My entire life, I always found safety inside reading and writing. They were (and still are) big comforts to me. When I was a teenager, I decided to volunteer at my local library with some friends. I didn't know that would spark my interest in libraries. As soon as I was old enough to work, I applied for a page position at the library I volunteered with. Thanks to the teen librarian who I already worked with, I was able to get the job. I worked there for two years, until I graduated high school. I loved every minute of it. I got to meet a lot of wonderful people, as well as watch my community grow. Last year, after finishing my bachelor program at Cleveland State University, I decided to return back to my local library as a circulation clerk. I fell back in love with the environment. Now, I want to grow my career and become a children's librarian. To do this, I would need an MLIS. I am currently set to begin my Master’s in Library and Information Science program this month. Having this scholarship would greatly lessen the burden tuition will cause. It will allow me to focus more on my studies. In turn, I will help me become a stronger librarian in the future, so I can hopefully be the role model I found in the teen librarian I worked with. Over the summer, I was diagnosed with ASD. With this information in mind, when I complete my program, I want to build better programming for children on the spectrum. Every child deserves to feel welcomed and safe at their local library-- I want to ensure that happens at the library I work at. I would also like to push for more inclusivity in regular programming, so every kid can have a safe and enjoyable experience. As of right now, I currently work a few shifts a month working at the reference desk at my library. I often sit on the children's side. Having real-life experience while working on my master’s will make sure I have the background necessary to be the librarian I want to be. If I can make a few kids feel more comfortable with who they are, then I am doing the right thing in the right place. I hope to help as many kids as I can during my career, in big ways and small.

My entire life, I always found safety inside reading and writing. They were (and still are) big comforts to me. When I was a teenager, I decided to volunteer at my local library with some friends. I didn't know that would spark my interest in libraries. As soon as I was old enough to work, I applied for a page position at the library I volunteered with. Thanks to the teen librarian who I already worked with, I was able to get the job. I worked there for two years, until I graduated high school. I loved every minute of it. I got to meet a lot of wonderful people, as well as watch my community grow. Last year, after finishing my bachelor program at Cleveland State University, I decided to return back to my local library as a circulation clerk. I fell back in love with the environment. Now, I want to grow my career and become a children's librarian. To do this, I would need an MLIS. I am currently set to begin my Master’s in Library and Information Science program this month. Having this scholarship would greatly lessen the burden tuition will cause. It will allow me to focus more on my studies. In turn, I will help me become a stronger librarian in the future, so I can hopefully be the role model I found in the teen librarian I worked with. Over the summer, I was diagnosed with ASD. With this information in mind, when I complete my program, I want to build better programming for children on the spectrum. Every child deserves to feel welcomed and safe at their local library-- I want to ensure that happens at the library I work at. I would also like to push for more inclusivity in regular programming, so every kid can have a safe and enjoyable experience. As of right now, I currently work a few shifts a month working at the reference desk at my library. I often sit on the children's side. Having real-life experience while working on my master’s will make sure I have the background necessary to be the librarian I want to be. If I can make a few kids feel more comfortable with who they are, then I am doing the right thing in the right place. I hope to help as many kids as I can during my career, in big ways and small.

My first concert experience was seeing High School Musical Live with my mom, my best friend, and her mom. It was nothing like anything I'd seen before. For the first time, I was in a big space with so many people, enjoying music we all knew. It brought a feeling of belonging I enjoy and appreciate to this day. Without seeing Vanessa Hudgens and Ashley Tisdale on stage singing "When There Was Me and You" and "Bop to the Top", I might've never found such a comfort in music. My favorite concert memory would be a Fifth Harmony show I attended in high school. A few months before the show, I decided to start a Twitter account. It was centered around the specific show I was going to. When I found others who were going, I decided to pitch a project. We would all cut out paper hearts and hold them up during "Who Are You?". Through communication and a few in-person meetups, we made hundreds of hearts. On the day of the concert, I met again with the people I formed friendships with. After the opener went on, we all took our hearts and passed them out to the entire auditorium. We also told everyone when to hold them up. When Fifth Harmony got to the right song, most of the audience held up the paper hearts. My seat was towards the back, so I was able to see how many there were. The level of pride, love, and belonging I felt that day is unmatchable. The girls saw it and held up their own hearts, thanking us for our time and effort. As someone who is on the autism spectrum, communicating can be extremely difficult at times. However, through their friendships I found through this concert, I was able to gain the confidence to talk to complete strangers. Normally, I am not someone who spikes conversations. That day, I must've talked to a hundred or so people. Years later, I am still incredibly proud of myself. After the project succeeded, I found my overall confidence went up. Through music, I was able to see a whole new side of myself. I didn't think I was capable of what we did. The delight I found through my first concert experience led me to Fifth Harmony's show. I am forever grateful to the artists I've seen, as they helped me open up and feel more comfortable.

My entire life, I always found safety inside reading and writing. They were (and still are) big comforts to me. When I was a teenager, I decided to volunteer at my local library with some friends. I didn't know that would spark my interest in libraries. As soon as I was old enough to work, I applied for a page position at the library I volunteered with. Thanks to the teen librarian who I already worked with, I was able to get the job. I worked there for two years, until I graduated high school. I loved every minute of it. I got to meet a lot of wonderful people, as well as watch my community grow. Last year, after finishing my bachelor program at Cleveland State University, I decided to return back to my local library as a circulation clerk. I fell back in love with the environment. Now, I want to grow my career and become a children's librarian. To do this, I would need an MLIS. I am currently set to begin my Master’s in Library and Information Science program this month. Having this scholarship would greatly lessen the burden tuition will cause. It will allow me to focus more on my studies. In turn, I will help me become a stronger librarian in the future, so I can hopefully be the role model I found in the teen librarian I worked with. Over the summer, I was diagnosed with ASD. With this information in mind, when I complete my program, I want to build better programming for children on the spectrum. Every child deserves to feel welcomed and safe at their local library-- I want to ensure that happens at the library I work at. I would also like to push for more inclusivity in regular programming, so every kid can have a safe and enjoyable experience. As of right now, I currently work a few shifts a month working at the reference desk at my library. I often sit on the children's side. Having real-life experience while working on my master’s will make sure I have the background necessary to be the librarian I want to be. If I can make a few kids feel more comfortable with who they are, then I am doing the right thing in the right place. I hope to help as many kids as I can during my career, in big ways and small.