist or both is one of the best ways to improve who you are as a person. I can confidently say that I would not be the person I am today without my experiences through music and art. Likely I would not even be alive. It is my hope and goal in life to be able to share those experiences with others. This is why I have chosen to study music education. I live for my passion for music, and if I can help even one student find their own passion - for anything - then I believe I will have lived a good life.

My mental health journey has taught me a lot about helping others. Through my own struggles with depression and anxiety, I have learned to be empathetic and a better listener, and I have become dedicated to helping others who are going through similar struggles. I am by no means a professional, but I believe it is my purpose in life to make things better for those around me, and if that means working with them through their periods of low mental health then that is what I will do. In my darkest moments, the people who supported me the most have been my music community. In particular my music teachers, who were there to notice my struggles, comfort and listen to me, and assist in finding more professional help when I needed it. When I went through my most severe depressive episode in high school (and, to this day, my worst ever), it was my choir director who called a wellness check to ensure I was safe. These experiences are what has inspired me to go into music education as a career path. Not only am I passionate about music, but I want to be able to provide the same safety net and comfort that my music teachers have given me. When I think about what kind of teacher I want to be, the first priority that comes to mind is creating a safe and welcoming classroom. I want students to be able to come to me with whatever struggles they are facing so that they don't have to go through them alone. I am by no means a professional, and I am not planning to be a therapist or doctor or psychologist, but I hope to know each of my students on a level that will allow me to notice when they are having a hard time and be able to help get them through it, even if that is by helping them find someone else to help. I can say in full honesty that I would not be alive today without my music teachers. There is no way I can pay them back entirely, but I will dedicate my life to giving that support to future kids going through the same struggles I have. If I can help even a single person, then I will consider my purpose in life complete.

My mental health has had a massive effect on my academics, relationships, and life in general. I suffer from Major Depressive Disorder, as well as anxiety and a history of eating disorders, all made more difficult by a slew of various physical chronic health conditions. While I refuse to let these conditions define who I am, they have still had an impact on me and those around me. My mental illness has affected my academic journey for far longer than I realized. Throughout elementary and middle school, my anxiety pushed me into being what seemed like a very gifted student; my homework was always on time, my test scores were high, and I always seemed to understand the assignments. This wasn't always to my benefit though. I would often spend all night working on homework or studying, sacrificing my health for my grades because of the overwhelming fear of failing or doing badly in a class. As I entered high school, my grades began to slip as I experienced my first major depressive episode. While the anxiety around my grades never went away, I no longer had the energy to care. I quickly fell behind in my classes, only to catch up after several weeks in a panicked haze. Most of my high school experience has been this - fall behind, catch up, rinse and repeat. My mental health struggles have also had significant impacts on my social life and close relationships. I have always struggled to spend time with my family. They never understood why my emotions seemed strong or off all of the time, and never really put the effort in to see my point of view or know my struggles. They didn't even acknowledge my mental health until I attempted to end my life at the beginning of my senior year of high school. I have never really had friends, either. I would always pull away when I found myself getting close to someone, anxious that they would just leave me anyways. The Covid-19 pandemic just worsened this, as I no longer had access to even minimal contact with people my age. In my sophomore year of high school I finally found some people I would consider friends, who have for the most part stuck with me through thick and thin, but even then my depressive episodes or other mental struggles have still pushed many people away. The impact my mental illness has had on my life in general is not insignificant. Beyond the everyday struggles of fighting with my own brain, I have battled self harming habits and a severe eating disorder - both of which I am proud to say I have left in my past. Despite all of the harm these illnesses have caused, I will not let them define my life. I recently started therapy, and have been taking steps to manage my mental health better in the future. I'm even on track to graduate high school with my associates degree. My mental illness has been difficult and hard to deal with, but I believe I am stronger.

It would be a lie to say that music has done anything less than change the entire course of my life during my high school years. I went into high school fully planning to drop my music classes as soon as I completed my required performing arts credits, and every day I am so grateful that I changed my mind. I first picked up an instrument in fifth grade, playing trumpet for a year before switching to French horn. I really didn't like it much, but it was one less class worth of homework for me and I was supposed to have a music class anyway. Going into high school, I decided to do band and choir for one more year, just to fill out the mandatory two performing arts credits I would need to graduate, then focus on elective classes I thought I would have more fun with. These plans changed, however, when my director nominated me for the regional honor band towards the end of the year. At first, I was annoyed. I really did not care about band and the idea of having to spend one of my free weekends at some dumb music event made me groan. But as the date neared, I found myself getting excited, and when the event was postponed due to a potential Covid-19 outbreak I was actually extremely disappointed. A few months later it was finally rescheduled, and I was able to attend my very first honor band. From that point out, I was hooked. From the end of my freshman year on, I dove headfirst into the incredible music community my school offered. I took the opportunity to go to dozens of honor bands throughout my high school years. I relearned trumpet to play in the school jazz bands. I not only stuck with choir but also auditioned into the top-level show choir my school had, which got to perform all around Minnesota and the neighboring states and even got to perform the National Anthem at an NBA game twice! I poured all of my energy and free time into improving my musical capabilities. My junior year, I worked hard and succeeded in auditioning into the 2024-25 Minnesota All State Band, and my senior year I joined a local symphony orchestra for my first professional musician position. In the spring of my junior year, I had the opportunity to attend the Minnesota Future Music Educators conference. Music education had been a path I had been distantly thinking about for a while, but I wasn't yet sure that it was the right choice for me. During this conference, they ended the day by asking a simple question: can you see yourself doing anything else with your life? I can say with absolute certainly that it was that moment in which I realized that music had completely changed my life. I can't imagine a life without music. It has fundamentally changed who I am as a person. I am so excited to continue my path as a performer, an educator, and a musician overall.

I did not find my passion for music until the end of my freshman year of high school. I first learned the trumpet in fifth grade, switching to French horn a year later, because my school required a few years of music. Getting to high school, I decided to stick with band for one more year to finish off my required arts credits, and I am forever glad that I did. At the end of that year, my director nominated me for an honor band. I had been nominated for a few before, but I had never gone because of family events or Covid-19. I decided to go to this event, mostly just to confirm that I was going to quit band as soon as I came back, but by the end of the day I had found myself absolutely adoring the event and the music I was playing. Sophomore year, I auditioned into both the top choir and top band at my school. I pushed myself to attend more honor bands, try soloing, and even relearning trumpet to be in jazz band. I found music being the light of my day and was dedicating pretty much all of my free time to working on it. Now, as a senior, I am in eight different local music groups, both vocal and instrumental, am learning my fourth and fifth instruments, and even got selected to be a part of the 2024-25 Minnesota All-State Band. My musical experience has had a massive impact on me, so much so that I cannot imagine a life without it. It is because of these amazing experiences that I plan to go into music education as a career. I hope to give the same incredible musical opportunities to future students as my music directors have given me. Music has been my rock and comfort, especially during difficult moments in my life, and I want to be able to give the same safe space to the next generation as I have been given. While I want to use music to support younger musicians as a teacher, I still try my best to use my passion to give back to my community now. I take every opportunity possible to perform for my community, whether that be at events, concerts, or even small church services. I perform with my school groups in a tour of the local elementary schools to encourage interest in music at a young age. I even perform with a local semi-professional symphony orchestra to give the general community the change to have a great musical experience in the comfort of their own town. I love to use my passion to spread joy and comfort to people of all demographics, and I am so excited to continue finding new ways to do so.

My mental health journey has been an incredibly long and difficult one. I have struggled with depression and anxiety since I was nine years old, developing an eating disorder at age eleven and forming self-harming habits at age thirteen. These struggles have at times had massive impacts on my life - both good and bad. During periods where my mental health was at a low, I found myself turning to music. Music gave me an escape from the roaring wave of constant negativity in my head. Not only this, but I also found myself meeting people, making the first true friends I had found in years. Many of these people I am still in contact with today despite some moving elsewhere or going to college. My reliance on music was, admittedly, not always healthy. I often used it as a way to avoid the problems I was having, which never helped in the long run. However, the relationships I have made throughout my musical experiences have gotten me through my most severe mental health struggles and difficult times. Even at the beginning of my senior year of high school, when I reached a new low and planned to take my own life, it was my fellow band members who were there to sit with me and help me be safe. If it weren't for the friends I have made through music, I likely would not be here today. This connection between music and my mental health journey has completely changed my intended career path. Going into high school, I wanted to be a natural scientist. By my junior year, I knew deep down that music education was what I was meant to pursue. Music was, and still is, my rock during times of mental struggle, and I want to be able to provide the same distraction, safe space, relationships and overall comfort that my own musical experiences have given me. My high school band director is the first adult I trusted enough to go to when I was having a hard time, and I hope that I can be that same trustworthy figure in a future student's life. My mental health struggles have not only changed my relationships and career aspirations, but also my general outlook on life. I spent years living with a very negative mindset - just assuming that everything would go wrong eventually and despising myself and my life, even at times being suicidal. Recently, however, I have started to change my perspective. After one of my more recent difficult moments, I realized that I need to begin to live for myself rather than everyone else. I am still trying to be a good person, of course, but I am slowly realizing that I am not a horrible person for focusing on myself. I am also working on being overall more positive. My mental health struggles have taught me patience, knowing that the dark moments will not last forever. These lessons I have learned through my struggles with depression and anxiety are all things I am slowly but surely learning to apply to my daily life, changing how I interact with my career plans, relationships, and the world in general.

I never expected to care about music. I picked up trumpet in fifth grade because music was a requirement, switched to French horn within a year because I was clashing with the people in my section, and planned only to continue music until my required arts credits were fulfilled. These initial plans fell apart at the end of my freshman year of high school when, at the insistence of my band director, I experienced my first regional honor band. It was an incredible experience, and I immediately knew I would be continuing my music experiences from then on. Throughout high school, I have participated in nearly every music group my community has to offer - from jazz bands to concert bands to orchestras to choirs. I decided I would once again pick up the trumpet, then made it a personal goal to push my musicality even further by learning percussion. Music went from an obligation to a safe haven, something that would genuinely change my entire life. I have been incredibly lucky to have such amazing and supporting music directors in my musical career. My high school band, choir, and orchestra directors have not only pushed me to succeed as a musician but also to grow as a person. They have helped me through all of my performance and music-related struggles but also provided a safe place to be when I was struggling with many personal things and had nowhere else to go. I can sincerely say that I would not be here at all today if I had not been involved in music. My initial career plans had nothing to do with music. I wanted to be a forensic scientist, an author, an actor - nothing even remotely related to music. However, when I began looking at colleges and planning my future, I found myself drawn again and again towards music-related programs. After a long discussion with my band director and a lot of self-reflection, I came to the realization that I could imagine nothing else other than a life surrounded by music. I thought back on my past experiences working with younger musicians and even my own sister, who was just beginning her own musical journey, and realized just how much I wanted to continue this. I chose music education specifically because I know how much of an incredible impact my experiences with music have had on me and I want to be able to share those moments with future students. Music saved my life and gave me a light when everything was dark, and I want to be able to give that hope to people who are in a similar situation to my own. I have done a lot of thinking about if this path is for me, and one moment stands out to me when I start to doubt myself. I had the opportunity to attend the 2024 MN Future Music Educators conference hosted by the MN Music Educators Association, and one of the speaker's closing notes was to simply ask: can you see yourself doing anything else with your career? It was at that moment that I finally realized that no, I could not imagine doing anything else. I am so excited to continue my own music career, and I truly do hope that I can use my passion and experience to improve the lives of future generations.

I have been through the wringer with mental health. Depression and anxiety are things that I have struggled with since early childhood, although I did not get an official diagnosis until my junior year of high school. I struggled in silence for a very long time, and several times almost failed to make it through to the next day. While I am not yet to a point where I would consider myself "recovered", I hope to use my further education and career plans to help future children who are walking a similar path to mine. My personal saving grace in my struggles with my mental health has been my music program. Music, and the arts in general, is something that has been shown time and time again to be a helpful tool for students dealing with mental health struggles. This cannot be successful without the help of amazing and passionate music, theater, dance, and art teachers running these programs. I have been incredibly lucky to have such kind and understanding music and art directors in my life, their classrooms becoming a safe haven for me throughout school, and I do not know if I would be here today without that safety net in my life. I want to be able to pay those experiences forward. My future education plans are to study music education and psychology, which will allow me to help students develop a passion for the arts and a safe place in my classroom while understanding the reasoning and mental struggles that may be guiding their behavior. This will allow me to be the best teacher I can be, and I hope to be able to help my students in their struggles in the same way my teachers have guided me through mine. Mental health is an incredibly scary thing to deal with on your own, and if I can do one thing with my career, it would be to make sure that no one has to suffer through that as I have.

Music has had an indescribable impact on my life. Through music classes and performing arts, I have grown as a person, found a true passion, and had incredible experiences I could never have dreamed of. It has gotten me through very difficult times, giving me a light to focus on during several severe depressive episodes. It is because of the profound effect music has had on my life that I have decided to pursue further education in Music Education and Psychology. I want to be able to combine my passion for music and my interest in psychology to provide future generations of students with the same life-changing opportunities I was given. I plan to use my passions and love for helping people to give the students in my classroom a safe haven, somewhere where they can be themselves, feel free to explore the arts and their own passions - both in and outside of music - and assist them in developing into successful, happy people outside of my classroom. I hope to work with kids of all ages to inspire passion for the arts and creativity at a young age but also encourage the development of these interests in later years. Music ensembles have also been the source of some of my greatest friendships and most treasured memories. They have allowed me to change from a shy and reserved person to a strong leader and social extrovert. I am so excited to be able to see my students open up and thrive in their community, and I hope to be able to provide a space for them to do so. The music educators in my life have given me so much and truly changed my life for the better, and I hope to pay that forward and give many more years of kids the same amazing experiences.

Minecraft has been an important part of my life since early childhood, and since I began playing my favorite aspects of it have changed over time as my personality changed and as the game expanded. Building, playing in survival, and modding were all personal obsessions for different spans of time over the years, but there's one thing that I have absolutely fallen in love with: redstone. The vast abilities of what a player can do with redstone without having to modify the game or get to the highest skill level possible are incredible and wide-ranging. There are some very simple things that are easy to learn, such as secret doors, automatic farms and sensor-activated lighting, but if you want to delve deeper into it there is so much more. From entirely hidden and automated home bases to massive defense systems and fields, the possibilities are endless! You can use redstone to help you within the game or just as a fun challenge for yourself. I think that's why redstone draws me in so much: the challenge aspect. Even the simplest projects can hit roadblocks. If the terrain isn't right, or if there's water nearby, your entire redstone project can be wrecked in an instant. I love challenging myself to make new things, and Minecraft lets me push my design skills in a fun and unique way. My favorite thing to do is to choose something I already do when I play in survival mode (farming, hunting, lighting an area, etc.) and try to figure out how I can use redstone to most effectively do that task. My passion project is a massive underground base that I have built over several months of playing, where I've added everything I need to thrive in survival mode and have automated every possible thing using redstone, from the door to the lights to the transportation. Redstone makes Minecraft such a limitless game. It adds a new challenge to conquer in whichever mode you choose to play in and that's why I believe it is one of the all-time best aspects of the game.

When I first started high school, my mental health was at an all-time low. The effects of the Covid pandemic in seventh and eighth grade had sent me reeling; I hadn't had internet or a phone, so school was challenging in ways I could never have prepared for and, not living in town, I had no contact with other students my age for nearly a year. Then, after catching Covid twice my health started to decline, leaving me constantly sick, unable to eat, and with constant stress migraines. So, focused on just passing classes and surviving until high school, I had no time to unpack the true impact of the constant insolation and pressure I was under for those two years. Looking back, I am just now starting to see how big of an impact my struggles with mental health leading up to my early years of high school had on who I am now as a person. When my mental health got bad, I stopped talking to people entirely. While the first time this was largely because the entire world was isolated, my depressive episodes eventually led to constant solitude. Being alone just made things worse, and the few friends I did have were admittedly doing nothing good for my health, physically or mentally. Going into my freshman year, I decided I was going to make a lot of changes. A new school, a new start. I wanted to feel like a functioning human being again. I cut off my old friends- one of the best decisions I've ever made- and met some new ones. I realized for the first time that relationships are meant to build you up, not tear you down. That realization has done wonders for my mental health. My mental health also had a huge impact on my life goals, both short- and long-term. There was a long period of time that I could not imagine my future past the next day. I didn't expect to live past fifteen. When I did look past school, I could only see myself working a dreary retail job and living a life I hated. I had no hope for my future. But then things started to shift, and I found things I was passionate about. I had new influences in my life, better ones now, and they made it seem like I could do anything I wanted with my life. Thanks to some great friends, amazing teachers, and once-in-a-lifetime experiences, I finally feel like I will be able to succeed. My experiences with mental health were even a big part of why I plan to go into education as a career in the future, as I want to do what my teachers have done for me and be able to aid students through their own struggles and see them develop their own passions. I finally have an idea of what I want to do with my life, what makes me happy and excited, and even plans for how I want to give back to my community in the future. As I look back at some of my darker years, one thing that strikes me is how much I hated the world. Beyond the typical "teenage moodiness", I felt like I had been abandoned and betrayed by everyone around me. I was angry at the pandemic, at the school system, at my parents, at myself. I felt like I had lost two years of my life, and everyone was brushing me off. I wish I hadn't spent so much time being so angry. While I can't take that time back, I have made a lot of changes to my outlook on the world. I make a point to find the little good things in life; music on the radio, coffee in the morning, my cat purring. I've learned that nothing can be truly bad when there are so many things that can make me smile every day. My mental health is by no means great, especially not when things get rough at home or when school becomes a struggle, but the little changes to my world outlook have made a massive impact and I am finally at a spot where I can continue to make small steps forward from here.

When I first started high school, my mental health was at an all-time low. The effects of the Covid pandemic in seventh and eighth grade had sent me reeling; I hadn't had internet or a phone, so school was challenging in ways I could never have prepared for and, not living in town, I had no contact with other students my age for nearly a year. Then, after catching Covid twice my health started to decline, leaving me constantly sick, unable to eat, and with constant stress migraines. So, focused on just passing classes and surviving until high school, I had no time to unpack the true impact of the constant insolation and pressure I was under for those two years. Looking back, I am just now starting to see how big of an impact my struggles with mental health leading up to my early years of high school had on who I am now as a person. When my mental health got bad, I stopped talking to people entirely. While the first time this was largely because the entire world was isolated, my depressive episodes eventually led to constant solitude. Being alone just made things worse, and the few friends I did have were admittedly doing nothing good for my health, physically or mentally. Going into my freshman year, I decided I was going to make a lot of changes. A new school, a new start. I wanted to feel like a functioning human being again. I cut off my old friends- one of the best decisions I've ever made- and met some new ones. I realized for the first time that relationships are meant to build you up, not tear you down. That realization has done wonders for my mental health. My mental health also had a huge impact on my life goals, both short- and long-term. There was a long period of time that I could not imagine my future past the next day. I didn't expect to live past fifteen. When I did look past school, I could only see myself working a dreary retail job and living a life I hated. I had no hope for my future. But then things started to shift, and I found things I was passionate about. I had new influences in my life, better ones now, and they made it seem like I could do anything I wanted with my life. Thanks to some great friends, amazing teachers, and once-in-a-lifetime experiences, I finally feel like I will be able to succeed. My experiences with mental health were even a big part of why I plan to go into education as a career in the future, as I want to do what my teachers have done for me and be able to aid students through their own struggles and see them develop their own passions. I finally have an idea of what I want to do with my life, what makes me happy and excited, and even plans for how I want to give back to my community in the future. As I look back at some of my darker years, one thing that strikes me is how much I hated the world. Beyond the typical "teenage moodiness", I felt like I had been abandoned and betrayed by everyone around me. I was angry at the pandemic, at the school system, at my parents, at myself. I felt like I had lost two years of my life, and everyone was brushing me off. I wish I hadn't spent so much time being so angry. While I can't take that time back, I have made a lot of changes to my outlook on the world. I make a point to find the little good things in life; music on the radio, coffee in the morning, my cat purring. I've learned that nothing can be truly bad when there are so many things that can make me smile every day. My mental health is by no means great, especially not when things get rough at home or when school becomes a struggle, but the little changes to my world outlook have made a massive impact and I am finally at a spot where I can continue to make small steps forward from here.

My dream future self is someone who is confident in who she is, no matter what changes between now and then, and can walk through the simplest and most chaotic times without being overwhelmed or incredibly anxious.

I have spent years perfecting the design of my dream house. I have made a list of many things to add to it and spend a lot of time dreaming about my perfect home. My ideal destination is somewhere in the northern Minnesota area. I love the open spaces as much as the bluffs and forests, so it would be a fantastic place to live. It is also pretty close to home, which is a big plus! I'm really in love with the typical farmhouse-type style. I like the idea of a big patio that I can fill with plants, where I can paint outside and where I can read when the weather is nice. In general, I want to live somewhere I can have a lot of animals, so a lot of space for outside roaming. I'd love a pale blue color for the outside of the house, I think it would give it a very homey feel. Inside, I have a ton of ideas. I want a room for each of my hobbies; one designed with acoustics in mind for music practices, a full art studio with room for a pottery wheel and kiln, and a room full of terrariums where I can properly care for rescue animals and such. I want to have a very bright home that I can fill with a large variety of plants to give it a really calming feel. Overall, I really want my house to embody who I am as a person, like if you walked through it you could get to know a new part of me by stepping into any given room.

The arts have always been a huge part of my life. I have been writing since I first had a grasp on language, have been an incredibly active member in both my school and local music programs since fifth grade, and have been part of several theater groups throughout the years, both as an actor and behind the scenes. I even wrote and published my own fantasy chapter book in sixth grade (under the pen name Stormy Meyer), a process I learned a lot from and hope to repeat again in the near future. In general, art in all forms has been an integral aspect of my life, and I firmly believe it will always continue to be. Advancements in technology have given artists so much more to work with in the past few decades, especially with the introduction of tools such as digital art forums, which allow artists to use a wide array of utensils without having to buy new supplies, and artificial intelligence, which has a never-ending list of uses that grows by the day. One of the biggest advantages of technology, at least for me personally, is having access to a near-endless supply of creative inspiration. From music to art to stories, creators have never had this level of access to any kind of inspiration they’re looking for before. One of my biggest sources of writing ideas is the podcasts and audio dramas I listen to. Another big advantage of technology for creators is the ability to share their creations. I was able to easily reach out to a publisher and, without even meeting in person, get my book published. Artists can share their art, get commissions, and communicate with other artists, all without leaving their homes. My creative goals are made exceedingly easier because of the advancements technology is making, and artists have so many ways to take advantage of these tools. One of the most important things to do to keep the spirit of creation alive is simply to pursue your creative goals. My lifelong project goal is to write and produce my own play, musical, or audio drama. I want to be able to write the full script, design the set, compose the soundtrack, run the casting, and generally run the entire production process from start to finish on a massive project. I started writing my own audio drama script almost two years ago. While I plan on going into the field of music as a career, writing has always been my most prominent hobby, and my love for theater and playwriting is what makes me so passionate about this project. I began working on a script about two years ago, greatly inspired by several science fiction podcasts and some amazing creative writing teachers in my life, and have been making slow but steady progress since then. This project is a huge task that I know will take years to accomplish, but it is something I am truly passionate about and excited to continue working on.

If I could have everyone in the world read one book, I would have them read ‘They Both Die at the End’ by Adam Silvera. While the idea of reading a book that is often categorized as “YA Fiction” is not appealing to a large audience, Adam Silvera took a fascinating concept- what would you do if you knew when you are going to die?- and turned it into a thoughtful and fascinating story that can enrapture someone of any reading level. The book masterfully twists dozens of individual storylines into one overarching plot, leaving new details to be discovered with each reread. A speeding car or angry conversation in one chapter can never be ignored, as they often have consequences as soon as the plot switches to another character’s point of view. While the book centers around the two main characters, Mateo and Rufus, and their experience of living through their last 24 hours, it often switches to outside perspectives to show how the world functions as a whole. ‘They Both Die at the End’ was also the first novel spotlighting queer Latinx characters to take the number one spot on the New York Times bestsellers list. Adam Silvera often features minorities as main characters in his works, and this book has been known as a landmark in queer literature. Overall, ‘They Both Die at the End’ by Adam Silvera is a beautiful story that follows an incredibly intricately-woven plotline that also acts as a milestone for minorities' representation in young adult literature. It is a great read for anyone of all ages and walks of life and one that I believe everyone should read at least once.

When I entered high school, I felt lost. I didn't have even the slightest idea of who I was, or what I liked to do, or where my life might take me. I selected band as an elective course, mostly just to fill a gap in my schedule between the classes I thought actually mattered, and because I had picked up playing the French Horn as a school requirement a few years prior. I didn't know it then, but making that choice to add music to my day would lead me to meeting one of the most influential and inspirational women in my life. Amalie Niethammer had been teaching music in my area long before I ever even considered learning an instrument. She played in our prestigious community orchestra, was a band director at a local school, and even taught private instrumental lessons on the side. That's how I first met her; in a small, soundproof practice room in the music building of my high school, holding a rental horn that was beat up and far too big for me. I remember being terrified, intimidated by this professional musician and wondering if she was going to judge me for my mediocrity. Amalie had no hesitation to reassure me, though, and within only a few weeks my range and skills on the French Horn had nearly doubled. She knew exactly what I needed and how to deliver it to me. She started every lesson with a cheerful greeting, getting to know me both as a student and as a person, then comparing what I was learning in the music to the things I did outside of band. She took skills I used in my sports, academics and social life and translated them into musical phrases. What once seemed like overwhelming music theory jargon suddenly made sense, all because of her patience and adaptability. I continued taking private lessons with Amalie, and over the next year and a half my musical abilities flourished. I auditioned from my high school’s freshman concert band directly into the top wind ensemble, something only made possible by Amalie’s advice and critiques on my audition tapes. When I decided to pick up playing trumpet in a local jazz band, she jumped into our lessons with just as much enthusiasm as always, despite the fact that I was, admittedly, a terrible trumpet player. She always made time to adapt to my needs, even if I brought something to her last minute, such as the time I was assigned to a horn solo that was well out of my range just days before a concert. Despite the lack of time, she worked around her own rehearsal schedule to meet with me via video call so she could coach me through the learning process. Amalie Neithammer has been someone I have looked up to in every way possible in the past few years. Because of her guidance and the experience she gave me, I went from having no interest in music at all to having music education as my top choice of college majors. Just a couple of months ago, she approached me with an opportunity to join the professional orchestra she performs with. While that is an incredibly intimidating ask, I am honored that she sees my potential and it is really a dream come true to not only be one of her students but also be performing alongside her. She has been a massive influence and inspiration to me, and I genuinely believe my life has been changed for the better because of her.