I was born in Fengcheng, Jiangxi, China, and found near a family hospital. It was very cold, and my paperwork indicated I was immediately taken to an orphanage after being found. I was adopted at 11 months old and moved to Tennessee in the United States. There are no records or information regarding my birth parents. At first, I was the only child at home with my parents, but 2.5 years later, my sister was also adopted from China. She was born in Guangdong Province. When I was 11, my parents adopted my brother, who was almost 6 years old at the time and is from China too. He was born in Anhui Province. My parents have taught me to be strong and to stand up for myself when situations are difficult. I am fortunate to have friends at school who love and support me. The staff at my school are amazing. In spite of that, there have been times when I was mocked or bullied for being Asian. My friends were there to encourage me. My parents help me to try and understand the difference between intentional racism vs ignorance. Neither are acceptable, but I’ve learned there are opportunities to teach and then times where more deliberate action is required. My parents asked me how I wanted to celebrate my 16th birthday. After much consideration, I requested to go on a mission trip. My mom and I went on a mission trip to Belize and what a life changing experience it was! I was fortunate to be part of the team which consisted of teaching a Bible lesson, doing a small craft and - my all-time favorite thing – singing and dancing!! To be part of a team that brought joy and laughter – and singing and dancing – to those precious children on a tiny island about an hour from mainland Belize was definitely a highlight of my life! My goal is to eventually work with underprivileged youth in our country as well as internationally. Right now, I’m considering a career with the “Make A Wish” foundation or St Jude Children’s Research Hospital as well as by working with short term mission teams. I plan to attend Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA in the Fall of 2021. I will study for a Business Degree as well as a degree in Global Studies. A Business Degree will help me achieve my goals to work with children who are at risk in any capacity or underprivileged. My parents have always taught me to “Do something that matters - To do something that truly impacts the life of another person.” This scholarship will help ease the financial burden of tuition at a private university. Liberty University is my dream college, and my parents are doing everything they can to make my dreams come true. To receive the 2021 Carmen McMillan Memorial Scholarship would be such an honor and I would represent your organization with integrity and grace. Your investment in me will create a ripple effect that could impact so many others in the future.

I was born in Fengcheng, Jiangxi, China, and found near a family hospital. It was very cold, and my paperwork indicated I was immediately taken to an orphanage after being found. I was adopted at 11 months old and moved to Tennessee in the United States. There are no records or information regarding my birth parents. When I started Kindergarten, I was the only “Non-White” student in the entire school. As a Senior, there were less than 10 students in my class who were not white. My parents have taught me to be strong and to stand up for myself when situations are difficult. I am fortunate to have friends at school who love and support me. The staff at my school are amazing. In spite of that, there have been times when I was mocked or bullied for being Asian. My friends were there to encourage me. My parents help me to try and understand the difference between intentional racism vs ignorance. Neither are acceptable, but I’ve learned there are opportunities to teach and then times where more deliberate action is required. I have learned to overcome adversity by being a person of integrity. My reputation for hard work and honesty and character are the most important thing to me. For my Senior year, I was honored to be named the 2020 Homecoming Queen for my high school. My parents asked me how I wanted to celebrate my 16th birthday. After much consideration, I requested to go on a mission trip. My mom and I went on a mission trip to Belize and what a life changing experience it was! I was fortunate to be part of the team which consisted of teaching a Bible lesson, doing a small craft and - my all-time favorite thing – singing and dancing!! To be part of a team that brought joy and laughter – and singing and dancing – to those precious children on a tiny island about an hour from mainland Belize was definitely a highlight of my life! My goal is to eventually work with underprivileged youth in our country as well as internationally. Right now, I’m considering a career with the “Make A Wish” foundation or St Jude Children’s Research Hospital as well as working with short term mission teams. I plan to attend Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA in the Fall of 2021. I will study for a Business Degree as well as a degree in Global Studies. A Business Degree will help me achieve my goals to work with children who are at risk in any capacity or underprivileged. My parents have always taught me to “Do something that matters - To do something that truly impacts the life of another person.” This scholarship will help ease the financial burden of tuition at a private university. Liberty University is my dream college, and my parents are doing everything they can to make my dreams come true. To receive this Scholarship would be such an honor and I would represent your organization with integrity and grace. Your investment in me will create a ripple effect that could impact so many others in the future.

My parents asked me how I wanted to celebrate my 16th birthday. After much consideration, I requested to go on a mission trip. My mom and I went on a mission trip to Belize and what a life changing experience it was! I was fortunate to be part of the team which consisted of teaching a Bible lesson, doing a small craft and - my all-time favorite thing – singing and dancing!! To be part of a team that brought joy and laughter – and singing and dancing – to those precious children on a tiny island about an hour from mainland Belize was definitely a highlight of my life! My goal is to eventually work with underprivileged youth in our country as well as internationally. Right now, I’m considering a career with the “Make A Wish” foundation or St Jude Children’s Research Hospital as well as working with short term mission teams. I plan to attend Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA in the Fall of 2021. I will study for a Business Degree as well as a degree in Global Studies. A Business Degree will help me achieve my goals to work with children who are at risk in any capacity or underprivileged. My parents have always taught me to “Do something that matters - To do something that truly impacts the life of another person.” This scholarship will help ease the financial burden of tuition at a private university. Liberty University is my dream college, and my parents are doing everything they can to make my dreams come true. To receive this Scholarship would be such an honor and I would represent your organization with integrity and grace. Your investment in me will create a ripple effect that could impact so many others in the future.

I was born in Fengcheng, Jiangxi, China, and found near a family hospital. It was very cold, and my paperwork indicated I was immediately taken to an orphanage after being found. I was adopted at 11 months old and moved to Tennessee in the United States. There are no records or information regarding my birth parents. When I started Kindergarten, I was the only “Non-White” student in the entire school. As a Senior in High School, there were less than 10 students in my class who were not white. My parents have taught me to be strong and to stand up for myself when situations are difficult. I am fortunate to have friends at school who love and support me. The staff at my school are amazing. In spite of that, there have been times when I was mocked or bullied for being Asian. My friends were there to encourage me. My parents help me to try and understand the difference between intentional racism vs ignorance. Neither are acceptable, but I’ve learned there are opportunities to teach and then times where more deliberate action is required. I have learned to overcome adversity by being a person of integrity. My reputation for hard work and honesty and character are the most important thing to me. For my Senior year, I was honored to be named the 2020 Homecoming Queen for my high school. My parents asked me how I wanted to celebrate my 16th birthday. After much consideration, I requested to go on a mission trip. My mom and I went on a mission trip to Belize and what a life changing experience it was! I was fortunate to be part of the team which consisted of teaching a Bible lesson, doing a small craft and - my all-time favorite thing – singing and dancing!! To be part of a team that brought joy and laughter – and singing and dancing – to those precious children on a tiny island about an hour from mainland Belize was definitely a highlight of my life! My goal is to eventually work with underprivileged youth in our country as well as internationally. Right now, I’m considering a career with the “Make A Wish” foundation or St Jude Children’s Research Hospital as well as working with short term mission teams. I plan to attend Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA in the Fall of 2021. I will study for a Business Degree as well as a degree in Global Studies. A Business Degree will help me achieve my goals to work with children who are at risk in any capacity or underprivileged. My parents have always taught me to “Do something that matters - To do something that truly impacts the life of another person.” This scholarship will help ease the financial burden of tuition at a private university. Liberty University is my dream college, and my parents are doing everything they can to make my dreams come true. To receive this Scholarship would be such an honor and I would represent your organization with integrity and grace. Your investment in me will create a ripple effect that could impact so many others in the future.

My parents have always taught me to “Do something that matters; do something that truly impacts the life of another person in a positive way.” A lot of times, all that is required is to let that individual know there is someone who cares for them and who believes in them. I plan to attend Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA in the Fall of 2021. I will study for a Business Degree as well as a degree in Global Studies. A Business Degree Global Studies degree will help me achieve my goals to work with children who are at risk in any capacity or those that are underprivileged.

I was born in Fengcheng, Jiangxi, China, and found near a family hospital. It was very cold, and my paperwork indicated I was immediately taken to an orphanage after being found. I was adopted at 11 months old and moved to Tennessee in the United States. There are no records or information regarding my birth parents. My parents have taught me to be strong and to stand up for myself when situations are difficult. I am fortunate to have friends at school who love and support me. The staff at my school are amazing. In spite of that, there have been times when I was mocked or bullied for being Asian. My friends were there to encourage me. My parents help me to try and understand the difference between intentional racism vs ignorance. Neither are acceptable, but I’ve learned there are opportunities to teach and then times where more deliberate action is required. I have learned to overcome adversity by being a person of integrity. My reputation for hard work and honesty and character are the most important thing to me. For my Senior year, I was honored to be named the 2020 Homecoming Queen for my high school. My parents asked me how I wanted to celebrate my 16th birthday. After much consideration, I requested to go on a mission trip. My mom and I went on a mission trip to Belize and what a life changing experience it was! I was fortunate to be part of the team which consisted of teaching a Bible lesson, doing a small craft and - my all-time favorite thing – singing and dancing!! To be part of a team that brought joy and laughter – and singing and dancing – to those precious children on a tiny island about an hour from mainland Belize was definitely a highlight of my life! My goal is to eventually work with underprivileged youth in our country as well as internationally. Right now, I’m considering a career with the “Make A Wish” foundation or St Jude Children’s Research Hospital as well as working with short term mission teams. I hope to own my own company one day to develop, mature, and expand domestic and international mission trips. I plan to attend Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA in the Fall of 2021. I will study for a Business Degree as well as a degree in Global Studies. A Business Degree will help me achieve my goals to work with children who are at risk in any capacity or underprivileged. My parents have always taught me to “Do something that matters - To do something that truly impacts the life of another person.” This scholarship will help ease the financial burden of tuition at a private university. Liberty University is my dream college, and my parents are doing everything they can to make my dreams come true. To receive this Scholarship would be such an honor and I would represent your organization with integrity and grace. Your investment in me will create a ripple effect that could impact so many others in the future.

I was born in Fengcheng, Jiangxi, China, and found near a family hospital. It was very cold, and my paperwork indicated I was immediately taken to an orphanage after being found. I was adopted at 11 months old and moved to Tennessee in the United States. There are no records or information regarding my birth parents. At first, I was the only child at home with my parents, but 2.5 years later, my sister was also adopted from China. She was born in Guangdong Province. When I was 11, my parents adopted my brother, who was almost 6 years old at the time and is from China too. He was born in Anhui Province. We live in a small town in Tennessee, but there are lots of families here who have also adopted children from China. We are part of a very close-knit adoption support group and there are many families who look like mine. Many of my friends are also adopted from China and several are even from the same orphanage where I was taken after being found at the family hospital. In 2019, we celebrated Chinese New Year with our support group with over 100 Chinese children attending. With family and friends, the total attendance was well over 400. That is very remarkable. It has been incredible to grow up being surrounded by so much support and encouragement. So many of my friends and their families were so disappointed when this year’s Chinese New Year celebration had to be cancelled. It has become such a tradition in our community and has become to many families, a reunion time with travel mates that drive several hundred miles to be there. The COVID-19 pandemic has made it hard on everyone this past year. One hardship that I have faced in my life is living in a community without a significant amount of diversity. The Demographics in Kingsport: White: 91.19% Black or African American: 3.54% Two or more races: 3.26% Asian: 1.21% When I started Kindergarten, I was the only “Non-White” student in the entire school. As a Senior, there are less than 10 students in my class who are not white. My parents have taught me to be strong and to stand up for myself when situations are difficult. I am fortunate to have friends at school who love and support me. The staff at my school are amazing. In spite of that, there have been times when I was mocked or bullied for being Asian. My friends were there to encourage me. My parents help me to try and understand the difference between intentional racism vs ignorance. Neither are acceptable, but I’ve learned there are opportunities to teach and then times where more deliberate action is required. I have learned to overcome adversity by being a person of integrity. My reputation for hard work and honesty and character are the most important thing to me. For my Senior year, I was honored to be named the 2020 Homecoming Queen for my high school. My parents asked me how I wanted to celebrate my 16th birthday. After much consideration, I requested to go on a mission trip. My mom and I went on a mission trip to Belize and what a life changing experience it was! I was fortunate to be part of the team which consisted of teaching a Bible lesson, doing a small craft and - my all-time favorite thing – singing and dancing!! To be part of a team that brought joy and laughter – and singing and dancing – to those precious children on a tiny island about an hour from mainland Belize was definitely a highlight of my life! My goal is to eventually work with underprivileged youth in our country as well as internationally. Right now, I’m considering a career with the “Make A Wish” foundation or St Jude Children’s Research Hospital as well as working with short term mission teams. I plan to attend Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA in the Fall of 2021. I will study for a Business Degree as well as a degree in Global Studies. A Business Degree will help me achieve my goals to work with children who are at risk in any capacity or underprivileged. My parents have always taught me to “Do something that matters - To do something that truly impacts the life of another person.” This scholarship will help ease the financial burden of tuition at a private university. Liberty University is my dream college, and my parents are doing everything they can to make my dreams come true. To receive this Scholarship would be such an honor and I would represent your organization with integrity and grace. Your investment in me will create a ripple effect that could impact so many others in the future.

I want to tell you a little bit about my mom, but to understand her, you must first understand my life up to this point and how I got to where I am today. I was born in Fengcheng, Jiangxi, China, and found near a family hospital. It was very cold, and my paperwork indicated I was immediately taken to an orphanage after being found. I was adopted at 11 months old and moved to Tennessee in the United States. There are no records or information regarding my birth parents. At first, I was the only child at home with my parents, but 2.5 years later, my sister was also adopted from China. She was born in Guangdong Province. When I was 11, my parents adopted my brother, who was almost 6 years old at the time and is from China too. He was born in Anhui Province. We live in a small town in Tennessee, but there are lots of families here who have also adopted children from China. We are part of a very close-knit adoption support group and there are many families who look like mine. Many of my friends are also adopted from China and several are even from the same orphanage where I was taken after being found at the family hospital. In 2019, we celebrated Chinese New Year with our support group with over 100 Chinese children attending. With family and friends, the total attendance was well over 400. That is very remarkable. It has been incredible to grow up being surrounded by so much support and encouragement. My parents asked me how I wanted to celebrate my 16th birthday. After much consideration, I requested to go on a mission trip. My mom and I went on a mission trip to Belize and what a life changing experience it was! I was fortunate to be part of the team which consisted of teaching a Bible lesson, doing a small craft and - my all-time favorite thing – singing and dancing!! To be part of a team that brought joy and laughter – and singing and dancing – to those precious children on a tiny island about an hour from mainland Belize was definitely a highlight of my life! My mom has had the greatest influence on my life and if I am anything, it is because of her and her values which she has been instilling in me my whole life. Her grandfather started the first Apostolic Church in Kingsport and has been in church her whole life. I love going to church and playing piano in my youth group. I am blessed! My goal is to eventually work with underprivileged youth in our country as well as internationally. Right now, I’m considering a career with the “Make A Wish” foundation or St Jude Children’s Research Hospital as well as working with short term mission teams. I plan to attend Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA in the Fall of 2021. I will study for a Business Degree as well as a degree in Global Studies. A Business Degree will help me achieve my goals to work with children who are at risk in any capacity or underprivileged. My parents have always taught me to “Do something that matters - To do something that truly impacts the life of another person.” This scholarship will help ease the financial burden of tuition at a private university. Liberty University is my dream college, and my parents are doing everything they can to make my dreams come true. To receive this Scholarship would be such an honor and I would represent your organization with integrity and grace. Your investment in me will create a ripple effect that could impact so many others in the future.

I was born in Fengcheng, Jiangxi, China, and found near a family hospital. It was very cold, and my paperwork indicated I was immediately taken to an orphanage after being found. I was adopted at 11 months old and moved to Tennessee in the United States. There are no records or information regarding my birth parents. At first, I was the only child at home with my parents, but 2.5 years later, my sister was also adopted from China. She was born in Guangdong Province. When I was 11, my parents adopted my brother, who was almost 6 years old at the time and is from China too. He was born in Anhui Province. My parents asked me how I wanted to celebrate my 16th birthday. After much consideration, I requested to go on a mission trip. My mom and I went on a mission trip to Belize and what a life changing experience it was! I was fortunate to be part of the team which consisted of teaching a Bible lesson, doing a small craft and - my all-time favorite thing – singing and dancing!! To be part of a team that brought joy and laughter – and singing and dancing – to those precious children on a tiny island about an hour from mainland Belize was definitely a highlight of my life! My goal is to eventually work with underprivileged youth in our country as well as internationally. Right now, I’m considering a career with the “Make A Wish” foundation or St Jude Children’s Research Hospital as well as working with short term mission teams. I plan to attend Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA in the Fall of 2021. I will study for a Business Degree as well as a degree in Global Studies. A Business Degree will help me achieve my goals to work with children who are at risk in any capacity or underprivileged. My parents have always taught me to “Do something that matters - To do something that truly impacts the life of another person.” This scholarship will help ease the financial burden of tuition at a private university. Liberty University is my dream college, and my parents are doing everything they can to make my dreams come true. To receive this Scholarship would be such an honor and I would represent your organization with integrity and grace. Your investment in me will create a ripple effect that could impact so many others in the future.

(1) Marie Skłodowska Curie, also known as Madame Curie, was a Warsaw, Poland born and naturalized-French physicist and chemist who achieved pioneering results in the field of radioactivity research in the early 1900s. (2) She was first in the Curie family to win one of the eventual five Nobel Prizes (Physics), a second Nobel Prize coming a few years later to Marie in the discipline of Chemistry. (3) She is well-known for her work in the field of radioactivity, a term coined by Marie in 1903, eventually discovering two new elements, Polonium (named after her native Poland), and Radium. (4) Sadly, Marie died in 1934 at the age of 66 from Aplastic anemia, contracted from her scientific research with repeated and sustained exposure to radiation.

I was born in Fengcheng, Jiangxi, China, and found near a family hospital. It was very cold, and my paperwork indicated I was immediately taken to an orphanage after being found. I was adopted at 11 months old and moved to Tennessee in the United States. There are no records or information regarding my birth parents. At first, I was the only child at home with my parents, but 2.5 years later, my sister was also adopted from China. She was born in Guangdong Province. When I was 11, my parents adopted my brother, who was almost 6 years old at the time and is from China too. He was born in Anhui Province. We live in a small town in Tennessee, but there are lots of families here who have also adopted children from China. We are part of a very close-knit adoption support group and there are many families who look like mine. Many of my friends are also adopted from China and several are even from the same orphanage where I was taken after being found at the family hospital. In 2019, we celebrated Chinese New Year with our support group with over 100 Chinese children attending. With family and friends, the total attendance was well over 400. That is very remarkable. It has been incredible to grow up being surrounded by so much support and encouragement. One hardship that I have faced in my life is living in a community without a significant amount of diversity. The Demographics in Kingsport: White: 91.19% Black or African American: 3.54% Two or more races: 3.26% Asian: 1.21% When I started Kindergarten, I was the only “Non-White” student in the entire school. As a Senior, there are less than 10 students in my class who are not white. My parents have taught me to be strong and to stand up for myself when situations are difficult. I am fortunate to have friends at school who love and support me. The staff at my school are amazing. In spite of that, there have been times when I was mocked or bullied for being Asian. My friends were there to encourage me. My parents help me to try and understand the difference between intentional racism vs ignorance. Neither are acceptable, but I’ve learned there are opportunities to teach and then times where more deliberate action is required. I have learned to overcome adversity by being a person of integrity. My reputation for hard work and honesty and character is the most important thing to me. For my Senior year, I was honored to be named the 2020 Homecoming Queen for my high school. My parents asked me how I wanted to celebrate my 16th birthday. After much consideration, I requested to go on a mission trip. My mom and I went on a mission trip to Belize and what a life changing experience it was! I was fortunate to be part of the team which consisted of teaching a Bible lesson, doing a small craft and - my all-time favorite thing – singing and dancing!! To be part of a team that brought joy and laughter – and singing and dancing – to those precious children on a tiny island about an hour from mainland Belize was definitely a highlight of my life! My goal is to eventually work with underprivileged youth in our country as well as internationally. Right now, I’m considering a career with the “Make A Wish” foundation or St Jude Children’s Research Hospital as well as working with short term mission teams. I plan to attend Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA in the Fall of 2021. I will study for a Business Degree as well as a degree in Global Studies. A Business Degree will help me achieve my goals to work with children who are at risk in any capacity or underprivileged. My parents have always taught me to “Do something that matters - To do something that truly impacts the life of another person.” This scholarship will help ease the financial burden of tuition at a private university. Liberty University is my dream college, and my parents are doing everything they can to make my dreams come true. To receive this Scholarship would be such an honor and I would represent your organization with integrity and grace. Your investment in me will create a ripple effect that could impact so many others in the future.

My parents asked me how I wanted to celebrate my 16th birthday. After much consideration, I requested to go on a mission trip. My mom and I went on a mission trip to Belize and what a life changing experience it was! I was fortunate to be part of the team which consisted of teaching a Bible lesson, doing a small craft and - my all-time favorite thing – singing and dancing!! To be part of a team that brought joy and laughter – and singing and dancing – to those precious children on a tiny island about an hour from mainland Belize was definitely a highlight of my life! My goal is to eventually work with underprivileged youth in our country as well as internationally. Right now, I’m considering a career with the “Make A Wish” foundation or St Jude Children’s Research Hospital as well as working with short term mission teams. I plan to attend Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA in the Fall of 2021. I will study for a Business Degree as well as a degree in Global Studies. A Business Degree will help me achieve my goals to work with children who are at risk in any capacity or underprivileged. My parents have always taught me to “Do something that matters - To do something that truly impacts the life of another person.” This scholarship will help ease the financial burden of tuition at a private university. Liberty University is my dream college, and my parents are doing everything they can to make my dreams come true. To receive this Scholarship would be such an honor and I would represent your organization with integrity and grace. Your investment in me will create a ripple effect that could impact so many others in the future.

From what I can tell in my short 18-year life, great strides have been made in the progress of women in all aspects of society. Different 'movements' recently have led to this advancement and not necessarily specific to women's rights and empowerment. For example, I think the "Me Too" movement has increased awareness to much more than sexual harassment and exploitation. A victim speaking up empowers others who have experienced the same, or worse, to also report the abuser. As these people get punished, all potential abusers, not necessarily sexual abusers, will understand that their victims will no longer be meek and timid targets for the offender. Although changes have been a long time coming, I think the greatest impact has been in my lifetime and I feel greater positive changes are coming at a faster rate then ever before. As an Asian-American born in China and adopted by an American couple as an 11-month old infant, fate could have dictated me to live in a country known for abuse of the inalienable rights so precious in the United States. I might not have known life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness as I know them today. I’m not saying life is perfect for me, both as a female and as an Asian American. I am saying that it is MUCH better than how I could be living, and social awareness is getting better each and every day as societal “norms” are being challenged and changed. My pastor used to say this as part of his sermons – “Change has never been this fast before and will never be this slow again”.

I was born in Fengcheng, Jiangxi, China, and found near a family hospital. It was very cold, and my paperwork indicated I was immediately taken to an orphanage after being found. I was adopted at 11 months old and moved to Tennessee in the United States. There are no records or information regarding my birth parents. At first, I was the only child at home with my parents, but 2.5 years later, my sister was also adopted from China. She was born in Guangdong Province. When I was 11, my parents adopted my brother, who was almost 6 years old at the time and is from China too. He was born in Anhui Province. We live in a small town in Tennessee, but there are lots of families here who have also adopted children from China. We are part of a very close-knit adoption support group and there are many families who look like mine. Many of my friends are also adopted from China and several are even from the same orphanage where I was taken after being found at the family hospital. In 2019, we celebrated Chinese New Year with our support group with over 100 Chinese children attending. With family and friends, the total attendance was well over 400. That is very remarkable. It has been incredible to grow up being surrounded by so much support and encouragement. My parents asked me how I wanted to celebrate my 16th birthday. After much consideration, I requested to go on a mission trip. My mom and I went on a mission trip to Belize and what a life changing experience it was! I was fortunate to be part of the team which consisted of teaching a Bible lesson, doing a small craft and - my all-time favorite thing – singing and dancing!! To be part of a team that brought joy and laughter – and singing and dancing – to those precious children on a tiny island about an hour from mainland Belize was definitely a highlight of my life! My goal is to eventually work with underprivileged youth in our country as well as internationally. Right now, I’m considering a career with the “Make A Wish” foundation or St Jude Children’s Research Hospital as well as working with short term mission teams. I plan to attend Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA in the Fall of 2021. I will study for a Business Degree as well as a degree in Global Studies. A Business Degree will help me achieve my goals to work with children who are at risk in any capacity or underprivileged. My parents have always taught me to “Do something that matters - To do something that truly impacts the life of another person.” This scholarship will help ease the financial burden of tuition at a private university. Liberty University is my dream college, and my parents are doing everything they can to make my dreams come true. To receive this Scholarship would be such an honor and I would represent your organization with integrity and grace. Your investment in me will create a ripple effect that could impact so many others in the future.

I was born in Fengcheng, Jiangxi, China, and found near a family hospital. It was very cold, and my paperwork indicated I was immediately taken to an orphanage after being found. I was adopted at 11 months old and moved to Tennessee in the United States. There are no records or information regarding my birth parents. At first, I was the only child at home with my parents, but 2.5 years later, my sister was also adopted from China. She was born in Guangdong Province. When I was 11, my parents adopted my brother, who was almost 6 years old at the time and is from China too. He was born in Anhui Province. We live in a small town in Tennessee, but there are lots of families here who have also adopted children from China. We are part of a very close-knit adoption support group and there are many families who look like mine. Many of my friends are also adopted from China and several are even from the same orphanage where I was taken after being found at the family hospital. In 2019, we celebrated Chinese New Year with our support group with over 100 Chinese children attending. With family and friends, the total attendance was well over 400. That is very remarkable. It has been incredible to grow up being surrounded by so much support and encouragement. One hardship that I have faced in my life is living in a community without a significant amount of diversity. The Demographics in Kingsport: White: 91.19% Black or African American: 3.54% Two or more races: 3.26% Asian: 1.21% When I started Kindergarten, I was the only “Non-White” student in the entire school. As a Senior, there are less than 10 students in my class who are not white. My parents have taught me to be strong and to stand up for myself when situations are difficult. I am fortunate to have friends at school who love and support me. The staff at my school are amazing. In spite of that, there have been times when I was mocked or bullied for being Asian. My friends were there to encourage me. My parents help me to try and understand the difference between intentional racism vs ignorance. Neither are acceptable, but I’ve learned there are opportunities to teach and then times where more deliberate action is required. I have learned to overcome adversity by being a person of integrity. My reputation for hard work and honesty and character are the most important thing to me. For my Senior year, I was honored to be named the 2020 Homecoming Queen for my high school. My parents asked me how I wanted to celebrate my 16th birthday. After much consideration, I requested to go on a mission trip. My mom and I went on a mission trip to Belize and what a life changing experience it was! I was fortunate to be part of the team which consisted of teaching a Bible lesson, doing a small craft and - my all-time favorite thing – singing and dancing!! To be part of a team that brought joy and laughter – and singing and dancing – to those precious children on a tiny island about an hour from mainland Belize was definitely a highlight of my life! My goal is to eventually work with underprivileged youth in our country as well as internationally. Right now, I’m considering a career with the “Make A Wish” foundation or St Jude Children’s Research Hospital as well as working with short term mission teams. I plan to attend Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA in the Fall of 2021. I will study for a Business Degree as well as a degree in Global Studies. A Business Degree will help me achieve my goals to work with children who are at risk in any capacity or underprivileged. My parents have always taught me to “Do something that matters - To do something that truly impacts the life of another person.” This scholarship will help ease the financial burden of tuition at a private university. Liberty University is my dream college, and my parents are doing everything they can to make my dreams come true. To receive this Scholarship would be such an honor and I would represent your organization with integrity and grace. Your investment in me will create a ripple effect that could impact so many others in the future.

My parents asked me how I wanted to celebrate my 16th birthday. After much consideration, I requested to go on a mission trip. My mom and I went on a mission trip to Belize and what a life changing experience it was! I was fortunate to be part of the team which consisted of teaching a Bible lesson, doing a small craft and - my all-time favorite thing – singing and dancing!! To be part of a team that brought joy and laughter – and singing and dancing – to those precious children on a tiny island about an hour from mainland Belize was definitely a highlight of my life! My goal is to eventually work with underprivileged youth in our country as well as internationally. Right now, I’m considering a career with the “Make A Wish” foundation or St Jude Children’s Research Hospital as well as working with short term mission teams. I plan to attend Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA in the Fall of 2021. I will study for a Business Degree as well as a degree in Global Studies. A Business Degree will help me achieve my goals to work with children who are at risk in any capacity or underprivileged. My parents have always taught me to “Do something that matters - To do something that truly impacts the life of another person.” This scholarship will help ease the financial burden of tuition at a private university. Liberty University is my dream college, and my parents are doing everything they can to make my dreams come true. To receive this Scholarship would be such an honor and I would represent your organization with integrity and grace. Your investment in me will create a ripple effect that could impact so many others in the future.

I was born in Fengcheng, Jiangxi, China, and found near a family hospital. It was very cold, and my paperwork indicated I was immediately taken to an orphanage after being found. I was adopted at 11 months old and moved to Tennessee in the United States. There are no records or information regarding my birth parents. At first, I was the only child at home with my parents, but 2.5 years later, my sister was also adopted from China. She was born in Guangdong Province. When I was 11, my parents adopted my brother, who was almost 6 years old at the time and is from China too. He was born in Anhui Province. We live in a small town in Tennessee, but there are lots of families here who have also adopted children from China. We are part of a very close-knit adoption support group and there are many families who look like mine. Many of my friends are also adopted from China and several are even from the same orphanage where I was taken after being found at the family hospital. In 2019, we celebrated Chinese New Year with our support group with over 100 Chinese children attending. With family and friends, the total attendance was well over 400. That is very remarkable. It has been incredible to grow up being surrounded by so much support and encouragement. One hardship that I have faced in my life is living in a community without a significant amount of diversity. The Demographics in Kingsport: White: 91.19% Black or African American: 3.54% Two or more races: 3.26% Asian: 1.21% When I started Kindergarten, I was the only “Non-White” student in the entire school. As a Senior, there are less than 10 students in my class who are not white. My parents have taught me to be strong and to stand up for myself when situations are difficult. I am fortunate to have friends at school who love and support me. The staff at my school are amazing. In spite of that, there have been times when I was mocked or bullied for being Asian. My friends were there to encourage me. My parents help me to try and understand the difference between intentional racism vs ignorance. Neither are acceptable, but I’ve learned there are opportunities to teach and then times where more deliberate action is required. I have learned to overcome adversity by being a person of integrity. My reputation for hard work and honesty and character are the most important thing to me. For my Senior year, I was honored to be named the 2020 Homecoming Queen for my high school. This scholarship will help ease the financial burden of tuition at a private university. Liberty University is my dream college, and my parents are doing everything they can to make my dreams come true. To receive this Scholarship would be such an honor and I would represent your scholarship with integrity and grace. Your investment in me will create a ripple effect that could impact so many others in the future.

My parents asked me how I wanted to celebrate my 16th birthday. After much consideration, I requested to go on a mission trip. My mom and I went on a mission trip to Belize and what a life changing experience it was! I was fortunate to be part of the team which consisted of teaching a Bible lesson, doing a small craft and - my all-time favorite thing – singing and dancing!! To be part of a team that brought joy and laughter – and singing and dancing – to those precious children on a tiny island about an hour from mainland Belize was definitely a highlight of my life! My goal is to eventually work with underprivileged youth in our country as well as internationally. Right now, I’m considering a career with the “Make A Wish” foundation or St Jude Children’s Research Hospital as well as working with short term mission teams. I plan to attend Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA in the Fall of 2021. I will study for a Business Degree as well as a degree in Global Studies. A Business Degree will help me achieve my goals to work with children who are at risk in any capacity or underprivileged. My parents have always taught me to “Do something that matters - To do something that truly impacts the life of another person.” Having a no-code, simple way to reach others would be a tremendous help. Communications in this endeavor will be the most important thing. Reaching out to potential donors and also having a way for interested people looking for just the right mission trip would make scheduling so much easier. This scholarship will help ease the financial burden of tuition at a private university. Liberty University is my dream college, and my parents are doing everything they can to make my dreams come true. To receive this Scholarship would be such an honor and I would represent your organization with integrity and grace. Your investment in me will create a ripple effect that could impact so many others in the future.

I was born in Fengcheng, Jiangxi, China, and found near a family hospital. It was very cold, and my paperwork indicated I was immediately taken to an orphanage after being found. I was adopted at 11 months old and moved to Tennessee in the United States. There are no records or information regarding my birth parents. At first, I was the only child at home with my parents, but 2.5 years later, my sister was also adopted from China. She was born in Guangdong Province. When I was 11, my parents adopted my brother, who was almost 6 years old at the time and is from China too. He was born in Anhui Province. We live in a small town in Tennessee, but there are lots of families here who have also adopted children from China. We are part of a very close-knit adoption support group and there are many families who look like mine. Many of my friends are also adopted from China and several are even from the same orphanage where I was taken after being found at the family hospital. In 2019, we celebrated Chinese New Year with our support group with over 100 Chinese children attending. With family and friends, the total attendance was well over 400. That is very remarkable. It has been incredible to grow up being surrounded by so much support and encouragement My parents asked me how I wanted to celebrate my 16th birthday. After much consideration, I requested to go on a mission trip. My mom and I went on a mission trip to Belize and what a life changing experience it was! I was fortunate to be part of the team which consisted of teaching a Bible lesson, doing a small craft and - my all-time favorite thing – singing and dancing!! To be part of a team that brought joy and laughter – and singing and dancing – to those precious children on a tiny island about an hour from mainland Belize was definitely a highlight of my life! My goal is to eventually work with underprivileged youth in our country as well as internationally. Right now, I’m considering a career with the “Make A Wish” foundation or St Jude Children’s Research Hospital as well as working with short term mission teams. I plan to attend Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA in the Fall of 2021. I will study for a Business Degree as well as a degree in Global Studies. A Business Degree will help me achieve my goals to work with children who are at risk in any capacity or underprivileged. My parents have always taught me to “Do something that matters - To do something that truly impacts the life of another person.” This scholarship will help ease the financial burden of tuition at a private university. Liberty University is my dream college, and my parents are doing everything they can to make my dreams come true. To receive this Scholarship would be such an honor and I would represent your organization with integrity and grace. Your investment in me will create a ripple effect that could impact so many others in the future.

I was born in Fengcheng, Jiangxi, China, and found near a family hospital. It was very cold, and my paperwork indicated I was immediately taken to an orphanage after being found. I was adopted at 11 months old and moved to Tennessee in the United States. There are no records or information regarding my birth parents. At first, I was the only child at home with my parents, but 2.5 years later, my sister was also adopted from China. She was born in Guangdong Province. When I was 11, my parents adopted my brother, who was almost 6 years old at the time and is from China too. He was born in Anhui Province. When I started Kindergarten, I was the only “Non-White” student in the entire school. As a Senior, there are less than 10 students in my class who are not white. My parents have taught me to be strong and to stand up for myself when situations are difficult. I am fortunate to have friends at school who love and support me. The staff at my school are amazing. In spite of that, there have been times when I was mocked or bullied for being Asian. My friends were there to encourage me. My parents help me to try and understand the difference between intentional racism vs ignorance. Neither are acceptable, but I’ve learned there are opportunities to teach and then times where more deliberate action is required. I have learned to overcome adversity by being a person of integrity. My reputation for hard work and honesty and character are the most important thing to me. For my Senior year, I was honored to be named the 2020 Homecoming Queen for my high school. My parents asked me how I wanted to celebrate my 16th birthday. After much consideration and prayer, I requested to go on a mission trip. My mom and I went on a mission trip to Belize and what a life changing experience it was! I was fortunate to be part of the team which consisted of teaching a Bible lesson, doing a small craft and - my all-time favorite thing – singing and dancing!! To be part of a team that brought joy and laughter – and singing and dancing – to those precious children on a tiny island about an hour from mainland Belize was definitely a highlight of my life! My goal is to eventually work with underprivileged youth in our country as well as internationally. Right now, I’m considering a career with the “Make A Wish” foundation or St Jude Children’s Research Hospital as well as working with short term mission teams. I plan to attend Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA in the Fall of 2021. I will study for a Business Degree as well as a degree in Global Studies. A Business Degree will help me achieve my goals to work with children who are at risk in any capacity or underprivileged. My parents have always taught me to “Do something that matters - To do something that truly impacts the life of another person.” This scholarship will help ease the financial burden of tuition at a private university. Liberty University is my dream college, and my parents are doing everything they can to make my dreams come true. To receive this Scholarship would be such an honor and I would represent your organization with integrity and grace. Your investment in me will create a ripple effect that could impact so many others in the future.

I was born in Fengcheng, Jiangxi, China, and found near a family hospital. It was very cold, and my paperwork indicated I was immediately taken to an orphanage after being found. I was adopted at 11 months old and moved to Tennessee in the United States. There are no records or information regarding my birth parents. At first, I was the only child at home with my parents, but 2.5 years later, my sister was also adopted from China. She was born in Guangdong Province. When I was 11, my parents adopted my brother, who was almost 6 years old at the time and is from China too. He was born in Anhui Province. When I started Kindergarten, I was the only “Non-White” student in the entire school. As a Senior, there are less than 10 students in my class who are not white. My parents have taught me to be strong and to stand up for myself when situations are difficult. I am fortunate to have friends at school who love and support me. The staff at my school are amazing. In spite of that, there have been times when I was mocked or bullied for being Asian. My friends were there to encourage me. My parents help me to try and understand the difference between intentional racism vs ignorance. Neither are acceptable, but I’ve learned there are opportunities to teach and then times where more deliberate action is required. My parents asked me how I wanted to celebrate my 16th birthday. After much consideration, I requested to go on a mission trip. My mom and I went on a mission trip to Belize and what a life changing experience it was! I was fortunate to be part of the team which consisted of teaching a Bible lesson, doing a small craft and - my all-time favorite thing – singing and dancing!! To be part of a team that brought joy and laughter – and singing and dancing – to those precious children on a tiny island about an hour from mainland Belize was definitely a highlight of my life! My goal is to eventually work with underprivileged youth in our country as well as internationally. Right now, I’m considering a career with the “Make A Wish” foundation or St Jude Children’s Research Hospital as well as working with short term mission teams. I plan to attend Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA in the Fall of 2021. I will study for a Business Degree as well as a degree in Global Studies. A Business Degree will help me achieve my goals to work with children who are at risk in any capacity or underprivileged. My parents have always taught me to “Do something that matters - To do something that truly impacts the life of another person.” This scholarship will help ease the financial burden of tuition at a private university. Liberty University is my dream college, and my parents are doing everything they can to make my dreams come true. To receive this Scholarship would be such an honor and I would represent your organization with integrity and grace. Your investment in me will create a ripple effect that could impact so many others in the future.

I was born in Fengcheng, Jiangxi, China, and found near a family hospital. It was very cold, and my paperwork indicated I was immediately taken to an orphanage after being found. I was adopted at 11 months old and moved to Tennessee in the United States. There are no records or information regarding my birth parents. At first, I was the only child at home with my parents, but 2.5 years later, my sister was also adopted from China. She was born in Guangdong Province. When I was 11, my parents adopted my brother, who was almost 6 years old at the time and is from China too. He was born in Anhui Province. We live in a small town in Tennessee, but there are lots of families here who have also adopted children from China. We are part of a very close-knit adoption support group and there are many families who look like mine. Many of my friends are also adopted from China and several are even from the same orphanage where I was taken after being found at the family hospital. In 2019, we celebrated Chinese New Year with our support group with over 100 Chinese children attending. With family and friends, the total attendance was well over 400. That is very remarkable. It has been incredible to grow up being surrounded by so much support and encouragement. Creating a Chinese dance program for children who were adopted from China has been something I have successfully accomplished. Honoring my Chinese culture is essential to me and my family. Staying connected to our Chinese heritage is important to me and teaching it through dance is something of which I am very proud. My parents organize Chinese cultural events throughout the year. The biggest event is our Chinese New Year celebration. Because of the work my parents do in our community to raise awareness regarding Chinese orphans, many families in our area have also adopted children from China. As part of our CNY Celebration, I started teaching one Chinese Dance to the other children in our adoption support group which we performed at the Chinese New Year event. Over the years, the classes have increased to 7 dance groups of all ages with almost 70 Chinese dancers from our area performing. Watching hundreds of videos online to learn dance technique and spending hours researching costumes and props for each dance was my primary inspiration. My love and experience for dancing and performing onstage provided a strong background to learn about Chinese dance. Each dance group has a different authentic Chinese costume and props consist of fans, ribbons, swords, lanterns, and drums. The children in the dance teams and their families get the opportunity to make new friends and continue old friendships. During practice season, we have parties and sleep overs, so everyone feels connected. By the time our Chinese New Year event arrives, everyone is all excited. All of our hard work shows during these beautifully performed Chinese dances. It’s such a beautiful night of celebrating our Chinese culture and heritage. My favorite part is taking a moment to look around and seeing a room full of pure Love. It makes me proud to be Chinese. Proud to be adopted. Proud to be part of creating a dance program. Proud to be part of a community that celebrates my Chinese heritage. My parents asked me how I wanted to celebrate my 16th birthday. After much consideration, I requested to go on a mission trip. My mom and I went on a mission trip to Belize and what a life changing experience it was! I was fortunate to be part of the team which consisted of teaching a Bible lesson, doing a small craft and - my all-time favorite thing – singing and dancing!! To be part of a team that brought joy and laughter – and singing and dancing – to those precious children on a tiny island about an hour from mainland Belize was definitely a highlight of my life! My goal is to eventually work with underprivileged youth in our country as well as internationally. Right now, I’m considering a career with the “Make A Wish” foundation or St Jude Children’s Research Hospital as well as working with short term mission teams. I plan to attend Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA in the Fall of 2021. I will study for a Business Degree as well as a degree in Global Studies. A Business Degree will help me achieve my goals to work with children who are at risk in any capacity or underprivileged. My parents have always taught me to “Do something that matters - To do something that truly impacts the life of another person.” This scholarship will help ease the financial burden of tuition at a private university. Liberty University is my dream college, and my parents are doing everything they can to make my dreams come true. To receive this Scholarship would be such an honor and I would represent your organization with integrity and grace. Your investment in me will create a ripple effect that could impact so many others in the future.

Neither of my parent's went to college, but that fact has not affected me as much as how my life was changed when I was adopted from Fengcheng, Jiangxi, China when I was 11 months old. I also have a sister who is a sophomore in high school and a brother who is in middle school who were also adopted from China. I really did not have any major obstacles, but early in elementary school, I began to notice that I looked different from most of the other kids in my class and the rest of the school. Our community is not remarkably diverse, so I may have been the first Asian looking person many of my classmates had ever seen. Most of the time, the other students acted toward me just like all the other students, but there were situations where I was treated differently. One hardship that I have faced in my life is living in a community without a significant amount of diversity. The Demographics in Kingsport: White: 91.19% Black or African American: 3.54% Two or more races: 3.26% Asian: 1.21% When I started Kindergarten, I was the only “Non-White” student in the entire school. One day at lunch, I was sitting at a table with some of my friends. Another class came in and lined up to get their food. One of the boys standing near my table pulled on the corner of his eyes and bowed toward me. I did not understand what that meant until I came home and told my parents. They explained that he was making fun of me and it was not a nice thing to do. They told me that he was simply displaying his ignorance and that to simply ignore people that try to be anything but respectful and kind. They have also taught me to always treat other people the way that I would like to be treated. That has been the simplest yet most enduring advice I have ever received. As a senior in high school, there are still less than 10 students in my class who are not white. My parents have taught me to be strong and to stand up for myself when situations are difficult. I am fortunate to have friends at school who love and support me. The staff at my school are amazing. Despite that, there have been times when I was mocked or bullied for being Asian. My friends were there to encourage me. My parents help me to try and understand the difference between intentional racism vs ignorance. Neither are acceptable, but I’ve learned there are opportunities to teach and then times where more deliberate action is required. I have learned to overcome adversity by being a person of integrity. My reputation for hard work and honesty and character are the most important thing to me. For my Senior year, I was honored to be named the 2020 Homecoming Queen for my high school. Since that day in the lunchroom at my elementary school, either that type and level of racism has not happened to me, or I have simply chosen to overlook and forget it, but the majority of my life has been one of inclusion and many friendships. I have had a great childhood and my parents are my best friends. I hear other students from my high school talking about bad situations at home, and I cannot imagine how that could happen in a family that loves and respects one another. I am blessed! So really, not having college graduates as parents had no effect on how I was born, raised, and loved without limit by those same people, Dad and Mom.

I was adopted from Fengcheng, Jiangxi, China when I was 11 months old. I also have a sister who is a sophomore in high school and a brother who is in middle school who were also adopted from China. I really did not have any major obstacles, but early in elementary school, I began to notice that I looked different from most of the other kids in my class and the rest of the school. Our community is not remarkably diverse, so I may have been the first Asian looking person many of my classmates had ever seen. Most of the time, the other students acted toward me just like all the other students, but there were situations where I was treated differently. One hardship that I have faced in my life is living in a community without a significant amount of diversity. The Demographics in Kingsport: White: 91.19% Black or African American: 3.54% Two or more races: 3.26% Asian: 1.21% When I started Kindergarten, I was the only “Non-White” student in the entire school. One day at lunch, I was sitting at a table with some of my friends. Another class came in and lined up to get their food. One of the boys standing near my table pulled on the corner of his eyes and bowed toward me. I did not understand what that meant until I came home and told my parents. They explained that he was making fun of me and it was not a nice thing to do. They told me that he was simply displaying his ignorance and that to simply ignore people that try to be anything but respectful and kind. They have also taught me to always treat other people the way that I would like to be treated. That has been the simplest yet most enduring advice I have ever received. As a senior in high school, there are still less than 10 students in my class who are not white. My parents have taught me to be strong and to stand up for myself when situations are difficult. I am fortunate to have friends at school who love and support me. The staff at my school are amazing. Despite that, there have been times when I was mocked or bullied for being Asian. My friends were there to encourage me. My parents help me to try and understand the difference between intentional racism vs ignorance. Neither are acceptable, but I’ve learned there are opportunities to teach and then times where more deliberate action is required. I have learned to overcome adversity by being a person of integrity. My reputation for hard work and honesty and character are the most important thing to me. For my Senior year, I was honored to be named the 2020 Homecoming Queen for my high school. Since that day in the lunchroom at my elementary school, either that type and level of racism has not happened to me, or I have simply chosen to overlook and forget it, but the majority of my life has been one of inclusion and many friendships. I have had a great childhood and my parents are my best friends. I hear other students from my high school talking about bad situations at home, and I cannot imagine how that could happen in a family that loves and respects one another. I am blessed!

I was adopted from Fengcheng, Jiangxi, China when I was 11 months old. I also have a sister who is a sophomore in high school and a brother who is in middle school who were also adopted from China. I really did not have any major obstacles, but early in elementary school, I began to notice that I looked different from most of the other kids in my class and the rest of the school. Our community is not remarkably diverse, so I may have been the first Asian looking person many of my classmates had ever seen. Most of the time, the other students acted toward me just like all the other students, but there were situations where I was treated differently. One hardship that I have faced in my life is living in a community without a significant amount of diversity. The Demographics in Kingsport: White: 91.19% Black or African American: 3.54% Two or more races: 3.26% Asian: 1.21% When I started Kindergarten, I was the only “Non-White” student in the entire school. One day at lunch, I was sitting at a table with some of my friends. Another class came in and lined up to get their food. One of the boys standing near my table pulled on the corner of his eyes and bowed toward me. I did not understand what that meant until I came home and told my parents. They explained that he was making fun of me and it was not a nice thing to do. They told me that he was simply displaying his ignorance and that to simply ignore people that try to be anything but respectful and kind. They have also taught me to always treat other people the way that I would like to be treated. That has been the simplest yet most enduring advice I have ever received. As a senior in high school, there are still less than 10 students in my class who are not white. My parents have taught me to be strong and to stand up for myself when situations are difficult. I am fortunate to have friends at school who love and support me. The staff at my school are amazing. Despite that, there have been times when I was mocked or bullied for being Asian. My friends were there to encourage me. My parents help me to try and understand the difference between intentional racism vs ignorance. Neither are acceptable, but I’ve learned there are opportunities to teach and then times where more deliberate action is required. I have learned to overcome adversity by being a person of integrity. My reputation for hard work and honesty and character are the most important thing to me. For my Senior year, I was honored to be named the 2020 Homecoming Queen for my high school. Since that day in the lunchroom at my elementary school, either that type and level of racism has not happened to me, or I have simply chosen to overlook and forget it, but the majority of my life has been one of inclusion and many friendships. I have had a great childhood and my parents are my best friends. I hear other students from my high school talking about bad situations at home, and I cannot imagine how that could happen in a family that loves and respects one another. I am blessed!

For my 16th birthday, I asked my parents to send me on a mission trip to Belize. Somehow, they agreed, and I spent a week on the island of San Pedro working with the local children to spread the love of Jesus Christ to the inviting population. It changed my life and moved me to the point of wanting to spend the rest of my life helping others to have the same experience.