After spending many summer and fall breaks exploring America and its national parks, I have decided that I want to dedicate my life to helping preserve some of the beautiful places that I have seen. Along my journey across 48 states, 3 countries, and 34 national parks, I have seen many different environments, all of which have inspired me and helped me find peace. My field of interest, Environmental Science, is protecting these important resources so future generations can be affected the same way as I was. The career that best suits me is working as a park ranger. Being able to live and work in one of the extraordinary places that I’ve been to or desire to visit sounds like a dream. I’ve had the pleasure of staying with a family friend who works as a law enforcement ranger at Big Bend National Park, which protects a wonderland of canyons and deserts in southwestern Texas. Another way I’ve experienced what being a park ranger is like is by volunteering at Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial, our local national park service unit. These experiences have helped cement my aspiration of becoming a park ranger, especially since national parks have played a large role in my life. The job environment for park rangers is competitive, so a college education is crucial. That's where my field of study, Environmental Science, comes in. A bachelor's degree in Environmental Science aligns with my goals of wanting to help protect the Earth’s resources. A perk of an Environmental Science degree is that In case working as a park ranger does not work out for me, I can still use my degree to find another job that has to do with conservation, thus still being able to pursue my goals. I have already been accepted into the University of Southern Indiana’s Environmental Science program, where I hope to gain a thorough understanding of how the world works and how I can help preserve the environments I love so much. Once I obtain my degree and can financially support myself, I can achieve my personal goals. I have a passion for creative writing and hope to become an author one day, but my time spent writing would need to be funded, hence my career with the park service. I also enjoy photography, which is another hobby I can comfortably pursue with a career to provide financial support. As a park ranger, I will be able to help protect people who are in danger in unfamiliar environments, which follows my goal of saving people. Thank you for giving me the chance to earn this scholarship and follow my dreams of protecting these beloved places.

I have had the pleasure of being able to travel across the United States throughout my teen years. 34 national parks, 48 US States, and 3 countries later, a specific place has stuck out to me - Big Bend National Park. Visiting Big Bend, a giant desert park nestled in the "big bend" of the Rio Grande in southwestern Texas, in the summer was definitely not a good idea. Midday temperatures soared over 110 F, the dry desert heat making being outside unbearable. It was because of this that we were primarily active in the early morning and late evening during our 5 day visit, doing everything we could to stay hydrated. Big Bend really stood out among all of the other beautiful places I have visited such as the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, and Glacier due to one simple thing. At first, its a desolate desert, baked by the heat of the unforgiving sun. But then, as you ascend the Chisos Mountains or follow the Rio Grande, you start to notice all kinds of life: Black bears, roadrunners, agave plants. Then, when the clouds finally swell and bless the dry desert floor with rain, everything comes alive, so much so that you realize everything was alive all along. The flowers open up, the wildlife is more active, and the hot ground cools. This cool experience is what makes places like Big Bend stand out; Its the fact that they don't stand out until you take the time to fully experience them. My journey photographing Big Bend is one that I will never forget and I'm already dreaming of a return visit so I can float down one of the canyons carved by the mighty Rio Grande. Each one of these photos showcases the beauty of the mountains, desert, and wildlife that make up this wonderful place. The sunset photo is especially important to me, as I will always remember the night I stood in a basin, surrounded by the beautiful mountain peaks of the Chisos, feeling the wind rush through the "Window", the formation I took the photo of. I will remember this journey, along with the many other journeys I have taken, for the rest of my life as I pursue my dreams.

Hello, my name is Jackson Carpenter and I am a senior in High School. I have visited 48 US States and 34 national parks, leading me to want to pursue a bachelor's degree in Environmental Science. Being able to see a variety of America's landscapes and environments has inspired me to work as a Park Ranger. I have a desire to create an impact by helping protect and preserve the parks I will work at while helping visitors learn and possibly be inspired themselves. To achieve this goal, which is highly competitive, I will need to go to college, which is very expensive. Earning this scholarship would be immensely helpful to help cut the cost of college. Another goal that will help me achieve my professional passion is me continuing to travel. I have plans to visit Greece this summer, and after that, I will continue to visit America's national parks with the goal of visiting all 64. I will also plan on visiting the only two states I have not been to, which are Hawaii and Alaska. Fulfilling these goals require money, which I would get from my college degree. Thank you for the chance of earning $1000 to push me toward preserving America's most beloved landscapes for future generations.

The aspect of an infinite procedural generated world offers a fantastic medium for exploration. Seeing as each world is unending and unique, players can discover mountains and other landmarks that have never been seen by anyone else before. I love this aspect so much as I can spend hours, weeks even, exploring a singular world and the numerous amount of biomes, caves, and mountains within it. This resonates with me deeply because of my passion for adventure and exploration. Minecraft offers a safe and entertaining way to set off into unknown lands. Each Minecraft world a player creates is their own personal sandbox for discovery. I can remember my sense of awe when I discovered a really cool formation that consisted of super tall rocky spires with trees at the top or when I found a giant icy mountain unlike anything I had ever seen before. Statistically speaking, there is a very high chance that I am the only person who has ever laid eyes upon those formations. That is what makes the game truly special - it gives players the spark of discovery via exploration. With such a vast world to explore, its easy to feel lonely, but with the multiplayer feature, you can go on adventures with your friends. I have hundreds of memories of exploring dangerous structures and harsh environments with friends and although most had tragic endings with lots of deaths, we all had fun. I still remember joining a Realm with two other friends, seating all of our animals as well as ourselves into boats, and sailing thousands of blocks away from spawn to a really cool mountain which later became our main base. That is why the aspect of a procedural generated world is my favorite part of the game and why it resonates with me so deeply - It allowed me to go on adventures with friends to see things no one else has ever seen before from the comfort of my room.