Walking into my freshman year at Maine East, I felt like I was watching everyone else move through the hallways with a sense of direction I hadn't found yet. I wanted to be part of things, whether it be sports, clubs, or the various cliques filling the halls, but something kept me on the edge of it all. Fear, mostly. The fear of being too new, too young, and too unsure of myself to talk to anyone outside the people I already knew from middle school. That changed when baseball open gyms started. The first day I climbed those stairs to the balcony batting cages, I was terrified– certain I would feel out of place among the older, more experienced players. But looking back, I can't help but think about how wrong I was. I was treated as if I had played with the team for years, and being immediately welcomed by the “cool upperclassmen” gave me confidence and perspective I hadn't had before. Honestly, it feels wrong to write this scholarship without mentioning Wolf as one of those upperclassmen that not only made me feel included, but that showed me how to be passionate and confident about the path in life you were on. Outside of baseball, he'd talk constantly about engines, cars, and his future, and it wasn't just that he knew what he wanted to do after high school, it was how excited he got and the way his eyes lit up when he talked about it. It was a passion that made me want to find something I could feel that way about too. Turns out, I didn't have to look far. That spring and into my sophomore year, I chased as many opportunities as I could. I joined engineering and business clubs, got involved in charity and environmental groups, and developed a genuine passion for helping others. Wolf's enthusiasm for automotive technology never left me either– my sophomore year, I built a fully functioning go-kart from scratch as part of a passion project. Having never worked hands-on with engines before, it was an eye-opening experience that brought my interests into focus, and one that has pointed me toward studying Systems Engineering with a specialty in automotive engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Now, as a senior, I hold leadership positions in several clubs and run MTEC, an environmental clean-up group within the Maine Township. None of that happens without someone first making me feel like I was worth including. Now, as a senior, I try to be that mentor and friend I was once given. That lesson, that being seen and welcomed can change a person's entire trajectory, is one I carry with me every day. Whether it's inviting a new teammate to food after practice or bringing a younger student into a club I'm part of, I've learned that a single moment of inclusion can open doors someone didn't even know existed. I make it a point to be someone anyone could feel comfortable talking to, who asks what they're interested in, and who shows up. Purpose and passion aren't always found alone, and I hope to spend my life helping others find theirs while continuing to develop my own.

Hi! My name is Jackson Slamowitz, and I plan on studying Systems Engineering with a specialization in automotive engineering. Long-term, I hope to lead projects in designing, implementing, and maintaining autonomous manufacturing systems within the industry. From a young age, I've been comedically labeled as a “Jack of all trades” by my family, which is actually the perfect mindset that aligns with the interdisciplinary skills needed as a Systems Engineer. Whether it be in academics, competing in sports, or meeting new people, I love being curious and staying active within these different aspects of my life, one of the most important of which is golf. Golf has had a profound impact on me as it has not only given me a lifelong sport that I love, but has also taught me how to be and carry myself as a better person. I have played baseball all of my life, but never truly picked up golf until after getting a job as a caddie. Going into my freshman year of high school, I took a risk and joined the golf team. I immediately fell in love with the sport and with meeting the new opponents I would get paired up with every week. Golf not only taught me important lessons on patience and self-control, but also how to interact with various types of people. Multiple times, even when I didn't necessarily agree with or “like” the people I got paired with, we always ended the round by shaking hands and looking forward to the next time we would meet. These skills were amplified as I worked my job as a caddie, where I always had to show professionalism and helpfulness, even when there were missed putts or shanked drives. Turning to my high school achievements, I am very proud of how I have managed my various academic, athletic, and activism/volunteering commitments over the past four years. Through it all, I have maintained a 4.59 weighted GPA (3.95 unweighted) and have challenged myself with various AP and college-level courses. In athletics, I’ve been fortunate enough to have great high school experiences with both golf and baseball, where I gained All-Conference recognition in both, along with NCAA Division II interest for baseball. From never playing golf my freshman year to getting All-Conference my senior year, it is truly humbling to know how far I have come. Though I could talk more about the various engineering and business clubs I am in at Maine East, I would rather highlight an organization that I run in my township. Since 2022, I have been a volunteer of MTEC (Maine Township Environmental Coalition), a group focused on making the world a cleaner place through cleaning up parks and public spaces (along with other forms of recycling and advocacy). As a senior, I have taken over the organization as the Executive Director and President, and I hope to bring the organization and its cleanups to the college I attend. Additionally, since the start of 2025 (when I took over), MTEC has been able to collect and recycle 400+ pounds of trash, and membership has doubled to 25+! Though I haven't been able to mention everything, I hope I’ve highlighted and shared my story well enough for consideration. I am truly committed to improving my future and honoring Samuel D. Hartley, and I am thankful for the opportunity to apply to this scholarship. Thank you again. Jackson Slamowitz