From a young age, I have consistently participated in community service with my church. Visiting the elderly, writing holiday cards for people in Hospice, filling Operation Christmas Child boxes and feeding the local football team before games are some of the ways I have enjoyed serving. However, I had never really put myself in uncomfortable situations to help people in my community. This changed on the Transforming RoCo local mission trip. I left the safety of my church and friends to answer my call to service. While familiar by name, this was my first time going to Rutherford county, seeing the people, and acknowledging their need for assistance. Assigned to different jobs, I was placed on sites with members of fellow churches to tackle various projects. Pushed out of my comfort zone, the work kept me from mindlessly performing what seemed to be mundane, insignificant landscaping tasks. I began to realize that we were empowering the community members to revive abandoned Bible camps and overgrown daycare centers for a renewed purpose. By sharing our skills and our time, we taught the community how to use their resources and old-fashioned hard work to make positive change. We led them by example, working side-by-side, and earning their trust. It was rewarding to witness the community enjoying the satisfaction of a job well done and seeing a reestablished sense of pride and delight on their faces. The feelings of gratitude and compassion from the service we shared deepened the reverence behind my actions and led me to fall in love with the process of serving those around me. Though many of my typical service opportunities were delayed during the pandemic, the time in quarantine gave me pause to better realize my potential to serve my community. I had been hesitant to lead service for fear that I would not succeed or make an impact and had been content to just participate so I intentionally began to put myself in positions to lead and initiate service. I organized a plan to set up bird feeders outside of our local Hospice center on behalf of my church. Having worked with Hospice in the past, I knew this would bring some measure of joy to the patients, families and staff. I continue to fill the feeders weekly, seeing families watch the birds through their windows as they commune in warm compassion where fear may be otherwise enshrouding. I have been faced with many challenges in my call to service, but having the courage to endeavor is what has made my service meaningful to my community. This gave me the strength and the passion to serve in new ways. I recently learned that many students from a local elementary school have their only meal at school each day. I assessed the situation with the school’s social worker, and with the help of my friends, family, and church, created a list of donation items and arranged dates for the collection, packaging, and delivery of the boxed meals. A younger version of myself would have thought that only adult professionals could arrange such projects, but with a pensive attitude and willingness to serve, I was able to lead a project that provide boxed Thanksgiving meals for 22 needy families of students attending the local elementary and middle schools. My call to service has not been easy, I have faced many challenges both internal and external. But from confronting my trials head-on in the past, I have learned to be bold in my faith, service, and studies and I will continue igniting positive change wherever my future takes me.

In the bottom of the last inning, down by two runs, the bases were loaded with two outs. I stepped into the batter's box bearing the immobilizing pressure to record the walk-off hit and advance the Cherryville Post 100 baseball team to the State Championship game. As the pitcher threw the eighth pitch of my at-bat, I planted my front foot, then swung. Ashamed to have struck out and failed my team, tears poured down my face in the shadow of my helmet. Baseball is a game of failure, but from years of competing, I have cultivated a stronger character and prepared myself for the adversity I will face in life. Entering high school, I was learning the importance of relentlessness and honest self-assessment in my pursuit of improvement. Being cut from my first competitive travel team for my small size, I clawed my way to the top of another organization, where addressing my shortcomings was the only way to compete. Growing stronger, faster, and more situationally aware, I was ready to start my freshman season and regain the respect of my old teammates. But with my freshman season being canceled due to the pandemic, I instead continued to train, gaining more size and strength, for when my sophomore season would arrive. In this breakout season, my hard work allowed me to compete on a team with the same players I once was too small to play with, earning an All-Conference Title and Newcomer of the Year. Performing well during my sophomore season, I was invited to play with Cherryville’s Senior American Legion Team. Competing with collegiate-level players, I became discouraged when I underperformed my teammates. After I ended our last game by striking out, our coach spoke with us saying that he needed players who could dismiss their excuses and fight for success when the going gets tough. Considering his criticism, I gained strength that fall and focused on becoming a better leader in my junior season. I was our high school’s lead-off batter, initiating our run production and leading our team to a Conference Championship as a two-time All-Conference Outfielder and Offensive MVP. I gained confidence and experience being depended upon and was ready for my next American Legion season. Believing that I could compete against any pitcher and make good plays on any batted ball, I earned the starting position in centerfield, held the highest batting average on the team, and contributed to a deep state playoff run and another Area 4 Championship title. Baseball has taught me much and planted valuable qualities within me-- determination to improve, humility to receive criticism, perseverance through difficulties, and confidence to lead. My baseball career has given me tools to find success, catalyzing my success as a student, employee, and young man. Strikeouts, errors, mistakes, and failures are inevitable. But as I hopefully continue to play baseball in college, I wish to learn more from America’s pastime, staying competitive and creating success from whatever challenges come my way.

From a young age, I have consistently participated in community service with my church. Visiting the elderly, writing holiday cards for people in Hospice, filling Operation Christmas Child boxes and feeding the local football team before games are some of the ways I have enjoyed serving. However, I had never really put myself in uncomfortable situations to help people in my community. This changed on the Transforming RoCo local mission trip. I left the safety of my church and friends to answer my call to service. While familiar by name, this was my first time going to Rutherford county, seeing the people, and acknowledging their need for assistance. Assigned to different jobs, I was placed on sites with members of fellow churches to tackle various projects. Pushed out of my comfort zone, the work kept me from mindlessly performing what seemed to be mundane, insignificant landscaping tasks. I began to realize that we were empowering the community members to revive abandoned Bible camps and overgrown daycare centers for a renewed purpose. By sharing our skills and our time, we taught the community how to use their resources and old-fashioned hard work to make positive change. We led them by example, working side-by-side, and earning their trust. It was rewarding to witness the community enjoying the satisfaction of a job well done and seeing a reestablished sense of pride and delight on their faces. The feelings of gratitude and compassion from the service we shared deepened the reverence behind my actions and led me to fall in love with the process of serving those around me. Though many of my typical service opportunities were delayed during the pandemic, the time in quarantine gave me pause to better realize my potential to serve my community. I had been hesitant to lead service for fear that I would not succeed or make an impact and had been content to just participate so I intentionally began to put myself in positions to lead and initiate service. I organized a plan to set up bird feeders outside of our local Hospice center on behalf of my church. Having worked with Hospice in the past, I knew this would bring some measure of joy to the patients, families and staff. I continue to fill the feeders weekly, seeing families watch the birds through their windows as they commune in warm compassion where fear may be otherwise enshrouding. I have been faced with many challenges in my call to service, but having the courage to endeavor is what has made my service meaningful to my community. This gave me the strength and the passion to serve in new ways. I recently learned that many students from a local elementary school have their only meal at school each day. I assessed the situation with the school’s social worker, and with the help of my friends, family, and church, created a list of donation items and arranged dates for the collection, packaging, and delivery of the boxed meals. A younger version of myself would have thought that only adult professionals could arrange such projects, but with a pensive attitude and willingness to serve, I was able to lead a project that provide boxed Thanksgiving meals for 22 needy families of students attending the local elementary and middle schools. My call to service has not been easy, I have faced many challenges both internal and external. But from confronting my trials head-on in the past, I have learned to be bold in my faith, service, and studies and I will continue igniting positive change wherever my future takes me.

From a young age, I have consistently participated in community service with my church. Visiting the elderly, writing holiday cards for people in Hospice, filling Operation Christmas Child boxes and feeding the local football team before games are some of the ways I have enjoyed serving. However, I had never really put myself in uncomfortable situations to help people in my community. This changed on the Transforming RoCo local mission trip. I left the safety of my church and friends to answer my call to service. While familiar by name, this was my first time going to Rutherford county, seeing the people, and acknowledging their need for assistance. Assigned to different jobs, I was placed on sites with members of fellow churches to tackle various projects. Pushed out of my comfort zone, the work kept me from mindlessly performing what seemed to be mundane, insignificant landscaping tasks. I began to realize that we were actually empowering the community members to revive abandoned Bible camps and overgrown daycare centers for a renewed purpose. By sharing our skills and our time, we taught the community how to use their resources and old-fashioned hard work to make positive change. We led them by example, working side-by-side, and earning their trust. It was rewarding to witness the community enjoying the satisfaction of a job well done and seeing a reestablished sense of pride and delight on their faces. The feelings of gratitude and compassion from the service we shared deepened the reverence behind my actions and led me to fall in love with the process of serving those around me. Though many of my typical service opportunities were delayed during the pandemic, the time in quarantine gave me pause to better realize my potential to serve my community. I had been hesitant to lead service for fear that I would not succeed or make an impact and had been content to just participate so I intentionally began to put myself in positions to lead and initiate service. I organized a plan to set up bird feeders outside of our local Hospice center on behalf of my church. Having worked with Hospice in the past, I knew this would bring some measure of joy to the patients, families and staff. I continue to fill the feeders weekly, seeing families watch the birds through their windows as they commune in warm compassion where fear may be otherwise enshrouding. My call to service has shown me that having the courage to endeavor is all it takes to create a meaningful difference in my community. This gave me the courage and the passion to serve in new ways. I recently learned that many students from a local elementary school have their only meal at school each day. I am in the process of organizing a service project to provide boxed Thanksgiving meals for the needy families of this school, as well as others that I become aware of. I assessed the situation with the school’s social worker, created a list of donation items, and arranged dates for the collection, packaging, and delivery of the boxed meals. A younger version of myself would have thought that only adult professionals could arrange such projects, but with a pensive attitude and willingness to serve, I have learned that as long as I am bold in my faith, service, and studies, there are no limits to the compassion and innovation I can bring to our world.

In the bottom of the last inning, down by two runs, the bases were loaded with two outs. I stepped into the batter's box bearing the immobilizing pressure to record the walk-off hit and advance the Cherryville Post 100 baseball team to the State Championship game. As the pitcher threw the eighth pitch of my at-bat, I planted my front foot, then swung. Ashamed to have struck out and failed my team, tears poured down my face in the shadow of my helmet. Baseball is a game of failure, but from years of competing, I have cultivated a stronger character and prepared myself for the adversity I will face in life. Entering high school, I was learning the importance of relentlessness and honest self-assessment in my pursuit of improvement. Being cut from my first competitive travel team for my small size, I clawed my way to the top of another organization, where addressing my shortcomings was the only way to compete. Growing stronger, faster, and more situationally aware, I was ready to start my freshman season and regain the respect of my old teammates. But with my freshman season being canceled due to the pandemic, I instead continued to train, gaining more size and strength, for when my sophomore season would arrive. In this breakout season, my hard work allowed me to compete on a team with the same players I once was too small to play with, earning an All-Conference Title and Newcomer of the Year. Performing well during my sophomore season, I was invited to play with Cherryville’s Senior American Legion Team. Competing with collegiate-level players, I became discouraged when I underperformed my teammates. After I ended our last game by striking out, our coach spoke with us saying that he needed players who could dismiss their excuses and fight for success when the going gets tough. Considering his criticism, I gained strength that fall and focused on becoming a better leader in my junior season. I was our high school’s lead-off batter, initiating our run production and leading our team to a Conference Championship as a two-time All-Conference Outfielder and Offensive MVP. I gained confidence and experience being depended upon and was ready for my next American Legion season. Believing that I could compete against any pitcher and make good plays on any batted ball, I earned the starting position in centerfield, held the highest batting average on the team, and contributed to a deep state playoff run and another Area 4 Championship title. Baseball has taught me much and planted valuable qualities within me-- determination to improve, humility to receive criticism, perseverance through difficulties, and confidence to lead. My baseball career has given me tools to find success, catalyzing my success as a student, employee, and young man. Strikeouts, errors, mistakes, and failures are inevitable. But as I continue to pursue my goals, I know I can rely on my experience to create the success I want to see in my future.

While I pride myself on my academic success, I am in no way defined by that alone. From service projects, club meetings, and cotillion dances to baseball games, wrestling matches, and surfing trips, I have seen many places and done many things. My experiences are essential to understanding me because they have built my character and will continue to shape the young man I become. As I grew in my Christian faith, I gained the courage and the passion to serve in new ways. While still in the pandemic, I organized a plan to set up bird feeders outside of our local Hospice center on behalf of my church. Having worked with Hospice in the past, I knew this would bring some measure of joy to the patients, families and staff. I continue to fill the feeders weekly, seeing families watch the birds through their windows as they commune in warm compassion where fear may be otherwise enshrouding. Entering my senior year, I learned that many students from a local elementary school have their only meal at school each day. Assessing the situation with the school’s social worker, I created a list of donation items and arranged dates for collection, packaging, and delivery of the boxed meals. And thanks to support from my church, family, and peers, the project was able to provide a meal for a total of 22 families from local elementary and middle schools. While I have led in many facets of my service, I also have job experience within a very unique work environment. To the sound of my alarm, I would wake up at 5:00 AM and drive to my summer job at Jenkins Foods, where I make liver mush. At the beginning of the summer, I was not knowledgeable about anything on the site--the equipment, the people, and the processes were new to me. Beginning in what we called the Hot Room, I learned to ask questions, think on my feet, and work efficiently. As the summer progressed, I became familiar with my job and was even put in charge of teaching new employees how things needed to be done. Being a reflection of my life experiences, there are things about me you should know to better understand the young man I have become-- no job is beneath me, I value hard work, I am driven, I am compassionate, I am pensive, I take initiative, and I have led in areas that I once thought only adult professionals could manage. Entering college, I plan to study Aerospace Engineering. I plan to use my experiences to push my limits, take up internships, study hard, and become a successful young man, participating in service to my community in larger ways like soup kitchens and food drives. And as I come to adulthood, I will use my degree to establish a successful engineering career at a leading aerospace company, I will start a family and work hard to provide for it, I will raise strong and independent children while continuing to grow my wealth, I will spearhead consistent service to my community in ways like sponsoring soup kitchens or creating a community pantry full of needed items, and I will contribute to the innovations that are actually "rocket science". As a Christian man, I am called to love my neighbor as myself. And as I endeavor to make my dreams a reality, it is my goal to be able to look back on my life and not see a missed opportunity to show compassion within my community.