I have always had an interest in politics, one might say I am passionate about it. Perhaps because I am growing up in a time where there has been a such political divide in our Country. I was in 6th grade during the 2016 Presidential Election between Hilary Clinton and Donald Trump. This was a hot topic amongst my teachers and in the classrooms. Potentially the first female president vs a non-traditional male politician. I was intrigued and curious about why so many people felt strongly for one candidate vs the other. Why did it seem like this was all anyone was talking about? And why was it so hard to disseminate the truth? I started doing a little research online and through social channels to see what people were saying. It was still hard to find the truth. I started watching news programs and didn't understand why two stations could report the same issue or incident from such different perspectives. It was harder to form an opinion because the facts weren't clear. This is the social issue that I am most passionate about. It is about truth and information. It seems so difficult these days with social media, the right and left, and news organizations pushing their own agendas to really find the truth. Everyone seems to have a hidden agenda. It is everything that is wrong in our political system. I want to be involved in the political process. I want to help shape and create law and policy. I plan to pursue a Political Science Degree with a minor in Philosophy. I chose my minor to help develop my critical thinking and problem solving skills. Beyond my undergraduate work, I plan to pursue a Justice Degree with a focus on Constitutional law. The foundation of our country starts with our constitution. It has shaped our core beliefs and will continue to evolve and change. I am undecided if I want to be at the forefront of running for office, but I want to have an impact on people and how our government is run. I want to help people to become educated on what is happening in our political processes. I want to help them find the truth and allow them to vote and make decisions on facts vs opinions. I believe that to understand the political process that you have to be involved and then share what you learn. I chose to attend a small private college near our state capital. We have an excellent Political Science program and an average class size of 18 students. With its close proximity to our State Capital, internships during the school year are possible. I want to help people understand how government can help them or hinder them. I want to give everyone a voice and influence in their own lives. I want them to understand who and what they are voting for instead of the confusion and disinformation that it out there. I am a truth seeker

I have always had an interest in politics, one might say I am passionate about it. Perhaps because I grew up in a time where there has been a such political divide in our Country. I was in 6th grade during the 2016 Presidential Election between Hilary Clinton and Donald Trump. This was a hot topic amongst my teachers and in the classrooms. Potentially the first female president vs a non-traditional male politician. I was intrigued and curious about why so many people felt strongly for one candidate vs the other. Why did it seem like this was all anyone was talking about? And why was it so hard to disseminate the truth? I started doing a little research online and through social channels to see what people were saying. It was still hard to find the truth. I started watching news programs and didn't understand why two stations could report the same issue or incident from such different perspectives. It was harder to form an opinion because the facts weren't clear. This is the social issue that I am most passionate about. It is about truth and information. It seems so difficult these days with social media, the right and left, and news organizations pushing their own agendas to really find the truth. Everyone seems to have a hidden agenda. It is everything that is wrong in our political system. I would love to be involved in the political process. I am not sure that I want to be at the forefront of running for office, but I want to make a difference. I want to help people to become educated on what is happening in our political processes. I want to help them find the truth and allow them to vote and make decisions on facts vs opinions. I think to understand it, you have to be involved and then share what you learn. I chose to attend a small private college near our state capital. They have an excellent Political Science program and many students chose to intern at the Capital. I plan to continue to law school and be involved in the political process. I want to help people understand how government can help them or hinder them. I want to give everyone a voice and influence in their own lives. I want them to understand who and what they are voting for instead of the confusion and disinformation that it out there. I am a truth seeker.

I got my first passport when I was 6. My Mom loved to travel and she was always willing to take me with her. I am now on my 3rd passport and have been to more countries than states, although I plan to visit more of both as time and money will allow. I grew up in a small town along the Mississippi River in Minnesota. I think my travels have helped me see that the world is a much larger place. It helped me understand and appreciate other people and cultures. It helped me see how other people live and what is important to them. My travels have also piqued my interest in Politics. We grow up thinking that the United States is the best country in the World. While I believe this to be true in my heart, I have also become aware that other Countries don't always feel that way about Americans. Some people think we are loud, overbearing, overly focused on work. Sometimes I think they might be right. Our foreign policy is often viewed as self-serving and greedy. It is very interesting to understand everyone's point of view. I love a good political debate on the second amendment, taxation, social policy, and economic policy. No subject is off-limits at our house as long as we listen and are respectful. We often have to agree to disagree. I realize that the more I learn and gain life experience, the more my opinions and perspectives change. Issues that were once very clear, can become clouded by circumstances and life changes. I hope that I can continue to learn and grow as I gain more perspective. I plan to Major in Political Science and go on to Law School. I don't know that I want to practice law, but rather become involved in government. I would rather work behind the scenes than run for Political office, but maybe that will change. What I want to do is make things better, make them less complicated, and apply a bit more of the Golden rule in how we run our Country and our Government. I would like to give people a leg up rather than a handout. I would like to see those that need help, be taught to learn and help themselves. I would like to see those that need to be taken care of and those that work hard to continue to reap the successes of their hard work. I believe that I can have an impact on people and make a difference in this World.

My name is Kaitlin Schmidt. I am Freshman at the University of St Thomas in St Paul and am studying Political Science and Pre-Law. I grew up in Lake City, MN. A small river town in Southern Minnesota. I played Volleyball, Club Volleyball, and golf in High School. I played on the faculty Ping Pong club (The teachers invited me because I love to play and since I didn't have a set class schedule I was always available for the competition). It was fun to play against my teachers and I was the only student they invited to play. In my Junior and Senior years, I attended a local college in order to get a head start on my degree program and minimize the overall college expense. Despite attending school off campus, I was very involved at School. In addition to my sporting activities, I was on the Student Council, President of the Robotics Club, was a member of our Athletics Leadership program, and our Student Leadership program that welcomed incoming 9th graders. I was chosen to sing in the Hiawatha Valley League Honors Choir and read the school announcements every Friday. I have been an active volunteer in our local Chamber of Commerce. Every year our Chamber team hosts our local festival "Waterski Days". It is a weekend full of music, fun, craft shows, and bean bag tournaments. It brings the whole community together to celebrate our small town. People from all over make the trip to Lake City. But the event takes a lot of work. Lots of planning and help needed by community volunteers. This is where I help and became involved. When our Chamber Director, Elizabeth sent out the call for help, I jumped at the chance to be a part of the process. Since I had such a flexible schedule in the day time, I was able to help with lots of small tasks and planning that happened months before the event. I was able to learn about how much effort, coordination and planning went into the weekend festivities. Every activity had a small army of people behind it and I got to plan and watch this come to fruition. Most people just attend the fun and have a good time, but for me it is even more rewarding because I get to see the results of everyone pulling together to make these things happen. This experience has shown be how rewarding volunteering can be. It taught me that by pulling together within our community we can make big things happen. I plan to continue on my volunteering path this summer when I return home and for the rest of my life.

Sometimes as a 19 year old it is hard to think about how I have developed my skills. In many ways I feel like I am still figuring that out. Growing up in my house, my parents tried to give me what they called "Bumpers". We didn't have a lot of formality and structure, but we did have 3 Big Rules. 1. Listen; 2. Be Honest, and 3. Be Respectful. The 3 Big rules seems to apply to every circumstance and every life choice continue to use them to guide me to be my best self and continue to drive my purpose and passions. Listen...When I was growing up, this typically meant do what I am told. But as I got older, Listen became more about hearing others, what they had to say, how their experiences differed from mine. Listening mean understanding and showing empathy to others. Be Honest...This seems like it should be easy. There are truths and there are untruths. But often times we aren't honest with ourselves. We accept less from others or we look the other way when we see wrong doing. As I have grown being honest isn't just about telling the truth. It is about helping others tell their truths, defending those that don't have the strength to do it on their own, it is about standing by your convictions and living your life by your own moral compass. Be Respectful...As a youngster this meant being polite and honoring your elders. As a young adult this means so much more. It means to respect others opinions even if you don't share them. It means to love others even when their choices don't align with yours. I means giving and letting people earn your respect even after they have made mistakes. It means being aware of your surroundings and others and thinking about how your actions and behaviors effect them. As a Student at University of St Thomas we strive to work for the Common Good. We are "Inspired by Catholic intellectual tradition, the University of St. Thomas educates students to be morally responsible leaders who think critically, act wisely and work skillfully to advance the common good.” We do this in our studies, in our day to day lives and as we interact with the community. We work hard to integrate others into our thinking to make sure that we are becoming thoughtful leaders. It is my purpose and passion to take what my parents have instilled in me and what I am learning in college to encourage others to be the best version of themselves that they can be.

My relationship with God has always been an important part of me and who I am. Both of my Grandmothers are very committed to their faith and provided me the opportunities to develop my own relationship with God. When I was in elementary school, I was taught about God, and Jesus Christ, and the Bible. It was very easy for me to believe and I took every lesson literally and as the only truth. As I got older, I had more questions and sometimes even doubt. I sometimes became unsure about Gods existence and his role in our lives. But what I have found to be consistent is that in the hard times, when I hang on to my faith, is when I feel the most at peace. I am a college Sophomore. I regularly attend Mass, sing in the choir, and will even be signing at the Vatican this Summer. I attend a small private Catholic University. I am a Political Science Major with a minor in Catholic Studies. Gods messages and teaching are alive on campus. He is every where, which makes it easy for me to keep God close and front of mind. I learn from those of many faiths on campus and occasionally have classes with Seminarians who often bring a different perspective to God's teachings. I have learned so much from them. As a Political Science Major, I am in a unique position to bring my faith and beliefs into public policy. I hope to secure an internship at the State capital next year so that I can learn how public policy and laws are created and how to use influence to unify people. I plan to continue my education to law school so that I will be in the best position to craft laws that make sense and are guided by my core beliefs as a Christian. People know right from wrong and I believe I and convince others to simply have faith and to do the right things. Our world today has become so inwardly focused that if we could just remind people to do things for the common good rather than just themselves and that sometimes the right thing is not the easy. I believe that people know right from wrong and that it is in the hard times, when you hang onto your faith that you will find the most peace.

My relationship with God has always been an important part of me and who I am. Both of my Grandmothers are very committed to their faith and provided me the opportunities to develop my own relationship with God. When I was in elementary school, I was taught about God, and Jesus Christ, and the Bible. It was very easy for me to believe and I took every lesson literally and as the only truth. As I got older, I had more questions and sometimes even doubt. I sometimes became unsure about Gods existence and his role in our lives. But what I have found to be consistent is that in the hard times, when I hang on to my faith, is when I feel the most at peace. I am a college Sophomore. I regularly attend Mass, sing in the choir, and will even be signing at the Vatican this Summer. I attend a small private Catholic University. I am a Political Science Major with a minor in Catholic Studies. Gods messages and teaching are alive on campus. He is every where, which makes it easy for me to keep God close and front of mind. I learn from those of many faiths on campus and occasionally have classes with Seminarians who often bring a different perspective to God's teachings. I have learned so much from them. One topic that leaves little room for subjectivity however is the definition of life. The Catholic Church is very clear on this subject and life begins at creation. For me this s not a topic up for debate. There aren't special circumstances or stipulations that change the definition of when life begins. As a Political Science Major, I am in a unique position to bring my faith and beliefs into public policy. To unify people to listen to their faith and make our world better. I plan to continue my education to law school so that I will be in the best position to craft laws that make sense and are guided by my core beliefs and a Christian. I plan to use my influence to convince people to have faith and to do the right thing. Sometimes the right thing is not the easy thing to do, but I believe that people know right from wrong and that it is in the hard times, when you hang onto your faith that you will find the most peace.

I started playing golf when I was about 10 years old. It was offered through our local Community Education program in the summer. Most of our time was spent on the range, learning the basics and rules of golf. I did this for several years until we could start playing golf as an organized sport in school. In 7th grade, I joined the Lake City Girls' golf team. The girls golf team has historically been a little underfunded and short on the coaching staff but we still had fun and my game improved. After some initial success, I started working on my game in the off-season. We live in Minnesota, so the golf season can be short. Our local golf clubs let the High School golfers on the course for free when the course isn't busy and provided we are respectful to members and guests and allow them to play through. In 10th grade, I made the varsity team. I was the number 6 golfer on the team. Each week we had shootouts to hold that spot on the team. This pushed me to work even harder. There was a lot of friendly competition on the course and keeping a spot on the team added pressure from week to week. We had several good golfers coming up that were within a few strokes. It is competitive and always a grind. Last year as an 11th grader our team won the MN state AA Girls Golf Tournament. It was such an amazing experience. All the hard work had paid off. The sense of belonging and being part of a team that worked so hard every day to accomplish our goals. With 6 returning players on the team, we are positioned to have the opportunity again this season. I can't wait. I am passionate about golf because your score speaks for you. As a woman in the sport, the tee distance normalizes the game. I can play against men and women equally unlike many other sports. It is one place where I don't feel like I have faced many challenges specific to my gender. It is one of the things that makes me love it even more. My Dad and his family are all Avid Golfers, so golf is a family activity. Playing with family is where I shine. I thrive in the competition of high school golf, but I love playing with my family. As my game has improved, I am often the favorite choice of my Dad, Uncle Mike, and Grandpa in Best Ball Tournaments. I bring the advantage of shooting from the women's tees which positions us to Birdie or even Eagle most of the long Par 5s. It is time with friends and family. Golf is a sport that I can play my throughout my life. It is filled with life lessons. It teaches me to approach life one swing at a time, to move past the bad shots quickly, and to get out there and play. It has taught me that working hard brings success and sometimes it doesn't. It has taught me that I can improve if I work hard. And that the only bad shot is the one not taken.

have always had an interest in politics. Perhaps because I have grown up in a time where there has been a such political divide in our Country. I was in 6th grade (12 years old) during the 2016 Presidential Election between Hilary Clinton and Donald Trump. This was a hot topic amongst my teachers and in the classrooms. Potentially the first female president vs a non-traditional male politician. I was intrigued and curious about why so many people felt strongly for one candidate vs the other. Why did it seem like this was all anyone was talking about? And why was it so hard to disseminate the truth? I started doing a little research online and through social channels to see what people were saying. It was still hard to find the truth. I started watching news programs and didn't understand why two stations could report the same issue or incident from such different perspectives. It was harder to form an opinion because the facts weren't clear. I would love to be involved in the political process. I am not sure that I want to be at the forefront of running for office, but I want to make a difference. I want to help people to become educated on what is happening in our political processes. I think to understand it, you have to be involved and then share what you learn. I chose to attend a small private college near our state capital. They have an excellent Political Science program and many students chose to intern at the Capital. The downside to this selection is that it is considerably more expensive than a State School further away. But I have worked hard as a High School Student doing Post-Secondary Classes (PSEO). This is offered free through the State and allows High School Students to earn college credits that also count towards High School Graduation. I took the 12-15 college credits through my Jr and Sr years in addition to my required High School courses and gave up a summer last year to take 6 credits so that I could earn my AA degree with 61 credits. It has been hard to balance and I also work part-time, play High School Volleyball & Golf, am the President of the Robotics club, and am involved with Student Council and several other Leadership Programs. It has been my greatest accomplishment so far in life to Graduation with an AA Degree before Graduating from High School. It makes the missed fun and sacrifices worth it because I should be able to finish my 4 Yr Degree in just 2 years which makes the small private school more affordable for me.

The character that I resonate most with is Jim Halpert. How can you not love "Big Tuna?" I love how funny he is and how he is always making people laugh. He humor and practical jokes often take a great amount of commitment, like the time that he kept adding weight to Dwight's phone receiver or when he was sending faxes to Dwight from future Dwight. Jim uses humor to relate and connect with others. But much like me, Jim has a softer side. He has a harder time revealing himself. Like his feelings for Pam. He consistently gets in his own way because he doesn't want to discuss his true self. But he does eventually find his way back to her for the proverbial happy ending. The Office is a regular conversation at our house. It wouldn't be unusual for us to quote word for word the scene. It make me laugh every time the whole group starts dancing and then when Dwight starts to harvest the CPR dummy's organs. Or for someone to yell out Parkour while hurdling the couch. Or to repeat "Oh my god, am I a woman?" from Diversity Day. I think The Office shows a lot of "What not to do" in the office. But it also highlights the relationships and connections that you develop with your co-workers. While I hope the first office that I work in isn't quite as politically incorrect. I sure do hope that I have some of the same co-workers and find the comradery that they did working together day in and day out.

I started playing golf when I was about 10 years old. It was offered through our local Community Education program in the summer. Most of our time was spent on the range, learning the basics and rules of golf. I did this for several years until we could start playing golf as an organized sport in school. In 7th grade, I joined the Lake City Girls' golf team. The girls golf team has historically been a little underfunded and short on the coaching staff but we still had fun and my game improved. After some initial success, I started working on my game in the off-season. We live in Minnesota, so the golf season can be short. Our local golf clubs let the High School golfers on the course for free when the course isn't busy and provided we are respectful to members and guests and allow them to play through. In 10th grade, I made the varsity team. I was the number 6 golfer on the team. Each week we had shootouts to hold that spot on the team. This pushed me to work even harder. There was a lot of friendly competition on the course and keeping a spot on the team added pressure from week to week. We had several good golfers coming up that were within a few strokes. It is competitive and always a grind. Last year as an 11th grader our team won the MN state AA Girls Golf Tournament. It was such an amazing experience. All the hard work had paid off. The sense of belonging and being part of a team that worked so hard every day to accomplish our goals. With 6 returning players on the team, we are positioned to have the opportunity again this season. I can't wait. One of the things I love about golf is that the score speaks for itself. As a woman in the sport, the tee distance normalizes the game. I can play against men and women equally unlike many other sports. It is one place where I don't feel like I have faced many challenges specific to my gender. It is one of the things that makes me love it even more. My Dad and his family are all Avid Golfers, so golf is a family activity. Playing with family is where I shine. I thrive in the competition of high school golf, but I love playing with my family. As my game has improved, I am often the favorite choice of my Dad, Uncle Mike, and Grandpa in Best Ball Tournaments. I bring the advantage of shooting from the women's tees which positions us to Birdie or even Eagle most of the long Par 5s. It is time with friends and family. It is a sport that I can play my whole life, and it is filled with life lessons. It teaches me to approach life one swing at a time and to move past the bad shots quickly and on to the next. It has taught me that working hard brings success and sometimes it doesn't. It has taught me that I can improve and that the only bad shot is the one not taken.

I started playing golf when I was about 10 years old. It was offered through our local Community Education program in the summer. Most of our time was spent on the range, learning the basics and rules of golf. I did this for several years until we could start playing golf as an organized sport in school. In 7th grade, I joined the Lake City Girls' golf team. The girls golf team has historically been a little underfunded and short on the coaching staff but we still had fun and my game improved. After some initial success, I started working on my game in the off-season. We live in Minnesota, so the golf season can be short. Our local golf clubs let the High School golfers on the course for free when the course isn't busy and provided we are respectful to members and guests and allow them to play through. In 10th grade, I made the varsity team. I was the number 6 golfer on the team. Each week we had shootouts to hold that spot on the team. This pushed me to work even harder. There was a lot of friendly competition on the course and keeping a spot on the team added pressure from week to week. We had several good golfers coming up that were within a few strokes. It is competitive and always a grind. Last year as an 11th grader our team won the MN state AA Girls Golf Tournament. It was such an amazing experience. All the hard work had paid off. The sense of belonging and being part of a team that worked so hard every day to accomplish our goals. With 6 returning players on the team, we are positioned to have the opportunity again this season. I can't wait. One of the things I love about golf is that the score speaks for itself. As a woman in the sport, the tee distance normalizes the game. I can play against men and women equally unlike many other sports. It is one place where I don't feel like I have faced many challenges specific to my gender. It is one of the things that makes me love it even more. My Dad and his family are all Avid Golfers, so golf is a family activity. Playing with family is where I shine. I thrive in the competition of high school golf, but I love playing with my family. As my game has improved, I am often the favorite choice of my Dad, Uncle Mike, and Grandpa in Best Ball Tournaments. I bring the advantage of shooting from the women's tees which positions us to Birdie or even Eagle most of the long Par 5s. It is time with friends and family. It is a sport that I can play my whole life, and it is filled with life lessons. It teaches me to approach life one swing at a time and to move past the bad shots quickly and on to the next. It has taught me that working hard brings success and sometimes it doesn't. It has taught me that I can improve and that the only bad shot is the one not taken.

I like many kids grew up on Disney. We had all the Disney movies on DVD and I made my first trip to Disney World when I was 4. This is a big trip for a kid from Minnesota. There are so many memories, but I still remember sitting in a stroller watching the parade at Animal Kingdom and Mowgli giving me a high five! I was so excited!! I think Animal Kingdom is still my favorite park because of this memory. But my all-time favorite thing about Disney is the cruise line! We have been on every ship except the Wish. I love DCL! Every time we board the ship, it feels like home. My Mom, Grandma, and I have traveled the world with Disney. We have been to 22 countries on the Disney Ships. From Mexico and Columbia to Portugal, Italy, and England. We have seen the Panama Canal, the Colosseum, Big Ben, the Leaning tower of Pisa, Stonehenge and so many other things that I may never have seen if it weren't for Disney Cruise Line. Everything on the ships is a first-class experience. The staterooms, the smell of the sea salt shampoo, the cleanliness of the decks, the food, the shows and my favorite...the kid's clubs! The kid's clubs are amazing! Uniquely designed for each age group with activities that are thoughtful and engaging. They bring kids together while on vacation. Disney provides a unique opportunity for kids to connect, explore, and have fun together. I have made so many friends in the kid's clubs over the years. I keep in touch with many of them and have traveled to visit them years after the cruise had ended. We have a small group of us that are planning a reunion cruise to Alaska next summer. Last year, we went on a short cruise out of Galveston over Christmas break. This was my first cruise as an adult. No more kids club. I was sad. But the trip was still amazing. The 1820 group, while smaller and less formal was a great way to meet friends my age. I also got to spend more time lounging by the adult pool, sitting in the Rainforest room, and brunch at Palo. Amazing!! And we switched to late dining, which gave us more time to enjoy the sun on deck during sea days. Disney has simply become part of who I am. I have grown up with it and it is engrained in me. We have been back to the parks many times and the experiences have changed as I have grown older. But you never seem to outgrow Disney. It grows with us. I hope to be able to share the same experiences with my own family some day!

Growing up in a small midwestern town with limited diversity can fool someone into thinking that everyone is "like me". Traveling has broadened my horizons and piqued my curiosity about the world. I got my first passport when I was 5 years old. I have traveled to 22 countries and have learned that the world is a big place and people live and value things in unique ways. The study of other cultures and nations tells me that I have a natural curiosity about the world and a passion to grow and understand others. It is this seek-to-understand mentality that has fueled my passion for politics and history. We can learn so much from the mistakes of our past to hopefully not repeat them. I sincerely believe that to know our neighbors is to understand them. We must learn what they value, how they live, and what is important to them. In some countries this is work and career, in others, it is family or religion. We need to understand our differences so that we can also understand what we have in common. It is the common thread that weaves us together and the differences that make us unique. The value of global exploration for the US is to better understand people and learn how we are perceived by other countries. In some areas of the world, we are viewed in a positive light. We are seen as strong, and helpful. We send aid to countries that are under-served or struggling. In other countries, we are viewed as a superpower that is self-serving and greedy. We need to be aware of how we are perceived globally so that we can address these perceptions with sensitivity. It is only by truly understanding one another that we will be able to communicate openly and reach solutions to global problems. The earth is one planet and we all live on it together. Our issues and concerns won't be solved in a vacuum within the confines of our own borders. There are limited resources, differing points of view, conflicts, and environmental concerns that impact everyone in some way. If we seek to understand one another, we can communicate more constructively. With the hopes of reaching better solutions, faster. In learning about other cultures and nations, we take a great step towards leading in a positive way and shifting the perception of many that the US is filled with empathetic people just like every other Country in the World.

When I was a junior in high school, my Mom got married. My step Dad, Ronnie, wasn't a wealthy man, but he had enough money, no debt, and planned to retire at 55. Every time we would discuss money or wanted something new, Ronnie would say, "You need to read The Book". "What Book?", I would say. He would respond, "I will find it and you can read it. It changed my life and the way I viewed money. I wish I would have read it sooner." It reached a point, where it was a family joke. I was skeptical. The book was written in the 90s, how could it possibly still be relevant? So many things had changed. Then one year as a Christmas gift, I received, "The Book," Rich Dad Poor Dad, by Robert Kiyosaki. I wish I could say that I read the book cover to cover over Christmas break. But that isn't the case. My stepdad would casually ask me every week. "Did you read the book yet?" At some point, he threatened to take it back, because he wanted to re-read it. I guess that was all it took. I sat down and opened it up. The book was filled with lessons. The first was that you need to make your money work for you vs working for your money. You need to be making money in your sleep. Find a way to make passive income. While I haven't figured that all out yet, I plan to buy a house/condo once I graduate from college and then rent a portion of it out. The second was to learn all you can about how to save money, earn money, and pay less taxes. Knowing all the rules is the first step in protecting the money that I already had. I have already moved my college savings from a simple savings account to a tax-deferred annuity fund. It yielded a much higher rate of return and was still liquid enough for the time frame that I needed it. The third was not to be controlled by your emotions. This one can be tough sometimes. But I started thinking about how many hours it would take me to replenish the money that I spent on things that I wanted. It forced me to put a value on "stuff" vs my time. Was I willing to work all day Saturday to have a new outfit? I also found that if I waited just 24 hours to make a decision, I almost always wanted it less later. The fourth was to only risk what you can afford to lose in the short term and are personally comfortable with. I learned this through my investment class. Even though many of my classmates were making more money than me, I was comfortable with my risk. Slow steady growth is okay for me. Maybe when I have enough money, then I will take some additional risks. The last was to have a plan with both short and long-term goals, with some stretch goals built into it. My short-term goal is to secure enough funding for my undergraduate degree. My stretch goal is to complete law school debt free with no student loans. My long-term goal is to be able to retire at 55. I hope to find fulfilling work that makes me love what I do and never want to retire, but I would like to have the flexibility to travel, spend time volunteering and following my passions. So I guess "The Book" has changed my life too. It would be easy to stumble through life living paycheck to paycheck, crossing your fingers and hoping there is enough every month. But that is not how I want to live. I watch my parents and while they may not be rich, we also have always had enough. Both of my parents will also be able to retire at 55, but I doubt that they will. I plan to continue my education and remember the life lessons they have taught me. By focusing on these five things: Make your money work for you, learn all you can, don't spend money emotionally, don't take more risk than you are comfortable with, and develop a plan with short and long-term goals. I feel like I am on the right track.

I started playing golf when I was about 10 years old. It was offered through our local Community Education program in the summer. Most of our time was spent on the range, learning the basics and rules of golf. I did this for several years until we could start playing golf as an organized sport in school. In 7th grade, I joined the Lake City Girls' golf team. We were a little underfunded and short on the coaching staff but still had fun and my game improved. Then I started working on my game in the off-season. We live in Minnesota, so the golf season can be short. Our local golf clubs let the High School golfers on the course for free provided there is room and we are respectful to members and guests. In 10th grade, I made the varsity team. I was the number 6 golfer but was starting to have some success. This was encouraging and pushed me to work even harder. There was a lot of friendly competition on the course and keeping a spot on the team added pressure from week to week. We had several good golfers coming up that were within a few strokes of me. Last year as an 11th grader our team won the MN State AA Girls Golf Tournament. It was such an amazing experience. The sense of belonging and being part of a team that worked so hard every day to accomplish our goals. With 6 returning players on the team, we are positioned to have the opportunity again this season. My Dad and his family are all Avid Golfers. It can be a family affair. As my game has improved, I am often the favorite choice of my Dad, Uncle Mike, and Grandpa in Best Ball Tournaments. They love that I get to shoot from the Reds on the long par fives and my strong drive puts us in position to Eagle or Birdie most of them. And they get a responsible driver home, should they want to partake in festivities on Number 19. Golf is important to me because it is time with friends and family. It is a sport that I can play my whole life, and it is filled with life lessons. It teaches me to approach life one swing at a time and to move past the bad shots quickly and on to the next. It has taught me that working hard brings success and sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes it teaches me that I can still get better and that the only bad shot is the one not taken. I would be an excellent candidate for the Samuel D. Hartley Memorial Scholarship. I am a highly ethical, hard-working High School Senior. I plan to make a difference by studying Political Science and continuing to Law School. We also share a love for the Elks Club. I was active in our local BPOE with my Grandfather until he passed 7 years ago. Some of my best memories were at his lodge over the holidays when we would visit for the pancake feeds the day after Thanksgiving, meeting Santa, and hanging out with his brothers.

Many people have influenced my life. Some of them in positive ways and some of them showed me what not to do. I think some lessons can be learned from everyone that touches your life, but the most influential person in my life has been my Mom. My Mom had no idea what she wanted to do after college. She graduated, found a job at a local company, and made a great career for herself there. She is still working there after 30 years. What I learned from my Mom is that you need to pick a path, you need to try new things, and you need to take advantage of the great things put in front of you. My Mom is always asking me what my goals are. Even at a young age, she would tell me to pick a path, plan what you are going to do to get there and drive forward. This didn't always make sense to me. Why did I need to have plan? The plan is where the hard work lives. Goals aren't just accomplished by thinking about them. You have to take deliberate action to move forward, otherwise, you are just moving around. When I wanted to make the state team for varsity golf, we made a plan. I increased my practice time in the off-season, took some private lessons to improve my swing, and played a practice round on the course we were competing on the weekend before the match. This planning worked. It moved me directly forward, built my confidence, and helped me reach my goal. It also imprinted in my brain what hard work and planning could do in my life. My Mom also encouraged me to try new things. As she says, "Fail fast". That means figuring out what you enjoy and want to explore deeper and moving past things you don't love and aren't willing to invest time in to improve. If I signed up for something as a kid, I had to at least finish out the season or period that I had committed to, but when it was done I chose if I wanted to stay or not. If I didn't love it, we moved on. Like Band, dance, and basketball. My Mom taught me that great things are put in front of you all the time. The world has endless possibilities. You just need to be willing to take advantage of what is out there and what presents itself in front of you. Perhaps if there is nothing in front of you, you aren't looking hard enough. I have a goal to be a Constitutional Attorney. I have started on my plan and the first milestone was to finish my AA degree while in high school and take advantage of the free college credits so that the money I have saved for college will go further. I selected a school near our state capital and plan to find an internship there. I should finish my Bachelors in 2 years and plan to stay at this college to start law school. Along the way, I am sure that I will set other goals, try new things, and continue to take advantage of what is placed in front of me. Like writing this essay for a scholarship.

The teaching profession isn't easy. I know everyone thinks how great it would be to have summers off and only work from 8:00 to 3:30 every day. But I think everyone forgets about the challenges that teachers face: balancing work and family, supporting kids who want to achieve more without letting others fall further behind, working with parents from all different backgrounds and philosophies, budget challenges, and dealing with their own personal challenges. I have had the opportunity to get to know my Choir teacher, Mrs. Kopp over the last few years. She has taken the time to get to know me on a personal level. She has encouraged me to be myself and sing out loud. It was with her help that I found enough courage to participate in Bel Canto Choir and compete in both Hiawatha Valley Honors and Solo Ensemble. I had done well in school and choir, but without her encouragement, I would have never found the strength to sing in front of a group on my own. Mrs. Kopp believed in me. She took the time to understand me and my fears and encouraged me to put myself out there. She got me to take the first step and trust that others would support me. This has changed the way that I look at life. I am no longer afraid to take the first step. No longer afraid to fail. I am less concerned with what others will think of me and I have found the inspiration to encourage others to take the first step as well. Recently, a friend wanted to participate in the honors choir. She is quiet and shy. She just wasn't sure that she could do it, much like I was at first. We talked about why she should do it and what the outcomes could be. With my encouragement, she took her first step and as a result of her hard work received a Superior rating and ended up winning the state high school league Triple A Award for her involvement in athletics and arts. I was so proud of her. For me now, my happiness comes from helping myself grow and helping others. Mrs. Kopp taught me that. Right now Mrs. Kopp is battling her own struggles. She had to take a leave after being diagnosed with lung cancer. She has started treatment now and has taken her first step to get well and everyone will surround her with support.

I started playing golf at 5 years old. Even then, my Mom would tell me that golf is a game filled with life lessons. I never really understood this, and sometimes I still struggle to see them. But if you can get out of the moment or your current struggle and reflect, the life lessons are right in front of you: Integrity, hard work, and perseverance. The first life lesson I learned in golf was integrity. I am a competitor and even at a very young age, I wanted to perform well. We started on the driving range and putting greens and eventually worked our way up to the Par 3 holes. I remember standing at the tee box wanting to hit the green or maybe even a hole-in-one. I was nervous, but gained my composure, lined up my shot and took a swing. It wasn't even close. Seven strokes later I was in the hole. Not exactly the way I pictured it. Eventually, I got better and we started playing regulation holes and some junior tournaments. We were responsible for keeping our score and tracking the score of someone else in our foursome. This is where integrity was learned. It can sometimes be tempting to loft a ball or not count a missed swing. No one is looking. No one would ever know...except for me. This was something that I just couldn't do and feel good about. I knew it was wrong and winning by cheating wasn't winning. There were always girls that shaved strokes. I knew who they were. If they were in my group, I would politely ask if they were positive about their score that hole. This was their game and their responsibility. It was my responsibility to play my game and help them with their integrity. The second life lesson I learned was that improving your golf game can be hard work. Golf is not always a game where you are consistently getting better. Maybe over time, but there are lots of ebbs and flows in between. There are days that every ball sticks on the green and days it will roll off. You have to keep working hard and pushing through. It could be a grind of practice, conditioning, and working hard to improve my swing and power. My team in high school was very competitive and each week we had to qualify for a spot to play on the team that week. It could be nerve-wracking. The pressure to do well and earn a spot for the week. Sometimes I made it, other times despite preparation, I didn't. The most difficult time was qualifying for the team that was going to the State Championship. It was made up of the lowest combined score for 3 matches played that week. There were 3 of us within 1 stroke after two matches. The third match was about 60 miles away on a Tuesday. I arranged to play six rounds on that course the weekend prior so that I was prepared for the qualifying round. It came down to the last hole, but I secured a spot on the team. Our team ended up winning the State Championship. It was an amazing experience. But the most important lesson I have learned from golf is perseverance. It would have been easy to quit when it got hard. To get in your head. But you have to push through every bad swing and every bad hole and sometimes take some calculated risks. To succeed in golf and life, the only bad shot; is the shot not taken. Swing.

The piece of technology that inspires me the most is the smartphone. While the technology may have first been introduced in the 90s, the smartphone as we know it today was introduced in my lifetime. For most people my age, when I hear my parents talking about a phone that was attached to the wall with a cord, it makes me laugh. I also remember going on a field trip to the Minnesota History Museum in 5th Grade and having my Mom teach us how to use a rotary-dialed phone. It is easy to laugh about, but when you think about how this technology has changed not just my generation, but every living generation, it is simply amazing. Communication on the go, access to information in seconds with a few clicks and swipes. Everyone I know has a phone, some people have more than one. Even my Grandmother has learned to use a smartphone. It has connected people and given them access to information, photos, and videos. The world is a far more transparent place today than it has ever been. I think what inspires me is even though the smartphone is the only technology I have known, when you take a step back and think about it, someone had to be the pioneer. Someone had to think bigger, connect the technology available, and create the vision for what could be today. I suspect that there were people that couldn't understand the possibilities of a smartphone or how it would work. I suspect that some of the pioneers of the smartphone probably failed to bring their vision to light. But thankfully, someone had the vision to start and to believe as they have created something amazing!

I started playing golf when I was about 10 years old. It was offered through our local Community Education program in the summer. Most of our time was spent on the range, learning the basics and rules of golf. I did this for several years until we could start playing golf as an organized sport in school. In 7th grade, I joined the Lake City Girls' golf team. The girls golf team has historically been a little underfunded and short on the coaching staff but we still had fun and my game improved. After some initial success, I started working on my game in the off-season. We live in Minnesota, so the golf season can be short. Our local golf clubs let the High School golfers on the course for free when the course isn't busy and provided we are respectful to members and guests and allow them to play through. In 10th grade, I made the varsity team. I was the number 6 golfer on the team. Each week we had shootouts to hold that spot on the team. This pushed me to work even harder. There was a lot of friendly competition on the course and keeping a spot on the team added pressure from week to week. We had several good golfers coming up that were within a few strokes. It is competitive and always a grind. Last year as an 11th grader our team won the MN state AA Girls Golf Tournament. It was such an amazing experience. All the hard work had paid off. The sense of belonging and being part of a team that worked so hard every day to accomplish our goals. With 6 returning players on the team, we are positioned to have the opportunity again this season. I can't wait. One of the things I love about golf is that the score speaks for itself. As a woman in the sport, the tee distance normalizes the game. I can play against men and women equally unlike many other sports. It is one place where I don't feel like I have faced many challenges specific to my gender. It is one of the things that makes me love it even more. My Dad and his family are all Avid Golfers, so golf is a family activity. Playing with family is where I shine. I thrive in the competition of high school golf, but I love playing with my family. As my game has improved, I am often the favorite choice of my Dad, Uncle Mike, and Grandpa in Best Ball Tournaments. I bring the advantage of shooting from the women's tees which positions us to Birdie or even Eagle most of the long Par 5s. It is time with friends and family. It is a sport that I can play my whole life, and it is filled with life lessons. It teaches me to approach life one swing at a time and to move past the bad shots quickly and on to the next. It has taught me that working hard brings success and sometimes it doesn't. It has taught me that I can improve and that the only bad shot is the one not taken.

To me, generational wealth means leaving more to your children than you had in your lifetime. It is making sure that you leave each stage of life, each job, and each school better than you found it. It means that you make a difference in the lives of others. Wealth is not just money or things, it is the accumulation of knowledge, influence, and experience. It is living life with purpose and intent. Two of my Grandparents went to college and two did not. All of them led wonderful lives and raised healthy happy children. But the two that went to college were able to retire when they wanted. They were able to help their kids go to college, purchase homes, and get started in life. I am not saying that going to college is the only path to generational wealth, but education does lay a strong foundation for success. I believe that college helps prepare you for life. This is not to say that there aren't lessons to be learned at the school of hard knocks, but maybe they aren't as much of a struggle. I plan to complete my Bachelor's degree in Political Science and go on to law school. I completed my 2 year AA degree while in high school through the PSEO program, so I could afford to go to a smaller private school. I also worked and saved while in school and with the help of my parents, I expect to graduate from college with no college debt. I plan to take full advantage of my college years to learn, try new things, fail fast and figure out what I love and how I can contribute and do meaningful work. I want to know my professors and classmates. I want to secure an internship at the State Capital and experience how our government works. I would like to make a difference through law and legislation. I want to give people a leg up instead of a handout. I believe that if you help people help themselves they will have skin in the game. People need to be active participants in their lives. If every generation passes on its wealth, knowledge, and experience, and the subsequent generation makes the most of this, then everyone will be stronger and better than the generation before them. If everyone strives to make the most of what has been passed forward, we will all benefit.

The most impactful way to combat climate change is to educate, communicate, and advocate. The first stage of education starts with awareness. Most people don't worry about the climate every day. They are focused on their own lives, working, studying, and getting together with family and friends. We need to make sure that people are aware and understand what is changing in the climate from a global perspective and how it impacts the world as a whole. We need to speak with facts, data, and scientific studies. Get people talking about it. Then we need to communicate the larger message in smaller bites that people can digest. How does it impact them specifically? When will they see change? How is this change affecting their communities? People today are busy. We need to make climate change relatable at a personal level so that people can hear us. Lastly, we need to advocate. There needs to be a call to action. What can a single person do that if everyone does, will make a difference? How do we get everyone pulling together in the same direction? Perhaps one person switching out their light bulbs to high efficiency bulbs won't do much of anything measurable. But what if everyone did it? What would the impact be? In my life, I always try to do my part. How do I reduce my carbon footprint? I can: Recycle, upcycle, walk, use cleaner power sources, carpool, avoid plastics, and turn off the lights. But this is more my personal accountability. My career goal is to work in the political arena. This is where I think I could make a really big difference. Helping influence our laws and making sure they make sense in today's global society. By creating tax incentives that move people to do things and make choices that are better for our environment. By creating initiatives that educate consumers on what they can do with their buying power and how they can make a difference simply by choosing a product packaged differently. By helping communities make create their own initiatives to make the places they work and live more environmentally friendly. By making sure that the environment has a voice. By making sure that people hear that voice. And by making sure that when heard, people are compelled to action and make a difference. From There are Political Channels Involved in the political process

Everyone is unique in their own way. The world would be a boring place if we weren't. If you were to look at my photo, there probably isn't anything about me that would scream unique. I most likely look like 1/2 the girls in my graduating class. What sets me apart are my beliefs, my moral compass, and what I plan to do with my life. I still believe in traditional values, something that isn't always popular with my generation. I believe that if you work hard you can achieve greatness. I believe that respect is earned. I believe that things of value are rarely given. I believe that everyone has a voice if they can find the courage to use it. In my house, we grew up with 3 Big Rules: Listen, Be Honest, and Be Respectful. These 3 things helped me guide my decision-making and behavior. Most of the time I already knew if my actions weren't congruent with these rules, but they served as a gut check when I was unsure. I think these rules will stand the test of time and will help guide my future and raise my future children. My moral compass steers me. Unlike my beliefs, it has a more emotional component to it. It allows me to listen and show empathy to others even when their values and beliefs don't align with my own. It allows me to entertain different points of view. I have a strong moral compass. It doesn't allow me to waiver from my core values. But does allow me to help others with their problems and issues while still being true to myself. Probably what makes me most unique is my choice of career and how I plan to give back to my community. I plan to major in Political Science. This is not a very popular choice of career for most High School Students, especially in the tumultuous times in which we live. I have been interested in politics since grade school. I find the whole process fascinating, but complicated to navigate. I feel like I can make a difference in helping people navigate the political landscape. I plan to give back to my community by using my values and moral compass to drive the political process. I want to bring people with integrity and grit into the process and use their voices to be heard and drive positivity into our communities. Because things of value are rarely given.

I haven't always been a healthy eater. For many years, chicken nuggets, fries, and soda was my favorite meal. In my junior year of High School, I took a nutrition class. We learned about food macros, how the body processes food, and the physiological impacts it has on the body. We logged our food consumption for a week and I realized I needed to make some changes. I believe it is important to have healthy eating habits for 3 main reasons: your overall physical health, and your overall mental health, and it keeps you looking good. Healthy eating keeps your body healthy. It is as simple as that. It keeps the skin, teeth and eyes healthy, supports muscle growth, supports brain development, boosts your immunity, and strengthens your bones. It may even help you live longer. When you are healthy you can do the things that you want to accomplish in life. You aren't missing school, work or time with family or friends. You can get out in the world, travel, learn, experience life, have fun and spread joy. Healthy eating improves your overall mental health. A healthy diet aids your gastrointestinal tract, which is where most of your serotonin is produced. Serotonin regulates your sleep, appetite, and mood. A healthy diet improves your ability to focus, reduces mood swings, and can help with symptoms of anxiety and depression. Healthy eating keeps you looking good. It promotes circulation which feeds the largest organ in our body, the skin. It improves the overall texture and skin color. It helps keep teeth white and hair shiny. But the real science of it is that people that look good, feel good inside and out. They smile more and are confident and vibrant. Even if you know healthy eating improves your physical health, mental health, and appearance. Healthy eating can still be hard and sometimes a little complicated. There is a lot of information out there. I try to remember just a few simple things: Eat well-rounded meals with Carbs, protein, and healthy fat, avoid sugar, drink plenty of water, and chose nutritionally dense food. Everything else in moderation. Treats are okay, and occasional soda or coffee is fine. Get out there and enjoy life, be kind and grateful, and spread joy! Approach each day with energy and motivation to do the things that make you happy. And remember healthy people are happy people!

The quality/characteristic that I most in myself is my Integrity. Integrity in life is something that can never be taken from you. It is something you alone have control over. It is living your life with a strong moral compass and making the tough decisions because it is the right thing to do, even if it isn't popular with your peers. Having integrity means being able to hold your head high because you know that you have made good choices, chosen the high road when at all possible, and are true to yourself. I am a high school athlete. At the beginning of each year, we commit to follow a code of conduct set by the High school league. Some kids chose to ignore this commitment. They might drink alcohol, cheat on tests to maintain their required GPA to play or even cheat to win. When I signed my name on the code of conduct, it means something to me. I play Varsity golf. I enjoy the sport and being part of the team. I am not the best on my team, but I am a solid contributor. It is tough competition for the 5th and 6th positions on the team. Each week we have shootouts or playoff rounds. The pressure is tough. It is in these situations that you realize what integrity is. It would be easy to shave a stroke, prop up the ball, or drop a new ball. But it wouldn't be right. I have never made the wrong decision when I play, even if that means I don't get to play that week. Knowing inside that I played with integrity is more important to me than losing the opportunity to play. Having this quality/characteristic in life will help in my life's journey because I won't have to overthink or question my decisions. I plan to enter the political arena when I graduate from College. The world could use more integrity in this profession. I think this will set me apart in the political field, although it may make things harder. But when you live your life with integrity, your moral compass will continue to steer you in the right direction. The forks in the road become less ambiguous and difficult to manage. When you live your life with integrity, making choices isn't hard. Sometimes it means I am not making the fun or easy choice, but I sleep well at night knowing that my decisions are right for me.

I have always had an interest in politics, one might say passionate. Perhaps because I have grown up in a time where there has been a such political divide in our Country. I was in 6th grade (12 years old) during the 2016 Presidential Election between Hilary Clinton and Donald Trump. This was a hot topic amongst my teachers and in the classrooms. Potentially the first female president vs a non-traditional male politician. I was intrigued and curious about why so many people felt strongly for one candidate vs the other. Why did it seem like this was all anyone was talking about? And why was it so hard to disseminate the truth? I started doing a little research online and through social channels to see what people were saying. It was still hard to find the truth. I started watching news programs and didn't understand why two stations could report the same issue or incident from such different perspectives. It was harder to form an opinion because the facts weren't clear. I would love to be involved in the political process. I am not sure that I want to be at the forefront of running for office, but I want to make a difference. I want to help people to become educated on what is happening in our political processes. I think to understand it, you have to be involved and then share what you learn. I chose to attend a small private college near our state capital. They have an excellent Political Science program and many students chose to intern at the Capital. The downside to this selection is that it is considerably more expensive than a State School further away. But I have worked hard as a High School Student doing Post-Secondary Classes (PSEO). This is offered free through the State and allows High School Students to earn college credits that also count towards High School Graduation. I took college credits through my Jr and Sr years in addition to my required High School courses and gave my summer so that I could earn my AA degree. It has been hard to balance and I also work part-time, play High School Volleyball & Golf, am the President of the Robotics club, and am involved with Student Council and several other Leadership Programs. It has been my greatest accomplishment so far in life to Graduation with an AA Degree before Graduating from High School. It makes the missed fun and sacrifices worth it because I should be able to finish my 4 Yr Degree. I know with hard work, determination, and a bit of grit, that I can overcome whatever obstacles come my way. I plan to continue to law school and be involved in the political process. I want to help people understand how government can help them or hinder them. I want to give everyone a voice and influence in their own lives. I want them to understand who and what they are voting for instead of the confusion and disinformation that it out there. I am a truth seeker.

The biggest way that I have grown this past year is I have learned to be comfortable and confident in who I am. I don't know that there has been any one event or situation that inspired this growth, but more a series of small experiences that have led me down this path. I have never had a "pack" of friends, but rather different individual friends that I enjoy getting to know and spending time with for various reasons. This can be challenging in a small-town high school. Girls can be mean, especially when they are in a group setting. But I learned to be very selective about my friends and relationships. I like almost everyone, but I only have a few close friends. Sometimes this means there are Saturday nights alone or that if I wanted to go to the game or other event, I had to push myself and go alone. It was hard at first, but I did it. I always had fun once I got there. I am a full-time Post-Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) student. This means that I attend a local college while attending high school. Deciding to do Post-Secondary was difficult. I knew that I wanted to get ahead and reduce the cost of my Bachelor's degree by earning credits while in High School, but I also didn't want to miss out on the fun of a Traditional High school experience. I talked to other kids that had done PSEO and they encouraged me to take a leap of faith. I am so glad that I did. Ultimately I didn't have to give up anything. I still played sports, took Choir at the High School, participated in Student Council, was active in Student Leadership Councils, and helped onboard incoming freshmen. I realized that PSEO gave me more flexibility. I was able to read the school announcements every Friday, pick up doughnuts for the trivia winners, play ping pong with the facility during their lunch, and take on the responsibility of being the Robotics club president. Through this process, I have changed how to look at new things through a new lens. I am more willing to try something different. But I am still the same kid that I was before. Who I am at my core is constant. In my journey so far, I have learned that I am okay to be alone or with friends. I am proud of the woman I am becoming. I am growing, learning, and developing every day.

I have always had an interest in politics. Perhaps because I have grown up in a time where there has been a such political divide in our Country. I was in 6th grade (12 years old) during the 2016 Presidential Election between Hilary Clinton and Donald Trump. This was a hot topic amongst my teachers and in the classrooms. Potentially the first female president vs a non-traditional male politician. I was intrigued and curious about why so many people felt strongly for one candidate vs the other. Why did it seem like this was all anyone was talking about? And why was it so hard to disseminate the truth? I started doing a little research online and through social channels to see what people were saying. It was still hard to find the truth. I started watching news programs and didn't understand why two stations could report the same issue or incident from such different perspectives. It was harder to form an opinion because the facts weren't clear. I would love to be involved in the political process. I am not sure that I want to be at the forefront of running for office, but I want to make a positive impact. I want to help people to become educated on what is happening in our political processes. I think to understand it, you have to be involved and then share what you learn. I want to help people register to vote, understand the candidates and what they stand for, and how a person's vote might impact their life and community. I chose to attend a small private college near our state capital. They have an excellent Political Science program and many students chose to intern at the Capital. The downside to this selection is that it is considerably more expensive than a State School further away. But I have worked hard as a High School Student doing Post-Secondary Classes (PSEO). This is offered free through the State and allows High School Students to earn college credits that also count towards High School Graduation. I took the 12-15 college credits through my Jr and Sr years in addition to my required High School courses and gave up a summer last year to take 6 credits so that I could earn my AA degree with 61 credits. It has been hard to balance and I also work part-time, play High School Volleyball & Golf, am the President of the Robotics club, and am involved with Student Council and several other Leadership Programs. It has been my greatest accomplishment so far in life to Graduation with an AA Degree before Graduating from High School. It makes the missed fun and sacrifices worth it because I should be able to finish my 4 Yr Degree. I had hoped for 2 years, but unfortunately, the school that I would like to attend will only transfer my AA degree if I come in as a transfer student. This would mean I can't come in with other freshmen in the Fall. I would have to wait until Spring and miss the Fall Freshman experience. Scholarship money will help me be able to do both and do internships in the State Capital.

Ever since I can remember, I have suffered from anxiety. Even as a very young child, I would worry that something bad had happened to my Mom or close family member. I worry about my grades, my friends, and my family. I can't explain why I have this anxiety. I haven't experienced anything traumatic in my life that would cause me to have feelings like this. I am a healthy teenager in every other way. I play sports. I am active in student council, and leadership programs, and maintain a 3.9 GPA. From the outside, I am a happy, healthy, well-adjusted kid. My anxiety influences my life daily. I don't sleep well and need to take some sort of sleep aid most nights of the week. I have tried all the traditional sleep suggestions: lavender, no electronics an hour before bedtime, daily exercise, etc. None of these seem to work effectively for me. This can leave me tired during the day and wanting to nap. I can struggle to trust people, so my circle of friends is small. While I have lots of casual friends, I struggle to develop deep meaningful relationships. This can leave me feeling lonely, sad, and unconnected at times. It is strange, because I am social, although probably a bit introverted. I tend to withdraw when I am feeling this way. It impacts my confidence level and my willingness to try new things. Pushing out of my comfort zone is extremely difficult. Even tasks that to most people would seem simple, like making an appointment or scheduling time to talk with a teacher. These tasks are hard for me to finish and I can tend to procrastinate doing them, which further adds to my anxiety. I have learned to realize that this is easier with a friend or parent. But taking the first step is hard. I occasionally experience panic attacks. These can come at anytime and don't seem to have any specific trigger. I really can't explain why they happen. They sometimes come on with absolutely no warning. Most times, I can just breathe and relax through them with some help from my family and they tend to pass. I have sought out help from my Parents and counselors at school and while everyone is well intended, finding the right resources to help is difficult. Seeing a counselor at school lacks privacy and there is an attached stigma to attending. Everyone knows that you are seeing a counselor and then asks what is wrong with me. We have also tried talk therapy through more traditional health channels with my primary care physician. Getting an appointment to see a mental health professional often takes months unless you are suicidal. It seems there is just no care for those that need help, but care is not emergent. We have looked into life coaching and mentorship, as those resources are more available and affordable. For now, I am taking a Stress Management Class at school and hoping this will provide me with more insight and relief. But it is clear to me that the mental health system is broken and feel lucky that I have supporting friends and family to help me through it.

Ever since I can remember, I have suffered from anxiety. Even as a very young child, I would worry that something bad had happened to my Mom or close family member. I worry about my grades, my friends, and my family. I can't explain why I have this anxiety. I haven't experienced anything traumatic in my life that would cause me to have feelings like this. I am a healthy teenager in every other way. I play sports. I am active in student council, and leadership programs, and maintain a 3.9 GPA. From the outside, I am a happy, healthy, well-adjusted kid. My anxiety influences my life daily. I don't sleep well and need to take some sort of sleep aid most nights of the week. I have tried all the traditional sleep suggestions: lavender, no electronics an hour before bedtime, daily exercise, etc. None of these seem to work effectively for me. This can leave me tired during the day and wanting to nap. I can struggle to trust people, so my circle of friends is small. While I have lots of casual friends, I struggle to develop deep meaningful relationships. This can leave me feeling lonely, sad, and unconnected at times. It is strange, because I am social, although probably a bit introverted. I tend to withdraw when I am feeling this way. It impacts my confidence level and my willingness to try new things. Pushing out of my comfort zone is extremely difficult. Even tasks that to most people would seem simple, like making an appointment or scheduling time to talk with a teacher. These tasks are hard for me to finish and I can tend to procrastinate doing them, which further adds to my anxiety. I have learned to realize that this is easier with a friend or parent. But taking the first step is hard. I occasionally experience panic attacks. These can come at any time and don't seem to have any specific trigger. I really can't explain why they happen. They sometimes come on with absolutely no warning. Most times, I can just breathe and relax through them with some help from my family and they tend to pass. I have sought out help from my Parents and counselors at school and while everyone is well intended, finding the right resources to help is difficult. Seeing a counselor at school lacks privacy and there is an attached stigma to attending. Everyone knows that you are seeing a counselor and then asks what is wrong with me. We have also tried talk therapy through more traditional health channels with my primary care physician. Getting an appointment to see a mental health professional often takes months unless you are suicidal. It seems there is just no care for those that need help, but care is not emergent. But it is clear to me that the mental health system is broken and feel lucky that I have supporting friends and family to help me through it. My plan to make things better for those suffering from Mental illness would be to help build awareness, remove the stigma associated with mental illness, and make the resources available for those suffering from the first signs of mental illness. I believe that by following this approach, we can make a difference for those suffering and those around them.

I have heard plenty of stories of College Graduates that leave school thinking they will earn 100K per year working in their chosen field. Unfortunately, I think the real world can show them how difficult it can be and they end up working as a barista at Starbucks making the minimum interest payments on their student loans. I know that this is not the path I want to go down. For years my parents told me that they would help me with college, but that I had to have "skin in the game". I knew that at least 1/3 of my education would have to be paid for by me. But they did give me some flexibility. My 1/3 could come from college credits that I took as a High School student, scholarships, or money that I had earned and saved on my own. Knowing this, I began taking Dual Credit college courses and Advanced Placement classes at 16. I participated in our States Post Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) program. This allowed me to earn college credits while in high school for free. At first, I focused on the basic MN Transfer curriculum. This was 40 credits, accepted at most 4 year colleges in MN. Once I completed this, I set my sights a little higher with the hopes of completing my AA degree. This took a little creative scheduling with my advisors and I did have to pay $1200 for 2 classes in the summer, but I will graduate this May with my AA degree before I graduate from High School. By doing this, I was able to take almost 2 years off my college expenses, because the credits will transfer. I now help other kids at my school learn how they can maximize this program to reduce their college costs. I am currently taking a class on Personal Finance. I am learning about investing, the importance of paying cash, and how interest and consumer debt can prevent you from true wealth. My goal is to leave college with no student loan debt. My Step Dad bought me the book "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" when I was 16. He was always on me, "Have you read the book yet" or "you would know this if you had read the book". I finally read it. It helped me understand the value of money and how to spend wisely on things that I could afford to pay cash for or things that would help me earn more money. It placed value on money and the effort it takes to make it. And so I continue to earn, work hard at school, shop for value and return on my money.

I have heard plenty of stories of College Graduates that leave school thinking they will earn 100K per year working in their chosen field. Unfortunately, I think the real world can show them how difficult it can be and they end up working as a barista at Starbucks making the minimum interest payments on their student loans. I know that this is not the path I want to go down. For years my parents told me that they would help me with college, but that I had to have "skin in the game". I knew that at least 1/3 of my education would have to be paid for by me. But they did give me some flexibility. My 1/3 could come from college credits that I took as a High School student, scholarships, or money that I had earned and saved on my own. Knowing this, I began taking Dual Credit college courses and Advanced Placement classes at 16. I participated in our States Post Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) program. This allowed me to earn college credits while in high school for free. At first, I focused on the basic MN Transfer curriculum. This was 40 credits, accepted at most 4 year colleges in MN. Once I completed this, I set my sights a little higher with the hopes of completing my AA degree. This took a little creative scheduling with my advisors and I did have to pay $1200 for 2 classes in the summer, but I will graduate this May with my AA degree before I graduate from High School. By doing this, I was able to take almost 2 years off my college expenses, because the credits will transfer. I do want to pursue my passion, Politics. But I also know that I need to leave college with employable skills. This is why I am planning to continue to Law school. My college of choice is a small private school near the State Capital. It isn't as affordable as some other colleges, but the access to internships at the Capital and experiences are amazing and I was able to secure a partial scholarship with my 3.9 GPA. My dream would be to use my Law degree and influence our political process. My other goal is to leave college with no student loan debt. My Step Dad bought me the book "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" when I was 16. He was always on me, "Have you read the book yet" or "you would know this if you had read the book". I finally read it. It helped me understand the value of money and how to spend wisely on things that I could afford to pay cash for or things that would help me earn more money. It placed value on money and the effort it takes to make it. And so I continue to earn, work hard at school, shop for value and return on my money.

I have always had an interest in politics. Perhaps because I have grown up in a time where there has been a such political divide in our Country. I was in 6th grade (12 years old) during the 2016 Presidential Election between Hilary Clinton and Donald Trump. This was a hot topic amongst my teachers and in the classrooms. Potentially the first female president vs a non-traditional male politician. I was intrigued and curious about why so many people felt strongly for one candidate vs the other. Why did it seem like this was all anyone was talking about? And why was it so hard to disseminate the truth? I started doing a little research online and through social channels to see what people were saying. It was still hard to find the truth. I started watching news programs and didn't understand why two stations could report the same issue or incident from such different perspectives. It was harder to form an opinion because the facts weren't clear. I would love to be involved in the political process. I am not sure that I want to be at the forefront of running for office, but I want to make a difference. I want to help people to become educated on what is happening in our political processes. I think to understand it, you have to be involved and then share what you learn. I chose to attend a small private college near our state capital. They have an excellent Political Science program and many students chose to intern at the Capital. The downside to this selection is that it is considerably more expensive than a State School further away. But I have worked hard as a High School Student doing Post-Secondary Classes (PSEO). This is offered free through the State and allows High School Students to earn college credits that also count towards High School Graduation. I took the 12-15 college credits through my Jr and Sr years in addition to my required High School courses and gave up a summer last year to take 6 credits so that I could earn my AA degree with 61 credits. It has been hard to balance and I also work part-time, play High School Volleyball & Golf, am the President of the Robotics club, and am involved with Student Council and several other Leadership Programs. It has been my greatest accomplishment so far in life to Graduation with an AA Degree before Graduating from High School. It makes the missed fun and sacrifices worth it because I should be able to finish my 4 Yr Degree. I had hoped for 2 years, but unfortunately, the school that I would like to attend will only transfer my AA degree if I come in as a transfer student. This would mean I can't come in with other freshmen in the Fall. I would have to wait until Spring and miss the Fall Freshman experience. Scholarship money will help me be able to do both and do internships in the State Capital.

Integrity in life is something that can never be taken from you. It is living your life with a strong moral compass and making the tough decisions because it is the right thing to do, even if it isn't popular with your peers. Having integrity means being able to hold your head high because you know that you have made good choices, chosen the high road when at all possible, and are true to yourself. I am a high school athlete. At the beginning of each year, we commit to follow a code of conduct set by the High school league. Some kids chose to ignore this commitment. They might drink alcohol, cheat on tests to maintain their required GPA to play or even cheat to win. When I signed my name on the code of conduct, it means something to me. I play Varsity golf. I enjoy the sport and being part of the team. I am not the best on my team, but I am a solid contributor. It is tough competition for the 5th and 6th positions on the team. Each week we have shootouts or playoff rounds. The pressure is tough. It is in these situations that you realize what integrity is. It would be easy to shave a stroke, prop up the ball, or drop a new ball. But it wouldn't be right. I have never made the wrong decision when I play, even if that means I don't get to play that week. Knowing inside that I played with integrity is more important to me than losing the opportunity to play. These are just a couple of examples of how I have been honorable and lived with integrity. If you do it all the time, it isn't hard. Sometimes it means I am not making the fun or easy choice, but I sleep well at night knowing that my decisions are right for me.

I have always had an interest in politics. Perhaps because I have grown up in a time where there has been a such political divide in our Country. I was in 6th grade (12 years old) during the 2016 Presidential Election between Hilary Clinton and Donald Trump. This was a hot topic amongst my teachers and in the classrooms. Potentially the first female president vs a non-traditional male politician. I was intrigued and curious about why so many people felt strongly for one candidate vs the other. Why did it seem like this was all anyone was talking about? And why was it so hard to disseminate the truth? I started doing a little research online and through social channels to see what people were saying. It was still hard to find the truth. I started watching news programs and didn't understand why two stations could report the same issue or incident from such different perspectives. It was harder to form an opinion because the facts weren't clear. I would love to be involved in the political process. I am not sure that I want to be at the forefront of running for office, but I want to make a difference. I want to help people to become educated on what is happening in our political processes. I think to understand it, you have to be involved and then share what you learn. I chose to attend a small private college near our state capital. They have an excellent Political Science program and many students chose to intern at the Capital. The downside to this selection is that it is considerably more expensive than a State School further away. But I have worked hard as a High School Student doing Post-Secondary Classes (PSEO). This is offered free through the State and allows High School Students to earn college credits that also count towards High School Graduation. I took the 12-15 college credits through my Jr and Sr years in addition to my required High School courses and gave up a summer last year to take 6 credits so that I could earn my AA degree with 61 credits. It has been hard to balance and I also work part-time, play High School Volleyball & Golf, am the President of the Robotics club, and am involved with Student Council and several other Leadership Programs. It has been my greatest accomplishment so far in life to Graduation with an AA Degree before Graduating from High School. It makes the missed fun and sacrifices worth it because I should be able to finish my 4 Yr Degree. I had hoped for 2 years, but unfortunately, the school that I would like to attend will only transfer my AA degree if I come in as a transfer student. This would mean I can't come in with other freshmen in the Fall. I would have to wait until Spring and miss the Fall Freshman experience. Scholarship money will help me be able to do both and do internships in the State Capital.

“Life is like a box of chocolates, Forrest, you never know what you’re gonna get.” Forrest Gump is the one film that has led me to reflect on my life. The main character, Forrest Gump is a man who is not as smart as others. However, despite realizing this as a child and being bullied about it, he managed not to let this ruin his life or discourage him. He learns to persevere and make the most of his situation in life. It showed me chance encounters, decisions, and trusted friends can steer our paths in life regardless of our intelligence, socioeconomic situation, or simply obstacles that are put in our path. It is how you handle them and what you chose to do with every opportunity that will make a difference. There were several chance encounters for Forrest. He met Elvis Presley at his mom’s guesthouse in Alabama, years later he saw him on TV and saw him moving his legs in a way Forrest once did when he had braces on his legs. He was discovered by his high school football coach after running the length of the practice field and being chased by bullies in a truck. This led to his scholarship at the University of Alabama and his becoming an All-American college football player. Maybe if he wouldn’t have had these meetings or taken advantage of what was being offered, his life would have been different. Immediately after graduation, Forrest begins to make some decisions. He meets an Army recruiter and chooses to enlist. He excelled with the structure and simplicity of training and the chain of command. But he also made some difficult decisions. He chose to go back into the jungle while serving in Vietnam to look for his friend Bubba. His decision led to the saving of the lives of several other men in his unit, including his Lieutenant, who later becomes a trusted friend and business partner. It demonstrates how one decision can lead to another and impact so many other people as well as yourself. Forrest has several trusted friends. His Mom, who encourages him and teaches him about love, respect, and finding your path in life. Jenny is his childhood friend who despite the ebbs and flows of their relationship over time, he loves unconditionally. The love that they shared allows them to have a son together before she passes away. Bubba, his army buddy who he couldn’t save in Vietnam, leads him down the path to becoming a shrimp boat captain, where he makes his first successful business venture. Finally, Lieutenant Dan agreed to sail with Forrest if he ever became a shrimp boat Captain. It was Lieutenant Dan who invested their money in Apple Inc where Forrest made enough money that he could return to the simple life that he loved. Forrest is an example of a man who never gives up and keeps moving forward. Like all of us, he’s been given good fortune and bad. Like the feather that floats at the beginning and end of the film, you make the most of what you’re dealt with in life and it’s you alone who can shape your destiny through the choices you make, the people you befriend, and the impact you create. We may all be floating on the breeze like a feather unsure of where we’re going but we can steer the direction of that feather to new places and new conclusions.

I have always been wired to give 100% in everything that I do. That if something is worth doing, it is worth doing well. This is how I have lived my life so far. I am very involved at school with sports, leadership programs, activities and other interests. I like to have a purpose for my day. In Volleyball I play the Libero position (Defense). It isn't the most glamorous position on the team, but it is my job to go for every ball. Even the ones that you think there is no way you are going to get there. You just stretch and dive and hope you can get enough on the ball for your teammate to get a second hit. I am the #5 Player on our Varsity Golf team. We are a tight group with a deep bench strength. You never know when your score will count for the match and when they will need you to step up your game with the long putt or great chip shot. We approach every shot like it is for Eagle. Every stroke counts and for us, this has paid off with back-to-back State Championship wins. I am active at school in the student council, Teen Leadership Program, Tiger Athletic Leadership Council, and am President of our Robotics Club. This keeps me very busy and forces me to be on top of my schedule and organized. Academically, I am a member of the National Honors Society, A Honor Roll Student, Dean's and President's List. I have worked very hard at school. While attending Lincoln High School, I also attended Southeast State as a Post Secondary Student. This wasn't always easy and I had to stretch out of my comfort zone, but I set a goal to complete my AA degree before I graduated from High School. This required me to take summer classes and give up the sun and fun that most of my peers were partaking in. But I am really proud of my accomplishment and in May I will graduate with my AA - Liberal Arts Degree. I plan to attend a small private school near the MN State Capital to study Political Science and Pre-Law. I would love to secure an internship at the Capital. I hope to complete my undergraduate program in 2 years and continue to Law School. My dream job would be playing a role in our political process. For me, this would be making a difference and exercising my ability to shape our State and Country.

I have always had an interest in politics. Perhaps because I have grown up in a time where there has been a such political divide in our Country. I was in 6th grade (12 years old) during the 2016 Presidential Election between Hilary Clinton and Donald Trump. This was a hot topic amongst my teachers and in the classrooms. Potentially the first female president vs a non-traditional male politician. I was intrigued and curious about why so many people felt strongly for one candidate vs the other. Why did it seem like this was all anyone was talking about? And why was it so hard to disseminate the truth? I started doing a little research online and through social channels to see what people were saying. It was still hard to find the truth. I started watching news programs and didn't understand why two stations could report the same issue or incident from such different perspectives. It was harder to form an opinion because the facts weren't clear. I would love to be involved in the political process. I am not sure that I want to be at the forefront of running for office, but I want to make a difference. I want to help people to become educated on what is happening in our political processes. I think to understand it, you have to be involved and then share what you learn. I chose to attend a small private college near our state capital. They have an excellent Political Science program and many students chose to intern at the Capital. The downside to this selection is that it is considerably more expensive than a State School further away. But I have worked hard as a High School Student doing Post-Secondary Classes (PSEO). This is offered free through the State and allows High School Students to earn college credits that also count towards High School Graduation. I took the 12-15 college credits through my Jr and Sr years in addition to my required High School courses and gave up a summer last year to take 6 credits so that I could earn my AA degree with 61 credits. It has been hard to balance and I also work part-time, play High School Volleyball & Golf, am the President of the Robotics club, and am involved with Student Council and several other Leadership Programs. It has been my greatest accomplishment so far in life to Graduation with an AA Degree before Graduating from High School. It makes the missed fun and sacrifices worth it because I should be able to finish my 4 Yr Degree in just 2 years which makes the small private school more affordable for me.

I have always been a solid athlete. I have worked hard, been positive, cheered for my teammates, and contributed to the team's success. But I have probably never been the best athlete on my team or the most naturally gifted. My success in Sports came from hard work, from showing up, from the desire to do well, for the love of the sport. Have learned lots of life lessons from Sports. I have learned that your sports success may have its ups and downs. I have played Volleyball since I was in 5th grade. I love the sport. When I first started I was a middle hitter. We were all about the same height back then and I did well. But I stopped growing at 5' 4" and my thoughts of being a middle hitter or any hitter for that matter, were a bit challenged. I needed to find a new place to be successful and my coach put me in the back row, Libero position. At first, I didn't like the change, but after a few tournaments, I quickly realized how much I could contribute to the team. I learned what it took to be a really good defensive player. I learned to anticipate where the ball would be and how to get there. One year after playing club volleyball for several years, I didn't make the team. I was devastated. I had played with this club for years and had success, but the year after COVID, several clubs didn't have teams and the competition was tough. I didn't make the cut. But I didn't give up. When the High School Season started, we had a new coach and he opted to start someone else in the Libero position. I started to question my skill and my confidence was low. But I kept working. After 3 games, I earned the starting spot and stayed there for the remainder of the year. Sometimes hard work pays off in different ways. Sometimes it is a new path, sometimes a new position, sometimes it requires a little more work, and sometimes the only happy ending is the one that you chose to make the best one you can. There are no guarantees in Sports. Sometimes no amount of hard work is enough. But you do know when you have given it your best and when you have left it all out there. Sports lessons are life lessons. That is how they have positively impacted my life. They have left me more equipt to handle what comes my way in the future.

I started playing golf when I was about 10 years old. It was offered through our local Community Education program in the summer. Most of our time was spent on the range, learning the basics and rules of golf. I did this for several years until we could start playing golf as an organized sport in school. In 7th grade, I joined the Lake City Girls' golf team. We were a little underfunded and short on the coaching staff, but still had fun and my game improved. Then I started working in the off-season. We live in Minnesota, so the golf season can be short. Our local golf clubs let the High School golfers on the course for free provided there is room and we are respectful to members and guests. In 10th grade, I made the varsity team. I was the number 6 golfer but was starting to have some success. This was encouraging and pushed me to work even harder. There was a lot of friendly competition on the course and keeping a spot on the team added pressure from week to week. We had several good golfers coming up that were within a few strokes of me. Last year as an 11th grader our team won the MN state AA Girls Golf Tournament. It was such an amazing experience. The sense of belonging and being part of a team that worked so hard every day to accomplish our goals. With 6 returning players on the team, we are positioned to have the opportunity again this season. My Dad and his family are all Avid Golfers. It can be a family affair. As my game has improved, I am often the favorite choice of my Dad, Uncle Mike, and Grandpa in Best Ball Tournaments. They love that I get to shoot from the Reds on the long par fives and my strong drive puts us in position to Eagle or Birdie most of them. And they get a responsible driver home, should they want to partake in festivities on Number 19. Golf is important to me because it is time with friends and family. It is a sport that I can play my whole life, and it is filled with life lessons. It teaches me to approach life one swing at a time and to move past the bad shots quickly and on to the next. It has taught me that working hard brings success and sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes it teaches me that I can still get better and that the only bad shot is the one not taken.

Ever since I can remember, I have suffered from anxiety. Even as a very young child, I would worry that something bad had happened to my Mom or close family member. I worry about my grades, my friends, and my family. I can't explain why I have this anxiety. I haven't experienced anything traumatic in my life that would cause me to have feelings like this. I am a healthy teenager in every other way. I play sports. I am active in student council, and leadership programs, and maintain a 3.9 GPA. From the outside, I am a happy, healthy, well-adjusted kid. My anxiety influences my life daily. I don't sleep well and need to take some sort of sleep aid most nights of the week. I have tried all the traditional sleep suggestions: lavender, no electronics an hour before bedtime, daily exercise, etc. None of these seem to work effectively for me. This can leave me tired during the day and wanting to nap. I can struggle to trust people, so my circle of friends is small. While I have lots of casual friends, I struggle to develop deep meaningful relationships. This can leave me feeling lonely, sad, and unconnected at times. It is strange, because I am social, although probably a bit introverted. I tend to withdraw when I am feeling this way. It impacts my confidence level and my willingness to try new things. Pushing out of my comfort zone is extremely difficult. Even tasks that to most people would seem simple, like making an appointment or scheduling time to talk with a teacher. These tasks are hard for me to finish and I can tend to procrastinate doing them, which further adds to my anxiety. I have learned to realize that this is easier with a friend or parent. But taking the first step is hard. I occasionally experience panic attacks. These can come at anytime and don't seem to have any specific trigger. I really can't explain why they happen. They sometimes come on with absolutely no warning. Most times, I can just breathe and relax through them with some help from my family and they tend to pass. I have sought out help from my Parents and counselors at school and while everyone is well intended, finding the right resources to help is difficult. Seeing a counselor at school lacks privacy and there is an attached stigma to attending. Everyone knows that you are seeing a counselor and then asks what is wrong with me. We have also tried talk therapy through more traditional health channels with my primary care physician. Getting an appointment to see a mental health professional often takes months unless you are suicidal. It seems there is just no care for those that need help, but care is not emergent. We have looked into life coaching and mentorship, as those resources are more available and affordable. For now, I am taking a Stress Management Class at school and hoping this will provide me with more insight and relief. But it is clear to me that the mental health system is broken and feel lucky that I have supporting friends and family to help me through it.

My name is Kaitlin Schmidt. I am a high school senior at Lincoln High School in Lake City, MN. I am very involved at my High School. I am a Varsity Golfer and we hope to return to the MN State AA Championship for an opportunity to take the title for the 3rd year in a row. I am a Libero (back row specialist) on our Volleyball team. In the winter, I play Ping Pong with the High School faculty league. It is always fun to play against my teachers. I am the only student they have invited to play with them. In addition to my sporting activities, I am on the Student Council, President of the Robotics Club, involved in our local athletics Leadership program, and our Student Leadership program mentoring student-athletes and incoming 9th graders. I was chosen to sing in the Hiawatha Valley League Honors Choir and read the school announcements every Friday. I know that lots of Students are very involved at school, but what is unique about me is that I do this all while attending school full-time as a Post Secondary Enrollment Option (PSEO) student. For the last 2 years other than Choir, I have taken classes at Minnesota State Southeast. Many kids take PSEO classes, but I will be graduating in May 2022 with an AA Degree before my High School graduation. I worked very hard on this accomplishment and while it helps lessen the financial burden of my 4-year degree, what makes me proud is the accomplishment itself and how I was encouraged to complete it. When I think about how I can enrich the lives of others in my community, it is by encouraging others. By mentoring other students and helping them navigate their futures and how they too can get there. Since I have had some success with my academic career, I have lots of kids that ask me how I did it. I help them with study tips, time management, pushing out of their comfort zones, and learning how to figure out what classes count for High School, 2 year degree, and will transfer to a four-year college. I made several mistakes in my journey that caused me to have to take a couple of classes in the summer to meet my goal. If I can help other kids realize their potential and get them on their way to being successful, I feel like I have done my part. I have shared what I have learned and helped them to believe that they could also be successful in their academic career and beyond.

I got my first passport when I was 6. My Mom loved to travel and she was always willing to take me with her. I am now on my 3rd passport and have been to more countries than states, although I plan to visit more of both as time and money will allow. I grew up in a small town along the Mississippi River in Minnesota. I think my travels have helped me see that the world is a much larger place. It helped me understand and appreciate other people and cultures. It helped me see how other people live and what is important to them. My travels have also piqued my interest in Politics. We grow up thinking that the United States is the best country in the World. While I believe this to be true in my heart, I have also become aware that other Countries don't always feel that way about Americans. Some people think we are loud, overbearing, overly focused on work. Sometimes I think they might be right. Our foreign policy is often viewed as self-serving and greedy. It is very interesting to understand everyone's point of view. I love a good political debate on the second amendment, taxation, social policy, and economic policy. No subject is off-limits at our house as long as we listen and are respectful. We often have to agree to disagree. I realize that the more I learn and gain life experience, the more my opinions and perspectives change. Issues that were once very clear, can become clouded by circumstances and life changes. I hope that I can continue to learn and grow as I gain more perspective. I plan to Major in Political Science and go on to Law School. I don't know that I want to practice law, but rather become involved in government. I would rather work behind the scenes than run for Political office, but maybe that will change. What I want to do is make things better, make them less complicated, and apply a bit more of the Golden rule in how we run our Country and our Government. I would like to give people a leg up rather than a handout. I would like to see those that need help, be taught to learn and help themselves. I would like to see those that need to be taken care of and those that work hard to continue to reap the successes of their hard work. I believe that I can have an impact on people and make a difference in this World.

There are several things that I think can help encourage kids to take on an interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). They need to have a general curiosity about how things work. They need to have a solid foundation of skills. They need to have the confidence to take the first step What you need is passion, curiosity, and commitment to STEM. STEM classes and careers are probably not going to be easy. They are going to require study and dedication to learn. Without a general interest in the subject, it will be difficult to push through the hours of study and practice. It will be hard to do the long math calculations and trial and error of experiments. You have to have the tenacity and grit to figure it out. What you need is a solid foundation of skills. For some kids, the Math requirement can be a barrier to entry into STEM. For some kids, it seems to come easily, but other kids may need to work a little harder. They may not have the natural aptitude. But that doesn't mean they can't be in STEM careers or studies. There are so many different ways to participate and be involved. But you don't have to be a 4.0 math student to have a successful science education. Not all jobs, roles, or positions require the highest level of skill in Mathematics. For example, I am currently the President of our Robotics club. I love the electronics and technology that we learn building robots. I love being part of our team and the success that we have at the competition. But where I excel, is in the business side of things. I raise money for our club. I speak to the community about STEM and the great things our club is learning and experiencing. I build confidence that their donations are being put to good use and that they are making a difference in the lives of those on the team. Without funding, our team can't succeed. Everyone has a role and you can pursue this education with a solid foundation. What you need is the confidence to take the first step. You just have to believe in yourself. Sometimes this will be with the help of a mentor, parent, or coach. Someone you trust that can encourage you and help you through the tough times wI think this is why many of my friends aren't involved in STEM, especially girls. For some reason, many girls take on a more passive role. Our robotics team has very few female members and a hope this changes. Girls have a unique perspective that can help balance out the profession. In summary, 3 things will help someone be encouraged to grow with STEM. A natural curiosity, a solid foundation, and the confidence to take the first step. With these 3 things, someone can be whatever they want to be in life.