Growing up as one of 10 kids in inner-city Philadelphia, my grandfather didn’t have the opportunity to attend college, so he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, building radar arrays protecting military bases worldwide. Our discussions about his 30-year technology career ignited my passion for technical problem-solving, motivating me to max out my high school’s computer science curriculum and to study technology in college. While technology today receives appropriate criticism, my career in computer science will allow me to develop innovative solutions that unite communities around issues to enhance accessibility to opportunities, as I have accomplished over the past several years. For example, I have built a technology-based initiative to increase youth sports participation, which impacts kids physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, only 38% of kids ages 6-12 play team sports, down from 45% in 2008, with 75% of 12-year-olds dropping sports annually. My family had a garage full of outgrown sports gear from my sister and me that we didn't know what to do with. I realized unused equipment must be scattered in homes across our community, so I built a technology bridge to connect gear donations with the sidelined kids who needed it. From this, the idea of Play It Forward (fb.com/PlayItForwardGear) was born in 2018. This initiative collects donated soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse, and field hockey equipment to provide free to kids. Stanford University research shows that playing sports gives kids better vision, a healthier weight, elevated motor and social skills, improved self-confidence, teamwork, perseverance, and leadership. These are just a few of the benefits Play It Forward delivers to kids, along with enhanced mental health and emotional well-being. The lynchpin to Play It Forward’s success is technology, leveraging social platforms and communication tools to educate and engage supporters and inventory management systems to track and distribute equipment. Technology helps engage and motivate residents to participate in and promote the program. Over the past five years, Play It Forward has collected over 7,200, equipping over 720 kids from 10 communities. My service leadership has received the Girl Scout Gold Award, President George H.W. Bush Point of Light Award, Union League of Philadelphia Good Citizenship Award, and National Liberty Museum Young Hero Medal. However, the greatest validation is seeing kids' smiles when they receive their gear. In terms of advancing women in technology, as a Gold Award Girl Scout, I mentor young scouts with their programming badges and technology journeys to cultivate their STEM interests. In college, I coordinate computer science study groups to support and encourage fellow female technology majors. I also look to continue to mentor young girls interested in STEM upon graduation. As a rising second-year Villanova University computer science Dean’s List student with a 3.96 GPA, an Amie Dansby Women in Technology National Award recipient, McCann National STEM Scholar and VIP Women in Technology National Scholar, my dream is to elevate my technology skills to design and deliver more advanced solutions to address pressing societal challenges.

Service is the backbone of a strong community. It unites neighbors and elevates those in need. The word community is derived from the Latin term communis, which combines the Latin prefix “con”, meaning “together” and “munis,” meaning “performing services.” So the very word “community” is built on the idea of performing service together. Sharing one’s skills and talents to help others is essential to improving one’s community. The size of these acts doesn’t necessarily define their significance. Yet a commitment to service sets a foundation of empathy that others can build from with their own kind acts. Many don’t see technology as a benefit to individuals' physical and mental health. Instead, most people would likely say that technology diminishes kids' mental well-being and physical fitness. However, using various applications, including video production, data management, and social media syndication, I have shown that technology can rally communities to deliver valuable mental and physical health benefits to individuals. Beyond this, strong leadership, communication, resilience, determination and work ethic have all been vital components in my efforts to help hundreds of kids stay in sports by rallying my community to donate thousands of equipment items. I use this gear to equip kids for free, leveling the sports playing field and allowing them to enjoy and grow from the spectrum of benefits that sports provide. Playing sports can be crucial to a healthy childhood and growing into a responsible adult, providing invaluable mental, physical and emotional benefits. Tragically, only 38% of kids ages 6-12 play organized sports today, down from 45% in 2008, according to The Sports & Fitness Industry Association. Beyond this, 75% of 12-year-olds are dropping sports annually largely due to the burdensome costs. To address this issue I started Play It Forward (fb.com/PlayItForwardGear) in the summer of 2018. The initiative collects donated sports equipment across soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse and field hockey. Through a tremendous amount of effort, the program has rallied our community, uniting to provide players with free gear to keep playing the sports they love. Over six years, I have motivated hundreds of neighbors and residents to donate over 7,200 sports items, equipping over 750 kids across 10 communities, providing a level playing field for sports access to kids. While I appreciate receiving the President George H.W. Bush Point of Light Award, National Liberty Museum Young Hero Medal, League of Philadelphia Good Citizenship Award, and Girl Scout Gold Award, the most significant validation is the smiles on kids’ faces when they receive their gear. The experience of Play It Forward has cultivated my leadership, organization, determination, commitment, and, most of all, empathy, helping me become a better citizen for my school, community, and country. I use this to lead by example and be a role model for others, particularly my younger sister, Molly, who is now running Play It Forward for our community while I am in college. Although I help run it when I am back home for the summer. As a rising sophomore Dean’s List computer science student at Villanova University I am now focusing on advancing my technology talents to make more profound impacts on people through a combination of innovation and empathy. Learning advanced technology skills across data structures, machine learning, application development, and even artificial intelligence will allow me to devise and develop more advanced innovations to address pressing problems facing our society and beyond.

While technology appropriately receives tremendous criticism for its impact on mental health, it can also be an equalizer for the less fortunate in our world when it is used to unite and rally people around a problem. How it connects, engages, and motivates individuals can effectively bring communities together to address and resolve issues. This can result in a more fair, accessible, and inclusive world where technology serves as the bridge to solutions. I use technology in this very way to innovate solutions. One significant issue facing my community and the nation is decreasing youth sports participation, which impacts kids physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, only 38 percent of kids ages 6 to 12 play team sports today, down from 45 percent in 2008. Project Play reports that families spend approximately $700 yearly on their children's sports. The Rand Study reveals that families earning below $50,000 say that cost is why their kids stop playing sports. Further research shows that 75 percent of 12-year-olds drop sports annually. My family had shelves in our garage filled with outgrown gear from my sister and me that we didn't know what to do with, from cleats and bags to bats and gloves. I realized unused equipment must be scattered in garages, basements, and sheds across our community. I thought about how to build a technology bridge to connect this unused gear with the sidelined kids who needed it. From this, the idea of 'Play It Forward' was born. I started Play It Forward (fb.com/PlayItForwardGear) in 2018, collecting donated sports equipment across soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse, and field hockey to provide free to kids so they can play. Stanford University research shows that playing sports benefits kids with better vision, healthier weight, elevated motor and social skills, and improved self-confidence. It also teaches teamwork, perseverance, and leadership. The lynchpin to Play It Forward’s success is technology. It uses social platforms and communication tools to educate, inform, and engage our residents, as well as inventory management systems to help track and distribute the incoming donated equipment to youth athletes across our community. This technology connects, engages, and motivates residents to participate and spread the word. Over the past five years, Play It Forward has collected over 7,200 gear items, equipping over 750 kids across ten communities. As a result, the program has been honored with the Girl Scout Gold Award, President George H.W. Bush Point of Light Award, Union League of Philadelphia Good Citizenship Award, National Liberty Museum Young Hero Medal, United States Congressional commendation, and Pennsylvania Legislative citation for service leadership. However, the most significant validation is seeing kids' smiles when they receive their equipment, knowing they can play with their friends. Play It Forward is just one example of how technology serves as an equalizer for those in need around us. The connection, engagement, and motivation it provides to individuals unite communities to resolve issues, which results in a more fair, accessible, and inclusive world. As a first-year computer science major at Villanova University, an Amie Dansby Women in Technology National Award recipient, McCann STEM National Scholar, Endeavour Women in Tech Scholar and a VIP Women in Technology National Scholar, I focus on advancing my programming skills while refining my technology talents to deliver further meaningful engagements that solve societal challenges. I aim to become an expert in technology innovation to develop solutions to address more of society's pressing problems. The Justin Moeller Memorial Scholarship would be tremendously supportive in helping me to achieve this.

My grandfather didn’t have the opportunity to attend college, so he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force where he built radar arrays protecting military bases worldwide. Our discussions about his 30-year technology career ignited my passion for technical problem-solving, motivating me to max out my high school’s computer science curriculum and to study technology in college. While technology today receives appropriate criticism, my career in computer science will allow me to develop innovative solutions that unite communities around issues to enhance accessibility to opportunities, as I have accomplished over the past several years. For example, I have built a technology-based initiative to increase youth sports participation, which impacts kids physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, only 38% of kids ages 6-12 play team sports, down from 45% in 2008, with 75% of 12-year-olds dropping sports annually. My family had a garage full of outgrown sports gear from my sister and me that we didn't know what to do with. I realized unused equipment must be scattered in homes across our community, so I built a technology bridge to connect gear donations with the sidelined kids who needed it. From this, the idea of Play It Forward (fb.com/PlayItForwardGear) was born in 2018. This initiative collects donated soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse, and field hockey equipment to provide free to kids. Stanford University research shows that playing sports gives kids better vision, a healthier weight, elevated motor and social skills, improved self-confidence, teamwork, perseverance, and leadership. These are just a few of the benefits Play It Forward delivers to kids, along with enhanced mental health and emotional well-being. The lynchpin to Play It Forward’s success is technology, leveraging social platforms and communication tools to educate and engage supporters and inventory management systems to track and distribute equipment. Technology helps engage and motivate residents to participate in and promote the program. Over the past five years, Play It Forward has collected over 6,800, equipping over 640 kids from nine communities. My service leadership has received the Girl Scout Gold Award, President George H.W. Bush Point of Light Award, Union League of Philadelphia Good Citizenship Award, and National Liberty Museum Young Hero Medal. However, the greatest validation is seeing kids' smiles when they receive their gear. In terms of advancing women in technology, as a Gold Award Girl Scout, I mentor young scouts with their programming badges and technology journeys to cultivate their STEM interests. In college, I coordinate computer science study groups to support and encourage fellow female technology majors. I also look to continue to mentor young girls interested in STEM upon graduation. As a rising second-year Villanova University computer science Dean’s List student with a 3.96 GPA, an Amie Dansby Women in Technology National Award recipient, McCann National STEM Scholar and VIP Women in Technology National Scholar, my dream is to elevate my technology skills to design and deliver more advanced solutions to address more pressing societal challenges to help those in need.

The stories that grace the pages of the famous book of Genesis contain well-known details, passages, moments, images, and terms that have become ingrained in the minds of countless people. As children, many become familiar with the iconic lines of the text, from the opening statement, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth," to His mighty command, "Let there be light," as well as the powerful tales of Cain and Abel, as well as Noah's ark. Yet, one such name, found in the sixth chapter of this holy text, is often overlooked despite holding profound importance. In Genesis 6:4, an unassuming word reveals an aspect of the legend that radiates immense value and knowledge: "The Nephilim" (Genesis 6:4, Page 27). Although this term bears a certain subtlety, when studied and understood, it can reshape the reader's interpretations of several chapters, raise new theological ideas buried within the text, and uncover the theme regarding God's love for His children. Many people hear the story of Noah's ark at a young age and learn how God became angry with the wickedness of humanity, flooding the Earth as a result. This event is often received with confusion and anger as it presents God in a dark and unfamiliar way. Readers will typically question God's reaction and ask why He would kill His creations. This tale leaves a sour and bitter taste in many mouths as readers search for answers to why God would turn on His beloved children. Although Genesis is a human interpretation of God's acts in the form of parables, many value the messages and lessons they hold and believe there is truth to them. With this in mind, it is understandable that some readers would feel pained and betrayed by God's willingness to murder His creations. Some interpret God as a 'control freak' or a 'toxic parent' who wants His children to grow as He envisioned them and will ensure success no matter the cost. Whether you believe this or not, this action taken by God raises several burning questions. Why would God kill all of humanity over the mistakes of a few? Why did He not start over from scratch, erasing and replacing His creations? Why did He not use His power to cleanse the souls stained with evil? All of these questions are reasonable to ask and will leave most readers scratching their heads in confusion. Except the answer was staring them in the face, hiding in plain sight: the Nephilim. Although many argue the identity of the Nephilim, the term in Hebrew translates to "fallen ones," likely referencing beings who have come down from where God dwells. A widely accepted theory is that they are the offspring of fallen angels and women. To fully understand the Nephilim, one must explore the fallen angels from which they came. The fallen angels, who are also commonly referred to as demons, are those who once served God but sinned and turned against him in support of Satan. As punishment for their betrayal, God exiled them from Heaven to Earth and Hell, where they became servants of Satan and dwelled amongst humanity. According to the book of Genesis, "the sons of God [came] to bed with the daughters of man who bore them children" (Genesis 6:4, Page 27). The differences in the origin of the men and women in this passage indicate that human women, who were born from man, did have children with fallen angels, who are consistently called "sons of God." Considering the identity of the fallen angels, one can reasonably assume that they are individuals bearing evil and sinful intentions, intentions they could pass on to their offspring. The identity of the Nephilim is a topic readers could skim over, easily ignoring the weight and importance they hold and leading them to misinterpret God's actions and motivations to flood the Earth. Some may argue that God was cruel in His punishment of banishing the angels who disagreed with him. However, the deeper meaning behind God's reasoning can be found long before the flood, back to the rise of Satan. One reason God's decision to flood the Earth is so perplexing and frustrating to so many is due to His sudden change in character. Genesis establishes God as a loving and caring Father who loves His children, humans and angels alike, which results in quite a shock when He decides to destroy nearly all He created. However, God is not the controlling or toxic parent many have come to believe He is, but the complete opposite. The Creator gives His children complete freedom over their choices, as seen in Adam and Eve's tale, as they choose to betray God and listen to Satan. All humans and angels have the decision to join Him in Heaven or to go with Satan to hell, yet the choice made by the angels is far more permanent. When angels made their choice to follow God, some freely chose to serve Satan, who, at the time, was an angel who craved power. These angels openly turned against God and would not be welcomed home, as was made clear to them beforehand. Humans, on the other hand, live their lives and will face God in the end, but will have the same choice as the angels who came before: to stand with Him and repent or to turn against Him and join Satan. God's decision to give His children free will and choose to leave or stay with Him in Heaven emphasizes His love for His children, something readers might miss without knowledge of the fallen angels and the Nephilim. God's decision goes deeper when looking at Noah, who "found favor in the eyes of the Lord" (Genesis 6:5, Page 28). It was not God's intention to completely destroy the Earth, as shown through His request that Noah, "two of each thing you shall bring to the ark to keep alive with you, male and female they shall be (...) two of each thing shall come to you to be kept alive" (Genesis 6:13, Page 29). God had the power to destroy His creations and start again, but He chose to place His faith in one of His children to give the mortal life He created another chance and allowed them to live on after the flood removed the Nephilim. This effort on God's part highlights His love for His children, something readers could easily miss or misinterpret without fully understanding the Nephilim. Looking at the combined information, one can gather that the Nephilim are the product of human women and fallen angels who chose to follow Satan and embrace evil and sin. The Nephilim are beings who lived amongst humanity, spread wickedness, and posed a threat, corrupting many humans and damning them for eternity. With this in mind, God's choice to destroy what He had created holds a greater weight and sorrow. The flood was not a frantic act of control, nor one driven by rage, but a pained and solemn choice made out of love. God's decision was an attempt to spare the lives of His children who dwelled on the Earth, as well as those to come. He wanted to save their souls from a fate of torture and sin and sacrificed their mortal lives in exchange for their eternal ones. The importance of the Nephilim in Genesis is something too many readers gloss over, as it results in misinterpretations and false assumptions that change the intended meaning of tales like Noah's ark. Through this misunderstanding, many readers may feel pity for the Nephilim and humanity as a whole or ignore their existence altogether while feeling anger and confusion toward God's actions to flood the world He created. The understanding of the Nephilim changes the entirety of the tale, through which one can discover the meaning, power, and extent of God's love for His children and how far He is willing to go to save them.

Social media often receives appropriate criticism for its detrimental impact on mental health. However, its ability to connect communities to help those in need inspires me and serves as a foundation for my efforts to elevate people's mental and physical health across my community. Uniting my community to help kids in need improve their mental health and physical fitness elevates my mental well-being. Since 2018 I have run the donation initiative Play It Forward (fb.com/PlayItForwardGear), providing sports equipment to youth athletes across my community. It’s built on a technology foundation with a social media backbone that addresses decreasing youth sports participation, impacting the physical, mental, social, and emotional well-being of kids. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, only 38 percent of kids ages 6 to 12 play team sports today, down from 45 percent in 2008. The Rand Study reveals that families earning below $50,000 say that cost is largely why their kids stop playing. Further research shows that 75 percent of 12-year-olds drop sports annually. My family had a garage filled with outgrown gear, from cleats and bats to gloves and bags, from my sister and me that we didn't know what to do with. I realized unused equipment must be scattered in homes across our community. I thought about how to build a technology bridge to connect this unused gear with the sidelined kids who needed it. The lynchpin to Play It Forward is technology, using social media, like Facebook, to educate and engage supporters, with inventory management systems to distribute donated soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse, and field hockey equipment to kids. Play It Forward connects and motivates people to participate in and promote the program largely through the Facebook app. Over five years Play It Forward has collected over 7,000 items, equipping nearly 700 kids across nine communities. It validates Stanford University’s research showing that playing sports benefits kids with better vision, healthier weight, elevated motor and social skills, and improved self-confidence. The beneficiaries of Play It Forward are both happier and healthier when playing sports. The program’s impact has been honored with the Girl Scout Gold Award, President George H.W. Bush Point of Light Award, Union League of Philadelphia Good Citizenship Award, National Liberty Museum Young Hero Medal, and a US Congressional commendation. However, the most significant validation is seeing kids' smiles when they receive their own sports gear. Play It Forward has not only impacted hundreds of kids but it’s also transformed my life, showing me the power of empathy, commitment and selflessness. It’s also motivating me to want to help more people in more impactful ways. Impacting the mental well-being of others, particularly kids, elevates my own mental health by providing me a sense of purpose in helping others and elevating my community. This has shown me first-hand how vital preserving one’s mental fitness is and how consistent acts of kindness can boost the state of mind of others around you. As an upcoming second-year Villanova University Dean’s List computer science major with a 3.97 GPA, I am also an Amie Dansby Women in Technology National Award recipient, a VIP Women in Technology National Scholar and a McCann National STEM Scholar. I am now focusing on advancing my technology skills to deliver more advanced solutions to societal challenges. I am looking to use technology to unite communities to address pressing challenges and elevate the lives of more people in need.

While technology appropriately receives tremendous criticism for its impact on mental health, it can also be an equalizer for the less fortunate in our world when it is used to unite and rally people around a problem. How it connects, engages, and motivates individuals can effectively bring communities together to address and resolve issues. This can result in a more fair, accessible, and inclusive world where technology serves as the bridge to solutions. I use technology in this very way to innovate solutions. One significant issue facing my community and the nation is decreasing youth sports participation, which impacts kids physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, only 38 percent of kids ages 6 to 12 play team sports today, down from 45 percent in 2008. Further research shows that 75 percent of 12-year-olds drop sports annually. My family had shelves in our garage filled with outgrown gear from my sister and me that we didn't know what to do with, from cleats and bags to bats and gloves. I realized unused equipment must be scattered in garages, basements, and sheds across our community. I thought about how to build a technology bridge to connect this unused gear with the sidelined kids who needed it. From this, the idea of 'Play It Forward' was born. I started Play It Forward (fb.com/PlayItForwardGear) in 2018, collecting donated sports equipment across soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse, and field hockey to provide free to kids so they can play. Stanford University research shows that playing sports benefits kids with better vision, healthier weight, elevated motor and social skills, and improved self-confidence. It also teaches teamwork, perseverance, and leadership. Over the past five years, Play It Forward has collected over 7,000 equipment items, equipping over 690 kids across nine communities. As a result, the program has been honored with the Girl Scout Gold Award, President George H.W. Bush Point of Light Award, Union League of Philadelphia Good Citizen Award, National Liberty Museum Young Hero Medal, United States Congressional commendation, and Pennsylvania Legislative citation for service leadership. However, the most significant validation is seeing kids' smiles when they receive their equipment, knowing they can play with their friends. Play It Forward is just one example of how technology serves as an equalizer for those in need around us. The connection, engagement, and motivation it provides to individuals unite communities to resolve issues, which results in a more fair, accessible, and inclusive world. As a second-year computer science major at Villanova University, an Amie Dansby Women in Technology National Award recipient, McCann STEM National Scholar and a VIP Women in Technology National Scholar, I am focusing on advancing my programming skills while refining my technology talents to deliver further engagements that solve societal challenges. I aim to become an expert in technology innovation to develop solutions to address some of my community’s and society's most significant pressing problems. The Schmid Memorial Scholarship would be tremendously supportive in helping me to achieve this.

"What could go wrong?" I had to ask myself this repeatedly to counter the naysayers who said that starting a sports equipment donation program for area kids wouldn't work. "People won't donate their expensive gear." "It's too complicated to manage." "Where will you store it all?" "It's too much work." These were just some of the objections I heard as I shared the idea with some area youth sports clubs. Fortunately, Horsham Little League understood my vision and wanted to also get more kids on the field, and my community responded with incredible support. From there, six other youth sports clubs joined the effort, including Hatboro Little League, Plymouth Little League, Horsham Soccer, Horsham Lacrosse, Upper Dublin Little League and Horsham Field Hockey. I have seen first-hand that service is the backbone of a strong community. It unites neighbors and elevates those in need. The word community is derived from the Latin term communis, which combines the Latin prefix “con”, which means “together” and “munis,” which means “performing services.” So the very word “community” is built on the idea of performing service together. I have found that there is perhaps no greater force than when a community is united for good, but it takes dedication. My community is an ideal example of this, rallying to donate thousands of equipment items for hundreds of local kids in need to play sports. It’s no secret that playing sports can be crucial in helping kids have a healthy childhood and grow into responsible adults. Tragically, only 38 percent of kids ages 6-12 play organized sports, down from 45 percent in 2008, according to The Sports & Fitness Industry Association. Further research shows that upwards of 75 percent of 12-year-olds drop sports annually. Much of this issue is caused by the increasing costs of sports. Sharing your skills and talents to help others is essential to improving one’s community. My initial interest in technology began with stories my grandfather told me of his career building and maintaining networks and mainframes for major corporations. He didn’t have the opportunity to go to college, so he enlisted in the United States Air Force out of high school. There, he learned to build the technical systems for radar arrays at US military bases worldwide. He then used these skills as the foundation for a 30-year career in computer network technology, where he worked for companies like Mars, Campbell Soup, and DuPont. The conversations we’ve had over the years ignited an interest in me that burned brightly, fueling me to max out the computer science curriculum in high school. I developed a passion for technical problem-solving and took every computer science class my high school offered. I refined my programming skills to the point that I won my school’s Java Programming Challenge and earned the Girl Scout / Raytheon Technologies Computer Science Programmer Journey Award. This has motivated me to continue these studies in college. I have leveraged these technology skills to address community, to alleviate human suffering. I incorporate social media, communication platforms, inventory systems, video applications, and syndication networks to address issues with physical fitness to mental health. To address the issue of declining sports participation for kids, I started Play It Forward (fb.com/PlayItForwardGear) in 2018, collecting donated sports equipment across soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse and field hockey. The program has rallied our community, uniting to provide players with free gear to keep playing the sports they love. Over six years, I have motivated hundreds of neighbors and residents to donate over 7,000 equipment pieces, equipping over 680 kids across nine communities to provide a level playing field for sports access for kids. It’s also kept thousands of pounds of equipment out of landfills. While I appreciate the program receiving the President George H.W. Bush Point of Light Award, National Liberty Museum Young Hero Medal, League of Philadelphia Good Citizenship Award, and Girl Scout Gold Award, the most significant validation is seeing the smiles on kids’ faces when they receive their gear. The experience of Play It Forward has cultivated my leadership, organization, determination, commitment, and, most of all, empathy, helping me become a better citizen for my school, community, and country. I use this to lead by example and be a role model for others, particularly my younger sister, Molly, who is now running Play It Forward for our community while I am in college. As a second-year Villanova University Dean's List computer science student, I am focusing on advancing my technology talents to make more profound impacts on people through a combination of innovation and empathy. I hope to develop powerful solutions to complex problems people are facing. I aim to continue delivering engaging solutions to alleviate suffering from pressing problems, like elevating physical fitness to enhancing mental health. Learning advanced skills across data structures, machine learning, application development, and even artificial intelligence will allow me to devise and develop more advanced innovations to address pressing problems facing our society and beyond. Through all of this, my community commitment has made me a kinder citizen and a stronger student. So through it all with Play It Forward, although I initially asked "what could go wrong," I saw exactly what went right when a community unites to help others in need, like the hundreds of local kids who get the social, emotional, physical and mental benefits of playing sports.

Elevating mental helath is a passion of mine. Today, only 38 percent of kids ages 6 to 12 play organized team sports, down from 45 percent in 2008, according to The Sports & Fitness Industry Association. At the same time, the average American family spends approximately $700 per year on their child's sports activities, according to Project Play. Further research shows that approximately 75 percent of 12-year-olds drop sports activities annually. Simply put, rising costs are excluding too many kids from experiencing the benefits of playing team sports, which is eroding their physical and mental health. To help address this growing issue, I started ‘Play It Forward’ (fb.com/PlayItForwardGear) in 2018, collecting donated soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse and field hockey equipment. The program provides free gear to kids to enjoy the benefits of sports. Over the past four years, Play It Forward has collected over 6,800 donated items, equipping 700+ kids from nine surrounding communities. Although my efforts with ‘Play It Forward’ have been honored with the President George H.W. Bush Point of Light Award, Union League of Philadelphia Good Citizenship Award and National Liberty Museum Young Hero Medal, seeing kids' smiles when the receive their gear is the program's truest validation. Beyind this, tcounter the growing mental health crisis impacting our communities and country, my sister and I started a broadcast network called ‘Good News Now’ (fb.com/TellUsTheGoodNews) to promote the good around us. The University of Australia reports that smiling can shift the mind into a state of joy. In addition, MIT research reveals that hearing positivity immediately improves one's mental state. However, the constant exposure to negativity, especially during COVID, heavily burdens our mental health. My sister and I have been spreading good news for over four years with over 225 episodes. GNN is now a global syndicated broadcast elevating viewers' mental health in over 68 countries by spotlighting positivity and good news. It’s been featured by Live with Kelly and Ryan, ABC, FOX, and UPtv. It’s also been showcased in two children's books, "Young Change Makers" by Stacy Bauer and "What Kids Did: Stories of Kindness and Invention in the Time of COVID-19" by Erin Silver. Much of my efforts revolve around bettering my community and supporting my neighbors. As a second-year computer science student, I am focusing on combining technology innovation with empathy to help solve growing issues facing my community and our country.

Service is the backbone of a strong community. It unites neighbors and elevates those in need. The word community is derived from the Latin term communis, which combines the Latin prefix “con”, which means “together” and “munis,” which means “performing services.” So the very world community is built on the idea of performing service together. I have found that there is perhaps no greater force than when a community unites for good. Given the impact of service, I strive to contribute meaningfully to my community. I do this as a member of service groups like Works of Mercy and the St. Thomas of Villanova Service Initiative which conduct food and clothing drives, orphanage holiday toy collections, and help support inner-city churches. I have been a volunteer self-defense instructor, soccer coach for 3-4 year olds, and mentor to younger Girl Scouts. Sharing your skills and talents to help others is essential to improving one’s community. One unique example is that I volunteer to sing the national anthem for local community events. People need to experience the national anthem live to feel its essence to elevate one’s patriotism and love of community and country. I perform for Veterans’ Day ceremonies at our local Veterans of Foreign Wars Post and my school. Plus, I sing for Little League Opening Day and district games, Rotary Club meetings, and events like Soldiers’ Christmas and charity 5K races. Yet, my most cherished vocal experience was singing for our Gold Star Garden dedication, honoring and thanking Gold Star Families and their fallen loved ones for their incredible sacrifice for us all. My initial interest in technology began with stories my grandfather told me of his career building and maintaining networks and mainframes for major corporations. He didn’t have the opportunity to go to college, so he enlisted in the United States Air Force out of high school. There he learned to build the technical systems for radar arrays at US military bases worldwide. He then used these skills as the foundation for a 30-year career in mainframe and computer network technology, where he worked for companies like Mars, Campbell Soup, and DuPont. The conversations I had over the years with him ignited an interest in me that burned brightly, fueling me to max out the computer science curriculum at my high school. I developed a passion for technical problem-solving that motivated me to continue these studies in college. I graduated as a Champion of Learning, AP Scholar with Honors, National Honor Society Member, and Honors with Distinction recipient, holding a 4.0 and taking over 20 advanced placement and honors courses over my high school career. Refining my programming skills, I won my high school’s Java Programming Challenge and earned the Girl Scout / Raytheon Technologies Computer Science Programmer Journey Award. As a first-year computer science Dean’s List student with a 3.96, I have received the Amie Dansby Women in Technology National Award and have been honored as a VIP Women in Technology National Scholar and Study.com Women in Computer Science National Scholar. Beyond this, I leverage technology to address community, national, and global issues, using social media, communication platforms, inventory systems, video applications, and syndication networks to address issues ranging from physical fitness to mental health. However, my ongoing focus on delivering kindness and positivity to others is rooted in failure. Failure is among the most challenging aspects of life, yet it can also be one of its most valuable lessons. I failed my teammate as a younger, less mature, and observant kid. At 12 she was struggling mentally and socially because she didn’t have the right soccer equipment - her shin guards were too small, she didn’t have her own ball for drills, and she wore sneakers since she didn’t have cleats. I was her drill partner since many teammates shunned her. I didn’t realize that her equipment issues and socio-economic situation were the cause. She soon gave up soccer and moved. I realized I could have helped her more by giving her my unneeded gear, which may have elevated her confidence and kept her playing. I failed to be a good friend and teammate. The following year, I noticed a softball teammate didn’t have a helmet and glove that didn’t fit her correctly. I recognized the issue immediately and discreetly brought her one of my unneeded helmets and softball gloves at the next practice. I will forever remember her look of appreciation. This elevated her comfort and confidence with the team and her performance on the field. Playing sports can be crucial in helping kids grow into responsible adults. Only 38 percent of kids ages 6-12 play organized sports, down from 45 percent in 2008, according to The Sports & Fitness Industry Association. Further research shows approximately 75 percent of 12-year-olds drop sports annually. To address this issue I started Play It Forward (fb.com/PlayItForwardGear) in 2018, collecting donated sports equipment across soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse and field hockey. The program has rallied our community, uniting to provide players with free gear to keep playing the sports they love. Over seven years, I have motivated hundreds of neighbors and residents to donate over 6,800 sports equipment items to Play It Forward, equipping over 640 kids across nine communities and providing a level playing field for sports access to kids. While I appreciate receiving the President George H.W. Bush Point of Light Award, National Liberty Museum Young Hero Medal, League of Philadelphia Good Citizenship Award, and Girl Scout Gold Award, the most significant validation is seeing the smiles on kids’ faces when they receive their gear. The experience of Play It Forward has cultivated my leadership, organization, determination, commitment, and, most of all, empathy, helping me become a better citizen for my school, community, and country. I am a better friend, sister, daughter, and person for it. I use this to lead by example and be a role model for others, particularly my younger sister, Molly, who is now running Play It Forward for our community while I am in college. Overall, I use technology to help solve community issues. Technology has allowed me to impact hundreds of kids by helping to unite our community to provide thousands of donated sports equipment pieces, elevating their mental health, physical fitness and emotional well-being. As a rising sophomore Villanova University computer science student, I am now focusing on advancing my technology talents to make more profound impacts on people through innovation and empathy. I hope to develop powerful solutions to complex problems people are facing. I aim to continue delivering engaging solutions to society's pressing problems, from elevating physical fitness to enhancing mental health. Learning advanced skills across data structures, machine learning, application development, and even artificial intelligence will allow me to devise and develop more advanced innovations to address pressing problems facing our society and beyond. Through this, uniting my community has made me a stronger student, a reliable resident, and an insightful individual. Play It Forward has shown me there is a tremendous amount of good all around us and no greater force for positivity than when a community unites together.

My community, both at the town and school levels, has always been important to me and something I have focused on supporting and improving in everything I do. As a Gold Award Girl Scout, a community service program director, a martial arts black belt instructor, a good news broadcast anchor, and a leader in several school organizations, I am committed to supporting my school and town in various ways. Academics have always been essential to setting a solid foundation for my future. As a Distinguished Honor Student and National Honor Society Member, I graduated with a 4.0 on a 4.0 scale, having taken 20 advanced placement and honors courses over my high school career. I have been honored as a Dansby Women in Technology Scholar, McCann National STEM Scholar and VIP Women in Technology Scholar. Beyond this, I focus on addressing issues facing the youth of our community. Today, only 38 percent of kids ages 6 to 12 play organized team sports, down from 45 percent in 2008, according to The Sports & Fitness Industry Association. At the same time, the average American family spends approximately $700 per year on their child's sports activities, according to Project Play. According to The Rand Study, families earning $50,000 or less say cost is the top reason their kids stop participating in sports. Further research shows that approximately 75 percent of 12-year-olds drop sports activities annually. Simply put, costs exclude too many kids from experiencing the benefits of playing team sports. To help address this growing issue, I started ‘Play It Forward’ (fb.com/PlayItForwardGear) in 2018, collecting donated sports equipment across soccer, baseball, softball, and field hockey. The program provides free gear to kids in surrounding communities to get the benefits of sports. Over the past four years, Play It Forward has collected over 6,000 donated equipment items worth an estimated $204,000 and equipped 550+ kids from eight surrounding communities with free gear. My efforts with ‘Play It Forward’ have been honored with the President George H.W. Bush Point of Light Award, the National Liberty Museum Young Hero Medal, a United States Congressional commendation, and a Pennsylvania Legislative citation for service leadership. To counter the growing mental health crisis impacting our communities and country, I started a broadcast network called ‘Good News Now’ (fb.com/TellUsTheGoodNews) to promote the good around us. The University of Australia reports that smiling can shift the mind into a state of joy. In addition, MIT research reveals that hearing positive news can improve mental state. However, the constant exposure to negativity, especially with COVID, heavily burdens our mental health. My sister and I have been spreading global good news for nearly three years with over 200 episodes. GNN is now a weekly global syndicated broadcast elevating viewers' mental health in over 65 countries by spotlighting positivity and good news. It’s been featured by Live with Kelly and Ryan, ABC, FOX, and UPtv. It’s also been showcased in two children's books, "Young Change Makers" by Stacy Bauer and "What Kids Did: Stories of Kindness and Invention in the Time of COVID-19" by Erin Silver. Many of my life's unique aspects revolve around bettering my community and supporting my neighbors. As a second-year computer science student, I am focusing on applying technology innovation with empathy to help solve growing issues facing my community and beyond.

In the nineteen years I have been blessed to live in this world, I have come to accept that questioning one's faith in God is far more natural and normal than most realize. Having lost my uncle at a young age, I believe I am familiar with the experience of doubting God's intentions and even questioning his existence. My grief created a rift between God and me and was one that would not heal for many years. Before I hit double-digits, I lay awake most nights fearing what came after death, wondering if my uncle was at peace. Anger burrowed within my heart each Sunday as my parents dragged me to church, where I would do my best to ignore every word spoken. Worst of all, the conversations and prayers I would share with God began to dwindle until they vanished altogether. While my grief strangled my faith, my mother used the pain from her brother's loss to strengthen her relationship with God. However, there were days when my uncle's absence stung more than most. One of those days, my mom had been driving home, the silence leading her thoughts to linger on her grief. Attempting to quiet them, she switched on the radio. Several years before his passing, my uncle had been in the hospital. To cheer him up, my mom handed the phone to my younger sister, who cheerfully sang him "Three Little Birds" by Bob Marley and the Wailers. The very song that came on the radio as my mom drove home. A few minutes after the song concluded, my mom glanced up at the truck in front of her, swiftly grabbed her phone, and snapped a picture of the license plate. I will never forget my utter shock after she revealed the license plate: ANTHONY - my uncle's name. The "sign" my mother experienced that day sparked something in me. My eyes opened, and I began recognizing these "signs." Over time, I began to associate two occurrences with my uncle: seeing a cardinal or a mourning dove. A cardinal would never be far when I grieved his absence, and a mourning dove was almost always perched on the bench dedicated to my uncle. My faith and relationship with God slowly began to heal as time passed. I started listening to the sermons at church and began praying and speaking to Him again. While these moments of unexplained coincidences assisted in the return of my faith, one moment stands out from the others. Why, you may ask? Because it did not come when I was struggling or grieving. One Sunday in late Winter or early Spring, I was kneeling in a church pew reciting my prayers when a name appeared in my mind. One I had not thought of for years. Javin. The son of one of my father's closest friends. We had met a handful of times in our youth, but due to living on opposite sides of the country, it had been years since we saw each other. And yet, my mind continued muttering his name in my ear. So, without a second thought, I prayed for Javin and his family. Two days later, my mom asked me if I remembered the son of my dad's close friend. After I nodded, she informed me that Javin was in the hospital. I believe coincidences can happen, but after experiencing an event such as the one I described, my faith has only grown. As a woman studying STEM, I have no doubt there is a creator: God.

“The world needs GNN,” exclaimed Ryan Seacrest. As he said these four simple words, wrapping up his live interview with my sister and me, they struck me. It was an incredible moment to be on Live with Kelly & Ryan discussing our breakout broadcast, Good News Now, and how it impacted individuals' mental health worldwide. Still, this simple phrase illustrated the impact spreading positivity had on thousands of people across the globe. Leadership and empathy are two of the most important values that guide our lives. I strive to accomplish these in every aspect of my life. As a Gold Award Girl Scout, St. Thomas of Villanova Service Initiative volunteer, National Honor Society student, Works of Mercy youth group member, and certified black belt martial arts instructor I volunteer for church events, food pantry collections, giving tree gift drives, student mentoring, and teaching self-defense classes. However, elevating mental health is a particular passion of mine. My sister, Molly, and I started Good News Now (fb.com/TellUsTheGoodNews) at the outset of COVID in March 2020. We simply wanted to show our friends, neighbors, and family members that there is so much good and positivity around us, despite the negativity the media is incessantly focused on, particularly during COVID. It’s not a difficult or complex concept, but a passionate dedication to regularly sharing good. We started our weekly GNN broadcast to counter the growing mental health crisis. We initially reported on local heroes making masks for hospitals and delivering baked goods to frontline workers. There was also some good nature news and good science news we shared. Kids in our community were starting their own service projects helping their neighborhoods with food drives and coat collections, but no one was sharing these stories and spotlighting the good around us. So, we decided to. Now, four years and over 225 episodes later, GNN impacts over 100,000 viewers in over 65 countries across six continents simply by sharing positivity and good news from all over the world. My sister and I have been featured on ABC News, FOX, UPtv, Reddit Uplifting News, Kindness Kids, Inspire More, and Live with Kelly and Ryan, among many other outlets. We’ve even been honored as 'Inspirational Icons' by Indie Today’s Best Children's Book Series "Young Change Makers" by Stacy Bauer and "What Kids Did: Stories of Kindness and Invention in the Time of COVID-19" by Erin Silver. I cherish that the efforts behind GNN have received honors like the President George H.W. Bush Point of Light Award, the Union League of Philadelphia Good Citizen Award, the Pennsylvania Veterans of Foreign Wars Scout of the Year honor, and the National Liberty Museum Young Hero Medal. However, GNN has shown me how vital compassion, attention, love, and empathy are to the lives and mental well-being of others. GNN requires technical skills in video production and social distribution to reach around the world. As a rising sophomore Dean’s List computer science major at Villanova University, I am focusing on advancing my programming skills while refining my technology talents to make more meaningful impacts through technology innovations that help solve societal challenges around mental health for people near and far. Through all of this, my community commitment through Good News Now has made me a stronger student, a reliable resident, and an insightful individual. It’s also cultivated a deeper empathy and stronger advocate for mental health, which I have seen first-hand is an issue impacting individuals around the world.

“The world needs GNN,” exclaimed Ryan Seacrest. As he said these four simple words, wrapping up his live interview with my sister and me, they struck me. It was an incredible moment to be on Live with Kelly & Ryan discussing our breakout broadcast, Good News Now, and how it impacted individuals' mental health worldwide. Still, this simple phrase illustrated the impact spreading positivity had on thousands of people across the globe. Leadership and empathy are two of the most important values that guide our lives. I strive to accomplish these in every aspect of my life. As a Gold Award Girl Scout, St. Thomas of Villanova Service Initiative volunteer, National Honor Society student, Works of Mercy youth group member, and certified black belt martial arts instructor I volunteer for church events, food pantry collections, giving tree gift drives, student mentoring, and teaching self-defense classes. However, elevating mental health is a particular passion of mine. My sister, Molly, and I started Good News Now (fb.com/TellUsTheGoodNews) at the outset of COVID in March 2020. We simply wanted to show our friends, neighbors, and family members that there is so much good and positivity around us, despite the negativity the media is incessantly focused on, particularly during COVID. It’s not a difficult or complex concept, but a passionate dedication to regularly sharing good. We started our weekly GNN broadcast to counter the growing mental health crisis. We initially reported on local heroes making masks for hospitals and delivering baked goods to frontline workers. There was also some good nature news and good science news we shared. Kids in our community were starting their own service projects helping their neighborhoods with food drives and coat collections, but no one was sharing these stories and spotlighting the good around us. So, we decided to. Now, four years and over 225 episodes later, GNN impacts over 100,000 viewers in over 65 countries across six continents simply by sharing positivity and good news from all over the world. My sister and I have been featured on ABC News, FOX, UPtv, Reddit Uplifting News, Kindness Kids, Inspire More, and Live with Kelly and Ryan, among many other outlets. We’ve even been honored as 'Inspirational Icons' by Indie Today’s Best Children's Book Series "Young Change Makers" by Stacy Bauer and "What Kids Did: Stories of Kindness and Invention in the Time of COVID-19" by Erin Silver. I cherish that the efforts behind GNN have received honors like the President George H.W. Bush Point of Light Award, the Union League of Philadelphia Good Citizen Award, the Pennsylvania Veterans of Foreign Wars Scout of the Year honor, and the National Liberty Museum Young Hero Medal. However, GNN has shown me how vital compassion, attention, love, and empathy are to the lives and mental well-being of others. GNN requires technical skills in video production and social distribution to reach around the world. As a rising sophomore Dean’s List computer science major at Villanova University, I am focusing on advancing my programming skills while refining my technology talents to make more meaningful impacts through technology innovations that help solve societal challenges around mental health for people near and far.

My grandfather didn’t have the opportunity to attend college, so he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force where he built radar arrays protecting military bases worldwide. Our discussions about his 30-year technology career ignited my passion for technical problem-solving, motivating me to max out my high school’s computer science curriculum and to study technology in college. While technology today receives appropriate criticism, my career in computer science will allow me to develop innovative solutions that unite communities around issues to enhance accessibility to opportunities, as I have accomplished over the past several years. For example, I have built a technology-based initiative to increase youth sports participation, which impacts kids physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, only 38% of kids ages 6-12 play team sports, down from 45% in 2008, with 75% of 12-year-olds dropping sports annually. My family had a garage full of outgrown sports gear from my sister and me that we didn't know what to do with. I realized unused equipment must be scattered in homes across our community, so I built a technology bridge to connect gear donations with the sidelined kids who needed it. From this, the idea of Play It Forward (fb.com/PlayItForwardGear) was born in 2018. This initiative collects donated soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse, and field hockey equipment to provide free to kids. Stanford University research shows that playing sports gives kids better vision, a healthier weight, elevated motor and social skills, improved self-confidence, teamwork, perseverance, and leadership. These are just a few of the benefits Play It Forward delivers to kids, along with enhanced mental health and emotional well-being. The lynchpin to Play It Forward’s success is technology, leveraging social platforms and communication tools to educate and engage supporters and inventory management systems to track and distribute equipment. Technology helps engage and motivate residents to participate in and promote the program. Over the past five years, Play It Forward has collected over 6,800, equipping over 640 kids from nine communities. My service leadership has received the Girl Scout Gold Award, President George H.W. Bush Point of Light Award, Union League of Philadelphia Good Citizenship Award, and National Liberty Museum Young Hero Medal. However, the greatest validation is seeing kids' smiles when they receive their gear. In terms of advancing women in technology, as a Gold Award Girl Scout, I mentor young scouts with their programming badges and technology journeys to cultivate their STEM interests. In college, I coordinate computer science study groups to support and encourage fellow female technology majors. I also look to continue to mentor young girls interested in STEM upon graduation. As a rising second-year Villanova University computer science Dean’s List student with a 3.96 GPA, an Amie Dansby Women in Technology National Award recipient, McCann National STEM Scholar and VIP Women in Technology National Scholar, my dream is to elevate my technology skills to design and deliver more advanced solutions to address pressing societal challenges.

My grandfather didn’t have the opportunity to attend college, so he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force where he built radar arrays protecting military bases worldwide. Our discussions about his 30-year technology career ignited my passion for technical problem-solving, motivating me to max out my high school’s computer science curriculum and to study technology in college. While technology today receives appropriate criticism, my career in computer science will allow me to develop innovative solutions that unite communities around issues to enhance accessibility to opportunities, as I have accomplished over the past several years. For example, I have built a technology-based initiative to increase youth sports participation, which impacts kids physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, only 38% of kids ages 6-12 play team sports, down from 45% in 2008, with 75% of 12-year-olds dropping sports annually. My family had a garage full of outgrown sports gear from my sister and me that we didn't know what to do with. I realized unused equipment must be scattered in homes across our community, so I built a technology bridge to connect gear donations with the sidelined kids who needed it. From this, the idea of Play It Forward (fb.com/PlayItForwardGear) was born in 2018. This initiative collects donated soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse, and field hockey equipment to provide free to kids. Stanford University research shows that playing sports gives kids better vision, a healthier weight, elevated motor and social skills, improved self-confidence, teamwork, perseverance, and leadership. These are just a few of the benefits Play It Forward delivers to kids, along with enhanced mental health and emotional well-being. The lynchpin to Play It Forward’s success is technology, leveraging social platforms and communication tools to educate and engage supporters and inventory management systems to track and distribute equipment. Technology helps engage and motivate residents to participate in and promote the program. Over the past five years, Play It Forward has collected over 6,800, equipping over 640 kids from nine communities. My service leadership has received the Girl Scout Gold Award, President George H.W. Bush Point of Light Award, Union League of Philadelphia Good Citizenship Award, and National Liberty Museum Young Hero Medal. However, the greatest validation is seeing kids' smiles when they receive their gear. In terms of advancing women in technology, as a Gold Award Girl Scout, I mentor young scouts with their programming badges and technology journeys to cultivate their STEM interests. In college, I coordinate computer science study groups to support and encourage fellow female technology majors. I also look to continue to mentor young girls interested in STEM upon graduation. As a rising second-year Villanova University computer science Dean’s List student with a 3.96 GPA, an Amie Dansby Women in Technology National Award recipient, McCann National STEM Scholar and VIP Women in Technology National Scholar, my dream is to elevate my technology skills to design and deliver more advanced solutions to address pressing societal challenges.

Leadership should be rooted in helping others, and service is the backbone of a strong community. It unites neighbors and elevates those in need. The very word community is derived from the Latin term communis, which combines the Latin prefix “con”, which means “together” and “munis,” which means “performing services.” So the very world community is built on the idea of performing service together. There is no greater force than when a community is united for good. Sharing your skills and talents to help others is essential to this. One way I lead by example is by volunteering to sing the national anthem for local events. People should experience the national anthem live to feel its essence to elevate one’s patriotism and appreciation of our country. I perform for Veterans’ Day ceremonies at our local Veterans of Foreign Wars Post and my school. I sing for Little League Opening Day and district games, Rotary Club meetings, and events like Soldiers’ Christmas and charity 5K races. And while this is a relatively small act, the words of appreciation I receive after a performance convey a deep meaning to many who hear it. My most cherished vocal experience was singing for our Gold Star Garden dedication, honoring their fallen loved ones for their incredible sacrifice. As an AP Scholar with Honors, National Honor Society Member, and Honors with Distinction recipient in high school, I held a 4.0, taking over 20 advanced placement and honors courses. I refined my programming skills to win my school’s Java Programming Challenge and earned the Girl Scout / Raytheon Technologies Computer Science Programmer Journey Award. As a rising second-year computer science Dean’s List student at Villanova University with a 3.96, I have received the Amie Dansby Women in Technology National Award and have been honored as a VIP Women in Technology National Scholar and McCann National STEM Scholar. I leverage these technology skills to address community issues related to physical fitness and mental health. Sports can be crucial in helping kids have a healthy childhood and grow into responsible adults. Tragically, only 38% of kids ages 6-12 play organized sports, down from 45% in 2008, according to The Sports & Fitness Industry Association. Beyond this, 75% of 12-year-olds drop sports annually, largely due to the increasing costs of sports. To address this issue I started Play It Forward (fb.com/PlayItForwardGear) in 2018, collecting donated sports equipment across soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse and field hockey. The program has rallied our community, uniting to provide players with free gear to keep playing the sports they love. Over seven years, I have motivated hundreds of neighbors and residents to donate over 6,800 equipment pieces, equipping over 640 kids across nine communities to level the playing field for sports access for kids. While I appreciate service leadership receiving the President George H.W. Bush Point of Light Award, National Liberty Museum Young Hero Medal, League of Philadelphia Good Citizenship Award, and Girl Scout Gold Award, the most significant validation is seeing the smiles on kids’ faces when they receive their gear. The experience of Play It Forward has cultivated my leadership, organization, determination, commitment, and, most of all, empathy, helping me become a better citizen for my school, community, and country. I use this to lead by example for others, particularly my younger sister, Molly, who is now running Play It Forward while I am in college. I am now advancing my technology talents and leadership skills to make more profound impacts on people by combining innovation and empathy. I look to develop more powerful solutions to complex problems communities are facing.

Service is the backbone of a strong community. It unites neighbors and elevates those in need. The word community is derived from the Latin term communis, which combines the Latin prefix “con”, which means “together” and “munis,” which means “performing services.” So the very world community is built on the idea of performing service together. There is perhaps no greater force than when a community is united for good. Sharing your skills and talents to help others is essential to this. One unique example is that I volunteer to sing the national anthem for local events. People should experience the national anthem live to feel its essence to elevate one’s patriotism and appreciation of our country. I perform for Veterans’ Day ceremonies at our local Veterans of Foreign Wars Post and my school. I sing for Little League Opening Day and district games, Rotary Club meetings, and events like Soldiers’ Christmas and charity 5K races. And while this is a relatively small act, the words of appreciation I receive after a performance convey a deep meaning to many who hear it. My most cherished vocal experience was singing for our Gold Star Garden dedication, honoring their fallen loved ones for their incredible sacrifice. As an AP Scholar with Honors, National Honor Society Member, and Honors with Distinction recipient in high school, I held a 4.0, taking over 20 advanced placement and honors courses. I refined my programming skills to win my school’s Java Programming Challenge and earned the Girl Scout / Raytheon Technologies Computer Science Programmer Journey Award. As a rising second-year computer science Dean’s List student at Villanova University with a 3.96, I have received the Amie Dansby Women in Technology National Award and have been honored as a VIP Women in Technology National Scholar and McCann National STEM Scholar. I leverage these technology skills to address community issues related to physical fitness and mental health. Sports can be crucial in helping kids have a healthy childhood and grow into responsible adults. Tragically, only 38% of kids ages 6-12 play organized sports, down from 45% in 2008, according to The Sports & Fitness Industry Association. Beyond this, 75% of 12-year-olds drop sports annually, largely due to the increasing costs of sports. To address this issue I started Play It Forward (fb.com/PlayItForwardGear) in 2018, collecting donated sports equipment across soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse and field hockey. The program has rallied our community, uniting to provide players with free gear to keep playing the sports they love. Over seven years, I have motivated hundreds of neighbors and residents to donate over 6,800 equipment pieces, equipping over 640 kids across nine communities, and leveling the playing field for sports access for kids. While I appreciate receiving the President George H.W. Bush Point of Light Award, National Liberty Museum Young Hero Medal, League of Philadelphia Good Citizenship Award, and Girl Scout Gold Award, the most significant validation is seeing the smiles on kids’ faces when they receive their gear. The experience of Play It Forward has cultivated my leadership, organization, determination, commitment, and, most of all, empathy, helping me become a better citizen for my school, community, and country. I use this to lead by example for others, particularly my younger sister, Molly, who is now running Play It Forward while I am in college. I am now advancing my technology talents to make more profound impacts on people by combining innovation and empathy. I look to develop powerful solutions to complex problems people are facing.

Service is the backbone of a strong community. It unites neighbors and elevates those in need. The word community is derived from the Latin term communis, which combines the Latin prefix “con”, which means “together” and “munis,” which means “performing services.” So the very world community is built on the idea of performing service together. There is perhaps no greater force than when a community is united for good. Sharing your skills and talents to help others is essential to this. One unique example is that I volunteer to sing the national anthem for local events. People should experience the national anthem live to feel its essence to elevate one’s patriotism and appreciation of our country. I perform for Veterans’ Day ceremonies at our local Veterans of Foreign Wars Post and my school. I sing for Little League Opening Day and district games, Rotary Club meetings, and events like Soldiers’ Christmas and charity 5K races. And while this is a relatively small act, the words of appreciation I receive after a performance convey a deep meaning to many who hear it. My most cherished vocal experience was singing for our Gold Star Garden dedication, honoring their fallen loved ones for their incredible sacrifice. As an AP Scholar with Honors, National Honor Society Member, and Honors with Distinction recipient in high school, I held a 4.0, taking over 20 advanced placement and honors courses. I refined my programming skills to win my school’s Java Programming Challenge and earned the Girl Scout / Raytheon Technologies Computer Science Programmer Journey Award. As a rising second-year computer science Dean’s List student at Villanova University with a 3.96, I have received the Amie Dansby Women in Technology National Award and have been honored as a VIP Women in Technology National Scholar and McCann National STEM Scholar. I leverage these technology skills to address community issues related to physical fitness and mental health. Sports can be crucial in helping kids have a healthy childhood and grow into responsible adults. Tragically, only 38% of kids ages 6-12 play organized sports, down from 45% in 2008, according to The Sports & Fitness Industry Association. Beyond this, 75% of 12-year-olds drop sports annually, largely due to the increasing costs of sports. To address this issue I started Play It Forward (fb.com/PlayItForwardGear) in 2018, collecting donated sports equipment across soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse and field hockey. The program has rallied our community, uniting to provide players with free gear to keep playing the sports they love. Over seven years, I have motivated hundreds of neighbors and residents to donate over 6,800 equipment pieces, equipping over 640 kids across nine communities, and leveling the playing field for sports access for kids. While I appreciate receiving the President George H.W. Bush Point of Light Award, National Liberty Museum Young Hero Medal, League of Philadelphia Good Citizenship Award, and Girl Scout Gold Award, the most significant validation is seeing the smiles on kids’ faces when they receive their gear. The experience of Play It Forward has cultivated my leadership, organization, determination, commitment, and, most of all, empathy, helping me become a better citizen for my school, community, and country. I use this to lead by example for others, particularly my younger sister, Molly, who is now running Play It Forward while I am in college. I am now advancing my technology talents to make more profound impacts on people by combining innovation and empathy. I look to develop powerful solutions to complex problems people are facing. I am working to build on the foundation of success to help better the lives of others.

While failure in a moment is often one of life's most challenging aspects, it can also be one of its most valuable lessons. When I was younger and less mature and observant, I failed my teammate. As a 12-year-old, she was struggling mentally and socially because she didn’t have the right soccer equipment - her shin guards were old and flimsy, she didn’t have her own ball for drills, and she wore sneakers since she didn’t have cleats. I befriended her, often being her drill partner since many other girls on our team shunned her. I didn’t realize at the time that her lack of equipment and socio-economic situation was the cause of this. She soon gave up soccer and eventually moved away. I realized I could have helped her by giving her some of the equipment I had outgrown, which may have kept her in sports and elevated her confidence. I failed to be a good friend and person in this situation. The following year, I played softball with a teammate who did not have their own helmet or cleats. I recognized the issue and casually asked her about her shoes and what size she wore. I discreetly brought her one of my outgrown helmets and cleats at the next practice. I will always remember her look of appreciation. Playing sports can be crucial in helping kids grow into responsible adults. Unfortunately, only 38% of kids ages 6-12 play organized team sports, down from 45% 2008, according to The Sports & Fitness Industry Association, with 75% of 12-year-old athletes dropping sports annually. To provide more kids with valuable sports experiences, I started ‘Play It Forward’ (fb.com/PlayItForwardGear) in 2018, collecting donated sports equipment across soccer, baseball, softball, and field hockey. The program has collected over 6,800 donated items, equipping over 640 kids across nine communities and providing more equal access to sports. While I sincerely appreciate that my efforts with ‘Play It Forward’ have been honored with the President George H.W. Bush Point of Light Award, the National Liberty Museum Young Hero Medal, the Union League of Philadelphia Good Citizenship Award, and the Girl Scout Gold Award, the most significant validation is seeing the smiles on kids’ faces when they receive their gear. The experience of Play It Forward has cultivated my leadership, determination, commitment, and, most of all, empathy, helping me become a better citizen for my school, community, and country. I am a better friend, sister, daughter, and person for it. I use this to lead by example, particularly my younger sister, Molly, who is now running Play It Forward for our community while I am in college. As a computer science major at Villanova University, I am now focusing on advancing my programming skills while refining my technology talents to make more meaningful engagements and profound impacts on people through the combination of science and service. I hope to find elegant solutions to complex problems people are facing. I aim to deliver engaging solutions to society's pressing problems, from elevating physical fitness to enhancing mental health. Learning advanced skills across data structures, machine learning, application development, and even artificial intelligence will allow me to devise and develop technology-driven innovations to address more pressing problems facing our society and beyond. Through all of this, it’s vital to remember that our greatest successes can come from our worst failures. We should never forget that while failure in a moment is often one of life's most challenging aspects, it can also be one of its most valuable lessons.

To me, success is elevating one's community by improving the lives of neighbors, friends, classmates, and fellow citizens in both small and significant ways. Service is the backbone of a strong community. It unites neighbors and elevates those in need. The word community is derived from the Latin term communis, which combines the Latin prefix “con”, which means “together” and “munis,” which means “performing services.” So the very world community is built on the idea of performing service together. I have seen no greater force than when a community is united for good. Sharing our skills and talents to help others is essential to improving one’s community. One unique example is that I volunteer to sing the national anthem for local community events. People need to experience the national anthem live to feel its essence to elevate one’s patriotism. I perform for Veterans’ Day ceremonies at our local Veterans of Foreign Wars Post and my school. I sing for Little League Opening Day and district games, Rotary Club meetings, Soldiers’ Christmas and charity 5K races. And while this is a relatively small act, the words of appreciation I receive after a performance convey a deep meaning to many who hear it. My most cherished vocal experience was singing for our Gold Star Garden dedication, honoring their fallen loved ones for their incredible sacrifice. As an AP Scholar with Honors, National Honor Society Member, and Honors with Distinction recipient in high school with a 4.0, I refined my programming skills to win my school’s Java Programming Challenge and earned the Girl Scout / Raytheon Technologies Computer Science Programmer Journey Award. As a rising second-year computer science Dean’s List student at Villanova University with a 3.96, I have received the Amie Dansby Women in Technology National Award and have been honored as a VIP Women in Technology National Scholar and McCann National STEM Scholar. I engage these technology skills to address community issues related to physical fitness and mental health. Playing sports can be crucial to kids having a healthy childhood and growing into responsible adults. Tragically, only 38% of kids ages 6-12 play organized sports, down from 45% in 2008, according to The Sports & Fitness Industry Association. Beyond this, 75% of 12-year-olds drop sports annually, largely due to the increasing costs of sports. To address this issue I started Play It Forward (fb.com/PlayItForwardGear) in 2018, collecting donated sports equipment across soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse and field hockey. The program has rallied our community, uniting to provide players with free gear to keep playing the sports they love. I have motivated hundreds of neighbors and residents to donate over 6,800 equipment pieces, equipping over 640 kids across nine communities and providing a level playing field for sports access for kids. It’s also kept thousands of pounds of equipment out of landfills. While I appreciate receiving the President George H.W. Bush Point of Light Award, National Liberty Museum Young Hero Medal, League of Philadelphia Good Citizenship Award, and Girl Scout Gold Award, the most significant validation is seeing the smiles on kids’ faces when they receive their gear. This experience has cultivated my leadership, organization, determination, commitment, and most of all, empathy, helping me become a better citizen for my school, community, and country. I am now focusing on advancing my technology talents to make more profound impacts on people through a combination of innovation and empathy. I hope to develop powerful solutions to complex problems people are facing. So, I am working to build on the foundation of success to help better the lives of both nearby friends and faraway strangers.

For me, success is elevating one's community by improving the lives of neighbors, friends, classmates, and fellow citizens in both small and significant ways. Service is the backbone of a strong community. It unites neighbors and elevates those in need. The word community is derived from the Latin term communis, which combines the Latin prefix “con”, which means “together” and “munis,” which means “performing services.” So the very world community is built on the idea of performing service together. There is perhaps no greater force than when a community is united for good. Sharing your skills and talents to help others is essential to improving one’s community. One unique example is that I volunteer to sing the national anthem for local community events. People need to experience the national anthem live to feel its essence to elevate one’s patriotism and love of community and country. I perform for Veterans’ Day ceremonies at our local Veterans of Foreign Wars Post and my school. I sing for Little League Opening Day and district games, Rotary Club meetings, and events like Soldiers’ Christmas and charity 5K races. And while this is a relatively small act, the words of appreciation I receive after a performance convey a deep meaning to many who hear it. My most cherished vocal experience was singing for our Gold Star Garden dedication, honoring their fallen loved ones for their incredible sacrifice. As an AP Scholar with Honors, National Honor Society Member, and Honors with Distinction recipient in high school, I held a 4.0, taking over 20 advanced placement and honors courses. I refined my programming skills to win my school’s Java Programming Challenge and earned the Girl Scout / Raytheon Technologies Computer Science Programmer Journey Award. As a rising second-year computer science Dean’s List student at Villanova University with a 3.96, I have received the Amie Dansby Women in Technology National Award and have been honored as a VIP Women in Technology National Scholar and McCann National STEM Scholar. I leverage these technology skills to address community issues related to physical fitness and mental health. It’s no secret that playing sports can be crucial in helping kids have a healthy childhood and grow into responsible adults. Tragically, only 38 percent of kids ages 6-12 play organized sports, down from 45 percent in 2008, according to The Sports & Fitness Industry Association. Beyond this, 75 percent of 12-year-olds drop sports annually, largely due to the increasing costs of sports. To address this issue I started Play It Forward (fb.com/PlayItForwardGear) in 2018, collecting donated sports equipment across soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse and field hockey. The program has rallied our community, uniting to provide players with free gear to keep playing the sports they love. Over seven years, I have motivated hundreds of neighbors and residents to donate over 6,800 equipment pieces, equipping over 640 kids across nine communities and providing a level playing field for sports access for kids. It’s also kept thousands of pounds of equipment out of landfills. While I appreciate receiving the President George H.W. Bush Point of Light Award, National Liberty Museum Young Hero Medal, League of Philadelphia Good Citizenship Award, and Girl Scout Gold Award, the most significant validation is seeing the smiles on kids’ faces when they receive their gear. The experience of Play It Forward has cultivated my leadership, organization, determination, commitment, and, most of all, empathy, helping me become a better citizen for my school, community, and country. I use this to lead by example and be a role model for others, particularly my younger sister, Molly, who is now overseeing Play It Forward for our community while I am in college, adding donation dropboxes around town. I am now focusing on advancing my technology talents to make more profound impacts on people through a combination of innovation and empathy. I hope to develop powerful solutions to complex problems people are facing. So, I am working to build on the foundation of success to help better the lives of both nearby friends and faraway strangers.

Service is the backbone of a strong community. It unites neighbors and elevates those in need. The word community is derived from the Latin term communis, which combines the Latin prefix “con”, which means “together” and “munis,” which means “performing services.” So the very world community is built on the idea of performing service together. I have found that there is perhaps no greater force than when a community is united for good. Sharing your skills and talents to help others is essential to improving one’s community. One unique example is that I volunteer to sing the national anthem for local community events. People need to experience the national anthem live to feel its essence to elevate one’s patriotism and love of community and country. I perform for Veterans’ Day ceremonies at our local Veterans of Foreign Wars Post and my school. I sing for Little League Opening Day and district games, Rotary Club meetings, and events like Soldiers’ Christmas and charity 5K races. Yet, my most cherished vocal experience was singing for our Gold Star Garden dedication, honoring their fallen loved ones for their incredible sacrifice. As an AP Scholar with Honors, National Honor Society Member, and Honors with Distinction recipient in high school, I held a 4.0, taking over 20 advanced placement and honors courses. I refined my programming skills to win my school’s Java Programming Challenge and earned the Girl Scout / Raytheon Technologies Computer Science Programmer Journey Award. As a rising second-year computer science Dean’s List student at Villanova University with a 3.96, I have received the Amie Dansby Women in Technology National Award and have been honored as a VIP Women in Technology National Scholar and McCann National STEM Scholar. I leverage these technology skils to address community issues related to physical fitness and mental health. It’s no secret that playing sports can be crucial in helping kids have a healthy childhood and grow into responsible adults. Tragically, only 38 percent of kids ages 6-12 play organized sports, down from 45 percent in 2008, according to The Sports & Fitness Industry Association. Beyond this, 75 percent of 12-year-olds drop sports annually, largely due to the increasing costs of sports. To address this issue I started Play It Forward (fb.com/PlayItForwardGear) in 2018, collecting donated sports equipment across soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse and field hockey. The program has rallied our community, uniting to provide players with free gear to keep playing the sports they love. Over seven years, I have motivated hundreds of neighbors and residents to donate over 6,800 equipment pieces, equipping over 630 kids across nine communities and providing a level playing field for sports access for kids. It’s also kept thousands of pounds of equipment out of landfills. While I appreciate receiving the President George H.W. Bush Point of Light Award, National Liberty Museum Young Hero Medal, League of Philadelphia Good Citizenship Award, and Girl Scout Gold Award, the most significant validation is seeing the smiles on kids’ faces when they receive their gear. The experience of Play It Forward has cultivated my leadership, organization, determination, commitment, and, most of all, empathy, helping me become a better citizen for my school, community, and country. I use this to lead by example and be a role model for others, particularly my younger sister, Molly, who is now running Play It Forward for our community while I am in college. I am now focusing on advancing my technology talents to make more profound impacts on people through a combination of innovation and empathy. I hope to develop powerful solutions to complex problems people are facing.

My initial interest in technology began with stories my grandfather told me of his career building and maintaining networks and mainframes for major corporations. He didn’t have the opportunity to go to college, so he enlisted in the US Air Force out of high school. There, he learned to build radar arrays for military bases worldwide. He used these skills to build a 30-year computer network career, working for companies like Mars, Campbell Soup, and DuPont. Our conversations ignited my technology interest, fueling me to max out my school’s computer science curriculum. These discussions sparked my technical problem-solving passion, motivating me to continue these studies in college. I have received the Amie Dansby Women in Technology National Award and have been honored as a VIP Women in Technology National Scholar and McCann National STEM Scholar. My passion for technology has driven me to address specific issues around physical fitness and mental health. For example, I’ve built a technology-driven solution to address decreasing youth sports participation, which impacts kids physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, only 38% of kids ages 6-12 play team sports today, down from 45% in 2008. Further research shows that 75% of 12-year-olds drop sports annually. My family had a garage filled with outgrown gear that we didn't know what to do with. I realized unused equipment must be scattered in homes across our community, so I developed a technology bridge using social engagement, inventory management and digital syndication connecting unused gear with sidelined kids called Play It Forward (fb.com/PlayItForwardGear) in 2018. The initiative collects donated sports equipment across soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse, and field hockey to provide free to kids so they can play. The foundation of the equipment donation program is technology spanning communication channels, social media platforms, an inventory management system and syndication networks. Play It Forward uses this technology to spread the word and motivate my neighbors, classmates and teammates to donate gear and support the program. Over five years, Play It Forward has collected 6,900+ items, equipping 640+ kids from nine communities, receiving the Girl Scout Gold Award, President George H.W. Bush Point of Light Award, Union League of Philadelphia Good Citizen Award, and National Liberty Museum Young Hero Medal. However, the true validation is seeing kids' smiles when they receive their gear. As a first-year computer science student at Villanova University holding a 3.96, I am studying machine learning, data structures, discrete mathematics, and computational strategies to develop more solutions to pressing societal issues. I owe this future focus on technology to my grandfather who sparked my interest and encourages me every step of the way.

My grandfather has shared our Lithuanian culture for as long as I can recall. He told us about how his surname Gable was changed from Gabalis when our family ancestors immigrated from Lithuania to the United States, and how he grew up in an inner-city Philadelphia Lithuanian community as one of seven kids with tales that would make a fantastic screenplay. When Pop-Pop took us to visit his old Port Richmond neighborhood, he’d show us important Lithuanian heritage sites, including the Lithuanian Music Hall, Lithuanian National Hall and St. George Lithuanian Church. He would explain how Philadelphia is the ideal city in America to see Lithuanian communities and its preserved heritage. Pop-Pop would share how incredible Lithuania’s global impact has been from architecture and art to culture and churches. He emphasized how incredible this is considering Lithuania’s relatively small population of three million citizens and its incredible perseverance through genocide. Given the impoverished state he lived in, Pop-Pop wasn’t able to attend college, so he enlisted in the Air Force where he built radar arrays protecting military bases worldwide. He transformed these skills into a 30-year technology career. Our discussions always came back to the work ethic and determination of our Lithuanian heritage. These conversations ignited my passion for technical problem-solving, motivating me to max out my high school’s computer science curriculum and study it in college. While technology receives appropriate criticism, my career in computer science will allow me to develop innovative solutions that unite communities around issues to enhance equity, accessibility, and inclusivity, as I have accomplished over the past several years. For example, I have built a technology initiative to increase youth sports participation, which impacts kids physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, only 38% of kids ages 6-12 play team sports, down from 45% in 2008, with 75% of 12-year-olds dropping sports annually. My family had a garage full of outgrown sports gear from my sister and me that we didn't know what to do with. I realized unused equipment must be scattered in homes across our community, so I built a technology bridge to connect gear donations with the sidelined kids who needed it. From this, the idea of Play It Forward (fb.com/PlayItForwardGear) was born in 2018. The initiative collects donated sports equipment across soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse, and field hockey to provide free to kids. Stanford University research shows that playing sports gives kids better vision, a healthier weight, elevated motor and social skills, improved self-confidence, teamwork, perseverance, and leadership. Over the past five years, Play It Forward has collected 6,800+ donations, equipping over 630 kids from nine communities. The program has been honored with the Girl Scout Gold Award, President George H.W. Bush Point of Light Award, Union League of Philadelphia Good Citizenship Award, National Liberty Museum Young Hero Medal, and U.S. Congressional commendation for service leadership. However, the greatest validation is seeing kids' smiles when they receive their gear. As a first-year Villanova University computer science student with a 3.96 GPA, an Amie Dansby Women in Technology National Award recipient, McCann National STEM Scholar and VIP Women in Technology National Scholar, my dream is to elevate my technology skills to deliver more advanced solutions to resolve more pressing societal challenges. My goal is to align empathy and technology to help communities persevere, much like the Lithuanian community has over the ages. Through all of this, my success has been deeply impacted by my Pop-Pop and influenced by my Lithuanian roots, particularly the unrivaled work ethic and perseverance it has given me.

Integrity, commitment and empathy are three of the most important values that guide strong leaders. These traits can also elevate the connections we have in neighborhoods and communities. I strive to embrace these characteristics in every aspect of my life; in my school, organizations, relationships and beyond. The honesty and morality that serve as the roots of integrity help leaders commit themselves to doing what is right. This includes helping others, whether a friend or stranger. Commitment is built on dedication to one’s neighborhood and community and helping to provide support that strengthens and elevates those within these groups. Empathy is perhaps the most important trait a strong leader can have. The ability to understand the point of view of others and share their feelings allows individuals to perspective of compassion, and make decisions that focus on the needs of those individuals. Academically, as a Dean’s List student holding a 3.96, I use these traits in helping others with campus community service projects, like St. Thomas of Villanova Service Initiative, where we provide support and service to Philadelphia area churches. I also oversee different study groups and tutoring sessions to help my classmates in different subjects, particularly fellow female computer science students who are competing in a male-dominated realm. Beyond school, I also look to address issues facing my town. For example, one significant challenge facing my community and the nation is decreasing youth sports participation. The Sports & Fitness Industry Association reports that only 38 percent of kids ages 6-12 play team sports today, down from 45 percent in 2008, with about 75 percent of 12-year-olds dropping sports annually. In addition, the Rand Study says families earning below $50,000 say that cost is the top reason their kids stop playing. This is causing kids to miss out on a spectrum of benefits from sports. As Stanford University research shows, playing sports benefits kids with better vision, healthier weight, elevated motor and social skills, and improved confidence. Playing also instills leadership, conveys teamwork and teaches commitment. To counter this negative trend, I started ‘Play It Forward’ in 2018, collecting donated sports equipment for soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse, and field hockey. Over five years, ‘Play It Forward’ has collected over 6,800 equipment items, equipping over 630 kids from nine surrounding communities. My efforts have been honored with the Girl Scout Gold Award, a United States Congressional commemoration, a Pennsylvania Legislative citation for service leadership, and a Pennsylvania VFW Scout of the Year honor. This initiative has helped strengthen my integrity, deepen my commitment, and cultivate my empathy. As such, I have also been honored with the President George H.W. Bush Point of Light Award, the Union League of Philadelphia Good Citizenship Award, the Pennsylvania Veterans of Foreign Wars Scout of the Year honor, and the National Liberty Museum Young Hero Medal. As a rising second-year computer science major at Villanova University, I am focusing on advancing my technology skills to continue making meaningful impacts and delivering entertaining and educational experiences that solve societal challenges. My abilities as a computer science student have been honored with national STEM awards including the Amie Dansby Women in Technology Award and as a McCann National STEM Scholar and VIP Women in Technology Scholar. Each of these experiences continues to elevate my integrity, commitment and empathy as I work to enhance my leadership skills. The Strong Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarship would be a tremendous resource in helping me to accomplish the goal of becoming a leader focused on elevating my community by addressing pressing issues and helping others in need.

My initial interest in technology began with stories my grandfather told me of his career building and maintaining networks and mainframes for major corporations. He didn’t have the opportunity to go to college, so he enlisted in the US Air Force out of high school. There, he learned to build radar arrays for military bases worldwide. He used these skills to build a 30-year computer network career, working for companies like Mars, Campbell Soup, and DuPont. Our conversations ignited my technology interest, fueling me to max out my school’s computer science curriculum. These discussions sparked my technical problem-solving passion, motivating me to continue these studies in college. I have received the Amie Dansby Women in Technology National Award and have been honored as a VIP Women in Technology National Scholar and McCann National STEM Scholar. My passion for technology has driven me to address specific issues around physical fitness and mental health. For example, I’ve built a technology-driven solution to address decreasing youth sports participation, which impacts kids physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, only 38% of kids ages 6-12 play team sports today, down from 45% in 2008. Further research shows that 75% of 12-year-olds drop sports annually. My family had a garage filled with outgrown gear that we didn't know what to do with. I realized unused equipment must be scattered in homes across our community, so I developed a technology bridge using social engagement, inventory management and digital syndication connecting unused gear with sidelined kids called Play It Forward (fb.com/PlayItForwardGear) in 2018. The initiative collects donated sports equipment across soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse, and field hockey to provide free to kids so they can play. Over five years, Play It Forward has collected 6,900+ items, equipping 630+ kids from nine communities, receiving the Girl Scout Gold Award, President George H.W. Bush Point of Light Award, Union League of Philadelphia Good Citizen Award, and National Liberty Museum Young Hero Medal. However, the true validation is seeing kids' smiles when they receive their gear. As a first-year computer science student at Villanova University holding a 4.0, I am studying machine learning, data structures, discrete mathematics, and computational strategies to develop more solutions to pressing societal issues. I owe this future focus on technology to my grandfather who sparked my interest and encourages me every step of the way.

As I ran to keep up with Pop-Pop’s long stride, my excitement for our destination overcame the exhaustion of my little legs. He grasped my tiny hand in a futile effort to keep me focused on our journey rather than the passing butterfly. Finally, he looked down to coax me with a smile, saying, “Come on, we’re almost there.” As we passed through the grove of pines shielding the hidden hill, my three-year-old worries washed away like the cool dancing currents of our journey’s end. Visiting ‘the creek,’ as it is simply known, was like venturing to Oz, Neverland, or countless other enchanting worlds. Little did I know that this creek’s magic would be revealed as the setting for many influential moments of my life over the coming years. The journey to the creek is not long, but in my younger years, it was adventurous. The early conversations between Pop-Pop and I consisted of lessons on everything from clouds and crawfish to currents and caterpillars. As I would throw pebbles into the rippling water, I would toss him whatever questions were crossing my mind. In turn, he would respond to each irrespective of whether all the facts were accurate. As the stream changed, so did I. The walks became easier as my legs grew, and our conversations became more engaging. At eight years old, I listened to Pop-Pop retell stories of distant literary lands like Hogwarts, Narnia, and Middle-Earth. Conversely, he listened intently to my imagined tales of dragons and warriors. At 13 years old, you’d probably think my interest in walking to the creek with Pop-Pop would have long disappeared. Actually, it was a time for me to explain the evolving plots and characters I was developing while he shared the trials he faced as a kid. As I listened to his tales of growing up in poverty as one of seven children in inner-city Philadelphia, the man who had long been my traveling sidekick was evolving into my greatest hero. Despite his early hardships, Pop-Pop always wore a smile and wrapped his despondent tales in humor, like when he was 10 and returned home, only to find his family had moved a block away - but forgot to tell him. While I was never sure of the balance of truth in his stories, it was clear that Pop-Pop had lived a difficult early life but was full of happiness and gratitude. His perseverance inspired me to start initiatives where I support kids, some even who reflect that 10-year-old version of him. At 15, I learned about him enlisting in the Air Force, where he learned to build radar systems. He transformed these skills into a 30-year mainframe computer and network career. These conversations intrigued me enough to take every high school computer science course I could, sparking an interest to continue these studies in college. Today, our creek trips are less frequent due to nagging back pain and a hip replacement. Regardless, I deeply enjoy our time together at the water’s edge, where conversations now revolve around plans, dreams, and the road ahead. When I think about this place, it amazes me how these progressive creek chats have built a foundation for my values, interests, passions, and goals. I am grateful for Pop-Pop’s inspiration and adore his influence on my life. I cherish that this creek has been the setting for so many milestone moments. Our journey there takes a bit longer now, but I don’t mind the extra time as I find myself coaxing him with a smile and saying, “Come on, we’re almost there.”

My initial interest in technology began with stories my grandfather told me of his career building and maintaining networks and mainframes for major corporations. He didn’t have the opportunity to go to college, so he enlisted in the United States Air Force out of high school. There, he learned to build the technical systems for radar arrays around the world, from US military bases across Germany to the Pentagon. He then used these skills as the foundation for a 30-year career in mainframe and computer network technology, where he worked for companies like Mars, Campbell Soup, and DuPont. The conversations I had over the years with him ignited an interest in me that burned brightly, fueling me to max out the computer science curriculum at my high school. I developed a passion for technical problem-solving that motivated me to continue these studies in college. I graduated as a Champion of Learning, AP Scholar with Honors, National Honor Society Member, and Honors with Distinction recipient, holding a 4.0 and taking over 20 advanced placement and honors courses over my high school career. Refining my programming skills, I’ve won my school’s Java Programming Challenge and earned the Girl Scout / Raytheon Technologies Computer Science Programmer Journey Award. As a first-year computer science Dean’s List student with a 4.0, I have received the Amie Dansby Women in Technology National Award and have been honored as a VIP Women in Technology National Scholar and Study.com Women in Computer Science National Scholar. Beyond this, I leverage technology to address community, national, and global issues, using social media, communication platforms, inventory systems, video applications, and syndication networks to address issues ranging from physical fitness to mental health. For example, I have built a technology-driven solution to address decreasing youth sports participation in my community, which impacts kids physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, only 38 percent of kids ages 6 to 12 play team sports today, down from 45 percent in 2008. Further research shows that 75 percent of 12-year-olds drop sports annually. My family had a garage filled with outgrown gear, from cleats and bats to gloves and bags, from my sister and me that we didn't know what to do with. I realized unused equipment must be scattered in homes across our community, so I developed a technology bridge to connect this unused gear with sidelined kids, which became Play It Forward (fb.com/PlayItForwardGear) in 2018. The initiative collects donated sports equipment across soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse, and field hockey to provide free to kids so they can play. The lynchpin to Play It Forward is technology. It leverages social platforms and communication tools to educate and engage supporters and inventory management systems to track and distribute donated equipment to kids. Play It Forward engages and motivates residents to participate in and promote the program. Over five years, Play It Forward has collected 6,900+ items worth ~$323,000, equipping 630+ kids from nine communities, and been honored with the Girl Scout Gold Award, President George H.W. Bush Point of Light Award, Union League of Philadelphia Good Citizen Award, and National Liberty Museum Young Hero Medal. However, the genuine validation is seeing kids' smiles when they receive their own gear. As a first-year computer science student at Villanova University, I am studying evolving areas, including machine learning, data structures, discrete mathematics, and computational strategies. I aim to use these advanced technology talents to address more challenging community issues by delivering engaging and effective technology solutions that help elevate others.

While technology appropriately receives tremendous criticism for its impact on mental health, it can also be an equalizer for the less fortunate in our world when it is used to unite and rally people around a problem. How it connects, engages, and motivates individuals can effectively bring communities together to address and resolve issues. This can result in a more fair, accessible, and inclusive world where technology serves as the bridge to solutions. I use technology in this very way to innovate solutions. One significant issue facing my community and the nation is decreasing youth sports participation, which impacts kids physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, only 38 percent of kids ages 6 to 12 play team sports today, down from 45 percent in 2008. Project Play reports that families spend approximately $700 yearly on their children's sports. The Rand Study reveals that families earning below $50,000 say that cost is why their kids stop playing sports. Further research shows that 75 percent of 12-year-olds drop sports annually. My family had shelves in our garage filled with outgrown gear from my sister and me that we didn't know what to do with, from cleats and bags to bats and gloves. I realized unused equipment must be scattered in garages, basements, and sheds across our community. I thought about how to build a technology bridge to connect this unused gear with the sidelined kids who needed it. From this, the idea of 'Play It Forward' was born. I started Play It Forward (fb.com/PlayItForwardGear) in 2018, collecting donated sports equipment across soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse, and field hockey to provide free to kids so they can play. Stanford University research shows that playing sports benefits kids with better vision, healthier weight, elevated motor and social skills, and improved self-confidence. It also teaches teamwork, perseverance, and leadership. The lynchpin to Play It Forward’s success is technology. However, the initiative has also cultivated my determination, commitment, innovation, and above all else, my empathy. The program also serves as a model in our community that encourages others to elevate their own compassion and commitment to others around them. Over the past five years, Play It Forward has collected over 6,900 equipment items worth an estimated $293,000 and equipped over 590 kids from eight communities. As a result, the program has been honored with the Girl Scout Gold Award, President George H.W. Bush Point of Light Award, Union League of Philadelphia Good Citizen Award, National Liberty Museum Young Hero Medal, United States Congressional commendation, and Pennsylvania Legislative citation for service leadership. However, the most significant validation is seeing kids' smiles when they receive their equipment, knowing they can play with their friends. Play It Forward is just one example of how technology serves as an equalizer for those in need around us. The connection, engagement, and motivation it provides to individuals unite communities to resolve issues, which results in a more fair, accessible, and inclusive world. As a first-year computer science major at Villanova University, an Amie Dansby Women in Technology National Award recipient, McCann STEM National Scholar and a VIP Women in Technology National Scholar, I focus on advancing my programming skills while refining my technology talents to deliver further meaningful engagements that solve societal challenges. I aim to become an expert in technology innovation to develop solutions to address some of society's pressing problems. The TEAM ROX Scholarship would be tremendously supportive in helping me to achieve this.

While technology appropriately receives tremendous criticism for its impact on mental health, it can also be an equalizer for the less fortunate in our world when it is used to unite and rally people around a problem. How it connects, engages, and motivates individuals can effectively bring communities together to address and resolve issues. This can result in a more fair, accessible, and inclusive world where technology serves as the bridge to solutions. I use technology in this very way to innovate solutions. One significant issue facing my community and the nation is decreasing youth sports participation, which impacts kids physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, only 38 percent of kids ages 6 to 12 play team sports today, down from 45 percent in 2008. Project Play reports that families spend approximately $700 yearly on their children's sports. The Rand Study reveals that families earning below $50,000 say that cost is why their kids stop playing sports. Further research shows that 75 percent of 12-year-olds drop sports annually. My family had shelves in our garage filled with outgrown gear from my sister and me that we didn't know what to do with, from cleats and bags to bats and gloves. I realized unused equipment must be scattered in garages, basements, and sheds across our community. I thought about how to build a technology bridge to connect this unused gear with the sidelined kids who needed it. From this, the idea of 'Play It Forward' was born. I started Play It Forward (fb.com/PlayItForwardGear) in 2018, collecting donated sports equipment across soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse, and field hockey to provide free to kids so they can play. Stanford University research shows that playing sports benefits kids with better vision, healthier weight, elevated motor and social skills, and improved self-confidence. It also teaches teamwork, perseverance, and leadership. The lynchpin to Play It Forward’s success is technology. It uses social platforms and communication tools to educate, inform, and engage our residents, as well as inventory management systems to help track and distribute the incoming donated equipment to youth athletes across our community. This technology connects, engages, and motivates residents to participate and spread the word. Over the past five years, Play It Forward has collected over 6,900 equipment items worth an estimated $293,000 and equipped over 590 kids from eight communities. As a result, the program has been honored with the Girl Scout Gold Award, President George H.W. Bush Point of Light Award, Union League of Philadelphia Good Citizen Award, National Liberty Museum Young Hero Medal, United States Congressional commendation, and Pennsylvania Legislative citation for service leadership. However, the most significant validation is seeing kids' smiles when they receive their equipment, knowing they can play with their friends. Play It Forward is just one example of how technology serves as an equalizer for those in need around us. The connection, engagement, and motivation it provides to individuals unite communities to resolve issues, which results in a more fair, accessible, and inclusive world. As a first-year computer science major at Villanova University, an Amie Dansby Women in Technology National Award recipient, McCann STEM National Scholar and a VIP Women in Technology National Scholar, I focus on advancing my programming skills while refining my technology talents to deliver further meaningful engagements that solve societal challenges. I aim to become an expert in technology innovation to develop solutions to address some of society's pressing problems. The Morgan Levine Dolan Community Service Scholarship would be tremendously supportive in helping me to achieve this.

Social media often receives appropriate criticism for its detrimental impact on mental health. However, its ability to connect communities to help those in need inspires me and serves as a foundation for my efforts to elevate people's mental and physical health across my community. Since 2018 I have run the donation initiative Play It Forward (fb.com/PlayItForwardGear), providing sports equipment to youth athletes across my community. It’s built on a technology foundation with a social media backbone that addresses decreasing youth sports participation, impacting the physical, mental, social, and emotional well-being of kids. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, only 38 percent of kids ages 6 to 12 play team sports today, down from 45 percent in 2008. The Rand Study reveals that families earning below $50,000 say that cost is largely why their kids stop playing. Further research shows that 75 percent of 12-year-olds drop sports annually. My family had a garage filled with outgrown gear, from cleats and bats to gloves and bags, from my sister and me that we didn't know what to do with. I realized unused equipment must be scattered in homes across our community. I thought about how to build a technology bridge to connect this unused gear with the sidelined kids who needed it. The lynchpin to Play It Forward is technology, using social media, like Facebook, to educate and engage supporters, with inventory management systems to distribute donated soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse, and field hockey equipment to kids. Play It Forward connects and motivates people to participate in and promote the program largely through the Facebook app. Over five years Play It Forward has collected over 6,800 items worth about $293,000, equipping nearly 600 kids across nine communities. It validates Stanford University’s research showing that playing sports benefits kids with better vision, healthier weight, elevated motor and social skills, and improved self-confidence. The beneficiaries of Play It Forward are both happier and healthier when playing sports. The program’s impact has been honored with the Girl Scout Gold Award, President George H.W. Bush Point of Light Award, Union League of Philadelphia Good Citizen Award, National Liberty Museum Young Hero Medal, and a US Congressional commendation. However, the most significant validation is seeing kids' smiles when they receive their own sports gear. Play It Forward has not only impacted hundreds of kids, but it’s also transformed my life, showing me the power of empathy, commitment and selflessness. It’s also motivating me to want to help more people in more impactful ways. Impacting the mental well-being of others, particularly kids, elevates my own mental health by providing me a sense of purpose in helping others and elevating my community. This has shown me first-hand how vital preserving one’s mental fitness is and how consistent acts of kindness can boost the state of mind of others around you. As a first-year Villanova University computer science major with a 4.0 GPA, an Amie Dansby Women in Technology National Award recipient, and a VIP Women in Technology National Scholar, I am now focusing on advancing my technology skills to deliver more advanced solutions to societal challenges. I am looking to use technology to unite communities to address pressing challenges and elevate the lives of more people in need.

Technology is an equalizer for the less fortunate in our world when it is used to unite people around a problem. How it connects, engages, and motivates individuals can effectively bring communities together to address and resolve issues. This can result in a more fair, accessible, and inclusive world where technology serves as the bridge to solutions. I use technology in this very way to innovate solutions. One significant issue facing my community and the nation is decreasing youth sports participation, which impacts kids physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, only 38 percent of kids ages 6 to 12 play team sports today, down from 45 percent in 2008. Project Play reports that families spend approximately $700 yearly on their children's sports. The Rand Study reveals that families earning below $50,000 say that cost is why their kids stop playing sports. Further research shows that 75 percent of 12-year-olds drop sports annually. My family had shelves in our garage filled with outgrown gear from my sister and me that we didn't know what to do with, from cleats and bags to bats and gloves. I realized unused equipment must be scattered in garages, basements, and sheds across our community. I thought about how to build a technology bridge to connect this unused gear with the sidelined kids who needed it. From this, the idea of 'Play It Forward' was born. I started ‘Play It Forward’ (fb.com/PlayItForwardGear) in 2018, collecting donated sports equipment across soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse, and field hockey to provide free to kids so they can play. Stanford University research shows that playing sports benefits kids with better vision, healthier weight, elevated motor and social skills, and improved self-confidence. It also teaches teamwork, perseverance, and leadership. The lynchpin to Play It Forward’s success is technology. It uses social platforms and communication tools to educate, inform, and engage our residents, as well as inventory management systems to help track and distribute the incoming donated equipment to youth athletes across our community. This technology connects, engages, and motivates residents to participate and spread the word. Over the past five years, ‘Play It Forward’ has collected over 6,900 equipment items worth an estimated $293,000 and equipped over 590 kids from eight communities. As a result, the program has been honored with the Girl Scout Gold Award, President George H.W. Bush Point of Light Award, Union League of Philadelphia Good Citizen Award, National Liberty Museum Young Hero Medal, United States Congressional commendation, and Pennsylvania Legislative citation for service leadership. However, the most significant validation is seeing kids' smiles when they receive their equipment, knowing they can play with their friends. As a first-year computer science major at Villanova University, an Amie Dansby Women in Technology National Award recipient, and a VIP Women in Technology National Scholar, I focus on advancing my programming skills while refining my technology talents to deliver further meaningful engagements that solve societal challenges. I aim to become an expert in technology innovation to develop solutions to address some of society's pressing problems. 'Play It Forward' is just one example of how technology serves as an equalizer for those in need around us. The connection, engagement, and motivation it provides to individuals unite communities to resolve issues, which results in a more fair, accessible, and inclusive world.

Technology is an equalizer for the less fortunate in our world when it is used to unite people around a problem. How it connects, engages, and motivates individuals can effectively bring communities together to address and resolve issues. This can result in a more fair, accessible, and inclusive world where technology serves as the bridge to solutions. I use technology in this very way to innovate solutions. One significant issue facing my community and the nation is decreasing youth sports participation, which impacts kids physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, only 38 percent of kids ages 6 to 12 play team sports today, down from 45 percent in 2008. Project Play reports that families spend approximately $700 yearly on their children's sports. The Rand Study reveals that families earning below $50,000 say that cost is why their kids stop playing sports. Further research shows that 75 percent of 12-year-olds drop sports annually. My family had shelves in our garage filled with outgrown gear from my sister and me that we didn't know what to do with, from cleats and bags to bats and gloves. I realized unused equipment must be scattered in garages, basements, and sheds across our community. I thought about how to build a technology bridge to connect this unused gear with the sidelined kids who needed it. From this, the idea of Play It Forward was born. I started ‘Play It Forward’ (fb.com/PlayItForwardGear) in 2018, collecting donated sports equipment across soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse, and field hockey to provide free to kids so they can play. Stanford University research shows that playing sports benefits kids with better vision, healthier weight, elevated motor and social skills, and improved self-confidence. It also teaches teamwork, perseverance, and leadership. The lynchpin to Play It Forward’s success is technology. It uses social platforms and communication tools to educate, inform, and engage our residents, as well as inventory management systems to help track and distribute the incoming donated equipment to youth athletes across our community. This technology connects, engages, and motivates residents to participate and spread the word. Over the past five years, ‘Play It Forward’ has collected over 6,800 equipment items worth an estimated $293,000 and equipped over 590 kids from eight communities. As a result, the program has been honored with the Girl Scout Gold Award, President George H.W. Bush Point of Light Award, Union League of Philadelphia Good Citizen Award, National Liberty Museum Young Hero Medal, United States Congressional commendation, and Pennsylvania Legislative citation for service leadership. However, the most significant validation is seeing kids' smiles when they receive their equipment, knowing they can play with their friends. As a first-year computer science major at Villanova University, an Amie Dansby Women in Technology National Award recipient, and a VIP Women in Technology National Scholar, I focus on advancing my programming skills while refining my technology talents to deliver further meaningful engagements that solve societal challenges. I aim to become an expert in technology innovation to develop solutions to address some of society's pressing problems. 'Play It Forward' is just one example of how technology serves as an equalizer for those in need around us. The connection, engagement, and motivation it provides to individuals unite communities to resolve issues, which results in a more fair, accessible, and inclusive world.

One of the values I appreciate most in others is selflessness because it often requires empathy, generosity, compassion, and attentiveness. My Mom is my constant example of this as a volunteer, coach, daughter, pediatrician, and parent. She continuously gives her time and talents to others in need across our community in a variety of roles. Given this continuous generosity for others I have focused on combining selflessness with my technology talents to devise solutions to elevate the health and welfare of others. Academically, I graduated high school earlier this past year as a 4.0 Distinguished Honor Student and National Honor Society Member. I also currently carry a 4.0 in my first college semester as a computer science major. Aside from singing in the Villanova University Women’s Choir and competing for the school’s Taekwondo Team, I also volunteer for a variety of programs helping organizations around Philadelphia. My commitment to academic excellence and extracurricular performance also comes from my Mom, who volunteers for community health programs, teaches medical students, and serves our local soccer program as a coach and board member. Regarding technology, I am an Amie Dansby Women in Technology National Award recipient, a VIP Women in Technology National Scholar, a McCann STEM Scholar and a Study.com Women in Computer Science National Scholar. I am studying various evolving areas, including machine learning, data structures, and computational strategies. For years, I’ve engaged technology, from video production and data management to communication tools and social media syndication, to better the lives of friends, family, neighbors, classmates, teammates, and strangers. For example, playing sports can help kids to grow into responsible adults. Unfortunately, only 38 percent of kids ages 6 to 12 play organized team sports, down from 45 percent in 2008, according to The Sports & Fitness Industry Association. In short, high equipment costs are often sidelining them. To counter this, I started ‘Play It Forward’ (fb.com/PlayItForwardGear) in 2018, collecting donated sports equipment across soccer, baseball, softball, and field hockey. The program delivers free gear to players to enjoy sports. ‘Play It Forward’ has collected over 6,800 donated equipment items worth an estimated $287,000, equipping nearly 600 kids in need across eight communities, providing a level playing field for kids. While I appreciate that my ‘Play It Forward’ efforts have been honored with the President George H.W. Bush Point of Light Award, National Liberty Museum Young Hero Medal, Union League of Philadelphia Good Citizenship Award, and Girl Scout Gold Award, the true validation is seeing kids’ smiles when they receive their own gear. Overall, I leverage technology to help solve community issues. This allows me to impact others by improving their physical health, social engagement, and emotional well-being. As a first-year computer science major at Villanova University, I am now focusing on advancing my technology talents to make more meaningful engagements and profound impacts on others. The desire to help others largely comes from my Mom, who daily helps guide children and their families through health issues as a pediatrician. While I don’t have the aptitude for a medical career like my Mom, I am focused on using my technology talents to help others improve their mental and physical well-being.

Social media often receives appropriate criticism for its detrimental impact on mental health. However, its ability to connect communities to help those in need inspires me and serves as a foundation for my efforts to elevate people's mental and physical health across my community. Since 2018 I have run the donation initiative Play It Forward (fb.com/PlayItForwardGear), providing sports equipment to youth athletes across my community. It’s built on a technology foundation with a social media backbone that addresses decreasing youth sports participation, impacting the physical, mental, social, and emotional well-being of kids. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, only 38 percent of kids ages 6 to 12 play team sports today, down from 45 percent in 2008. The Rand Study reveals that families earning below $50,000 say that cost is largely why their kids stop playing. Further research shows that 75 percent of 12-year-olds drop sports annually. My family had a garage filled with outgrown gear, from cleats and bats to gloves and bags, from my sister and me that we didn't know what to do with. I realized unused equipment must be scattered in homes across our community. I thought about how to build a technology bridge to connect this unused gear with the sidelined kids who needed it. The lynchpin to Play It Forward is technology, using social media, like Facebook, to educate and engage supporters, with inventory management systems to distribute donated soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse, and field hockey equipment to kids. Play It Forward connects and motivates people to participate in and promote the program largely through the Facebook app. Over five years Play It Forward has collected 6,800+ items worth ~$273,000, equipping 580+ kids from eight communities. The program’s impact has been honored with the Girl Scout Gold Award, President George H.W. Bush Point of Light Award, Union League of Philadelphia Good Citizen Award, National Liberty Museum Young Hero Medal, and a US Congressional commendation. However, the most significant validation is seeing kids' smiles when they receive their own gear. As a first-year Villanova University computer science major with a 4.0 GPA, an Amie Dansby Women in Technology National Award recipient, and a VIP Women in Technology National Scholar, I am now focusing on advancing my technology skills to deliver more impactful solutions to societal challenges.

My initial interest in technology began with stories my grandfather told me of his career building and maintaining networks and mainframes for major corporations. He didn’t have the opportunity to go to college, so he enlisted in the United States Air Force out of high school. There, he learned to build the technical systems for radar arrays worldwide, from US military bases across Europe to the Pentagon, protecting American military bases and our nation. He then used these skills as the foundation for a 30-year career in mainframe and computer network technology, where he worked for companies like Mars, Campbell Soup, and DuPont. The conversations I had over the years with him ignited an interest in me that burned brightly, fueling me to max out the computer science curriculum at my high school. I developed a passion for technical problem-solving that motivated me to continue these studies in college. I graduated as a Champion of Learning, AP Scholar with Honors, National Honor Society Member, and Honors with Distinction recipient, holding a 4.0 and taking over 20 advanced placement and honors courses over my high school career. With refined programming skills, I won my school’s Java Programming Challenge and earned the Girl Scout / Raytheon Technologies Computer Science Programmer Journey Award. I have also received the Amie Dansby Women in Technology National Award and have been honored as a VIP Women in Technology National Scholar, McCann STEM National Scholar, and Study.com Women in Computer Science National Scholar. Beyond this, I leverage technology to address community, national, and global issues, using social media, communication platforms, inventory systems, video applications, and syndication networks to address issues ranging from physical fitness to mental health. As a first-year student at Villanova University, I am studying various evolving areas, including machine learning, data structures, discrete mathematics, and computational strategies. I hold a 4.0 GPA and have received Dean’s List honors. I am also considering applying for Villanova’s select combined Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and a Master of Science in either Computer Science or Software Engineering, an accelerated five-year program. I am focused on advancing my programming skills while refining my technology talents to continue to make meaningful engagements and impacts. Additionally, my goal is to address challenging issues within cybersecurity. Given my skills and interests in technology, problem-solving, and helping people, my commitment to productivity and accountability, and being thorough, well-prepared, and well-organized, cybersecurity will undoubtedly be my ideal career path. The William A. Stuart Dream Scholarship would provide tremendous support to helping me achieve this goal.

Technology is an equalizer for the less fortunate in our world when it is used to unite people around a problem. How it connects, engages, and motivates individuals can effectively bring communities together to address and resolve issues. This can result in a more fair, accessible, and inclusive world where technology serves as the bridge to solutions. I use technology in this very way to innovate solutions. One significant issue facing my community and the nation is decreasing youth sports participation, which impacts kids physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, only 38 percent of kids ages 6 to 12 play team sports today, down from 45 percent in 2008. Project Play reports that families spend approximately $700 yearly on their children's sports. The Rand Study reveals that families earning below $50,000 say that cost is why their kids stop playing sports. Further research shows that 75 percent of 12-year-olds drop sports annually. My family had shelves in our garage filled with outgrown gear from my sister and me that we didn't know what to do with, from cleats and bags to bats and gloves. I realized unused equipment must be scattered in garages, basements, and sheds across our community. I thought about how to build a technology bridge to connect this unused gear with the sidelined kids who needed it. From this, the idea of Play It Forward was born. I started ‘Play It Forward’ (fb.com/PlayItForwardGear) in 2018, collecting donated sports equipment across soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse, and field hockey to provide free to kids so they can play. Stanford University research shows that playing sports benefits kids with better vision, healthier weight, elevated motor and social skills, and improved self-confidence. It also teaches teamwork, perseverance, and leadership. The lynchpin to Play It Forward’s success is technology. It uses social platforms and communication tools to educate, inform, and engage our residents, as well as inventory management systems to help track and distribute the incoming donated equipment to youth athletes across our community. This technology connects, engages, and motivates residents to participate and spread the word. Over the past five years, ‘Play It Forward’ has collected over 6,600 equipment items worth an estimated $233,000 and equipped over 570 kids from eight communities. As a result, the program has been honored with the Girl Scout Gold Award, President George H.W. Bush Point of Light Award, Union League of Philadelphia Good Citizen Award, National Liberty Museum Young Hero Medal, United States Congressional commendation, and Pennsylvania Legislative citation for service leadership. However, the most significant validation is seeing kids' smiles when they receive their equipment, knowing they can play with their friends. As a first-year computer science major at Villanova University, an Amie Dansby Women in Technology National Award recipient, and a VIP Women in Technology National Scholar, I focus on advancing my programming skills while refining my technology talents to deliver further meaningful engagements that solve societal challenges. I aim to become an expert in technology innovation to develop solutions to address some of society's pressing problems. Play It Forward is just one example of how technology serves as an equalizer for those in need around us. The connection, engagement, and motivation it provides to individuals unite communities to resolve issues, which results in a more fair, accessible, and inclusive world.

Technology is an equalizer for the less fortunate in our world when it is used to unite people around a problem. How it connects, engages, and motivates individuals can effectively bring communities together to address and resolve issues. This can result in a more fair, accessible, and inclusive world where technology serves as the bridge to solutions. I use technology in this very way to innovate solutions. One significant issue facing my community and the nation is decreasing youth sports participation, which impacts kids physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, only 38 percent of kids ages 6 to 12 play team sports today, down from 45 percent in 2008. Project Play reports that families spend approximately $700 yearly on their children's sports. The Rand Study reveals that families earning below $50,000 say that cost is why their kids stop playing sports. Further research shows that 75 percent of 12-year-olds drop sports annually. My family had shelves in our garage filled with outgrown gear from my sister and me that we didn't know what to do with, from cleats and bags to bats and gloves. I realized unused equipment must be scattered in garages, basements, and sheds across our community. I thought about how to build a technology bridge to connect this unused gear with the sidelined kids who needed it. From this, the idea of Play It Forward was born. I started ‘Play It Forward’ (fb.com/PlayItForwardGear) in 2018, collecting donated sports equipment across soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse, and field hockey to provide free to kids so they can play. Stanford University research shows that playing sports benefits kids with better vision, healthier weight, elevated motor and social skills, and improved self-confidence. It also teaches teamwork, perseverance, and leadership. The lynchpin to Play It Forward’s success is technology. It uses social platforms and communication tools to educate, inform, and engage our residents, as well as inventory management systems to help track and distribute the incoming donated equipment to youth athletes across our community. This technology connects, engages, and motivates residents to participate and spread the word. Over the past five years, ‘Play It Forward’ has collected over 6,800 equipment items worth an estimated $270,000 and equipped over 570 kids from eight communities. As a result, the program has been honored with the Girl Scout Gold Award, President George H.W. Bush Point of Light Award, Union League of Philadelphia Good Citizen Award, National Liberty Museum Young Hero Medal, United States Congressional commendation, and Pennsylvania Legislative citation for service leadership. However, the most significant validation is seeing kids' smiles when they receive their equipment, knowing they can play with their friends. As a first-year computer science major at Villanova University, an Amie Dansby Women in Technology National Award recipient, and a VIP Women in Technology National Scholar, I focus on advancing my programming skills while refining my technology talents to deliver further meaningful engagements that solve societal challenges. I aim to become an expert in technology innovation to develop solutions to address some of society's pressing problems. Play It Forward is just one example of how technology serves as an equalizer for those in need around us. The connection, engagement, and motivation it provides to individuals unite communities to resolve issues, which results in a more fair, accessible, and inclusive world.

While technology often receives appropriate criticism, as a STEM major, my career in computer science will allow me to develop fantastic solutions that unite communities around issues to help deliver equity, accessibility, and inclusivity in our communities, as I have over the past several years. For example, I have built a technology foundation for decreasing youth sports participation in my community, which impacts kids physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, only 38 percent of kids ages 6 to 12 play team sports today, down from 45 percent in 2008. Project Play reports that families spend about $700 yearly on their kids’ sports, while The Rand Study reveals that families earning below $50,000 say that cost is largely why their kids stop playing. Further research shows that 75 percent of 12-year-olds drop sports annually. My family had a garage filled with outgrown gear, from cleats and bats to gloves and bags, from my sister and me that we didn't know what to do with. I realized unused equipment must be scattered in homes across our community. I thought about how to build a technology bridge to connect this unused gear with the sidelined kids who needed it. From this, the idea of Play It Forward (fb.com/PlayItForwardGear) was born in 2018. The initiative collects donated sports equipment across soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse, and field hockey to provide free to kids so they can play. Stanford University research shows that simply playing sports benefits kids with better vision, healthier weight, elevated motor and social skills, and improved self-confidence. It also teaches teamwork, perseverance, and leadership. The lynchpin to Play It Forward’s success is technology. It leverages social platforms and communication tools to educate and engage supporters and inventory management systems to track and distribute donated equipment to kids. Play It Forward connects, engages, and motivates residents to participate in and promote the program. Over the past five years, Play It Forward has collected 6,800+ items worth ~$273,000, equipping 570+ kids from eight surrounding communities. The program has been honored with the Girl Scout Gold Award, the President George H.W. Bush Point of Light Award, the Union League of Philadelphia Good Citizenship Award, the National Liberty Museum Young Hero Medal, a U.S. Congressional commendation, and a Pennsylvania Legislative citation for service leadership. However, the most significant validation is seeing kids' smiles when they receive their own gear. As a first-year Villanova University computer science major with a 4.0 GPA, an Amie Dansby Women in Technology National Award recipient, and a VIP Women in Technology National Scholar, I am now focusing on advancing my technology skills and programming talents to deliver more advanced elegant solutions to address growing societal challenges. Play It Forward is just one example of how my STEM education can help improve the world by using technology solutions that connect, engage, and motivate communities to help those in need around us, creating a more equitable, accessible, and inclusive society for us all.

My Pop Pop sparked my interest in studying computer science. Since I was two years old, I have been walking to the neighborhood creek with him. Early on, our conversations evolved from lessons on clouds and crawfish to discussions about his childhood growing up in poverty as one of seven children in inner-city Philadelphia. Then, as I got older, we'd talk about his Air Force enlistment, where he built radar systems around the world, and how he transformed these skills into a 30-year computer career. He would tell me stories of how he was always solving challenging technical issues for companies. These conversations intrigued me, so I started taking every computer science course my school offered and eventually maxed out the curriculum. This cultivated my passion for technology and motivated me to continue these studies in college. I have used my technology skills to create Play It Forward (fb.com/PlayItForwardGear), helping kids in need play sports by organizing equipment drives for soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse, and field hockey. Unfortunately, this gear can be so expensive that only 38 percent of kids (6 to 12) are playing sports, according to The Sports & Fitness Industry Association, with 75% of 12-year-olds quitting sports annually. Leveraging spreadsheet macros, social media engagement, and communication tools to rally and organize my community, we’ve collected over 6,700 equipment pieces worth nearly $265,000, equipping over 570 kids with free gear across eight area towns. Play It Forward has been honored with the Girl Scout Gold Award, President George H.W. Bush Point of Light Award, Union League of Philadelphia Good Citizen Award, National Liberty Museum Young Hero Medal, United States Congressional commendation, and Pennsylvania Legislative citation for service leadership. However, the most significant validation is seeing kids' smiles when they receive their own gear. Beyond this, I founded Good News Now (fb.com/TellUsTheGoodNews) to counter the growing mental health crisis by spotlighting worldwide good. GNN is a weekly global broadcast that uses video applications, social media platforms, and syndication systems to elevate viewers' mental health in over 65 countries by promoting positivity and good news. It’s been featured by Live with Kelly and Ryan, ABC, FOX, UPtv, and Inspire More, among other outlets. GNN spreads positivity, elevating the mental state of viewers while motivating them to do good. My efforts have been honored as an 'Inspirational Icon' by the award-winning children's book series "Young Change Makers" by Stacy Bauer and featured in the book "What Kids Did: Stories of Kindness and Invention in the Time of COVID-19" by Erin Silver. As a computer science major at Villanova University, I am now focusing on advancing my programming skills while refining my technology talents to deliver solutions that address societal challenges. I owe my initiative, innovation, compassion, and commitment to using technology to help others to the influence of my Pop-Pop. These traits also seem to reflect the spirit of Ben Brock and this Memorial Scholarship, honoring his legacy.

My Pop Pop sparked my interest in studying computer science. Since I was two years old, I have been walking to the neighborhood creek with him. Early on, our conversations evolved from lessons on clouds and crawfish to discussions about his childhood growing up in poverty as one of seven children in inner-city Philadelphia. As I got older, we'd talk about his Air Force enlistment, where he built radar systems, and how he transformed these skills into a 30-year computer career. He would tell me stories of how he was always solving challenging technical issues for companies. These conversations intrigued me, so I started taking every computer science course my school offered and eventually maxed out the curriculum. This cultivated my passion for technology and motivated me to continue these studies in college. I have used my technology skills to create Play It Forward (fb.com/PlayItForwardGear), helping kids in need play sports by organizing equipment drives for soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse, and field hockey. Unfortunately, this gear can be so expensive that only 38 percent of kids (6 to 12) are playing sports, according to The Sports & Fitness Industry Association, with 75% of 12-year-olds quitting sports annually. Leveraging spreadsheet macros, social media engagement, and communication tools to rally and organize my community, we’ve collected over 6,700 equipment pieces worth nearly $265,000, equipping over 570 kids with free gear across eight area towns. Play It Forward has been honored with the Girl Scout Gold Award, President George H.W. Bush Point of Light Award, Union League of Philadelphia Good Citizenship Award, National Liberty Museum Young Hero Medal, United States Congressional commendation, and Pennsylvania Legislative citation for service leadership. However, the most significant validation is seeing kids' smiles when they receive their own gear. Beyond this, I founded Good News Now (fb.com/TellUsTheGoodNews) to counter the growing mental health crisis by spotlighting worldwide good. GNN is a weekly global broadcast that uses video applications, social media platforms, and syndication systems to elevate viewers' mental health in over 65 countries by promoting positivity and good news. It’s been featured by Live with Kelly and Ryan, ABC, FOX, UPtv, and Inspire More, among other outlets. GNN spreads positivity, elevating the mental state of viewers while motivating them to do good. My efforts have been honored as an 'Inspirational Icon' by the award-winning children's book series "Young Change Makers" by Stacy Bauer and featured in the book "What Kids Did: Stories of Kindness and Invention in the Time of COVID-19" by Erin Silver. As a first-year computer science major at Villanova University with a 4.0 GPA, I am now focusing on advancing my programming skills while refining my technology talents to deliver solutions that address more complex societal challenges. My initiative, innovation, compassion, and commitment to using technology to help others reflect the spirit of Chris Jackson and make me an ideal candidate for the Computer Science Education Scholarship, which honors his legacy.

Cancer has impacted my life in a way I’ll never truly understand. While my Dad was a senior at Penn State nine years before I was born, his Mom was taken by ovarian cancer - she was only 48. My Dad regularly speaks about his fond memories of his Mom, Andrea, playing music, reading books, and making people laugh, all traits that are essential to who I am. Aside from family members regularly saying how they see her in me, my middle name, Andreanna, is even a tribute to her. I have missed out greatly on having my grandmother here to see me sing on stage, perform in martial arts tournaments, and impact others, just as she did. And just to experience life with her. However, she is a core element of who I am. For several years, I have built a solution to decreasing youth sports participation, which impacts kids physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, only 38% of kids ages 6-12 play team sports today, down from 45% in 2008. The Rand Study reveals most families earning below $50,000 say cost is why their kids stop playing. Further research shows that 75% of 12-year-olds drop sports annually. My family had garage shelves filled with outgrown gear. I realized unused equipment must be scattered in homes across our community. I thought about how to build a technology bridge to connect this unused gear with these sidelined kids who needed it. I started Play It Forward (fb.com/PlayItForwardGear) in 2018, collecting donated equipment across soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse, and field hockey to provide free to kids. Stanford University research shows that playing sports benefits kids with better vision, healthier weight, elevated motor and social skills, and improved self-confidence. It also teaches teamwork, perseverance, and leadership. Over the past five years, Play It Forward has collected 6,600+ equipment items, equipping 570+ kids from eight communities. The program has been honored with the Girl Scout Gold Award, President George H.W. Bush Point of Light Award, Union League of Philadelphia Good Citizen Award, and National Liberty Museum Young Hero Medal. However, seeing kids' smiles when they receive their equipment is the most significant validation. My dad says my commitment comes from my grandmother, who built a program to rescue retired greyhounds. If not for her, these dogs would have been executed. “She completely invested herself in the cause, just like you,” my Dad says. Aside from this commitment to others, I view academics as an essential building block to set a solid foundation for my future. As a Distinguished Honor Student, National Honor Society, and Tri-M Honors Society Member, I held a 4.0 on a 4.0 scale and took 20 advanced placement and honors courses throughout high school, earning the school’s Champion of Learning Medal. As a first-year computer science major at Villanova University, I earned a 4.0 during my first semester. I also received the Amie Dansby Women in Technology National Award, VIP Women in Technology National Scholarship, and Study.com Computer Science Scholarship. I am focusing on advancing my technology talents to deliver meaningful engagements that solve societal challenges. My Dad tells me my drive to help others comes from his Mom, who sat on his school’s PTA and was always a ‘homeroom mom,’ served as his scout den mother, and rescued all those greyhounds. He says she would have loved watching and supporting me. While I can be angry at what cancer took from me, I love that she is essential to who I am.

As I ran to keep up with Pop-Pop’s long stride, my excitement overcame the exhaustion of my little legs. He grasped my tiny hand to keep me focused on our journey rather than the passing butterfly. Finally, he coaxed me with a smile, saying, “Come on, we’re almost there.” When I saw the creek, my three-year-old worries washed away like its cool dancing currents. It was like venturing to Oz, Neverland, or countless other enchanting worlds. Little did I know that this creek’s magic would reappear for many of my life’s most influential moments. The early conversations between Pop-Pop and me at the creek’s edge covered lessons on everything from clouds and crawfish. I would toss him questions as I would throw pebbles into the ripples. He would respond to each irrespective of whether all the facts were accurate. The walks became easier as my legs grew, and our conversations became more engaging. At eight years old, I listened to Pop-Pop retell stories of distant literary lands like Hogwarts and Narnia. Conversely, he listened to my imagined tales of dragons and warriors. As the first audience to my storytelling, Pop-Pop encouraged my love of reading and writing as I began flipping through the pages of countless novels and penning my own tales. These moments together cultivated my desire to create worlds where readers could get lost. At 13 years old, you’d think my interest in walking to the creek with Pop-Pop would have long washed away. Actually, it was a time for me to share my plots and characters while he shared the trials he faced as a kid. As I listened to his tales of growing up in poverty as one of seven children in inner-city Philadelphia, my long-time traveling sidekick was evolving into my greatest hero. Despite his early hardships, Pop-Pop always wrapped his despondent tales in humor, like when he returned home from school at 10, only to find his family had moved a block away - but forgot to tell him. At 15, I learned about his Air Force enlistment, where he built radar systems. He transformed these skills into a 30-year computer career. These conversations intrigued me to take every high school computer science course available. This cultivated a passion for technical problem-solving that, no doubt, originated from him and has motivated me to continue these studies in college. Today, our creek trips are less frequent because of nagging back pain and a hip replacement. Regardless, I deeply enjoy our time at the water’s edge, where conversations now revolve around dreams and the future. When I think about this place, it amazes me how these creek chats have developed my values, passions, and goals. I am grateful for Pop-Pop’s inspiration and adore his influence on my life. I cherish that this creek has been the setting for so many milestone moments. Our journey there takes longer now, but I don’t mind the extra time as I coax with a smile, saying, “Come on, we’re almost there.”

Many don’t see technology as a benefit to individuals' physical and mental health. Instead, most people would likely say that technology diminishes kids' mental well-being and physical fitness, and regarding social media, they may be correct. However, I have leveraged technology applications for years to enhance individuals' mental and physical health across my community and worldwide, highlighting the value of technology to do good. In other words, I spotlight the positivity and potential of technology and how it can better our lives and enhance our communities. I have applied this approach to adapt different apps, systems, and platforms to help solve problems that impact my neighborhood, nation, and beyond. One of the significant challenges facing my community and the nation is decreasing youth sports participation. The Sports & Fitness Industry Association reports that only 38 percent of kids ages 6 to 12 play team sports today, down from 45 percent in 2008. Further research shows that ~75 percent of 12-year-olds drop youth sports annually. According to The Rand Study, families earning below $50,000 say that cost is the top reason their kids stop playing sports. I founded ‘Play It Forward’ (fb.com/PlayItForwardGear) in 2018 to counter this declining participation trend. This initiative uses social engagement and data management tools to generate community donations of soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse, and field hockey equipment. This gear is provided free to kids so they can keep playing sports. Over four years, ‘Play It Forward’ has collected over 6,500 equipment items worth an estimated $232,000 and equipped over 560 kids from eight surrounding communities. As a result, my efforts with Play It Forward have been honored with the Girl Scout Gold Award, President George H.W. Bush Point of Light Award, Union League of Philadelphia Good Citizen Award, National Liberty Museum Young Hero Medal, United States Congressional and Pennsylvania Legislative citations for service leadership. However, the most significant validation is seeing kids' smiles when they receive their equipment, knowing they can play. Beyond this, I saw mental health deteriorating across my neighborhood and community, worsened by COVID isolation. So, in the early days of the pandemic in March 2020, I started a network called ‘Good News Now’ (fb.com/TellUsTheGoodNews) to counter this mental health crisis by promoting worldwide good. For example, the University of Australia reports that simply smiling can shift the mind into a state of joy. In addition, MIT research reveals that hearing positive news can improve mental state. So, I use video production and online social syndication to distribute a weekly global broadcast to elevate viewers’ mental health in over 65 countries across six continents. Live with Kelly and Ryan, ABC News, FOX News, UPtv, and InspireMore are just a few outlets that have highlighted GNN, among many others. My efforts have also been featured in two children's books, Young Change Makers by Stacy Bauer and What Kids Did: Stories of Kindness and Invention in the Time of COVID-19 by Erin Silver. Now, as a computer science major and creative writing minor at Villanova University, I am focusing on advancing my technology skills while refining my storytelling talents. I look to build a career that reflects this approach and expands my experience developing technology-based innovations that help solve pressing issues facing our communities, nation, and beyond. In addition, I look to tap into the positivity and potential of technology to enhance our lives and elevate our communities.

Mental health is vastly becoming an aspect of personal fitness that more people understand and pay attention to, thanks to increased education and empathy. The mental health impact of isolation from the pandemic has also been far-reaching to many individuals of all ages, increasing attention on the issue. Aside from coping with ADHD and anxiety, this isolation also placed tremendous pressure on my mental health. I noticed this was also wreaking havoc on many of my classmates and friends since they could not socialize at school and through their extracurricular groups. MIT research reveals that hearing positive news can instantly improve one’s mental state. However, constant exposure to negativity heavily burdens our mental health. I wanted to help others in this regard, so in March 2020, I started a broadcast network called ‘Good News Now’ (fb.com/TellUsTheGoodNews) to counter this mental health crisis with my sister. We use a video production platform, social media engagement, and syndication technology to reach viewers with local and global news on kindness, positivity, and good all around us. GNN now reaches thousands of viewers in over 65 countries across six continents, elevating their mental health by spotlighting positivity and good news. GNN has been featured by Live with Kelly and Ryan, ABC, FOX, UPtv, and InspireMore. It is also syndicated by about 25 social media groups covering positivity and kindness, like #BeKind, Some Good News, Kindness Community, Happy News, and Kindness Kids. GNN’s cadence of positivity elevates viewers' mental states and motivates them to do good in their communities. My sister and I have been named 'Inspirational Icons' by the Amazon 5-star rated children's book series Young Change Makers by Stacy Bauer and featured in the book What Kids Did: Stories of Kindness and Invention in the Time of COVID-19 by Erin Silver. Beyond hearing positive news, helping kids get involved with organized sports boosts their physical fitness and mental health. Unfortunately, only 38 percent of kids ages 6 to 12 play organized team sports, down from 45 percent in 2008, according to The Sports & Fitness Industry Association. This is a growing challenge facing our nation and my community, particularly with the impact of COVID isolation and the increasing effect of inflation on many. According to Project Play, the average American family spends approximately $700 yearly on their child's sports. However, as The Rand Study reports, most families earning $50,000 or less say the cost is why their kids stop participating. Further, approximately 75 percent of 12-year-olds drop youth sports annually. Stanford University researchers found that playing sports provides better vision, healthier weight, elevated motor and social skills, and improved self-confidence. However, sports also teach teamwork, perseverance, effort, commitment, leadership, and overcoming failure. In addition, athletics provide necessary breaks from screens and social media. To help provide sports experiences to kids to gain these physical and mental benefits and learn these lessons, I started ‘Play It Forward’ (fb.com/PlayItForwardGear) in 2018, collecting donated sports equipment across soccer, baseball, softball, and field hockey. The program provides players in surrounding communities free gear to play and enjoy the benefits of sports. Over the past four years, Play It Forward has collected over 6,200 donated equipment items worth an estimated $193,000, equipping 520+ kids in need from eight surrounding communities. Play It Forward's mission is simply to provide a level playing field for equal access to organized sports, which is out of reach for many kids, given the high costs. This helps provide sports' powerful physical, mental, and emotional benefits to kids who otherwise would get sidelined and miss out on the essential team experience. In addition, this helps build an early foundation for success in school and throughout life. The program encourages players to re-donate the gear they have received once they outgrow it so other kids can also benefit from it. This teaches these program’s beneficiaries empathy, providing a unique understanding of the value of helping others. While I sincerely appreciate that my efforts with ‘Play It Forward’ have been honored with the President George H.W. Bush Point of Light Award, the National Liberty Museum Young Hero Medal, the Union League of Philadelphia Good Citizenship Award, the Girl Scout Gold Award, a United States Congressional commendation and a Pennsylvania Legislative citation for service leadership, the greatest reward and validation of the program is seeing the smiles on kids’ faces when they receive their gear and know that they can play sports with their teammates. These experiences have helped cultivate my leadership, organization, determination, commitment, and empathy. These efforts have also helped me to become a better citizen for my school, community, country, classmates, and fellow residents. Fortunately, running ‘Good News Now’ and ‘Play It Forward’ has been quite therapeutic to my mental health, which has increased seeing others benefit from both initiatives. This has motivated me to take on more leadership roles within service organizations. Leadership by example and commitment to service are two of the most important values that can guide our lives and better our communities. I strive to accomplish each of these in every aspect of my life; in my school, my organizations, my community, and beyond. While I focused on the academic side of my life as a 4.0 Distinguished Honor Student and National Honor Society Member, I also contributed to my school through vocal performance, service projects, and mentoring fellow students. In addition, I served as a volunteer school ambassador at local events through vocal performances of the national anthem and other songs for the Rotary Club, Veterans of Foreign Wars post, Little League, and Gold Star Garden, to name a few. Now, as a computer science major at Villanova University, I'm advancing my technology talents to continue making meaningful engagements that impact my community. I also continue to elevate my mental health singing with Villanova Voices women's choir and competing with Villanova’s Taekwondo Team. The Elevate Mental Health Awareness Scholarship will be a tremendous resource in helping me to accomplish this.

Many don’t see technology as a benefit to individuals' physical and mental health. Instead, most people would likely say that technology diminishes kids' mental well-being and physical fitness, and regarding social media, they may be correct. However, for years, I have leveraged technology applications, including video production, data management, and social media syndication, to enhance individuals' mental and physical health across my community and worldwide, highlighting the value of technology to do good. While social technology certainly has well-documented downsides, when applied to inspirational initiatives, these applications connect and rally communities to come together to help those neighbors and residents in need. One of the significant challenges facing my community and the nation is decreasing youth sports participation. The Sports & Fitness Industry Association reports only 38% of kids ages 6-12 play team sports today, down from 45% in 2008. Further research shows that ~75% of 12-year-olds drop youth sports annually. Sports are incredibly valuable to kids' physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Stanford University research shows that playing sports helps kids develop better vision, healthier weight, elevated motor skills, enhanced social skills, and improved self-confidence. However, sports also teach social interactions, teamwork, commitment, compromise, and leadership. Each of these is an asset kids will carry with them on the path to becoming valuable community contributors. I founded ‘Play It Forward’ (fb.com/PlayItForwardGear) in 2018 to counter this declining participation trend. This initiative uses social engagement and data management tools to generate community donations of soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse, and field hockey equipment provided free to kids so they can keep playing sports. Over five years, ‘Play It Forward’ has collected 6,600+ equipment items worth an estimated $243,000 and equipped 560+ kids from eight surrounding communities. Social networks and communication platforms are at the heart of Play It Forward. As a result, my efforts with Play It Forward have been honored with the Girl Scout Gold Award, President George H.W. Bush Point of Light Award, Union League of Philadelphia Good Citizen Award, National Liberty Museum Young Hero Medal, United States Congressional and Pennsylvania Legislative citations for service leadership. However, the most significant validation is seeing kids' smiles when they receive their equipment, knowing they can play. As a computer science major at Villanova University, I am focusing on advancing my technology skills while refining my storytelling talents to develop technology-based innovations that help solve pressing issues facing our communities, nation, and beyond.

Aside from families, communities are the fundamental gathering points that unite us as a society. When everyone invests their time and talents to better different aspects of their community, it elevates the lives of each resident in some way. This is why providing service to those in need is essential to improving where we live. The key is finding a ways to be part of the solution. Leadership by example and commitment to service are two of the most important values that can guide our lives and better our communities. I strive to accomplish each of these in every aspect of my life; in my school, my organizations, my community, and beyond. While I focus on the academic side of my life as a 4.0 Distinguished Honor Student and National Honor Society Member, I also contribute to my school through vocal performance, service projects, teaching self-defense, and mentoring fellow students. When it comes to helping kids grow into responsible adults, playing sports can be a key component. Unfortunately, only 38 percent of kids ages 6 to 12 play organized team sports, down from 45 percent in 2008, according to The Sports & Fitness Industry Association. This is a growing challenge facing our nation and my community, particularly with the impact of COVID and inflation on many families. According to Project Play, the average American family spends approximately $700 yearly on their child's sports. However, as The Rand Study reports, most families earning $50,000 or less say the cost is why their kids stop participating. Further, approximately 75 percent of 12-year-olds drop youth sports annually. To help provide valuable sports experiences to kids so they can thrive, I started ‘Play It Forward’ (fb.com/PlayItForwardGear) in 2018, collecting donated sports equipment across soccer, baseball, softball, and field hockey. The program provides players with free gear to play and enjoy the benefits of sports. Over the past four years, Play It Forward has collected over 6,400 donated equipment items worth an estimated $205,000, equipping 550+ kids in need, providing a level playing field for equal access to organized sports. While I sincerely appreciate that my efforts with ‘Play It Forward’ have been honored with the President George H.W. Bush Point of Light Award, the National Liberty Museum Young Hero Medal, Union League of Philadelphia Good Citizenship Award, and the Girl Scout Gold Award, the greatest validation is seeing the smiles on kids’ faces when they receive their own sports gear. Beyond ‘Play It Forward,’ I started a network called ‘Good News Now’ (fb.com/TellUsTheGoodNews) to counter the mental health crisis I have witnessed in my community by promoting the good all around us. GNN is now a weekly global syndicated broadcast with 200+ episodes elevating viewers' mental health in over 65 countries by spotlighting positivity. GNN has been featured by Live with Kelly and Ryan, ABC, FOX, UPtv, InspireMore, and the children's books "Young Change Makers" by Stacy Bauer and "What Kids Did: Stories of Kindness and Invention in the Time of COVID-19" by Erin Silver. These experiences have cultivated my leadership, organization, determination, commitment, and empathy, while also helping me to become a better citizen for my school, community, and country. Overall, I leverage technology to help solve community issues. Already accepted as a computer science major at Villanova University, I want to focus on advancing my programming skills while refining my technology talents to continue making meaningful engagements and impacts to deliver entertaining and educational experiences that help solve society's pressing problems. The Morgan Levine Dolan Community Service Scholarship will be a tremendous resource in helping me to accomplish this.

I thought about my early school years when I started reflecting on Trever David Clark Memorial Scholarship. I had a difficult time focusing in class as early as first grade. My creative mind and active imagination made managing my thoughts and directing my attention difficult. Some teachers quickly labeled me as a disruptive kid, but I was trying hard to focus and pay attention. This led to underestimating my abilities, ignoring my exceptional testing results by placing me in mid-track courses. I was soon diagnosed with ADHD and anxiety, which didn’t necessarily help me with some of my teachers. Still, it helped my parents coach me to channel my energy and creativity in the classroom. Over the years, I have worked intently on proving myself in all subjects to overcome this stigma and achieve in the classroom. Today, as a high school senior, I hold a 4.0 on a 4.0 scale, taking 20 advanced placement and honors courses over my high school career. I say this not for praise but to illustrate that kids who learn differently have the capabilities to excel. Despite these difficulties, a tremendous amount of good has emerged, motivating me to help improve the lives of others. Sports have been enormous outlets for me to develop focus and connect with teammates and friends. I wanted to provide this sports experience for our community's needy kids. Stanford University research shows that playing sports benefits kids with better vision, healthier weight, elevated motor skills, enhanced social skills, and improved self-confidence. Unfortunately, participation has declined over the past several years. The Sports & Fitness Industry Association reports that only 38 percent of kids ages 6 to 12 play team sports today, down from 45 percent in 2008. However, according to Project Play, the average American family spends approximately $700 per year on their child's sports activities. In contrast, according to The Rand Study, families earning $50,000 or less say cost is the top reason their kids stop participating in sports. And COVID limitations only made this worse. Further research shows that approximately 75 percent of 12-year-olds drop youth sports activities annually. To counter this trend, I started Play It Forward (fb.com/PlayItForwardGear) in 2018. This initiative collects donated sports equipment across soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse, and field hockey. In addition, it provides free gear to kids in surrounding communities so they can play and enjoy the benefits of sports. So far, Play It Forward has collected over 6,000 donated equipment items worth an estimated $204,000, equipping over 550 kids from eight surrounding communities with free gear. The program has been honored with the Girl Scout Gold Award, United States Congressional Commendation, Pennsylvania Legislative Citation for Service Leadership, Union League of Philadelphia Good Citizen Award, National Liberty Museum Young Hero Medal, and President George H.W. Bush Point of Light Award. However, the greatest testament to this is the excitement from kids when they get equipped and realize they can play with their friends. Reflecting on my experiences, trials, and challenges, I am now focusing on expanding my technology knowledge and expertise by studying computer science at Villanova University to help address the challenges that face communities. Technological innovation has tremendous untapped potential that can inform, educate, uplift, and even entertain our society, motivating it to be more inclusive and empathetic. I am looking to help cultivate this in my career.

My community, both at the town and school levels, has always been important to me and something I have focused on supporting and improving in everything I do. As a Gold Award Girl Scout, a community service program director, a martial arts blackbelt instructor, a good news broadcast anchor, and a leader in several school organizations, I am committed to supporting my school and town in various ways. Academics have always been essential to setting a solid foundation for my future. As a Distinguished Honor Student and National Honor Society Member, I hold a 4.0 on a 4.0 scale and have taken 20 advanced placement and honors courses over my high school career. I have received distinguished honors in seven of seven semesters. In addition, I strive to contribute to my school community in diverse ways as the Founder and Lead Instructor for the school’s Self-Defense Club and a Section Leader for both premier vocal groups, The Madrigals and Women’s Ensemble. Beyond this, I focus on addressing issues facing the youth of our community. Today, only 38 percent of kids ages 6 to 12 play organized team sports, down from 45 percent in 2008, according to The Sports & Fitness Industry Association. At the same time, the average American family spends approximately $700 per year on their child's sports activities, according to Project Play. According to The Rand Study, families earning $50,000 or less say cost is the top reason their kids stop participating in sports. Further research shows that approximately 75 percent of 12-year-olds drop youth sports activities annually. Simply put, costs exclude too many kids from experiencing the benefits of playing team sports. To help address this growing issue, I started ‘Play It Forward’ (fb.com/PlayItForwardGear) in 2018, collecting donated sports equipment across soccer, baseball, softball, and field hockey. The program provides free gear to kids in surrounding communities to get the benefits of sports. Over the past four years, Play It Forward has collected over 6,000 donated equipment items worth an estimated $204,000 and equipped 550+ kids from eight surrounding communities with free gear. My efforts with ‘Play It Forward’ have been honored with the President George H.W. Bush Point of Light Award, the National Liberty Museum Young Hero Medal, a United States Congressional commendation, and a Pennsylvania Legislative citation for service leadership. To counter the growing mental health crisis impacting our communities and country, I started a broadcast network called ‘Good News Now’ (fb.com/TellUsTheGoodNews) to promote the good around us. The University of Australia reports that smiling can shift the mind into a state of joy. In addition, MIT research reveals that hearing positive news can improve mental state. However, the constant exposure to negativity, especially with COVID, heavily burdens our mental health. My sister and I have been spreading global good news for nearly three years with over 200 episodes. GNN is now a weekly global syndicated broadcast elevating viewers' mental health in over 65 countries by spotlighting positivity and good news. It’s been featured by Live with Kelly and Ryan, ABC, FOX, and UPtv. It’s also been featured in two children's books, "Young Change Makers" by Stacy Bauer and "What Kids Did: Stories of Kindness and Invention in the Time of COVID-19" by Erin Silver. A lot of the unique aspects of my life revolve around bettering my community and supporting my neighbors. My focus now is to study computer science at Villanova University to apply technology innovation to help solve the issues facing my community and beyond.

My community, both at the town and school levels, has always been important to me and something I have focused on supporting and improving in everything I do. As a Gold Award Girl Scout, a community service program director, a martial arts blackbelt instructor, a good news broadcast anchor, and a leader in several school organizations, I am committed to supporting my school and town in various ways. Academics have always been essential to setting a solid foundation for my future. As a Distinguished Honor Student and National Honor Society Member, I hold a 4.0 on a 4.0 scale and have taken 20 advanced placement and honors courses over my high school career. I have received distinguished honors in seven of seven semesters. In addition, I strive to contribute to my school community in diverse ways as the Founder and Lead Instructor for the school’s Self-Defense Club and a Section Leader for both premier vocal groups, The Madrigals and Women’s Ensemble. Beyond this, I focus on addressing issues facing the youth of our community. Today, only 38 percent of kids ages 6 to 12 play organized team sports, down from 45 percent in 2008, according to The Sports & Fitness Industry Association. At the same time, the average American family spends approximately $700 per year on their child's sports activities, according to Project Play. According to The Rand Study, families earning $50,000 or less say cost is the top reason their kids stop participating in sports. Further research shows that approximately 75 percent of 12-year-olds drop youth sports activities annually. Simply put, costs exclude too many kids from experiencing the benefits of playing team sports. To help address this growing issue, I started ‘Play It Forward’ (fb.com/PlayItForwardGear) in 2018, collecting donated sports equipment across soccer, baseball, softball, and field hockey. The program provides free gear to kids in surrounding communities to get the benefits of sports. Over the past four years, Play It Forward has collected over 6,000 donated equipment items worth an estimated $204,000 and equipped 550+ kids from eight surrounding communities with free gear. My efforts with ‘Play It Forward’ have been honored with the President George H.W. Bush Point of Light Award, the National Liberty Museum Young Hero Medal, a United States Congressional commendation, and a Pennsylvania Legislative citation for service leadership. To counter the growing mental health crisis impacting our communities and country, I started a broadcast network called ‘Good News Now’ (fb.com/TellUsTheGoodNews) to promote the good around us. The University of Australia reports that smiling can shift the mind into a state of joy. In addition, MIT research reveals that hearing positive news can improve mental state. However, the constant exposure to negativity, especially with COVID, heavily burdens our mental health. My sister and I have been spreading good news globally for over three years with over 200 episodes. GNN is now a weekly global syndicated broadcast elevating viewers' mental health in over 65 countries by spotlighting positivity and good news. It’s been featured by Live with Kelly and Ryan, ABC, FOX, and UPtv. It’s also been showcased in two children's books, "Young Change Makers" by Stacy Bauer and "What Kids Did: Stories of Kindness and Invention in the Time of COVID-19" by Erin Silver. A lot of the unique aspects of my life revolve around bettering my community and supporting my neighbors. My focus now is to study computer science at Villanova University so I can apply technology innovation to help solve challenges and issues facing my community and beyond.

For years, two of my best friends, who are twins, had been encouraging me to try Karate with them. And while my commitments to soccer, softball, theater, and four choral ensembles didn’t allow it then, that all changed in 2020. During the height of COVID isolation, as so many activities shut down, my mental health was taking a toll. I needed another outlet to focus my energy and better myself, physically and mentally, and Karate seemed like a potential fit. So, I finally opted to take a risk and try something new, joining those two of my friends who had been encouraging me to join their dojo. In September 2020, I took my first class and quickly realized it was the perfect focal point for me physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially. The training was outdoors and socially distanced, even during the hotter and colder months, but the coach (known as Sensei Nichols) was incredible. While he continuously preaches balance in one’s life and training, he also provides his students with an outstanding balance of discipline and confidence as a former Marine. Over the past two years, Sensei Nichols’ teachings have elevated the trajectory of my life. He has helped me to build confidence, commitment, and clarity of purpose. I was soon invited to join the Demonstration Team and was quickly promoted to the team’s Captain after helping to lead the group to the regional tournament gold medal. I have never missed or failed a belt test in this span, which is rare. Sensei Nichols has been critical to this level of commitment and success by pushing me to extend my abilities and elevate my efforts. His commitment to me has also been a significant factor in helping me to earn my blackbelt in just over two years of training. It’s also been instrumental in my becoming a five-time regional tournament gold medalist in Kata and defense techniques. Beyond this, Sensei Nichols has also inspired me to help others as he has helped me. As such, I trained to become a Certified Lead Instructor for white to red belt students. In this role, I help kids better themselves physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally, having the ability to play a small part that reflects the massive role Sensei Nichols has played for me. Sensei Nichols’ teachings inspired me to the point that I started my high school’s Self-Defense Club to help build my classmates' physical, social, emotional, and mental health. Many of my students suffer from conditions like ADHD and anxiety, which I also cope with. As their instructor, I am an understanding advocate to help them channel their energy toward something positive and constructive. I see my commitment to my students as very similar to David Sutton’s dedication to his players as a coach, given our passion for helping them better themselves as athletes and individuals. I will continue to study and train in martial arts at Villanova University to elevate further my strength, discipline, commitment, teamwork, focus, and empathy, which I will use throughout my life to support others. And I will always carry Sensei Nichols’ training and lessons as motivation to build my confidence, commitment, and clarity of purpose.

My interest in studying computer science comes from my grandfather, Pop Pop. Since I was two years old, I have been walking to the neighborhood creek with him. Early on, our conversations evolved from lessons on clouds and crawfish to discussions about his childhood growing up in poverty as one of seven children in inner-city Philadelphia. Then, as I got older, we'd talk about his Air Force enlistment, where he built radar systems, and how he transformed these skills into a 30-year computer career. He would tell me stories of how he was always solving challenging technical issues for companies. These conversations intrigued me, so I took every computer science course my school offered and maxed out the curriculum. This cultivated my passion for technology and motivated me to continue these studies in college. I have used my technology skills to run ‘Play It Forward’ (fb.com/PlayItForwardGear), helping kids in need play sports by organizing equipment drives for soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse, and field hockey. Unfortunately, this gear can be so expensive that only 38 percent of kids (6 to 12) are playing sports, according to The Sports & Fitness Industry Association, with 75% of 12-year-olds quitting sports annually. Leveraging spreadsheet macros, social media engagement, and communication tools to rally and organize my community, we’ve collected over 6,200 equipment pieces worth nearly $200,000, equipping over 520 kids with free gear across eight area towns. ‘Play It Forward’ has been honored with the Girl Scout Gold Award, President George H.W. Bush Point of Light Award, Union League of Philadelphia Good Citizen Award, National Liberty Museum Young Hero Medal, United States Congressional commendation, and Pennsylvania Legislative citation for service leadership. Beyond this, I founded ‘Good News Now’ (fb.com/TellUsTheGoodNews) to counter the growing mental health crisis by spotlighting worldwide good. GNN is a weekly global broadcast built that uses video applications, social media platforms, and syndication systems to elevate viewers' mental health in over 65 countries by promoting positivity and good news. It’s been featured by Live with Kelly and Ryan, ABC, FOX, UPtv, and Inspire More, among other outlets. GNN spreads positivity, elevating the mental state of viewers while motivating them to do good. My efforts have been honored as an 'Inspirational Icon' by the children's book series Young Change Makers by Stacy Bauer and featured in the book What Kids Did: Stories of Kindness and Invention in the Time of COVID-19 by Erin Silver. As a computer science major at Villanova University, I am now focusing on advancing my programming skills while refining my technology talents to deliver solutions that address societal challenges. My initiative, innovation, compassion, and commitment to helping others with technology solutions make me an ideal candidate for the Chris Jackson Computer Science Education Scholarship.

My community, both at the town and school levels, has always been important to me and something I have focused on supporting and improving in everything I do. As a Gold Award Girl Scout, a community service program director, a martial arts blackbelt instructor, a broadcast anchor, and a leader in several school organizations, I am committed to supporting my classmates and residents in various ways. Given this, the characteristic I value the most is empathy because it helps me relate to others and motivates me to get involved in addressing issues facing people in need. For example, one of the major issues I have worked to address in my community is the decreasing participation in youth sports. Today, only about 38 percent of kids ages 6 to 12 play organized team sports, down from 45 percent in 2008, according to The Sports & Fitness Industry Association. At the same time, the average American family spends approximately $700 per year on their child's sports activities, according to Project Play. According to The Rand Study, families earning $50,000 or less say cost is the top reason their kids stop participating in sports. Further research shows that approximately 75 percent of 12-year-olds drop youth sports activities annually. Simply put, costs exclude too many kids from experiencing the myriad benefits of playing team sports. I started ‘Play It Forward’ (fb.com/PlayForwardGear) in 2018, collecting donated sports equipment across soccer, baseball, softball, and field hockey. The program provides kids in surrounding communities free gear to gain the benefits of sports. Over the past four years, Play It Forward has collected nearly 6,200 donated equipment items worth an estimated $192,000 and 520 kids from eight surrounding communities with free gear. I am now supporting similar programs in neighboring communities. Although my efforts with ‘Play It Forward’ have already been honored with the President George H.W. Bush Point of Light Award, the National Liberty Museum Young Hero Medal, the Union League of Philadelphia Good Citizenship Award, a United States Congressional commendation and a Pennsylvania Legislative citation for service leadership I am continuing to expand this program to more kids, clubs, and communities to help kids enhance their physical fitness, elevate their self-confidence, expand their social engagement, and energize their experiences. It also helps to deliver equal access to organized sports, which are too often out of reach for many kids given the high equipment cost. This helps provide the powerful benefits of sports to kids who otherwise would miss out on the essential experience of being on a team. Empathy provides a unique perspective to understand the point of view of others and respect their experiences, which cultivates compassion and motivates action to spread kindness. It’s a precious quality that brings out the best in individuals and elevates neighborhoods and communities.

While the COVID era was marked by tremendous negativity, it also facilitated incredible positivity. It created an opportunity that elevated the trajectory of my life. Two of my best friends, who are twins, had been encouraging me to try karate for years. And while my schedule didn’t allow for it with soccer, softball, theater, and four choral ensembles, that changed as isolation started shutting down activities. I needed another outlet to focus my energy and better myself, physically and mentally, and karate seemed ideal. In September 2020, I took my first class. I quickly realized it was the perfect focal point for me physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially. I was soon invited to join the Demonstration Team and was quickly promoted to Captain after helping to lead my team to the regional tournament gold medal. I recently earned my blackbelt in just over two years of training. I never missed or failed a belt test in this span, which is rare. I am also a five-time regional tournament gold medalist in kata and defense and became a Certified Lead Instructor for white to red belts, helping kids better themselves. Many of my students suffer from conditions like ADHD and anxiety, which I also cope with. As their instructor, I am an understanding advocate to help them channel their energy toward something positive and constructive. I will continue martial arts at Villanova University to further elevate my strength, discipline, commitment, teamwork, focus, and empathy, which I will use throughout my life.

As I ran to keep up with Pop-Pop’s long stride, my excitement overcame the exhaustion of my little legs. He grasped my tiny hand to keep me focused on our journey rather than the passing butterfly. Finally, he coaxed me with a smile, saying, “Come on, we’re almost there.” As we passed through the grove of pines, my three-year-old worries washed away like the cool dancing currents of our journey’s end. Visiting ‘the creek’ was like venturing to Oz, Neverland, or countless other enchanting worlds. Little did I know that this creek’s magic would appear over the coming years as the setting for many influential moments in my life. The early conversations between Pop-Pop and I at the creek’s edge covered lessons on everything from clouds and crawfish to currents and caterpillars. As I would throw pebbles into the rippling water, I would toss him whatever questions crossed my mind. He would respond to each irrespective of whether all the facts were accurate. As the stream changed, so did I. The walks became easier as my legs grew, and our conversations became more engaging. At eight years old, I listened to Pop-Pop retell stories of distant literary lands like Hogwarts, Narnia, and Middle-Earth. Conversely, he listened intently to my imagined tales of dragons and warriors. As the first audience to my storytelling, Pop-Pop encouraged my love of reading and writing as I began flipping voraciously through the pages of countless novels and penning my own tales. These moments spent together cultivated my desire to create written worlds where readers could get lost. As a 13-year-old, you’d think my interest in walking to the creek with Pop-Pop would have long washed away. Actually, it was a time for me to explain the plots and characters I was developing while he shared the trials he faced as a kid. As I listened to his tales of growing up in poverty as one of seven children in inner-city Philadelphia, my long-time traveling sidekick was evolving into my greatest hero. Despite his early hardships, Pop-Pop always wore a smile and wrapped his despondent tales in humor, like when he was ten and returned home from school, only to find his family had moved a block away - but forgot to tell him. While I was never sure of the balance of truth in his stories, Pop-Pop had lived a difficult early life but was full of happiness and gratitude. His perseverance inspired me to start initiatives where I support kids, some of whom reflect that ten-year-old version of him. At 15, I learned about his Air Force enlistment, where he built radar systems. He then transformed these skills into a 30-year mainframe computer career. These conversations intrigued me to take every high school computer science course I could. This cultivated a passion for technical problem-solving that, no doubt, originated from him and has motivated me to continue these studies in college. Today, our creek trips are less frequent because of nagging back pain and a hip replacement. Regardless, I deeply enjoy our time at the water’s edge, where conversations now revolve around dreams and the road ahead. When I think about this place, it amazes me how these progressive creek chats have built a foundation for my values, interests, passions, and goals. I am grateful for Pop-Pop’s inspiration and adore his influence on my life. I cherish that this creek has been the setting for so many milestone moments. Our journey there takes longer now, but I don’t mind the extra time as I coax with a smile, saying, “Come on, we’re almost there.”

As I ran to keep up with Pop-Pop’s long stride, my excitement overcame the exhaustion of my little legs. He grasped my tiny hand to keep me focused on our journey rather than the passing butterfly. Finally, he coaxed me with a smile, saying, “Come on, we’re almost there.” As we passed through the grove of pines, my three-year-old worries washed away like the cool dancing currents of our journey’s end. Visiting ‘the creek’ was like venturing to Oz, Neverland, or countless other enchanting worlds. Little did I know that this creek’s magic would appear over the coming years as the setting for many influential moments in my life. The early conversations between Pop-Pop and I at the creek’s edge covered lessons on everything from clouds and crawfish to currents and caterpillars. As I would throw pebbles into the rippling water, I would toss him whatever questions crossed my mind. He would respond to each irrespective of whether all the facts were accurate. As the stream changed, so did I. The walks became easier as my legs grew, and our conversations became more engaging. At eight years old, I listened to Pop-Pop retell stories of distant literary lands like Hogwarts, Narnia, and Middle-Earth. Conversely, he listened intently to my imagined tales of dragons and warriors. As the first audience to my storytelling, Pop-Pop encouraged my love of reading and writing as I began flipping voraciously through the pages of countless novels and penning my own tales. These moments spent together cultivated my desire to create written worlds where readers could get lost. As a 13-year-old, you’d think my interest in walking to the creek with Pop-Pop would have long washed away. Actually, it was a time for me to explain the plots and characters I was developing while he shared the trials he faced as a kid. As I listened to his tales of growing up in poverty as one of seven children in inner-city Philadelphia, my long-time traveling sidekick was evolving into my greatest hero. Despite his early hardships, Pop-Pop always wore a smile and wrapped his despondent tales in humor, like when he was ten and returned home from school, only to find his family had moved a block away - but forgot to tell him. While I was never sure of the balance of truth in his stories, Pop-Pop had lived a difficult early life but was full of happiness and gratitude. His perseverance inspired me to start initiatives where I support kids, some of whom reflect that ten-year-old version of him. At 15, I learned about his Air Force enlistment, where he built radar systems. He then transformed these skills into a 30-year mainframe computer career. These conversations intrigued me to take every high school computer science course I could. This cultivated a passion for technical problem-solving that, no doubt, originated from him and has motivated me to continue these studies in college. Today, our creek trips are less frequent because of nagging back pain and a hip replacement. Regardless, I deeply enjoy our time at the water’s edge, where conversations now revolve around dreams and the road ahead. When I think about this place, it amazes me how these progressive creek chats have built a foundation for my values, interests, passions, and goals. I am grateful for Pop-Pop’s inspiration and adore his influence on my life. I cherish that this creek has been the setting for so many milestone moments. Our journey there takes longer now, but I don’t mind the extra time as I coax with a smile, saying, “Come on, we’re almost there.”

Leadership and commitment to service are two of the most important values that guide our lives. I strive to accomplish these in every aspect of my life; in my school, organizations, and beyond. I focus on the academic side of my life as a Distinguished Honor Student and National Honor Society Member and contribute to my school through vocal performance, service projects, and mentoring fellow students. In addition, it is tremendously worthwhile to provide service to my community. One significant challenge facing my community and the nation is decreasing youth sports participation. The Sports & Fitness Industry Association reports that only 38 percent of kids ages 6 to 12 play team sports today, down from 45 percent in 2008, with ~75 percent of 12-year -olds dropping sports annually. In addition, the Rand Study says families earning below $50,000 say that cost is the top reason their kids stop playing. To counter this negative trend, I started ‘Play It Forward’ as my Girl Scout Silver Award project in 2018, collecting donated sports equipment for baseball and softball to provide free to kids so they can play sports. Stanford University research shows that playing sports benefits kids with better vision, healthier weight, elevated motor and social skills, and improved confidence. I expanded ‘Play It Forward’ for my Girl Scout Gold Award project to include soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse, and field hockey. Over four years, ‘Play It Forward’ has collected over 6,000 equipment items worth an estimated $188,000 and equipped over 500 kids from eight surrounding communities. My efforts have been honored with the Girl Scout Gold Award, a United States Congressional commemoration, a Pennsylvania Legislative citation for service leadership, and as an Eastern Pennsylvania regional ‘18 Under 18’ Girl Scout. Beyond ‘Play It Forward,’ I started a network called ‘Good News Now’ (fb.com/TellUsTheGoodNews) to counter the growing mental health crisis. GNN is a weekly global syndicated broadcast elevating viewers' mental health in over 65 countries by spotlighting positivity and good news. The show has been featured by Live with Kelly and Ryan, ABC, FOX, and UPtv. My sister and I have been honored as 'Inspirational Icons' by the Amazon 5-star children's book series "Young Change Makers" by Stacy Bauer and also featured in "What Kids Did: Stories of Kindness and Invention in the Time of COVID-19" by Erin Silver. These initiatives have helped cultivate my leadership, organization, determination, commitment, and empathy. As such, I have also been honored with the President George H.W. Bush Point of Light Award, the Union League of Philadelphia Good Citizen Award, the Pennsylvania Veterans of Foreign Wars Scout of the Year honor, and the National Liberty Museum Young Hero Medal. Already accepted as a computer science major at Villanova University, I am focused on advancing my technology skills to continue making meaningful impacts and delivering entertaining and educational experiences that solve societal challenges. The Larry R. Jones Volunteer for Life Scholarship will be a tremendous resource in helping me to accomplish this.

When I started reflecting on the Act Locally Scholarship essay, I thought about the early years of my education in elementary school. I needed help focusing in class as early as first grade. My creative mind and active imagination made it challenging to manage my thoughts and direct my attention during class instruction. This was not malicious by any means. However, some teachers quickly labeled me as a disruptive kid. They were more focused on continually disciplining me to stay still and be quiet rather than helping to direct my energy and enthusiasm to help me learn more effectively. This led to underestimating my abilities, ignoring my exceptional testing results by placing me in mid-track courses. I was soon diagnosed with ADHD and anxiety, which didn’t necessarily help me with my teachers. Still, it assisted my parents in coaching me to channel my energy and creativity to manage my classroom behavior to learn more effectively. Unfortunately, this underestimation set me on a path where I worked harder to get teachers to take me seriously. At the same time, despite my displayed abilities, it kept me out of early advanced classes like math. Over the years, I have worked intently on proving myself in all subjects to overcome this stigma and achieve in the classroom. Today, as a high school senior, I hold a 4.0 on a 4.0 scale and have taken 20 advanced placement and honors courses over my high school career. I say this not for praise but rather to illustrate that many kids learn differently, and these different ways of learning should be embraced and cultivated rather than labeled and scorned. There is a tremendous amount of good that has come out of this experience since it became a motivator for me to help improve the lives of others. Throughout my life, a lot of my energy has been channeled through sports, including soccer and softball. These have been tremendous outlets for me to develop focus and connect with teammates and friends. Therefore, I wanted to help provide this sports experience for kids of all ages. I want to see all income levels able to receive the diverse benefits from youth sports rather than getting sidelined due to insurmountable costs. Stanford University research shows that playing sports benefits kids with better vision, healthier weight, elevated motor skills, enhanced social skills, and improved self-confidence. Unfortunately, however, participation in sports has been steadily declining over the past several years. The Sports & Fitness Industry Association reports that only 38 percent of kids ages 6 to 12 play team sports today, down from 45 percent in 2008. However, according to Project Play, the average American family spends approximately $700 per year on their child's sports activities. In contrast, families earning $50,000 or less say cost is the top reason their kids stop participating in sports, according to The Rand Study. And COVID limitations only made this worse. Further research shows that approximately 75 percent of 12-year-olds drop youth sports activities annually. I started Play It Forward in 2018, collecting donated sports equipment across soccer, baseball, softball, and field hockey. The program provides free gear to kids in surrounding communities to get the benefits of sports. Over the past four years, Play It Forward has collected nearly 6,000 donated equipment items worth an estimated $188,000 and equipped 500 kids from eight surrounding communities with free gear. The program has been honored with the President George H.W. Bush Point of Light Award, a United States Congressional commendation, and a Pennsylvania Legislative citation for service leadership. Beyond running ‘the ‘Play It Forward’ sports equipment initiative, I started a news network called ‘Good News Now’ (fb.com/TellUsTheGoodNews) to address the pandemic’s mental health crisis, particularly with kids, by promoting the good surrounding us. GNN is now a weekly global syndicated broadcast elevating the mental health of tens of thousands of viewers in over 65 countries by spotlighting positivity worldwide. GNN has been featured by Live with Kelly and Ryan, ABC, FOX, and UPtv. I inspire and motivate others to do good in everything. I was named an 'Inspirational Icon' and featured in the children's book series "Young Change Makers" by Stacy Bauer. I was also profiled in "What Kids Did: Stories of Kindness and Invention in the Time of COVID-19" by Erin Silver. Overall, I leverage technology to solve significant community issues. For example, ‘Play It Forward’ uses technology to engage and organize the collection of thousands of donated sports gear items for young athletes. I developed ‘Good News Now’ as an online syndicated network using video and social platforms to broadcast weekly positivity to an audience of ~100,000 across six continents. As a computer science major at Villanova University, I want to advance my programming skills and refine my technology talents to continue making meaningful impacts with technology to deliver entertaining and educational experiences to solve societal challenges. I have maxed out on my high school’s computer science and programming courses, including Advanced Placement. So, I aim to continue studying programming and artificial intelligence to become an expert in technology and innovation to develop solutions to our society's problems. Reflecting on my experiences, the trials and challenges I faced in my younger years have ultimately made me more compassionate and generous, motivated to support others through empathy. So as difficult as it was for me, I wouldn’t change my experience in any way. And now, I look to expand my programming skills and technical knowledge through my collegiate studies to educate, entertain, and inspire people to solve challenges facing their communities and our society. The Act Locally Scholarship will be a tremendous resource in helping me to accomplish this.