I never thought I would be interested in pursuing art as a career, but when senior year came I ended up realizing that I am only interested in doing something I love- which is art. The main reason I got so interested is because of something I experienced over the summer before senior year. 3 of my friends died in a car accident and one of them was a very close friend of mine. A couple of months before that, I took portrait photos of her for a photography project I was doing. Little did I know these photos would bring immense comfort to her family. They were some of the last photos (professionally speaking) taken of her. Her family contacted me and ended up using them for her funeral, reception, and memorial photos. I was touched and I felt like I was able to help her family even through a project I didn't think much of before. This made me very motivated as an artist to create so many more pieces. Whether they connected to people or just to me, I wanted to make something that was touching and beautiful. Over that school year, I scheduled so many photoshoots with friends and schoolmates. I wanted them to see the beauty they held as well as the importance one photo could hold. I am proud of myself for pushing myself past my comfort zone and trying so many different forms of art. I ended up applying to several colleges including art school, and finally ended up going to Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design. I use the left side of my brain to keep up in classes and stay organized- I am a very logical person and I don't let anything get in my way when it comes to getting assignments done on time. I use my right side to create projects that I am proud of and that push my limits. I'm not learning anything if I am not trying new methods and mediums. While the first year went fine, we found out that the private loan that was under my name had an extremely high-interest rate. We had to end up paying that off and closing it. Since that was the money that was going toward my housing payment- I was stuck with having to pay for housing out of my own pocket. I worked over 40 hours each week during my summer break, and that was only enough to pay for one semester of housing. Now I am struggling to find a job in the city within walking distance because I have no form of transportation. My overall tuition is being paid monthly, but even with scholarships and aid it is still too much. I am terrified that I won't be able to finish college because I won't be able to pay for the rising cost each year. I want to immerse myself in a career that I am interested in and driven in, and I believe that one involves art. This scholarship would not only help pay for my housing fees but also go towards my tuition dues that I am struggling with. I have been applying to several scholarships because I am motivated to not let myself fall just because of the costs of education. I am driven because I want to do something I love in the future.

As an individual who wasn't quite sure where their life path was going to take them, I wanted to make sure I was doing something I was genuinely interested in when it came to my future. I was entering my senior year of high school and I was still very unsure of what I wanted to do. Unfortunately, right before school started a friend of mine died in a car accident. I was broken, but what made it more emotional for me was that her family used photos I took of her for her memorial and funerals. Only a couple of months before, I took portrait pictures of several friends including her for a project, not thinking much of it. But once I saw the importance of these pictures for her family, I was inspired. Although I didn't want to be the source of the last photos of someone, I did want to capture people in their full confidence and beauty. I pushed myself that year to strengthen my expertise in photography. It became something that brought me joy and interest. I never got bored capturing people and scenes. I continued to capture my friends and others, expanding my portfolio. I started to take senior photos for my peers- something that was affordable and quick. This gave me genuine motivation for even the worst days. I pushed myself to try new ideas and concepts as much as possible, and I am very proud of my accomplishments. I later applied and got accepted into the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design- where I am currently learning. I wanted to continue in a career that would involve something that interested me and brought me joy. As I am currently enrolled, I push myself every day to create work I am proud of while still making sure to have fun. Even if it might not always involve photography, I am thankful for every piece of education I can get. I make connections with staff and outside sources because I genuinely want success and to be satisfied with where I end up in life. I want to feel like I made the right choices by getting good grades, meeting new people, and gaining new experiences. I want to continue to feel the inspiration I did when I saw my portrait of my friend in the newspaper, yearbook, and at her visitation. I want to connect with people and touch their hearts even in the smallest ways. I believe that if I stay driven I can achieve anything I want to. There will be days when I have no inspiration or art block, but those go to show that I am still a human and I have flaws. My art won't always be perfect or satisfy everyone, but learning from instances like these pushes me to become a better artist and human being.