As a young child, I remember seeing the life of my sister unravel before my eyes. Being adopted into our family, her past hurts and traumas compacted by bullying, betrayal and insecurity, impacted the way she viewed her life and worth. While it may have seemed so hopeless at times, I also was able to experience the great ability that love, compassion, determination and understanding could offer to her through the driving force of a family that was not willing to give up. Knowing that my sister did not value her own life was heartbreaking, but also knowing that my family was never going to give up on her was inspiring. My parents come from families that did not believe in mental support. Their families felt that getting therapy was a weakness of the mind. My parents did not subscribe to those beliefs and sought out mental health care for her. They constantly spoke to her about how God saw her, how they saw her, and for lack of a better phrase, they loved her back to life. My parents advocated for her, stepped in to protect her, and spoke against the negativity that consumed her mind. They got her the assistance she desperately needed, sacrificing everything they had to see her well again. I asked my mom once if she ever felt scared of the “what ifs” that came with all of this. Her response was simple, “I was terrified at times. But I used that fear to give me the determination to see your sister reach and see her full potential. Motherhood is about sacrifice, and I would do it all over again for any of you.” The struggle my sister faced allowed me to establish boundaries in my own life. I learned to never allow anyone to control the narrative of who I am or who I am meant to be. I learned that trusting God through my hardships would bring me an unsurmountable peace even when my world felt chaotic. I learned that my parents always want the best for me, not out of some selfish ambition, but out of a true desire to see me thrive. I learned that bad things will happen but I have choices: despair or hope, fight or flail, joy or anger, trust or doubt. I will always try to choose the decision that keeps me moving forward. I would be lying if I said that there were never times that I haven’t felt hopelessness. Yet, I would look back to my sister’s transition and remember that I had my faith and my family to see me through. This whole experience has led me to have a closer and more valuable relationship with my parents and my siblings. My sister’s life is an inspiration of what love can do. For the past few years, I have led a Bible study group to assist teens younger than me through their struggles. I have used my sister’s life and my own experiences as a conduit to truth when speaking to these girls. It has been so rewarding to see what being willing to listen and love has done through the life of the girls that have been placed in my sphere of influence. As I face my future, I know I want my life to focus on two main things. I want to serve and honor God in all that I do. I also want to love and serve others the way God intended for me to. While I am seeking a business degree, I am also desiring to get a degree in ministry. It has been an extremely long journey, but seeing my sister stepping into her future as a courageous, positive and loving woman has been a gift that I would never diminish. We all have a life to live. How are we going to live it? I pray that as my life unfolds that it is never about fame, money, or selfish desires. My constant goal is to make even one person’s life better. What a beautiful legacy that would be.

Selflessness is part of the core of my character. I come from a family that have always embodied service as part of our family DNA. From a very young age, I learned that life is not about my selfish desires but instead, how can I be a blessing to others. When I was able to embrace that, my faith in God convicted me of living for Him and to help others, it changed my life's perspective. I learned that kindness and love could change a person's life in small and big ways. I go out of my way to give people compliments, and watching their disposition change or their huge smile brighten up their eyes, I know that I made a small difference in their life. Working with Dance marathon, coordinating events and watching a child, who is battling cancer, be able to take a few hours to forget their suffering, to enjoy some joy and peace for a period of time, allows me to see hope renewed in their lives. Those small and big experiences and the reactions of those they helped remind me of my purpose to serve others. I lead two Bible study groups, an all-girl group and a co-ed group. In these groups, I am always challenged by the lies, teenagers face. They are so overwhelmed by their guilt or shame. I am there to remind them of God's love and grace, and that He sees them for who they are, and wants them to live in peace and freedom. We talk about releasing their shame and embracing their relationship with God. It is beautiful to watch them grow in His love. One of my favorite things to do, is to assist my family in helping other families. We will cook meals for people in need and deliver them. Or give people food in food banks to last them awhile. We will watch their children so that they can have a moment to recharge. On a more personal side, one of my closest friends was being picked on, by a guy, on social media. I stayed in contact with her until she felt better but I just couldn't stand by and let it happen. I had to confront him, even if it cost me becoming his target. Fortunately, when I did, he realized that his behavior was inappropriate and we had a good talk about it. He stopped his behavior and she appreciated the help. We live in a very "me" focused world, I want to be a part of the change of that perspective. I may not be able to change the world, but I can change the lives of those God puts in my path. One person, one kind thought or deed, can equal a lifetime of love.

Being in service to others has been a part of the core of my character for as long as I remember. My whole family has been involved in service in some aspect or another all of my life. It is a part of the DNA of our family, and I have thrived in serving others. For the last 6 years, I have volunteered at the Vacation Bible School at our church and have served a week out of every summer helping the children in our community learn about Jesus in a safe environment. For the last 2 years, I have volunteered as the morale leader for Dance Marathon, which is a non-profit organization that creates events for children battling cancer to find some joy through their suffering. In the last 4 years, I have led two Bible study groups, creating a safe space for teen girls that need to share their hardships and struggles. In this group, I lead it with one theme in mind, that they need to experience love and acceptance regardless of how they feel about themselves. Because when girls experience that, they realize that shame cannot have a hold on them. (In the picture below, I am the young lady in the yellow shirt during a volunteering project we were coordinating at church.) I have also gone on mission trips with my family to serve people who have absolutely nothing in other countries. This experience was an absolute eye-opener. I realized that here in the United States, we live in a land of luxury and comfort. The things that we take for granted, are not even things that people in other countries dream about. We, as a family, feed people in food drives. Watching people in desperate need here in Florida, has been humbling and gratifying. A kind word goes a long way but a heart to love changes a person's perspective. What I have learned through leading and serving in all of these different aspects of ministry and volunteering is that my life is not for me to live selfishly focused on myself but instead it needs to be a life focused on God and others. The Bible says that we are the hands and feet of Jesus. We were made to be actively involved in the lives of others. I have learned that kindness, whether received or given, is a gift, that when given, gives hope to others and even yourself. One of the most important things that I have learned is that integrity in dealing with others makes you trustworthy. Without trust, it is hard to have others believe in you. I want to be the kind of woman, that what I say carries value and that others will know that if I said it, it will be done. I also have learned that love should always be your loudest voice, that when you speak everyone, without a doubt, know that I am coming from a place of love, not judgment, not hate, not selfishness, just love. I may not be able to change the whole world, but I can make a difference in the lives of those that God puts in my path.

For the majority of my life, I have seen my older sister suffer from severe depression and anxiety. I have seen her crippled by her thoughts and on the verge of giving up. It always saddened me to see her experience these mental health issues. But I never truly understood the toll it took on someone mentally, spiritually and physically until I experienced it myself. This past year the pressure of school, home, work and family were overwhelming and instead of speaking about it, I just kept it to myself and tried to cope. I quickly realized that that was not a great solution to what I was experiencing. During one of my Lacrosse games, I had a severe anxiety attack, something I had never experienced before. My parents had to come down to the sidelines because I was shaking so much that I could not move, my fingers had turned white and I was crying uncontrollably. This happened in front of hundreds of people, including my teammates. Thankfully, everyone was so kind and empathetic and didn't look at me as some kind of freak, but genuinely were trying to calm me down and console me. Once I calmed down, I felt better but not whole. I became so fearful of having another anxiety attack that I would work myself up and eventually would have others back-to-back, even though they were on a smaller scale than the one I initially had. The weekend after all of this there was a retreat already scheduled for the youth of my church. I already planned to go. When I walked through the front door, I felt overwhelmed and the anxiety started to creep up. Fortunately, my mother was close by and saw me and knew what was happening. She quickly walked over and told me not to let my fears take over my faith, that God had a message for me there. If I needed to cry, yell, pray or talk that God was there to hear me. She was absolutely right; I just needed to let out everything that I had been holding in and I did. My mother did not hover around me; she just let me work it out with Jesus. It was the most amazing experience of my life. Since then, I have learned to not hold anything in anymore, not my fears, hopes, disappointments, pressures, nothing. I talk to my mom about everything, good or bad. She listens and helps me process truth from the lies I have added to the truth, and let's me see things through a different perspective. Then we always pray together. I have not had a major anxiety attack since then, but even if I feel a small uneasiness, I know to pray and talk about it openly. I am now so aware of how my sister's condition, which is so far worse than mine has crippled her in so many ways. My heart breaks for her. I encourage her to seek therapy to help ease her burden. I reach out to my friends constantly just to make sure their doing well. Most importantly, I have shared my experience with teenagers in the youth groups that I lead. Sometimes, we need to just know that others experience the same things we do, and there is freedom in sharing that with others.

My name is Kalen Madrigal, and I am a senior at Seminole Ridge Community High School. My faith lies in the very core of my character as a young woman. While life gave me challenges, I had to learn to use my drive, my faith, and truly delve deep to overcome, excel and thrive. Life is hard and I have learned that nothing can stop you if you look at life as an endless opportunity. As a young child, I was diagnosed with a learning disability. I remember clearly the day my mother and I sat down to go through what I would be facing in the years to come. I was taught that my disability had to be looked at as a launching pad not as a ceiling. I knew that I would have to work harder than most of my classmates to reach my goals. We decided that medication would not be an option, but that I had to embrace my disability but not let it become my crutch or identity. I work hard at school, I am in AICE and A/P classes, and while I am not always top ranked, I focus on doing my best. I have a 3.2292 GPA and a 3.8776 weighted GPA. Four years ago, I walked on to the field to try out for Varsity Lacrosse, with very little knowledge of the game. When I realized what I needed to do in order to excel and not be overlooked in the sport, I got to work. I worked day and night increasing my skill. I not only made the team but I have been a starter on the field for the last four years. Grit and determination got me there. This year, I lead my team as the captain of the team. I am extremely proud of this accomplishment. Lastly, but most importantly for me, is my faith. I pursue my relationship with Jesus daily. While on my transcript you will only see 32 hours of Community Service hours, the needed amount for graduation, what you don’t see is the countless hours of servitude that I have actually done. Currently, I lead two Bible study groups for teenagers. I allow my love for Jesus and others to be my loudest voice. While the world wants to judge you for your mistakes, my focus is on allowing other young ladies to know that their mistakes or choices don’t identify them. I have used my influence to help other teenagers to experience love, renew hope and live their lives in grace. If I could start my own charity it would be to help children in the foster care system. My two older sisters are adopted and we are so grateful for the women they are now, but their hardships were heartbreaking. Children need to know that when their parents are no longer able to support or love them, that others will. My charity would be a Safe haven for Foster children, a place where they can come to get therapy, feel safe, have fun, be mentored, learn the scriptures, be fed and experience the love of God. My family has instilled in me that I have the ability to change people's lives when I am focused on God and not myself.

TThe most meaningful relationship I have is with my mother, Rosa. She has always been a strong influence in my life, not just as a mother but also as a confidante and dare I say, best friend. She has healthy boundaries, and allows me the space to express my opinions and thoughts openly. In middle school and high school, like many girls my age, I was struggling with low self-esteem. I wanted to be like everyone else, I wanted to be known and sought after, to be popular. When that expectation was not met, I felt unworthy and unseen. My mother noticed my struggle and gave me some much-needed advice and walked me through the process. She explained that if I was everything to everyone that I would never find my place or my significance in this world. She taught me that my identity can only be found in God and then she taught me through the Scriptures, exactly how God saw me. This changed my whole perspective. I read how God called me fearfully and wonderfully made, and how He calls me a masterpiece. My mom explained that I have to accept myself for who I was not who I wanted to be. She taught me that confidence is built one positive thought at a time. That was a game changer for me. Every time a negative thought popped up in my mind, I replaced it with a positive one. I started to believe everything God said about me. I walked in confidence even when I struggled with it, but little by little it started to infuse itself into my being. Now, I try to help other girls younger than me be able to get to that place mentally and spiritually by volunteering my time leading two youth groups. I also volunteer my time with children with cancer, so that they can find joy and hope through their suffering. We, as a society, forget the power of a kind word or gesture. My mom taught me that if I see someone who feels pretty, I should let them know that they are. If I see someone struggling, I should talk to them. If I see someone being mistreated, I should speak up for them. There were times that all I wanted was to just exist in my little bubble, but you cannot impact the world from a bubble. I want to remind people that they can all do the hard things. I want to give them the quote I live by "sometimes you win, sometimes you learn." Failure allows for growth, not defeat. Relationships, when they are healthy, can change how we love ourselves and others. We learn to glean the positive things from others and throw the toxic traits out. We learn to let love be our loudest voice to ourselves and others. I may not be able to change the whole world but I know that showing love and kindness to even one person has a ripple effect that can go further than I ever imagined. Today, I stand as a woman full of love, integrity and wanting to do good for others because my precious mother led by example. Her love has impacted the lives of many women, known and unknown to her. I only hope that I will leave behind the same kind of legacy as the one she has built through abundant love.

The movie that had the greatest impact on me was Avatar. While other people may see this movie as big blue aliens trying to protect their home, I saw more than that. The movie showed me that at some point in our lives we all want to be somebody that we are not. Yet, in the midst of that, we are pressed to reveal who we truly want to be. In the movie, there was a war between good and evil. We all have to decide what side we want to stand for. Sometimes, we are manipulated or even confused on what is right and what is wrong. One thing that I have learned is that we cannot take things at face value, we must question the motives of people to find the truth and then we make an informed decision. In the movie, there was a tree of souls. A tree that held the souls of their forefathers and ancestors considered the Mother tree. For me, that tree symbolizes God in my life. I want to be so connected with God, that I am not pursuing to hurt others because of my opinions, desires or thoughts. Instead, that I would truly love others wholeheartedly regardless of what their "Avatar" looks like. The movie, Avatar, shows the alliance of two different people, humans, who felt superior, and the Navi, who were looked at as inferior. Once the humans, who infiltrated their culture realized the purity in the hearts of the Navi, and their desire to just protect their beliefs and culture, they realized that they had to support them. How great would it be if we could get out of our selfish mindsets and reach out to those in need. I want to be that person and live my life trying to help those that need hope, joy, kindness and love. I never want to be so self-focused that I miss seeing the pain and hopelessness in others. My life is meant to be lived serving others, saying a kind word, meeting the needs of others and giving them tangible hope, the kind you can embrace. How I wish that would be the desire of everyone. In the movie, war came upon them and evil seemed to be winning. Then the Navi and the people around them rose up as one and conquered evil and goodness won. May love be our loudest voice! May goodness be our weapon and may we always overcome.

Serving other lies in the very core of my character as a young woman. I was born into a family where being in service to God and others was exemplified for me by my parents and my siblings. Having a positive impact in the world has to come from a heart that understands that I cannot be focused on my selfish desires, but instead how can I help those around me. I don't know that I can impact the whole world, but I know that I have the ability to change the lives of the people God puts in my path. This life we live is not to be wasted on the frivolous things of this world, but it has to have an eternal focus for those around me. Currently, I volunteer for Dance Marathon, to assist children with cancer to have a distraction from the disease that ravages their bodies, to moments of just pure joy. I also volunteer at my local church assisting the younger age groups, leading two different small groups, that their past may have set them on a path, but it doesn't not have to override their journey into their future. I want to be a conduit of hope for their lives. God loves us so much that He wants us to be renewed by His ultimate sacrifice. What a beautiful gift that I am determined to share. This scholarship will assist me in receiving a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management with a Minor in Worship Arts. My goal is to be an entrepreneur in the future. To educate myself with studies and with knowledge-based training to understand not only how the Business World works but how I can assist others who are not able to get an education. While not many share my same beliefs, I also want to honor God in all I do. As a young woman who has had to work hard to overcome a learning disability, it has also showed me that there are others out there who can use a kind word and a helping hand. I want my education and my employment to assist those less fortunate than I am and less abled than I am. Giving others the opportunity to see themselves as “good enough” and with the confidence to succeed is a desire I hold close to my heart. It is what drives me with all of my future goals. A person’s disability should be seen as a launching pad, not a ceiling. There is nothing in life that we can take for granted, but with God, the support of family, higher education and grit, I will make all my dreams come true. When others ask me “Why” my response will always be “because serving God is the greatest opportunity I will ever have." Thank you for the opportunity to apply for your scholarship.

Having a positive impact in the world has to come from a heart that understands that I cannot be focused on my selfish desires, but instead how can I help those around me. I don't know that I can impact the whole world, but I know that I have the ability to change the lives of the people God puts in my path. This life we live is not to be wasted on the frivolous things of this world, but it has to have an eternal focus for those around me. Currently, I volunteer for Dance Marathon, to assist children with cancer have a distraction from the disease that ravages their bodies, to moments of just pure joy. I also volunteer at my local church assisting the younger age groups, leading two different small groups, that their past may have set them on a path, but it doesn't not have to override their journey into their future. I want to be a conduit of hope for their lives. This scholarship will assist me in receiving a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management with a Minor in Worship Arts. My goal is to be an entrepreneur in the future. To educate myself with studies and with knowledge-based training to understand not only how the Business World works but how I can assist others who are not able to get an education. While not many share my same beliefs, I also want to honor God in all I do. As a young woman who has had to work hard to overcome a learning disability, it has also showed me that there are others out there who can use a kind word and a helping hand. I want my education and my employment to assist those less fortunate than I am and less abled than I am. Giving others the opportunity to see themselves as “good enough” and with the confidence to succeed is a desire I hold close to my heart. It is what drives me with all of my future goals. A person’s disability should be seen as a launching pad, not a ceiling. There is nothing in life that we can take for granted, but with God, the support of family, higher education and grit, I will make all my dreams come true. When others ask me “Why” my response will always be “because opportunities are small mountains that we have to climb to reach the highest peaks and on you can give others the ability to join you on that journey." Thank you for the opportunity to apply for your scholarship.

Attending and completing college means that I would have more opportunities available to me. As the daughter of two Hispanic parents, who were not able to complete their college degrees in order to be able to financially support their families, the ability and drive to receive my degree is not only to honor their sacrifices, but also to honor my hard work. All my life, I have seen my parents forgo their own education as young adults to provide an additional income for their parents and siblings, and then transition to providing for our family. Once they had their own family, my father became the sole provider for our home, so that my mother could be home taking care of my siblings and myself. Once we became old enough to attend school, my mother turned to managing her family’s restaurant. Seeing their sacrifices for others and their family has reminded me that I cannot make an excuse to not get a higher education but instead use their sacrifices as a catalyst to drive me to succeed. At the age of 13, I started working at my extended family’s restaurant. My parents did the same with all of my siblings. I learned that hard work and integrity bring a positive sense of self. I learned and grew as a young lady. I realized that every dollar made takes hard work and it gave me a more grateful appreciation for my parents. This scholarship will assist me in receiving a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management with a Minor in Worship Arts. My goal is to be an entrepreneur in the future. To educate myself with studies and with knowledge-based training to understand not only how the Business World works but how I can assist others who are not able to get an education. While not many share my same beliefs, I also want to honor God in all I do. As a young woman who has had to work hard to overcome a learning disability, it has also showed me that there are others out there who can use a kind word and a helping hand. I want my education and my employment to assist those less fortunate than I am and less abled than I am. Giving others the opportunity to see themselves as “good enough” and with the confidence to succeed is a desire I hold close to my heart. It is what drives me with all of my future goals. A person’s disability should be seen as a launching pad, not a ceiling. There is nothing in life that we can take for granted, but with God, the support of family, higher education and grit, I will make all my dreams come true. When others ask me “Why” my response will always be “because opportunities are small mountains that we have to climb to reach the highest peaks.” Thank you for the opportunity to apply for your scholarship.

Why I feel I am deserving of the Christian Fitness Association General Scholarship lies in the very core of my character as a young woman. While life gave me challenges, I had to learn to use my drive, my faith, and truly delve deep to overcome, excel and thrive. Life is hard and I have learned that nothing can stop you if you look at life as an endless opportunity. As a young child, I was diagnosed with a learning disability. I remember clearly the day my mother and I sat down to go through what I would be facing in the years to come. I was taught that my disability had to be looked at as a launching pad not as a ceiling. I knew that I would have to work harder than most of my classmates to reach my goals. We decided that medication would not be an option, but that I had to embrace my disability but not let it become my crutch or identity. I work hard at school, I am in AICE and A/P classes, and while I am not always top ranked, I focus on doing my best. Four years ago, I walked on to the field to try out for Varsity Lacrosse, with very little knowledge of the game. When I realized what I needed to do in order to excel and not be overlooked in the sport, I got to work. I worked day and night increasing my skill. I not only made the team, but I have been a starter on the field for the last four years. Grit and determination got me there. This year, I lead my team as the captain of the team. I am extremely proud of this accomplishment. At the age of 13, I started working at the family restaurant, it is something that my 3 other siblings had to also do. My parents are big advocates of hard work is character building. While I thought I would be put in a position as a busser, a behind the scenes position, my mother decided that I would be the hostess for the weekend shifts. When I balked at the idea and asked her why. Her explanation was that as a hostess, I would learn to see the best of people and the worst. I could not hide but had to face the challenges of angry customers and rude people. I was terrified. In the beginning, when someone would yell or get angry, I would freeze and just want to cry but then my mother would step in and take control of the situation. Once I realized that she was there for me, I felt more confident in dealing with grievances. I learned to find solutions and turn the situation around to make a better experience for the customer and our family. Years later I asked my mom what the purpose was in throwing me into one of the hardest positions in the restaurant business, she explained that when I pursue a career in business and ministry, people would be difficult and it would show me how to learn grace and forgiveness when people were at their worst. It would teach me to see people through the eyes of Jesus, and not just through my worldly lens. Lastly, but most importantly for me, is my faith. I pursue my relationship with Jesus daily. While on my transcript you will only see 32 hours of Community Service hours, the needed amount for graduation, what you don’t see is the countless hours of servitude that I have actually done. Currently, I lead two Bible study groups for teenagers. I allow my love for Jesus and others to be my loudest voice. While the world wants to judge you for your mistakes, my focus is on allowing other young ladies to know that their mistakes or choices don’t identify them. I have used my influence to help other teenagers to experience love, renew hope and live their lives in grace. My family has instilled in me that my life cannot just be focused all on me but to be aware of others around me. I come from a family who have served their community, and even our country for years. I want to grow in knowledge, I want to always have eyes to see the hurting, and I want to live a life that serves others through my skill set and empathy. My desire is to show the grantors of this scholarship that I have/will earn the right to deserve this scholarship through integrity, hard work, grit but most off all with love for others. I am a woman who wants to leave her mark on this world, not of fame and fortune, but of grace and truth.

I have been raised by parents who are in passionate pursuit of God. My father is an associate Pastor at our church, and my mother has served as Women's Ministry director and other leadership positions for over 20 years. That pursuit was infectious in our home, but there came a point in my life that I realized that their pursuit could not be instilled on me. It was at that point in my life that I realized that I had to decide whether I had faith of my own. It was quite a journey. In middle school, I saw the world come to a halting stop when Covid infected the world. I lost my grandmother during that time and then almost lost my dad, when he contracted the deadly disease. I remember praying so hard and wondering if God could hear me. I felt like I had lost my grandmother and that was difficult. The shock of possibly losing my father brought me to a crisis of faith like I had never experienced before. I was either going to trust God or I wasn't. It was at that point that I realized that the faith I did have lacked hope, trust and passion. Fortunately, my father survived. My faith was lacking my heart. It was then that I decided to start pursuing God. I grew in knowledge, trust, and love. In High School, I regressed into what I wanted and not what I needed. I saw the majority of my friends in a relationship, and I truly felt that if I did not have a relationship that I was missing out. My family rule is that I am not allowed to date until I was 17. When I turned 17, I was sure that Mr. Right was going to sweep me off my feet. God had other plans. Fortunately, I have a wonderful relationship with my parents and trust their judgement. My mother sat me down and explained that while seventeen was the age that I could pursue a relationship, that it didn't mean I should. She explained how I was in pursuit of the wrong thing. That if I focused more on pursuing God that the guy (future husband) would be brought to me by God. I listened to her and prayed for direction from God. That summer I went to the Passion Conference, and I felt so convicted for, once again, taking my heart away from Jesus. I recommitted my life to God once again. As I am about to launch into the world as a young adult pursuing an education in Business Management with a minor in Worship Arts, I know with all my heart that I want to serve God. I want to be an entrepreneur with a faith mindset. My faith will get me through the hard times, the unknowns that I will face, it will remind me that grace and compassion have to be motivators in serving others. Learning to trust God daily when things seem impossible is a skillset that grows with time. When others see us..........they should say "HERE HE IS!!" What I have realized in this journey of self-discovery is that all I will ever need is the Creator of the World, the Author of Hope, peace and joy. I pray every day that I will not fall back into the traps of the world, but if I do, I know that God will lead me back to Him again.

Who I am as a young woman lies in the very core of my character. While life gave me challenges, I had to learn to use my drive, my faith, and truly delve deep to overcome, excel and thrive. Life is hard and I have learned that nothing can stop you if you look at life as an endless opportunity. As a young child, I was diagnosed with a learning disability. I remember clearly the day my mother and I sat down to go through what I would be facing in the years to come. I was taught that my disability had to be looked at as a launching pad not as a ceiling. I knew that I would have to work harder than most of my classmates to reach my goals. We decided that medication would not be an option, but that I had to embrace my disability but not let it become my crutch or identity. I work hard at school, I am in AICE and A/P classes, and while I am not always top ranked, I focus on doing my best. Four years ago, I walked on to the field to try out for Varsity Lacrosse, with very little knowledge of the game. When I realized what I needed to do in order to excel and not be overlooked in the sport, I got to work. I worked day and night increasing my skill. I not only made the team, but I have been a starter on the field for the last four years. Grit and determination got me there. This year, I lead my team as the captain of the team. I am extremely proud of this accomplishment. Lastly, but most importantly for me, is my faith. I pursue my relationship with Jesus daily. While on my transcript you will only see 32 hours of Community Service hours, the needed amount for graduation, what you don’t see is the countless hours of servitude that I have actually done. Currently, I lead two Bible study groups for teenagers. I allow my love for Jesus and others to be my loudest voice. While the world wants to judge you for your mistakes, my focus is on allowing other young ladies to know that their mistakes or choices don’t identify them. I have used my influence to help other teenagers to experience love, renew hope and live their lives in grace. My advice to anyone facing the same circumstances is to learn to be your biggest fan, find faith, and work harder than everyone else in the room to make your dream a possibility. Just because things don't fall into place the way you want them to, learn to pivot your mind for greater success. My family has instilled in me that my life cannot just be focused all on me but to be aware of others around me. I come from a family who have served their community, and even our country for years. I want to grow in knowledge, I want to always have eyes to see the hurting, and I want to live a life that serves others through my skill set and empathy. My desire is to show the grantors of this scholarship that I have/will earn the right to deserve this scholarship through integrity, hard work, grit but most off all with love for others. I am a woman who wants to leave a her mark on this world, not of fame and fortune, but of grace and truth.

Who I am as a young woman lies in the very core of my character. While life gave me challenges, I had to learn to use my drive, my faith, and truly delve deep to overcome, excel and thrive. Life is hard and I have learned that nothing can stop you if you look at life as an endless opportunity. As a young child, I was diagnosed with a learning disability. I remember clearly the day my mother and I sat down to go through what I would be facing in the years to come. I was taught that my disability had to be looked at as a launching pad not as a ceiling. I knew that I would have to work harder than most of my classmates to reach my goals. We decided that medication would not be an option, but that I had to embrace my disability but not let it become my crutch or identity. I work hard at school, I am in AICE and A/P classes, and while I am not always top ranked, I focus on doing my best. Four years ago, I walked on to the field to try out for Varsity Lacrosse, with very little knowledge of the game. When I realized what I needed to do in order to excel and not be overlooked in the sport, I got to work. I worked day and night increasing my skill. I not only made the team but I have been a starter on the field for the last four years. Grit and determination got me there. This year, I lead my team as the captain of the team. I am extremely proud of this accomplishment. Lastly, but most importantly for me, is my faith. I pursue my relationship with Jesus daily. While on my transcript you will only see 32 hours of Community Service hours, the needed amount for graduation, what you don’t see is the countless hours of servitude that I have actually done. Currently, I lead two Bible study groups for teenagers. I allow my love for Jesus and others to be my loudest voice. While the world wants to judge you for your mistakes, my focus is on allowing other young ladies to know that their mistakes or choices don’t identify them. I have used my influence to help other teenagers to experience love, renew hope and live their lives in grace. My family has instilled in me that my life cannot just be focused all on me but to be aware of others around me. I come from a family who have served their community, and even our country for years. I want to grow in knowledge, I want to always have eyes to see the hurting, and I want to live a life that serves others through my skill set and empathy. My desire is to show the grantors of this scholarship that I have/will earn the right to deserve this scholarship through integrity, hard work, grit but most off all with love for others. I am a woman who wants to leave a her mark on this world, not of fame and fortune, but of grace and truth.

My name is Kalen Madrigal, a high school senior, who is pursuing to continue her education. The woman that I have evolved to be lies in the very core of my character as a young woman. While life gave me challenges, I had to learn to use my drive, my faith, and truly delve deep to overcome, excel and thrive. Life is hard and I have learned that nothing can stop you if you look at life as an endless opportunity. As a young child, I was diagnosed with a learning disability. I remember clearly the day my mother and I sat down to go through what I would be facing in the years to come. I was taught that my disability had to be looked at as a launching pad not as a ceiling. I knew that I would have to work harder than most of my classmates to reach my goals. We decided that medication would not be an option, but that I had to embrace my disability but not let it become my crutch or identity. I work hard at school, I am in AICE and A/P classes, and while I am not always top ranked, I focus on doing my best. Four years ago, I walked on to the field to try out for Varsity Lacrosse, with very little knowledge of the game. When I realized what I needed to do in order to excel and not be overlooked in the sport, I got to work. I worked day and night increasing my skill. I not only made the team, but I have been a starter on the field for the last four years. Grit and determination got me there. This year, I lead my team as the captain of the team. I am extremely proud of this accomplishment. Lastly, but most importantly for me, is my faith. I pursue my relationship with Jesus daily. While on my transcript you will only see 32 hours of Community Service hours, the needed amount for graduation, what you don’t see is the countless hours of servitude that I have actually done. Currently, I lead two Bible study groups for teenagers. I allow my love for Jesus and others to be my loudest voice. While the world wants to judge you for your mistakes, my focus is on allowing other young ladies to know that their mistakes or choices don’t identify them. I have used my influence to help other teenagers to experience love, renew hope and live their lives in grace. My family has instilled in me that my life cannot just be focused all on me but to be aware of others around me. I come from a family who have served their community, and even our country for years. I want to grow in knowledge, I want to always have eyes to see the hurting, and I want to live a life that serves others through my skill set and empathy. My desire is to show the grantors of this scholarship that I have/will earn the right to deserve this scholarship through integrity, hard work, grit but most off all with love for others. I am a woman who wants to leave her mark on this world, not of fame and fortune, but of grace and truth.

I would love to say that I have always been boldly and unapologetically me but that was not my truth until a few years ago. I found myself trying to conform, looking for acceptance, and looking for direction that would make me stand out. Instead, what I found was confusion, fear and awkwardness. Then, I experienced Jesus in a way that I had never experienced him before. I am a pastor's child, so people had this expectation of perfection and that naturally, I would be close to Christ. Thankfully, I have a close relationship with my parents, and my mother noticed that I was pursuing all the things that most people pursued, a relationship, beauty, popularity, but that I my self-confidence had taken a major hit. She lovingly explained that if I stopped pursuing all of those things and pursued Jesus, everything would change. She was so right. I found a passion for Christ and surrendered my desires to Him. Instead of everything being about "me", it became about Him. Now I have the best relationship I will ever have, I have an inner beauty that continues to grow, I encourage others in their pursuit of Jesus daily and my confidence in self and Him has grown radically. I don't want to conform to the patterns of this world, because they are self-focused and self-driven. Now, I lead two Bible study groups of younger teens who struggle with not only find their purpose but their identity in a world that wants to dictate who they should be. I share my testimony and show them that going against the norm is powerful and freeing. I sing on my youth worship team and show my generation that praising Jesus is definitely acceptable. I volunteer at my school in Dance Marathon and work with disabled students to show them love and acceptance when they feel like "less thans". Every year, I spend a portion of my summer teaching the younger generation about truth and love through Jesus. In closing, life is what you make of it. My faith is not about a bunch of rules that are not attainable, it is about the one who loved me first, about the pursuit of that real relationship, and then how do I meet the needs of the hurting and the unseen. I may not be able to change the world, but I can help change the life of just one person a day by showing them love and kindness. Our lives should be lived out serving others and loving well. Thank you for the opportunity to apply for your scholarship. I am sorry for the loss of your Ava, but may her legacy be lived out by all of us.

What am I passionate about? I would not have known how to answer that question even a couple of years ago. Today, I can boldly say that I am passionate about the relationship I have with Jesus. As I learned to draw closer to Him and not the things that are culturally important to my generation, I found purpose. Every week, I lead two Bible study classes for teenage girls who struggle with all types of issues. Either issues I have struggled with or even currently struggle with. It is so gratifying to be able to help others with my testimony or with God's word. My passion is expressed through singing praise and worship songs every week as a worship leader for the youth group at church. I have been given a talent to sing, and I love to share that with others. As teens, we feel very awkward to sing to a God that others mock. We are afraid to let others know that our faith is important to us for fear of rejection. I realized that I could not hide my faith from others, but I had to give those around me permission to praise God in the same way. It has been a liberating and fulfilling experience. My other passion is for a sport that I just love, Lacrosse. I played in a recreational lacrosse program in middle school, we played two games and then Covid hit the world, and everything came to a halt. In order to keep myself grounded, I focused on building the skills I needed to improve in the sport that I came to love. For hours, I practiced and practiced. My freshman year I tried out for the Varsity Lacrosse team and not only made the team but was also a starter. I have played Lacrosse for the last four years, as a starter, and this year I am the captain of the team. I use the position to support, encourage and enhance the girls on our team. I have learned that through this shared experience, the team is stronger. It can never just be about my self-improvement, or my stats as a player, but what is best for the whole team. Every year, I am challenged as a young woman. How am I going to influence the generation to come? I use my time in volunteering every summer in teaching the kids in my community about the love of Christ. In school, I volunteer with Dance Marathon and work with disabled children to support them and show them what genuine love and care looks like. In closing, I want to be the best version of myself every day, whether on the field or off. I work hard but I love even harder. My mother has always taught me, that "It is nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice." If we can extend beyond what we want and look at what other people need we have an opportunity to touch so many hearts that are hurting. Thank you for the opportunity to apply for this scholarship. I am sorry for the loss of Clayton James Miller. I pray that God grants you peace and love as you mourn his loss.

When I was in middle school, my sister-in-law played Varsity Lacrosse. My family went to support her at one of her games, a sport, we, as a family, were never exposed to before. The whistle blew, the game began, and I was immediately hooked. In the past, I had played flag football and soccer, and while Lacrosse had some similarities, there were components of it that challenged me. I immediately found a recreational program for Lacrosse and signed up. I played two games and then Covid descended upon the world. I knew that I couldn't let that stop me, so I practiced every day for the next couple of years in my yard. I was outside for hours, honing my skills, running to build endurance. Freshman year, I tried out for the team. I was chosen for the Varsity team and the time i spent working on myself and training for the sport paid off. As a freshman, I was a starter. I have continued playing the sport for the last four years and have been a starter for the program ever since. This year I was made the captain of the team as well. Daily, I go to team practice for two hours. When practice is over, I go to Planet Fitness to work on strength training for an hour. Four days a week, I play wall ball in the yard, to enhance stick skills. Lacrosse has allowed me the ability to disconnect from the pressures of life, the culture of social media and wasting time, to move and build mental and physical strength. I have built lasting friendships and community through Lacrosse. I have a grit and strength that I have never experience before. My goal is to further my education at Palm Beach Atlantic University and join their Lacrosse team. I chose this particular University because faith is an important component in my life. I want to continue to grow in my faith and I also get to be a part of an amazing Lacrosse program. Thank you for the opportunity to apply for this scholarship.

I have been raised by parents who are in passionate pursuit of God. My father is an associate Pastor at our church and my mother has served as Women's Ministry Director and other leadership positions for over 20 years. That pursuit was infectious in our home, but there came a point in my life that I realized that their pursuit could not be instilled on me. It was at that point in my life that I realized that I had to decide whether I had faith of my own. It was quite a journey. In middle school, I saw the world come to a halting stop when Covid infected the world. I lost my grandmother during that time and then almost lost my dad, when he contracted the deadly disease. I remember praying so hard and wondering if God could hear me. I felt like I had lost my grandmother and that was difficult. The shock of possibly losing my father brought me to a crisis of faith like I had never experienced before. I was either going to trust God or I wasn't. It was at that point that I realized that the faith I did have lacked hope, trust and passion. Fortunately, my father survived. My faith was lacking my heart. It was then that I decided to start pursuing God. I grew in knowledge, trust, and love. In High School, I regressed into what I wanted and not what I needed. I saw the majority of my friends in a relationship and I truly felt that if I did not have a relationship that I was missing out. My family rule is that I am not allowed to date until I was 17. When I turned 17, I was sure that Mr. Right was going to sweep me off my feet. God had other plans. Fortunately, I have a wonderful relationship with my parents and trust their judgement. My mother sat me down and explained that while seventeen was the age that I could pursue a relationship, that it didn't mean I should. She explained how I was in pursuit of the wrong thing. That if I focused more on pursuing God that the guy (future husband) would be brought to me by God. I listened to her and prayed for direction from God. That summer I went to the Passion Conference and I felt so convicted for, once again, taking my heart away from Jesus. I recommitted my life to God once again. What I have realized in this journey of self-discovery is that all I will ever need is the Creator of the World, the Author of Hope, peace and joy. I pray every day that I will not fall back into the traps of the world, but if I do, I know that God will lead me back to Him again.