The movie with the greatest impact on me is Brother Bear. This is a Disney movie for kids but the lesson behind the movie is very inspiring. In the movie there is a Native American tribe in the cold region and a man named Kenai and his brothers are on a mountain glacier when they see a bear. The older brother sacrifices himself to save the brothers but the bear survives the fall. Once the youngest brother leaves the funeral ceremony he goes after the bear. He hunts the bear down and tries to kill it as a way to avenge his brother. His brother’s spirit sees what he has down and transforms him into a bear. After he turns into a bear he goes on a adventure with a bear cub that finds him to a fishing hole and he hopes to make it to the mountain so he can see his brother and transform back into a man. At first the bear cub is annoying him and he does not like him but soon the cub grows on him and he sees him as a brother. When they get to the fishing hole he tells some other bears the story of his mother getting lost when she fell off the glacier mountain. When Kenai hears this he realizes he has killed the bear cubs mother and decides to sit him down to tell him. The bear cub is distraught and Kenai tries to make it to the top of the mountain to talk to his oldest brother’s spirit. As he is making his way to the top his middle brother tries to attack him because he thinks the mother bear killed him and the oldest brother. The bear cub saves him and Kenai understand the concepts of love and empathy. When the oldest brother spirit comes down to change him back after her learns his lesson, he decides he wants to stay a bear so he can be there for the baby cub. The movie is very inspiring in showing how to feel empathetic not only to other humans but to animals as well. The movie has a very spiritual theme including the love for nature, spirits, and the land. As a child this movie not only taught me to respect and love animals, nature, and others. I still use the lesson I learned in this movie today.

I am Kaitlyn Roberts and I am a first generation college bound graduate. I grew up in a rural county where many of the older generations were pulled out of school at young ages to farm, including my grandmother. Because of this, I strive for the very best in my academics. I have maintained a high grade point average all of my life. I currently have a 4.0 and I am taking dual enrollment classes through Brightpoint community college. I was previously in a Spanish club where we learned about Hispanic culture and did fundraisers for my teacher's home country. I am currently in FCCLA where we partake in many beneficial activities such as shoe drives for the homeless and gathering purses and essentials for women at domestic abuse shelters. I am also in the National Honor Society where we perform many group service projects in order to serve our community. I have previously volunteered at Riverside Regional Hospital where I was able to interact with patients, doctors, nurses, and families. The volunteer program at Riverside was two weeks long and I gained a lot of valuable knowledge and experience. At Waverly Library I passed out plants to those in the community who ordered them and I also set up games for a family evening with the Easter bunny. In the Summer I volunteer at Surry Baptist Church where I help children learn about Christianity in a fun and informative way including the making of crafts and songs. I have also done many activities at Surry County High School where I have helped set up fundraisers and activities. After I graduate I plan to get my associates in health science at Brightpoint Community College. After that I plan to go to nursing school and work towards my bachelors of science in nursing. My career goal is to work in the neonatal intensive care unit and take care of infants in need. In the past, when I volunteered at Riverside, I helped in the NICU where I decided it was what I wanted to do. If I could set up a charity I have a lot of ideas in mind; helping women who are in need, the homeless, children in foster care, drug addicts, and minorities. However, If I could pick the most personal to myself I would pick a charity involving helping those with ulcerative colitis and informing others. I have struggled with Ulcerative Colitis for many years and if I could set up a charity it would involve more research being done, more resources for those who struggle, and spreading awareness about the disease in schools so those who struggle don’t feel alone or isolated. Volunteers would hand out informational flyers and inform students on the impact of the disease. This scholarship would not only help me get a start on my career goals, but I could also get a start on my charity goal.

I plan to pursue a career in nursing. With personal experiences of being surrounded by nurses growing up due to my chronic disease, Ulcerative Colitis, I personally have seen and experienced the feeling of love, care, and compassion nursing pour into their patients. As a little girl who was a medical mystery for two years before finally being diagnosed I often felt scared, discouraged, and frustrated. My nurses always helped me to feel better about myself, to reassure me I would not feel this way forever, and to lighten my mood by taking my mind off of my struggles. I believe that in itself has given me the care and compassion not everyone going into the medical field possesses, but nonetheless I strive to pursue a bachelors of science degree in nursing. I have done many community service projects that have helped my community and given me delight in knowing I am supporting my small community. I have volunteered at churches, in my schools, and libraries. I am in National honor society and maintain a 4.0 grade point average as well as being in dual enrollment classes with Brightpoint community college where I maintain a 3.8 grade point average. During my summers I have volunteered at a local hospital, Riverside, and done community service with them for two weeks. During those two weeks I watched and learned from numerous nurses as well as interacted with patients. I feel that experience really set it in stone that I wanted to further my education in healthcare because I felt pure delight in watching the nurses and even myself making a patient have a good day or even just making them smile. I believe since I am ranked top three in my class I will go back to my high school to speak at events to educate any future students who wish to pursue healthcare so they know how important those careers are and how important it is for them to be compassionate and strive to be the best medical professional they can be. I myself am a first generation college bound female and I have always strived to do my best, pushed myself to be better, and looked for new opportunities to grow my compassion and experiences. I believe this scholarship will help me tremendously with furthering my education and learning skills in the healthcare field which will not only be beneficial and rewarding to myself but also to my future patients.

Sabrina Carpenter has impacted my life in various different ways. As a woman striving for success, she continuously worked hard to achieve her dreams. I am a fan of Sabrina because she started off small and worked hard for what she wanted. Her career debuted by singing covers on YouTube and she soon released her first song. She was noticed and started working towards an acting career to become a star for Disney. As a little girl I watched Girl Meets World in awe of how great of an actor she was at such a young age. She kept me interested in the show and, upon further research into her career, I found her songs on YouTube. I remember listening to them in my room on my iPod. I think it is very inspiring how she made her way to the top as a self-made female artist despite the hardships society gives women when moving to the top. Today, she is a singer and songwriter who is on the top charts. A girl who started off in a small town to a woman who won a Grammy in the music awards; I find her very motivating to never give up on your dreams no matter where you start.

Having an invisible disability like Ulcerative Colitis has changed the way I view the world in ways I never anticipated. Because it’s not something people can see, it often doesn’t feel “real enough” to others. I’ve had times where I questioned whether my own pain and struggles were valid, simply because others didn’t understand or acknowledge them. There were days when I was in serious pain, exhausted from flare-ups or recovering from infusions, and still expected to show up and perform like nothing was wrong. I’ve been judged, misunderstood, and even reprimanded by my school, teachers, and even had to discuss with higher level administrators for absences due to my treatment schedule and doctors appointments. There were moments where I felt like I had to constantly prove that I was sick enough to deserve compassion. Even though I was in constant pain it was sometimes brushed off as me wanting to skip school. This was not true because I have always liked school and I thrive in the learning environment and strive for academic greatness. At times, I internalized the idea that because my disability wasn’t visible, it wasn’t as important. I thought maybe if I had a visible disability maybe others would understand and recognize that life wasn’t just easy and fair to me. That kind of thinking can wear on you mentally and emotionally. But despite all of that, I’ve kept going. I’ve managed to maintain strong grades, stay involved in clubs and to volunteer at multiple places, support my friends, and prioritize my mental health. Living with Ulcerative Colitis has taught me resilience, empathy, and how to advocate for myself in a world that often overlooks people who struggle like me. It’s made me more aware of the struggles others might be going through quietly, and it’s deepened my desire to create more inclusive, understanding spaces, especially for those with invisible illnesses. In the future, I want to use my experience to speak up for others who might not feel seen or heard. Whether it’s through mentorship, advocacy, or simply offering a safe space, I hope to be someone who makes others feel less alone. I’ve learned that strength doesn’t always look the same, it doesn’t have to be loud or obvious. Sometimes, it’s just about showing up every day, even when it’s hard. And that’s a kind of strength I’ll carry with me into everything I do.

During my high school years, I faced a challenge I never expected—being diagnosed with a chronic disease. At first, I thought I was just dealing with an upset stomach or a virus. But as the symptoms grew worse—constant pain, fatigue, and frequent trips to the bathroom—I knew something was seriously wrong. After many doctor visits, tests, and procedures, I was finally diagnosed. In that moment, my world shifted. High school is already tough enough, but managing a chronic illness on top of everything else felt overwhelming. There were days I couldn’t get out of bed, and others when I had to leave school early for infusions or doctor appointments. I missed several days, sometimes entire weeks, due to flare-ups or treatments. Despite the physical pain and exhaustion, I was determined not to let this diagnosis define me or take away the things I cared about. I continued to stay involved in my clubs and activities, even when it was hard. Whether it was leading a meeting, participating in an event, or simply showing up, I pushed myself to be present. I kept up with my grades through late-night studying, emailing teachers, and finding time to catch up during my better days. It wasn’t easy, and I often had to make sacrifices—giving up sleep, skipping social plans, or studying during treatment—but I refused to fall behind. What kept me grounded through it all was the support of my friends, family, and a few incredible teachers. My friends didn’t always understand what I was going through, but their encouragement helped me feel less alone. I also learned to advocate for myself—to speak up about my needs, to ask for help, and to take my health seriously, even when it meant making tough choices. Living with this disease has taught me resilience, responsibility, and perspective. I’ve had to grow up faster than I expected, learning to manage medications, appointments, and procedures while still trying to be a “normal” teenager. While this illness is something I’ll live with for the rest of my life, I’ve come to accept it as part of my story—not something that defines me, but something that has shaped me into someone stronger, more empathetic, and more determined than ever before. I believe that living and learning with this disease has made me stronger as a person. Even though there are days I wish things were different, I know I can still thrive. I encourage everyone who suffers with any chronic disease to live as fully and as happily as they possibly can and embrace their disease because they are stronger because of it.

Before my freshman year of high school, history was always my least favorite subject. To me, it felt like a list of dates and names to memorize, nothing more than a collection of facts I had to remember for a test. I didn’t see the purpose in learning about events that had already happened, and I often found myself disengaged and frustrated in class. That all changed when I had the privilege of being taught by Mr. Finklestein. From the very first day, Mr. Finklestein approached history differently than any teacher I’d had before. He didn’t just lecture or hand out worksheets. Instead, he told stories. He connected historical events to real human experiences, showing us how the past shaped the present in ways I had never considered. He brought passion into every lesson, and it was impossible not to be pulled in by his enthusiasm. Suddenly, history wasn’t just about memorizing—it was about understanding. More than anything, Mr. Finklestein taught me that learning shouldn’t be focused solely on grades. While he still cared about our academic success, he emphasized something much more important: the absorption of knowledge. He wanted us to think critically, to ask questions, and to truly engage with what we were learning. He often said, “If you leave this class remembering what i’ve taught with a C rather than forgetting it all with an A, I’ve done my job.” That mindset changed how I approached all of my classes—not just history. And although he emphasized not being hard on ourselves over grades, he made it incredibly easy to retain the information, so I passed each history class I had with him up until junior year with a A+. What made Mr. Finklestein stand out even more was his kindness and genuine care for every student. If someone didn’t understand a concept, he would patiently explain it in multiple ways until it made sense. He stayed after school to offer help, adjusted his teaching style to fit our needs, and always took the time to ask how we were doing—not just academically, but personally. He created a classroom environment that felt safe, respectful, and motivating. Thanks to Mr. Finklestein, I now have a deep appreciation for history. But even more importantly, he helped me rediscover the joy of learning itself. His guidance showed me that education is about curiosity, growth, and connection—not just tests and grades. I will carry that lesson with me for the rest of my life, and I’m incredibly grateful to have had a teacher like him.

My name is Kaitlyn, and I come from a small rural town where everyone knows everyone. It’s the kind of place where neighbors wave as they pass, and a friendly conversation at the local produce stand is the norm. Our town doesn’t have many stores, restaurants, or shopping centers. Without traveling at least thirty minutes, most of us rely on small, locally-owned businesses like produce stands, farm shops, and our little corner store. Despite these limitations, I see great beauty in the simplicity and closeness of my community. My goal is to help it grow and improve while still keeping the rural charm and values that make it special. I take pride in being active in my community. Through the National Honor Society, I volunteer at various local events and assist with community projects. During the summer, I help with Vacation Bible School, where I work with children and help them learn in a fun, safe, and welcoming environment. One of the most meaningful parts of my life is working at College Run Farms, a small farming business that sells homegrown berries, corn, pumpkins, and homemade ice cream. At the farm, we value kindness and compassion above all else. Whether that means loading bags of corn into someone’s car or simply having a warm conversation, we try to make everyone feel welcome and cared for. To pursue a higher education I need all the scholarships and financial assistance I can get to attend 4 years of college to get my bachelors degree and become a NICU nurse. I’ve always believed in treating others with respect and going out of my way to connect with people who may be overlooked. I often make a point to talk to classmates who are quiet or seem to be alone. Sometimes, a small gesture of kindness can make a big difference in someone’s day. I know how important it is to feel seen and heard. As someone who believes deeply in kindness, I feel called to stand up against bullying—both online and in person. My plan is to promote awareness and create safe spaces where people feel comfortable speaking up. I want to help work with school groups and local organizations to help with anti-bullying, encourage bystander intervention, and offer support to those who feel isolated and alone. Whether through small conversation, in class education, or simply being a consistent, kind presence, I want to make it clear that bullying in any form is never acceptable. My goal is to help create a more supportive and inclusive environment for everyone, both in my community, school, and beyond.