Thinking about my future self is scary, nerve-racking and exciting all at the same time. Throughout my life, I have been fortunate enough to have an incredible support system. Leaving what I have always known is frightening. However, this support system has given me all of the resources necessary to be successful, which makes me ecstatic about my future. My coaches, teachers, and mentors have had the largest impact on my life to date. Whether I was on the court, in the classroom, or participating in extracurriculars, they have continuously inspired me to be the best at everything I do. I aspire to have this type of impact upon other people. I want to be the person who instills confidence within my peers, athletes, and mentees. I want to be the reason a student develops a love of learning and an impeccable work ethic. For these reasons, I have decided to pursue a career as a high school math teacher and a volleyball, basketball, and/or track coach. My parents and grandparents have strived to teach me strong morals and values in an attempt to mold me into a respectable person. I look forward to teaching these values to my own children. I have developed a passion for working with animals through my involvement in 4H and FFA, which is largely due to the countless hours and dollars that my parents and grandparents sacrificed in order for me to develop this passion. When I think about my future self, I envision living and being a very active member of a rural community. I can see myself living on a farm surrounded by a loving family and many animals. In order to accomplish these lofty goals, I know I must first take action in order to achieve them. I have already taken many steps in order to be successful. My 4.0 G.P.A. and successful completion of several college classes demonstrates that I am driven, and ready to further my education in a postsecondary environment. I have taken a heavy load of mathematics courses including college classes throughout my high school career. I am also currently interning as a Mathematics Instructor at Julesburg Elementary School. Although thinking about my future is a bit terrifying, I know that I am ready to move on to greener pastures. My family has given me a solid foundation to build upon, and for that I am grateful. I am excited to apply these foundational teachings while attending a University majoring in secondary education with an emphasis in mathematics.

Thinking about my future self is scary, nerve-racking and exciting all at the same time. Throughout my life, I have been fortunate enough to have an incredible support system. Leaving what I have always known is frightening. However, this support system has given me all of the resources necessary to be successful, which makes me ecstatic about my future. My coaches, teachers, and mentors have had the largest impact on my life to date. Whether I was on the court, in the classroom, or participating in extracurriculars, they have continuously inspired me to be the best at everything I do. I aspire to have this type of impact upon other people. I want to be the person who instills confidence within my peers, athletes, and mentees. I want to be the reason a student develops a love of learning and an impeccable work ethic. For these reasons, I have decided to pursue a career as a high school math teacher and a volleyball, basketball, and/or track coach. My parents and grandparents have strived to teach me strong morals and values in an attempt to mold me into a respectable person. I look forward to teaching these values to my own children. I have developed a passion for working with animals through my involvement in 4H and FFA, which is largely due to the countless hours and dollars that my parents and grandparents sacrificed in order for me to develop this passion. When I think about my future self, I envision living and being a very active member of a rural community. I can see myself living on a farm surrounded by a loving family and many animals. In order to accomplish these lofty goals, I know I must first take action in order to achieve them. I have already taken many steps in order to be successful. My 4.0 G.P.A. and successful completion of several college classes demonstrates that I am driven, and ready to further my education in a postsecondary environment. I have taken a heavy load of mathematics courses including college classes throughout my high school career. I am also currently interning as a Mathematics Instructor at Julesburg Elementary School. Although thinking about my future is a bit terrifying, I know that I am ready to move on to greener pastures. My family has given me a solid foundation to build upon, and for that I am grateful. I am excited to apply these foundational teachings while attending a University majoring in secondary education with an emphasis in mathematics.

Thinking about my future self is scary, nerve-racking and exciting all at the same time. Throughout my life, I have been fortunate enough to have an incredible support system. Leaving what I have always known is frightening. However, this support system has given me all of the resources necessary to be successful, which makes me ecstatic about my future. My coaches, teachers, and mentors have had the largest impact on my life to date. Whether I was on the court, in the classroom, or participating in extracurriculars, they have continuously inspired me to be the best at everything I do. I aspire to have this type of impact upon other people. I want to be the person who instills confidence within my peers, athletes, and mentees. I want to be the reason a student develops a love of learning and an impeccable work ethic. For these reasons, I have decided to pursue a career as a high school math teacher and a volleyball, basketball, and/or track coach. My parents and grandparents have strived to teach me strong morals and values in an attempt to mold me into a respectable person. I look forward to teaching these values to my own children. I have developed a passion for working with animals through my involvement in 4H and FFA, which is largely due to the countless hours and dollars that my parents and grandparents sacrificed in order for me to develop this passion. When I think about my future self, I envision living and being a very active member of a rural community. I can see myself living on a farm surrounded by a loving family and many animals. In order to accomplish these lofty goals, I know I must first take action in order to achieve them. I have already taken many steps in order to be successful. My 4.0 G.P.A. and successful completion of several college classes demonstrates that I am driven, and ready to further my education in a postsecondary environment. I have taken a heavy load of mathematics courses including college classes throughout my high school career. I am also currently interning as a Mathematics Instructor at Julesburg Elementary School. Although thinking about my future is a bit terrifying, I know that I am ready to move on to greener pastures. My family has given me a solid foundation to build upon, and for that I am grateful. I am excited to apply these foundational teachings while attending a University majoring in secondary education with an emphasis in mathematics.

Thinking about my future self is scary, nerve-racking and exciting all at the same time. Throughout my life, I have been fortunate enough to have an incredible support system. Leaving what I have always known is frightening. However, this support system has given me all of the resources necessary to be successful, which makes me ecstatic about my future. My coaches, teachers, and mentors have had the largest impact on my life to date. Whether I was on the court, in the classroom, or participating in extracurriculars, they have continuously inspired me to be the best at everything I do. I aspire to have this type of impact upon other people. I want to be the person who instills confidence within my peers, athletes, and mentees. I want to be the reason a student develops a love of learning and an impeccable work ethic. For these reasons, I have decided to pursue a career as a high school math teacher and a volleyball, basketball, and/or track coach. My parents and grandparents have strived to teach me strong morals and values in an attempt to mold me into a respectable person. I look forward to teaching these values to my own children. I have developed a passion for working with animals through my involvement in 4H and FFA, which is largely due to the countless hours and dollars that my parents and grandparents sacrificed in order for me to develop this passion. When I think about my future self, I envision living and being a very active member of a rural community. I can see myself living on a farm surrounded by a loving family and many animals. In order to accomplish these lofty goals, I know I must first take action in order to achieve them. I have already taken many steps in order to be successful. My 4.0 G.P.A. and successful completion of several college classes demonstrates that I am driven, and ready to further my education in a postsecondary environment. I have taken a heavy load of mathematics courses including college classes throughout my high school career. I am also currently interning as a Mathematics Instructor at Julesburg Elementary School. Although thinking about my future is a bit terrifying, I know that I am ready to move on to greener pastures. My family has given me a solid foundation to build upon, and for that I am grateful. I am excited to apply these foundational teachings while attending a University majoring in secondary education with an emphasis in mathematics.

In order to accomplish these lofty goals, I know I must first take action in order to achieve them. I have already taken many steps in order to be successful. My 4.0 G.P.A. and successful completion of several college classes demonstrates that I am driven, and ready to further my education in a postsecondary environment. I have taken a heavy load of mathematics courses including college classes throughout my high school career. I am also currently interning as a Mathematics Instructor at Julesburg Elementary School.

Thinking about my future self is scary, nerve-racking and exciting all at the same time. Throughout my life, I have been fortunate enough to have an incredible support system. Leaving what I have always known is frightening. However, this support system has given me all of the resources necessary to be successful, which makes me ecstatic about my future. My coaches, teachers, and mentors have had the largest impact on my life to date. Whether I was on the court, in the classroom, or participating in extracurriculars, they have continuously inspired me to be the best at everything I do. I aspire to have this type of impact upon other people. I want to be the person who instills confidence within my peers, athletes, and mentees. I want to be the reason a student develops a love of learning and an impeccable work ethic. For these reasons, I have decided to pursue a career as a high school math teacher and a volleyball, basketball, and/or track coach. My parents and grandparents have strived to teach me strong morals and values in an attempt to mold me into a respectable person. I look forward to teaching these values to my own children. I have developed a passion for working with animals through my involvement in 4H and FFA, which is largely due to the countless hours and dollars that my parents and grandparents sacrificed in order for me to develop this passion. When I think about my future self, I envision living and being a very active member of a rural community. I can see myself living on a farm surrounded by a loving family and many animals. In order to accomplish these lofty goals, I know I must first take action in order to achieve them. I have already taken many steps in order to be successful. My 4.0 G.P.A. and successful completion of several college classes demonstrates that I am driven, and ready to further my education in a postsecondary environment. I have taken a heavy load of mathematics courses including college classes throughout my high school career. I am also currently interning as a Mathematics Instructor at Julesburg Elementary School. Although thinking about my future is a bit terrifying, I know that I am ready to move on to greener pastures. My family has given me a solid foundation to build upon, and for that I am grateful. I am excited to apply these foundational teachings while attending a University majoring in secondary education with an emphasis in mathematics.

Thinking about my future self is scary, nerve-racking and exciting all at the same time. Throughout my life, I have been fortunate enough to have an incredible support system. Leaving what I have always known is frightening. However, this support system has given me all of the resources necessary to be successful, which makes me ecstatic about my future. My coaches, teachers, and mentors have had the largest impact on my life to date. Whether I was on the court, in the classroom, or participating in extracurriculars, they have continuously inspired me to be the best at everything I do. I aspire to have this type of impact upon other people. I want to be the person who instills confidence within my peers, athletes, and mentees. I want to be the reason a student develops a love of learning and an impeccable work ethic. For these reasons, I have decided to pursue a career as a high school math teacher and a volleyball, basketball, and/or track coach. My parents and grandparents have strived to teach me strong morals and values in an attempt to mold me into a respectable person. I look forward to teaching these values to my own children. I have developed a passion for working with animals through my involvement in 4H and FFA, which is largely due to the countless hours and dollars that my parents and grandparents sacrificed in order for me to develop this passion. When I think about my future self, I envision living and being a very active member of a rural community. I can see myself living on a farm surrounded by a loving family and many animals. In order to accomplish these lofty goals, I know I must first take action in order to achieve them. I have already taken many steps in order to be successful. My 4.0 G.P.A. and successful completion of several college classes demonstrates that I am driven, and ready to further my education in a postsecondary environment. I have taken a heavy load of mathematics courses including college classes throughout my high school career. I am also currently interning as a Mathematics Instructor at Julesburg Elementary School. Although thinking about my future is a bit terrifying, I know that I am ready to move on to greener pastures. My family has given me a solid foundation to build upon, and for that I am grateful. I am excited to apply these foundational teachings while attending a University majoring in secondary education with an emphasis in mathematics.

Thinking about my future self is scary, nerve-racking and exciting all at the same time. Throughout my life, I have been fortunate enough to have an incredible support system. Leaving what I have always known is frightening. However, this support system has given me all of the resources necessary to be successful, which makes me ecstatic about my future. My coaches, teachers, and mentors have had the largest impact on my life to date. Whether I was on the court, in the classroom, or participating in extracurriculars, they have continuously inspired me to be the best at everything I do. I aspire to have this type of impact upon other people. I want to be the person who instills confidence within my peers, athletes, and mentees. I want to be the reason a student develops a love of learning and an impeccable work ethic. For these reasons, I have decided to pursue a career as a high school math teacher and a volleyball, basketball, and/or track coach. My parents and grandparents have strived to teach me strong morals and values in an attempt to mold me into a respectable person. I look forward to teaching these values to my own children. I have developed a passion for working with animals through my involvement in 4H and FFA, which is largely due to the countless hours and dollars that my parents and grandparents sacrificed in order for me to develop this passion. When I think about my future self, I envision living and being a very active member of a rural community. I can see myself living on a farm surrounded by a loving family and many animals. In order to accomplish these lofty goals, I know I must first take action in order to achieve them. I have already taken many steps in order to be successful. My 4.0 G.P.A. and successful completion of several college classes demonstrates that I am driven, and ready to further my education in a postsecondary environment. I have taken a heavy load of mathematics courses including college classes throughout my high school career. I am also currently interning as a Mathematics Instructor at Julesburg Elementary School. Although thinking about my future is a bit terrifying, I know that I am ready to move on to greener pastures. My family has given me a solid foundation to build upon, and for that I am grateful. I am excited to apply these foundational teachings while attending a University majoring in secondary education with an emphasis in mathematics.

Doing the right thing is not always easy for high school students. It is often considered “cool” to drink, smoke or do drugs. Unfortunately, I had to deal with peer pressure at a very young age. I can recall my friends attending parties when we were in seventh grade! My friends would constantly tell me stories about the parties they went to. Luckily, my parents and grandparents taught me about the dangers of drinking, smoking and using drugs. I knew this lifestyle was not in my best interest. I had too many goals in my life to ruin it for one night of “having fun.” No matter how hard it was, I never caved into the peer pressure. Halfway through my seventh grade year, I found my niche. I was the manager for the high school basketball team. One of the high school girls was unable to participate because of an injury. This player helped me with all of my managerial duties. Although she was much older than me, she never treated me like a little kid. In fact, she helped me overcome the constant peer pressure from my friends. Because of this, this player became my role model and best friend. When my role model and best friend graduated, I remember being nervous because I didn’t know if I had the strength to continue to say, “no.” It was common to go to the park after sporting events to socialize with friends. I remember many times, the kids would pull out a vape and try to get me to use it. I never would. They called me names like, “goody two-shoes.” This bothered me tremendously. I wanted to be liked. I didn’t want people to think I was weird or different. I still never gave in. After my freshman year, my family and I moved. This brought on new challenges when it came to peer pressure. I wanted so badly to fit in at my new school. I was invited to a lot of things, many of the kids wanted me to drink and vape. I did not want to be known as the new kid who was not “fun.” I found the strength to say, “no,” but the peer pressure only got harder. One night, I talked to my role model and best friend. She again helped guide me in the right direction. I am proud to say that I never gave in. I have always stayed true to what I believe in. I have certainly lost friends over my unwillingness to give in to peer pressure. I’m okay with this. I realize that people who do not have my best interest in mind are not my friends. My ability to say, “no” has given me an incredible sense of personal strength. Thanks to my parents, grandparents, role model and best friend, I know that I have the strength to accomplish anything I set my mind to.

Thinking about my future self is scary, nerve-racking and exciting all at the same time. Throughout my life, I have been fortunate enough to have an incredible support system. Leaving what I have always known is frightening. However, this support system has given me all of the resources necessary to be successful, which makes me ecstatic about my future. My coaches, teachers, and mentors have had the largest impact on my life to date. Whether I was on the court, in the classroom, or participating in extracurriculars, they have continuously inspired me to be the best at everything I do. I aspire to have this type of impact upon other people. I want to be the person who instills confidence within my peers, athletes, and mentees. I want to be the reason a student develops a love of learning and an impeccable work ethic. For these reasons, I have decided to pursue a career as a high school math teacher and a volleyball, basketball, and/or track coach. My parents and grandparents have strived to teach me strong morals and values in an attempt to mold me into a respectable person. I look forward to teaching these values to my own children. I have developed a passion for working with animals through my involvement in 4H and FFA, which is largely due to the countless hours and dollars that my parents and grandparents sacrificed in order for me to develop this passion. When I think about my future self, I envision living and being a very active member of a rural community. I can see myself living on a farm surrounded by a loving family and many animals. In order to accomplish these lofty goals, I know I must first take action in order to achieve them. I have already taken many steps in order to be successful. My 4.0 G.P.A. and successful completion of several college classes demonstrates that I am driven, and ready to further my education in a postsecondary environment. I have taken a heavy load of mathematics courses including college classes throughout my high school career. I am also currently interning as a Mathematics Instructor at Julesburg Elementary School. Although thinking about my future is a bit terrifying, I know that I am ready to move on to greener pastures. My family has given me a solid foundation to build upon, and for that I am grateful. I am excited to apply these foundational teachings while attending a University majoring in secondary education with an emphasis in mathematics.

During my freshman year, I participated in the Walsh High School Service and Leadership Team (SLT). This experience was rewarding to me because I got to complete service projects that had a huge impact upon our school and community. Following my freshman year, my family moved to a new community and school. I knew right away that I wanted to start an SLT at my new school. I did just that! I helped found the Julesburg High School SLT. For the past two years, I have served as the President. Volunteering is a big part of my life and of who I am. My time spent giving back to my community is not for the praise, or the thanks. I do it because I know that my acts of service make a significant impact on the lives of others, which in turn brings about unwavering happiness. Many students within my school participate in the SLT. They constantly say how rewarding it is, and how grateful they are for the SLT. I feel a tremendous sense of satisfaction in knowing that I helped create a system for students to continue to provide service to our community for years to come. My favorite service activity will always be visiting with residents at local nursing homes and assisted living facilities. This is an activity I have been participating in nearly all my life. In Elementary School, I read books to the residents each week for an hour. Through my involvement with the Walsh Busy Bees 4-H club, I did a lot of service projects at the nursing home and assisted living. We wrapped Christmas gifts for the residents, we served Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve dinner, we held Fourth of July block parties, and played Bingo with the residents. My time spent visiting with the residents was fulfilling to me and to the residents. Spending time with them continuously fills my heart knowing that it will make their day. Many residents get extremely lonely, and just the sight of a smiling face can make their day. Understanding that my acts of kindness are making a difference in the lives of the residents, makes me extremely happy! This scholarship would be a significant blessing to me and my family, and it would have a huge positive impact on my ability to attend college. Both of my parents are educators and simply do not have the means to completely financially support my college education. I have four brothers and sisters. My oldest brother is currently attending college. I would never expect my needs to come before the needs of my siblings. My parents have expressed that they will contribute to my education as much as they can. I plan on relying upon scholarships, grants and loans to pay for the majority of the costs associated with attending college. I also plan on getting a part-time job to help support myself financially during college. I am going to handle the burden of finances in college the same way that I handle all challenges. I will work hard and do whatever it takes to succeed.

Thinking about my future self is scary, nerve-racking and exciting all at the same time. Throughout my life, I have been fortunate enough to have an incredible support system. Leaving what I have always known is frightening. However, this support system has given me all of the resources necessary to be successful, which makes me ecstatic about my future. My coaches, teachers, and mentors have had the largest impact on my life to date. Whether I was on the court, in the classroom, or participating in extracurriculars, they have continuously inspired me to be the best at everything I do. I aspire to have this type of impact upon other people. I want to be the person who instills confidence within my peers, athletes, and mentees. I want to be the reason a student develops a love of learning and an impeccable work ethic. For these reasons, I have decided to pursue a career as a high school math teacher and a volleyball, basketball, and/or track coach. My parents and grandparents have strived to teach me strong morals and values in an attempt to mold me into a respectable person. I look forward to teaching these values to my own children. I have developed a passion for working with animals through my involvement in 4H and FFA, which is largely due to the countless hours and dollars that my parents and grandparents sacrificed in order for me to develop this passion. When I think about my future self, I envision living and being a very active member of a rural community. I can see myself living on a farm surrounded by a loving family and many animals. In order to accomplish these lofty goals, I know I must first take action in order to achieve them. I have already taken many steps in order to be successful. My 4.0 G.P.A. and successful completion of several college classes demonstrates that I am driven, and ready to further my education in a postsecondary environment. I have taken a heavy load of mathematics courses including college classes throughout my high school career. I am also currently interning as a Mathematics Instructor at Julesburg Elementary School. Although thinking about my future is a bit terrifying, I know that I am ready to move on to greener pastures. My family has given me a solid foundation to build upon, and for that I am grateful. I am excited to apply these foundational teachings while attending a University majoring in secondary education with an emphasis in mathematics.

During my freshman year, I participated in the Walsh High School Service and Leadership Team (SLT). This experience was rewarding to me because I got to complete service projects that had a huge impact upon our school and community. Following my freshman year, my family moved to a new community and school. I knew right away that I wanted to start an SLT at my new school. I did just that! I helped found the Julesburg High School SLT. For the past two years, I have served as the President. Volunteering is a big part of my life and of who I am. My time spent giving back to my community is not for the praise, or the thanks. I do it because I know that my acts of service make a significant impact on the lives of others, which in turn brings about unwavering happiness. Many students within my school participate in the SLT. They constantly say how rewarding it is, and how grateful they are for the SLT. I feel a tremendous sense of satisfaction in knowing that I helped create a system for students to continue to provide service to our community for years to come. My favorite service activity will always be visiting with residents at local nursing homes and assisted living facilities. This is an activity I have been participating in nearly all my life. In Elementary School, I read books to the residents each week for an hour. Through my involvement with the Walsh Busy Bees 4-H club, I did a lot of service projects at the nursing home and assisted living. We wrapped Christmas gifts for the residents, we served Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve dinner, we held Fourth of July block parties, and played Bingo with the residents. My time spent visiting with the residents was fulfilling to me and to the residents. Spending time with them continuously fills my heart knowing that it will make their day. Many residents get extremely lonely, and just the sight of a smiling face can make their day. Understanding that my acts of kindness are making a difference in the lives of the residents, makes me extremely happy! Whether it be academics, athletics or even playing games with my family; I love to compete. I have been competitive and determined to be the best I can be for as long as I can remember. I love the drive it takes to be successful. I have never been motivated by praise, awards or accolades. My desire to succeed in the classroom, in my community and on the athletic playing fields comes from an internal feeling within myself. I am intrinsically motivated to be the best I am capable of being. I find the act of hard work to be enjoyable. I enjoy facing challenges, and getting out of my comfort zone because it allows me to grow as a person, and it allows me to do what I love, which is to compete. I am constantly competing with the person I was yesterday, continuously striving to better myself. Once I have reached a goal I am happy, but never satisfied! I live by the quote, “You never stay the same. You either get better or worse.” I strive to get a little bit better at everything I do every day.

If I had the power to change or strengthen anything about our country, I would strengthen families. I would ensure that every child is raised in a good loving environment where all of their basic needs are met. No child should have to feel as though they are a burden, or feel unwanted. No child should feel like they are nothing. Every child deserves a carefree childhood like the one that I had. I would love to see a world where every child is raised in a kind and loving family. I feel so fortunate to have been raised in a home filled with people who love me. My family shaped me into the person I am today. They helped me to become the best possible version of myself. I want everyone to feel this sense of belonging and love. I have many memories from my childhood, and they all include my family. My family has many holiday traditions. On Christmas morning, I remember running to my parent’s bedroom to wake them up so we could open our presents. I remember sitting in my nice, warm house surrounded by the people who love me the most. I know this is an experience that is different for those less fortunate. It breaks my heart to think about those children who did not get to experience all of the wonderful traditions that I got to experience because I was fortunate enough to have been raised in a home filled with love. Unfortunately, there are many children who never get to experience this kind of love. I can’t even imagine the heartache disadvantaged children face when they witness their peers being raised in loving homes. I’ve tried very hard to be a good friend to those less fortunate. As a future teacher, I can see myself having a very tender place in my heart for the kids who need a kind and loving adult in their lives the most. There are many things we can all do to strengthen our country. But, if I could only strengthen one thing, I would strengthen the American family. I believe that change starts with me. I have the power to make a change, not only as a future teacher, but within my personal family. I will support the needs of all of my students. It is incumbent upon me to make sure that my children are raised in an environment filled with love, and that they provide the same environment for those around them.

Thinking about my future self is scary, nerve-racking and exciting all at the same time. Throughout my life, I have been fortunate enough to have an incredible support system. Leaving what I have always known is frightening. However, this support system has given me all of the resources necessary to be successful, which makes me ecstatic about my future. My coaches, teachers, and mentors have had the largest impact on my life to date. Whether I was on the court, in the classroom, or participating in extracurriculars, they have continuously inspired me to be the best at everything I do. I aspire to have this type of impact upon other people. I want to be the person who instills confidence within my peers, athletes, and mentees. I want to be the reason a student develops a love of learning and an impeccable work ethic. For these reasons, I have decided to pursue a career as a high school math teacher and a volleyball, basketball, and/or track coach. My parents and grandparents have strived to teach me strong morals and values in an attempt to mold me into a respectable person. I look forward to teaching these values to my own children. I have developed a passion for working with animals through my involvement in 4H and FFA, which is largely due to the countless hours and dollars that my parents and grandparents sacrificed in order for me to develop this passion. When I think about my future self, I envision living and being a very active member of a rural community. I can see myself living on a farm surrounded by a loving family and many animals. In order to accomplish these lofty goals, I know I must first take action in order to achieve them. I have already taken many steps in order to be successful. My 4.0 G.P.A. and successful completion of several college classes demonstrates that I am driven, and ready to further my education in a postsecondary environment. I have taken a heavy load of mathematics courses including college classes throughout my high school career. I am also currently interning as a Mathematics Instructor at Julesburg Elementary School. Although thinking about my future is a bit terrifying, I know that I am ready to move on to greener pastures. My family has given me a solid foundation to build upon, and for that I am grateful. I am excited to apply these foundational teachings while attending a University majoring in secondary education with an emphasis in mathematics.

During my freshman year, I participated in the Walsh High School Service and Leadership Team (SLT). This experience was rewarding to me because I got to complete service projects that had a huge impact on our school and community. Following my freshman year, my family moved to a new community and school. I knew right away that I wanted to start an SLT at my new school. I did just that! I helped found the Julesburg High School SLT. For the past two years, I have served as the President. Volunteering is a big part of my life and of who I am. My time spent giving back to my community is not for the praise or the thanks. I do it because I know that my acts of service make a significant impact on the lives of others, which in turn brings about unwavering happiness. Many students within my school participate in the SLT. They constantly say how rewarding it is, and how grateful they are for the SLT. I feel a tremendous sense of satisfaction in knowing that I helped create a system for students to continue to provide service to our community for years to come. My favorite service activity will always be visiting with residents at local nursing homes and assisted living facilities. This is an activity I have been participating in nearly all my life. In Elementary School, I read books to the residents each week for an hour. Through my involvement with the Walsh Busy Bees 4-H club, I did a lot of service projects at the nursing home and assisted living. We wrapped Christmas gifts for the residents, served Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve dinner, held Fourth of July block parties, and played Bingo with the residents. My time spent visiting with the residents was fulfilling to me and the residents. Spending time with them continuously fills my heart knowing that it will make their day. Many residents get extremely lonely, and just the sight of a smiling face can make their day. Understanding that my acts of kindness are making a difference in the lives of the residents makes me extremely happy! Volunteer service has taught me that I want to live a life, giving to others. I have learned that I am the type of person to do something for the good of everyone else, even if it is not in my best personal interest.

Doing the right thing is not always easy for high school students. It is often considered “cool” to drink, smoke or do drugs. Unfortunately, I had to deal with peer pressure at a very young age. I can recall my friends attending parties when we were in seventh grade! My friends would constantly tell me stories about the parties they went to. Luckily, my parents and grandparents taught me about the dangers of drinking, smoking and using drugs. I knew this lifestyle was not in my best interest. I had too many goals in my life to ruin it for one night of “having fun.” No matter how hard it was, I never caved into the peer pressure. Halfway through my seventh grade year, I found my niche. I was the manager for the high school basketball team. One of the high school girls was unable to participate because of an injury. This player helped me with all of my managerial duties. Although she was much older than me, she never treated me like a little kid. In fact, she helped me overcome the constant peer pressure from my friends. Because of this, this player became my role model and best friend. When my role model and best friend graduated, I remember being nervous because I didn’t know if I had the strength to continue to say, “no.” It was common to go to the park after sporting events to socialize with friends. I remember many times, the kids would pull out a vape and try to get me to use it. I never would. They called me names like, “goody two-shoes.” This bothered me tremendously. I wanted to be liked. I didn’t want people to think I was weird or different. I still never gave in. After my freshman year, my family and I moved. This brought on new challenges when it came to peer pressure. I wanted so badly to fit in at my new school. I was invited to a lot of things, many of the kids wanted me to drink and vape. I did not want to be known as the new kid who was not “fun.” I found the strength to say, “no,” but the peer pressure only got harder. One night, I talked to my role model and best friend. She again helped guide me in the right direction. I am proud to say that I never gave in. I have always stayed true to what I believe in. I have certainly lost friends over my unwillingness to give in to peer pressure. I’m okay with this. I realize that people who do not have my best interest in mind are not my friends. My ability to say, “no” has given me an incredible sense of personal strength. Thanks to my parents, grandparents, role model and best friend, I know that I have the strength to accomplish anything I set my mind to. With this, I can say my best friend was and still is a good example to follow. She has taught me skills that I use to this day. I know that I can do this for another child because it is something that I have been through. I am attending college to become a teacher so that I can make an impact a students' life.

Doing the right thing is not always easy for high school students. It is often considered “cool” to drink, smoke or do drugs. Unfortunately, I had to deal with peer pressure at a very young age. I can recall my friends attending parties when we were in seventh grade! My friends would constantly tell me stories about the parties they went to. Luckily, my parents and grandparents taught me about the dangers of drinking, smoking and using drugs. I knew this lifestyle was not in my best interest. I had too many goals in my life to ruin it for one night of “having fun.” No matter how hard it was, I never caved into the peer pressure. Halfway through my seventh grade year, I found my niche. I was the manager for the high school basketball team. One of the high school girls was unable to participate because of an injury. This player helped me with all of my managerial duties. Although she was much older than me, she never treated me like a little kid. In fact, she helped me overcome the constant peer pressure from my friends. Because of this, this player became my role model and best friend. When my role model and best friend graduated, I remember being nervous because I didn’t know if I had the strength to continue to say, “no.” It was common to go to the park after sporting events to socialize with friends. I remember many times, the kids would pull out a vape and try to get me to use it. I never would. They called me names like, “goody two-shoes.” This bothered me tremendously. I wanted to be liked. I didn’t want people to think I was weird or different. I still never gave in. After my freshman year, my family and I moved. This brought on new challenges when it came to peer pressure. I wanted so badly to fit in at my new school. I was invited to a lot of things, many of the kids wanted me to drink and vape. I did not want to be known as the new kid who was not “fun.” I found the strength to say, “no,” but the peer pressure only got harder. One night, I talked to my role model and best friend. She again helped guide me in the right direction. I am proud to say that I never gave in. I have always stayed true to what I believe in. I have certainly lost friends over my unwillingness to give in to peer pressure. I’m okay with this. I realize that people who do not have my best interest in mind are not my friends. My ability to say, “no” has given me an incredible sense of personal strength. Thanks to my parents, grandparents, role model and best friend, I know that I have the strength to accomplish anything I set my mind to.

I have never been driven by praise, awards or accolades. Whether it be in the classroom, in my community or on the athletic playing fields. My desire to succeed comes from an internal feeling within myself. I am intrinsically motivated to be the best I am capable of being. I have always found the act of hard work to be enjoyable. My dad is a basketball coach. I can remember him telling me at a very young age to always work on dribbling a basketball with my weak hand. I worked so hard on dribbling a basketball with my weak hand, that I became better at dribbling with my weak hand than my dominant hand. I am very right-handed in everything I do. I can’t do anything with my left hand, except play basketball! To this day, I play basketball more like a left-handed player. This didn’t happen because I wanted to win awards or because I needed to please my dad. This happened because I enjoy working on my weaknesses. I love getting better. My coaches, teachers, and mentors have had the largest impact on my life to date. Whether I was on the court, in the classroom, or participating in extracurriculars, they have continuously inspired me to be the best at everything I do. I aspire to have this type of impact on other people. I want to be the person who instills confidence in my peers, athletes, and mentees. I want to be the reason a student develops a love of learning and an impeccable work ethic. For these reasons, I have decided to pursue a career as a high school math teacher and a volleyball, basketball, and/or track coach. I am excited to see the type of impact I can have on an athlete's life. I know that I was greatly impacted by my participation in sports. I have great respect for my coaches. I know that no matter what they always wanted what was best for me, and constantly pushed me to be the best I could be in everything I did. During practice, I know they pushed me past my breaking point because they wanted to see how far I would go. I will always respect and value my relationship with these people. I hope that one day I will be fortunate enough to leave this type of impact on an athlete as a coach.

I have never been driven by praise, awards or accolades. Whether it be in the classroom, in my community or on the athletic playing fields. My desire to succeed comes from an internal feeling within myself. I am intrinsically motivated to be the best I am capable of being. I have always found the act of hard work to be enjoyable. My dad is a basketball coach. I can remember him telling me at a very young age to always work on dribbling a basketball with my weak hand. I worked so hard on dribbling a basketball with my weak hand, that I actually became better at dribbling with my weak hand than my dominant hand. I am very right handed in everything I do. I can’t do anything with my left hand, except play basketball! To this day, I play basketball more like a left handed player. This didn’t happen because I wanted to win awards or because I needed to please my dad. This happened because I enjoy working on my weaknesses. I love getting better. In my life, I have always valued my physical and mental health. As I work toward going to college, I plan to start a health plan in order to maintain a good strong physical and mental state. During my freshman year, I participated in the Walsh High School Service and Leadership team. This experience was so rewarding to me that when I moved to my new school, I knew right away that I wanted to start a Service and Leadership team at my new school. I did just that! For the past two years, I have served as the President of the Julesburg High School Service and Leadership team. Volunteering is a big part of my life and of who I am. My time spent volunteering is not for the praise, or the thanks. I do it because of the results. I know that my acts of service make a significant impact on the lives of others, which in turn brings about unwavering happiness. Consequently, the influence that I have in the life of another creates a sense of fulfillment for me as an individual. My devotion to a life of volunteerism has played a huge role in the development of my character. It has made me kind, happy and willing to help others. In keeping my act of volunteerism with me as I go to college, this will help me to continue to have a good mental state.

During my freshman year, I participated in the Walsh High School Service and Leadership Team (SLT). This experience was rewarding to me because I got to complete service projects that had a huge impact on our school and community. Following my freshman year, my family moved to a new community and school. I knew right away that I wanted to start an SLT at my new school. I did just that! I helped found the Julesburg High School SLT. For the past two years, I have served as the President. Volunteering is a big part of my life and of who I am. My time spent giving back to my community is not for the praise or the thanks. I do it because I know that my acts of service make a significant impact on the lives of others, which in turn brings about unwavering happiness. Many students within my school participate in the SLT. They constantly say how rewarding it is, and how grateful they are for the SLT. I feel a tremendous sense of satisfaction in knowing that I helped create a system for students to continue to provide service to our community for years to come. My favorite service activity will always be visiting with residents at local nursing homes and assisted living facilities. This is an activity I have been participating in nearly all my life. In Elementary School, I read books to the residents each week for an hour. Through my involvement with the Walsh Busy Bees 4-H club, I did a lot of service projects at the nursing home and assisted living. We wrapped Christmas gifts for the residents, served Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve dinner, held Fourth of July block parties, and played Bingo with the residents. My time spent visiting with the residents was fulfilling to me and the residents. Spending time with them continuously fills my heart knowing that it will make their day. Many residents get extremely lonely, and just the sight of a smiling face can make their day. Understanding that my acts of kindness are making a difference in the lives of the residents makes me extremely happy! As you can see, I am a person who truly values helping others. I know what my kindness can do for another person's life. I love the feeling I get from helping another person. I plan to study secondary mathematics education at the University of Northern Colorado. My goal is not only to graduate with a Bachelor's degree but to also earn my Master's degree. At Julesburg High School I had the opportunity to take various college courses however they were all online. I believe all students deserve the opportunity of having an in-person teacher for all of their classes including their college classes. I want to be that teacher for my students. Throughout my life, I have had a love for sports. As I become a math teacher, I also plan to start a career in coaching sports. Not only do I want to make an impact on a kid's life in the classroom but I want to make an impact on the court as well. Based on my playing career I feel I have the credibility to be a successful coach of a sports team. I have chosen this as my career choice because I have always loved helping others. Whether it be a classmate struggling in class, or helping someone carry their groceries to their car. I am always willing to help.

I plan to study secondary mathematics education at the University of Northern Colorado. My goal is not only to graduate with a Bachelor's degree but to also earn my master's degree. At Julesburg High School I had the opportunity to take various college courses however they were all online. I believe all students deserve the opportunity of having an in-person teacher for all of their classes including their college classes. I want to be that teacher for my students. Throughout my life, I have had a love for sports. As I become a math teacher, I also plan to start a career in coaching sports. Not only do I want to make an impact on a kid's life in the classroom but I want to make an impact on the court as well. Based on my playing career I feel I have the credibility to be a successful coach of a sports team. I have chosen this as my career choice because I have always loved helping others. Whether it be a classmate struggling in class, or helping someone carry their groceries to their car. I am always willing to help. I have always loved math. Ever since I was younger, I always got it and always wanted to learn more. I have always been curious about it. I have decided to become a high school mathematics teacher. I want to see the light go on when a child finally understands the concept I am trying to teach them. I want to see the kids who genuinely want to be successful. I believe I can make a lasting impact on children's lives, and I believe I can do that as a mathematics teacher. I want to be the teacher that changes a child's perspective of math. I want them to love it, once they finally understand it. There are many things we can all do to strengthen our country. But, if I could only strengthen one thing, I would strengthen the American family. I believe that change starts with me. I have the power to make a change, not only as a future teacher but within my family. I will support the needs of all of my students. It is incumbent upon me to make sure that my children are raised in an environment filled with love, and that they provide the same environment for those around them. Math has changed my life. I hope to one day be the change in another's life.

When I was younger, I developed a passion for service. Constantly, I was helping others. Whether it was carrying groceries for an elder or picking up trash on the streets of my community, I was willing to do it. I felt comfort in knowing that I left an impact on another’s life. During first grade, my class and I would walk over to our nursing home to read to the residents. My time spent visiting with the residents was fulfilling to me and the residents. Spending time with them continuously filled my heart knowing that it would make their day. Many residents get extremely lonely, and just the sight of a smiling face can make their day. Understanding that my acts of kindness are making a difference in the lives of the residents, makes me extremely happy! As I grew older, my love of service also grew. I began my participation in 4-H when I was in third grade. We completed many service projects, especially within our nursing home. Throughout the years, I would serve dinner to the residents for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year. For the most part, the residents had their families who came to eat with them. However, some had nobody with them. In cases of this, I would sit and visit with them. I knew it made their day, and it was always difficult to walk away from them. As I entered my sophomore year, my family moved from Walsh Colorado to Julesburg Colorado. As I became a part of the Julesburg community, and school district I noticed that not many people contributed their act of service to the community. I recognized many service projects that needed to be done for community members. I began to imagine a solution to this problem. As I entered my junior year I carried a mission. I talked to the administration and began a Service and Leadership Team (SLT). Throughout the year and a half, SLT has been in session, we have completed many projects and have made a direct impact on the lives of people within our community. I possess a kind, giving, loving, caring and passionate heart. I am always willing to help someone in need and give back to those who have done so much for me. Many people hesitate to help others, for me it is instinct. I believe that to sustain a stronger community, country and world we need to stop hesitating to help others and just do it. Today, our world is filled with hatred. Continuously unwilling to help a person in need, because they believe or think something different. I believe we need to look past differences and work together for the greater good.

When I was younger, I developed a passion for service. Constantly, I was helping others. Whether it was carrying groceries for an elder or picking up trash on the streets of my community, I was willing to do it. I felt comfort in knowing that I left an impact on another’s life. During first grade, my class and I would walk over to our nursing home to read to the residents. My time spent visiting with the residents was fulfilling to me and the residents. Spending time with them continuously filled my heart knowing that it would make their day. Many residents get extremely lonely, and just the sight of a smiling face can make their day. Understanding that my acts of kindness are making a difference in the lives of the residents, makes me extremely happy! As I grew older, my love of service also grew. I began my participation in 4-H when I was in third grade. We completed many service projects, especially within our nursing home. Throughout the years, I would serve dinner to the residents for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year. For the most part, the residents had their families who came to eat with them. However, some had nobody with them. In cases of this, I would sit and visit with them. I knew it made their day, and it was always difficult to walk away from them. As I entered my sophomore year, my family moved from Walsh Colorado to Julesburg Colorado. As I became a part of the Julesburg community, and school district I noticed that not many people contributed their act of service to the community. I recognized many service projects that needed to be done for community members. I began to imagine a solution to this problem. As I entered my junior year I carried a mission. I talked to the administration and began a Service and Leadership Team (SLT). Throughout the year and a half, SLT has been in session, we have completed many projects and have made a direct impact on the lives of people within our community. I possess a kind, giving, loving, caring and passionate heart. I am always willing to help someone in need and give back to those who have done so much for me. Many people hesitate to help others, for me it is instinct. I believe that to sustain a stronger community, country and world we need to stop hesitating to help others and just do it. Today, our world is filled with hatred. Continuously unwilling to help a person in need, because they believe or think something different. I believe we need to look past differences and work together for the greater good.

When I was growing up I always had one goal in mind. A State Championship. I have grown up in a family who has always worked hard and have shown resilience. I feel fortunate to have been raised by my parents who are both athletic coaches. My childhood is filled with memories of being in the gym surrounded by coaches and athletes. I recall many stories about my family's successes and failures in athletics. The story my mom tells about winning a State Championship is one of my favorites! As a young girl, I was determined to win a State Championship just like my mom. I learned from my parents that achieving this goal would require hard work, dedication and discipline. I found myself constantly working towards improvement in volleyball, basketball and track. One example of the type of hard work that I put into achieving my goals is how I play basketball. When I was younger, I dribbled a basketball exclusively with my right hand. I never let the ball touch my left hand. My dad told me, the best basketball players learn to play with their weak hand. I wanted to be the best, so I worked hard on dribbling a basketball with my weak hand. This hard work transformed my skills as a basketball player. I actually became better at dribbling with my weak hand than my dominant hand. I am very right handed in everything I do. I cannot do anything with my left hand, except play basketball! When I started my freshman year of high school, my basketball team went 2-20. We lost 20 games. Obviously as a competitor this is very hard. After this season, I found out we were moving. The biggest obstacle I have had to overcome was when my family decided to move from Walsh, Colorado to Julesburg, Colorado after my freshman year. While it is exciting to try new things, moving to a new school and new community was very challenging for me. When we moved from Walsh, I left behind a huge support system. My grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins were my biggest supporters in everything I participated in from 4-H to athletics. For me, the most rewarding aspect of succeeding in the classroom or on the athletic playing field is sharing this experience with the people I love. My family was always there cheering me on. Lucky for me, my family still supports me from afar or in-person when they can. I have formed a new support system that has allowed me to continue to succeed both academically and athletically. I am so blessed to have so many people who love me and support me in everything that I participate in. However, this was just something else I had to overcome. I was still a competitor and was still going to work hard to get my goal of a State Championship. During my sophomore year, my volleyball team and I made it to the State Championship. We fell short, and got State Runner up. Once again this is not a good place to be as an athlete. However, I kept working hard. I went into my Junior year, and we made it to the State Championship again. We won this time! As time went on, I knew I wanted that feeling again. During my senior year, exactly one week ago, my team and I were competing at the Denver Coliseum for the State Championship again. We won AGAIN! I am a 2x State Champion!

During my freshman year, I participated in the Walsh High School Service and Leadership team. This experience was so rewarding to me that when I moved to my new school, I knew right away that I wanted to start a Service and Leadership team at my new school. I did just that! For the past two years, I have served as the President of the Julesburg High School Service and Leadership team. Volunteering is a big part of my life and of who I am. My time spent volunteering is not for the praise, or the thanks. I do it because of the results. I know that my acts of service make a significant impact on the lives of others, which in turn brings about unwavering happiness. Consequently, the influence that I have in the life of another creates a sense of fulfillment for me as an individual. My devotion to a life of volunteerism has played a huge role in the development of my character. It has made me kind, happy and willing to help others. My favorite service activity will always be visiting with residents at local nursing homes and assisted living facilities. This is an activity I have been participating in nearly all my life. In Elementary School, I read books to the residents each week for an hour. Through my involvement with the Walsh Busy Bees 4-H club, I did a lot of service projects at the nursing home and assisted living. We wrapped Christmas gifts for the residents, we served Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve dinner, we held Fourth of July block parties, and we played Bingo with the residents. My time spent visiting with the residents was fulfilling to me and to the residents. Spending time with them continuously fills my heart knowing that it will make their day. Many residents get extremely lonely, and just the sight of a smiling face can make their day. Understanding that my acts of kindness are making a difference in the lives of the residents, makes me extremely happy! To me, community service means giving back to the people and the world who has done so much for me. I know that through a simple act of kindness to anyone could change their entire perspective on life, and start living a giving lifestyle. I have decided to become a teacher in order to give the children what I have been given through my years in school. I am going to be living in a rural community in Colorado, and I am going to bring my Service and Leadership Team to that community, which will allow students to help around their community, and give back.

My father started his career as a high school mathematics teacher. I remember that from a young age, he always said that I am going to be the one to become a mathematics teacher too. I never believed him, and was very sure that he was wrong. However, I have always loved math. Through high school I have taken, Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, College Algebra, Statistics, and am taking Pre-Calculus. I am also going to be taking Trigonometry for my second semester of high school. I love math, because it just makes sense to me. I love learning about it, and working through a problem. I love that there are so many different ways that you can solve a problem. I have always been super good at math, which could be a reason I enjoy it so much. However, I think it is because I am able to figure it out however I want. I just understand the way it works, and I love that! I have loved math so much, that my dad was right! I am planning to pursue a career in high school mathematics teacher. I plan on going to college and getting a Master's in mathematics in order to become a mathematics teacher. I am very excited to pursue a career in math!

To Kill a Mockingbird

Throughout the years of being in school, I have maintained my mental, physical and nutritional health. I know many students struggle with many of these, and do not know how to maintain it. There are many ways that I have learned to maintain my mental, physical and nutritional health, all while being a full time student. First of all, I did not put unnecessary stress on myself. When you get all stressed out over something, your mental state starts to weaken, and then you never want to eat, or maintain your physical health because you feel like you have no time, with all of the things you have to do! Stressing over something that will end soon, wears on your body. It is not worth it! You do not have anything to stress about! Just stay calm, and know that you are going to get whatever you need to get done, done on time. Next, I stayed busy. I participate in Volleyball, Basketball, and Track and Field. During each of these seasons it takes about 30 hours out of my week, from all of the practices and games we have. On top of this, I am in many extracurriculars. Such as, the National FFA Organization, Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), Walsh Busy Bees 4-H, Baca County Council, Student Council, Class Council, Service and Leadership Team (SLT), Friends of Rachel Club (F.O.R Club), National Honor Society, HOSA, Rotary Youth Leaders of America (HOSA) and the Julesburg Theater Club. Through all of these, I do not have time for much else. However, I make time for things that are very important to me. With school, I prioritize the things that I need to get done first, as well as with all of my extracurricular activities. I think that a huge factor in someone's mental, physical and nutritional health while in school is highly based on your time management. Even though I am involved in so much, I also manage my time very well, and get everything done on time and to the best of my ability. I know that with my busy schedule and everything I have been involved in, has helped me with my time management, and has helped me manage my mental, physical and nutritional health all while being in school! This is how I have been able to maintain my mental, physical and nutritional health, while being a full time student at Julesburg High School! Thank you!

Through my journey of applying for scholarships, I have found that it is very time consuming and takes a lot of self reflection. It is easy to write a paper, but it is not easy to talk yourself up, and say why you are a "perfect" person. It is hard! No matter what all you do, you will never be perfect. In all the self reflection that you have to have for applying for scholarships, it takes a lot of time. You have to remember back to your life, and remember what you have done. This can be a long and hard process, because as you want to talk yourself up, you need to remember every successful thing you have done within your life so far. You have to remember all of your volunteer hours, and how many hours you spend doing certain things. I have kept records of my volunteer hours, and I am very thankful I did because if I had not then I would not be able to remember every single volunteer service project I have ever done. I have also learned that there are a lot of requirements that you have to meet in order to just apply for a specific scholarship. There are so many scholarships out there. There are scholarships for if you live in a specific state, or if you are right or left handed. There are so many! However, like I said this can still cause a lot of time spent just to read over the requirements. Then, if you do not meet the requirements of the scholarship, then you have to go back and find another one, then start that whole process over again. While applying for scholarships, I have also been very thankful for how involved I was and have been within my school, community, country and world. Many scholarships require a lot of involvement within your school and community and they require a good GPA. I am thankful that I have worked hard in the years prior to this year of getting myself ready for the world, and gives me a better chance of winning a scholarship. I am very thankful for my proactive and positive attitude I have maintained throughout my life so far. I know that this will continue to help me be successful. The last thing I have learned about applying for scholarships is that it is a critical need in order for me to go to college and be successful. Money has never been something that I have to worry about, I have been fortunate enough to have parents who do that for me! However, now that I am about to graduate and go off to college this is something that I have to start thinking about. I have been working extremely hard to get scholarships submitted, and work hard to know that I have the resources I need to be successful in this journey. I know that I do not want to go to college and always have the worry of not having enough money. I know that scholarships are a crucial element in my next level of learning, and this is something I have learned throughout my journey of applying for scholarships.

Throughout my life, I have always lived in Rural Colorado. Everybody does everything they can to give back to the community. This was always what I grew up knowing. However, on occasion my family and I would go up to the city. I remember when I was a kid, seeing so many homeless people on the streets of Denver, Colorado. I was horrified to see nobody working to help these people. I remember walking around and looking at the other's faces. Something I saw everyday, I hadn't seen once since I had been in the city surrounded by all those people. A smile. When I would walk around outside I would walk past someone, and they would always smile and wave. Here, at the city, all I heard was honking and straight or angry faces. As a kid, I was so confused. Now, however I understand a lot more. I understand that those people may have been having a bad day. Maybe they were late to work, maybe there was an emergency. However, what about the people who had nothing wrong? Do they know that a simple, small act of kindness could be the change in another's life? In my community, country, and world I want to see people start doing the little things again. Start smiling when you walk by someone, wave when you are driving and drive past someone. Do the small things, because it won't just be the change for that person, but also for you. "I believe that one simple act of kindness will start a chain reaction." -Rachel Scott This is a quote that I live by. I believe that when I show a random act of kindness, that person will feel good, and will want to make another person feel the same way. This way of thinking led me to want to create an organization within my school. During my Junior year of high school, I saw a need stand out within my school and community. I noticed many community projects needing to be done, and nobody doing them! I went to the principal at my school to talk about bringing a Service and Leadership Team (SLT) opportunity to our school. In doing this, the principal agreed with me, and allowed me to get started. He said that he would be the teacher involved, but I would have to take charge of it. I sent out an email to the school explaining what SLT is, and what we would be doing. SLT is an extracurricular activity that allows students to give back to their community. It teaches responsibility, kindness, leadership and so many other qualities. We do at least one community service project every month throughout the school year. If there is a need within our community we will do more than one that month if needed. On top of giving back to the community, participants of SLT can earn a patch for their Letterman Jacket if they complete 20+ hours of community service. As I said, I began this adventure of starting an SLT organization within my school my Junior year. We ended up having 20 students go out for it. We had our first meeting, and I was elected the President of this organization. I found multiple opportunities throughout our community. Many people heard about our organization through seeing us out working, or reading about us in the local newspaper. I ended up having many people contacting me wanting us to come help at the museum, hippodrome courthouse and many other places. During my Junior year, these are all the activities we completed throughout our community: Set up for New Years Party for SCOR JREC reffing Julesburg Train Depot Museum Clean-up Julesburg Gym Clean-up after Basketball Games Welcome Center Clean-up The Notebook of Champions Art in the Park Altogether, I ended up having 33.25 community service hours through the organization I created. Not only am I a part SLT, but I am also in Future Farmers of America (FFA), Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), National Honor Society (NHS), 4-H, Student Council, Rotary Youth Leadership, Friends of Rachel (FOR Club), Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA). In each of these extracurriculars I have leadership positions. I also participate in Volleyball, Basketball and Track and Field. In each of these organizations, we have done many service projects. In my community, country and world I want there to be an everlasting chain reaction of kindness. I want my small town random acts of kindness to travel to the cities. I want my random acts of kindness to make another person feel good to where they do the same things to others, and just let it keep going. I believe that this will create a better, happier world to live in. I think that I can do this, just starting with the people in my community. Eventually it will reach surrounding towns, and it will continue to migrate.

The quality/characteristic I value the most in myself is my intrinsic motivation. I have been very successful in many different aspects of my life. From sports, to 4-H, to my acts of service. I am not driven by praise, awards or accolades. I simply want to be the best version of myself in everything that I do. The process of improvement is naturally satisfying to me. I find the act of working hard to achieve a goal rewarding. My intrinsic motivation has had an impact on my willingness to help others. I strive to be the best version of myself, and by doing so I want to be the kind helpful person that anybody can come to, to ask for help. Volunteering is a big part of my life and of who I am. My time spent volunteering is not for the praise, or the thanks. I do it because of the results. I know that my acts of service are helping others a lot, in which it makes them very happy. By knowing this, it makes my heart full and happy. My ultimate goal for my life is to do everything that makes me happy, and the best version of myself. My role of volunteerism has played a huge role in the development of my character which is a result of my intrinsic motivation. It has made me kind, happy and happy to help others. Having intrinsic motivation with help me in my life journey will 100% help me be successful. Always wanting the best for yourself will result in being successful. Doing it because it makes me happy, and not for the rewards will lead to a life full of happiness. Which is the ultimate goal, right? Having intrinsic motivation will not only make me a better person but also the people who surround me. This will allow me to achieve everything I am wanting within my life. I will continue to have motivation, which will ultimately result in achieving my goals. As I am doing this, I will be surrounded by people who love me, because that is something else that makes me happy. My favorite quality/characteristic that I value the most about myself is intrinsic motivation. I strive to have this for the rest of my life, as it will help me reach every single one of my goals. This makes me successful, kind and happy all in one. What sounds better than that?

My plans after high school are to go to college to become a Mathematics Teacher. Many people have left an impact on my life. However, the main ones are my teachers. There is one I want to talk about specifically. I had a high school math teacher who constantly believed in me. He always talked to me and asked how my life was going. I participate in sports and other extracurricular activities and he would ask how they were. On top of that, he was also a very good teacher. He helped things make sense. I think one of the main reasons he left such a huge impact on my life was because I respected him so much. As a teacher I aspire to be the teacher that every student respects. However, I also want them to know that I am there for them for anything they need. I want them to know that I am on their side, and all I want is for them to be successful. I want to be the change in their lives, and I know I can do it because so many people have been the change in my life. I want them to know that under any circumstance I am there for them. However, I will make it very clear that they are to respect me as a teacher. I know that I am capable of being the change I aspire to be. There is a saying that I really love, and as a teacher I will constantly say it. The saying is DARE GREATNESS. "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us." I want to share this will every single one of my students. I want to teach them, not only math, but to strive for things that make them happy. I want them to not be afraid to strive for BIG things! Sometimes all it takes is someone who believes in you, and I will be that person for my students.

Always maintain a positive attitude. Go to school with the mindset of wanting to get something done and doing it with a positive mind. Always put yourself out there. Get involved with the school and extracurriculars. Doing this will shape you in your leadership characteristics and every characteristic that a leader has. This will help you with the rest of your life because it will shape how you think see and act in the world. Maintaining a positive attitude will ensure having a successful and fun year in school. If you look at everything like it's miserable and no fun, then you will be miserable and it won't be fun! Having a positive attitude and mind will help with leading a happy life. Instagram: @jensen_renquist