One of my favorite pieces of art (how can you choose only one!) is the statue of Ignatius J Reilly in New Orleans, Louisiana. Based on the lead character from the novel “A Confederacy of Dunces”. Over the last ten years, I have worked as a professional musician in New Orleans, with a constant aspiration of performing with the cultural torch bearers of the city. Many times, as I would hurry through the streets to a gig or jam session, feeling very self-important and occasionally indulgently cerebral, I would come to the statue and feel compelled to pause for a moment, calm down and laugh at myself for feeling so snooty while looking such a mess. The character Ignatius and his partner are both portrayed as very… wrapped up in “their own world”. It was an eye-opening novel, which gave me some small sense of self awareness of my own tendencies to enforce the “parameters” of my mental world onto others. Returning to my visits with Ignatius the statue, it has served as a good reminder over the years to try and not take myself too seriously. I love many pieces of art, and each of them serves continually evolving purpose in my life. My interpretations and general osmosis of many visual art pieces has varied over time, but Ignatius has thus far remained a constant. As a brief sidebar, I also think the sculpture of the hat’s ear cover flopping about is very humorous when observed late at night. Ignatius’s silhouette becomes that of a dog/man hybrid lifting an ear to hear something! Thank you for your time in reading this submission and thank you for providing support to students! -Kasey Ball

One of my favorite pieces of art (how can you choose only one!) is the statue of Ignatius J Reilly in New Orleans, Louisiana. Based on the lead character from the novel “A Confederacy of Dunces”. Over the last ten years, I have worked as a professional musician in New Orleans, with a constant aspiration of performing with the cultural torch bearers of the city. Many times, as I would hurry through the streets to a gig or jam session, feeling very self-important and occasionally indulgently cerebral, I would come to the statue and feel compelled to pause for a moment, calm down and laugh at myself for feeling so snooty while looking such a mess. The character Ignatius and his partner are both portrayed as very… wrapped up in “their own world”. It was an eye-opening novel, which gave me some small sense of self awareness of my own tendencies to enforce the “parameters” of my mental world onto others. Returning to my visits with Ignatius the statue, it has served as a good reminder over the years to try and not take myself too seriously. I love many pieces of art, and each of them serves continually evolving purpose in my life. My interpretations and general osmosis of many visual art pieces has varied over time, but Ignatius has thus far remained a constant. As a brief sidebar, I also think the sculpture of the hat’s ear cover flopping about is very humorous when observed late at night. Ignatius’s silhouette becomes that of a dog/man hybrid lifting an ear to hear something! Thank you for your time in reading this submission and thank you for providing support to students! -Kasey Ball

I believe taking action in my community is crucial to affecting overall change when it concerns art appreciation. Having worked as a professional for many years, I have seen the disparity between the appreciation of popular art and the appreciation for the artists who comprise the larger majority of the local arts communities. It is no secret that the masses adore celebrities, and often have very negative views of professional artists who are not at the pinnacle of fame and riches. Although in recent years, there has been some shifting of social consciousness to recognize the "gig economy" as a form of entrepreneurship, I believe this is not enough. The so-called "gig economy" exists because the current employment laws allow companies to get away with not paying a significant percentage of workers in compliance with any laws. I have worked for years at venues which took in thousands of dollars and paid the band a couple hundred. The same holds true for my time working for Uber, where I was paid pennies on the dollar to assume one hundred percent of the risk of driving passengers. I am not likely to become a lawmaker or a politician, but I do believe that positive exposure to not only the arts, but working artists themselves, is crucial to allow the general population to begin to view us as tradespeople rather than grifters. This also contributes to gig workers having less employer sponsored programs for retirement, health insurance, and other benefits for both them and their families. The lack of access to benefits such as health/dental insurance and retirement plans can cause other members of society to "look down" on the gig worker for not sacrificing his ethics and beliefs to provide insurance/retirement benefits for himself and his family. Circling back to the beginning, I believe my actions can allow others to become more comfortable with the arts as a profession, and I volunteer with the Baton Rouge Civic Orchestra as a way to meet people who have some interest in music but have pursued other trades. By sharing my experiences with the orchestra members and letting them see I am a hard working and societally productive individual, I hope to build the image of all my fellow artists in the eyes of the community. I hope to continue this ambition into my career in education, and I hope to inspire my students as well as their families to become active patrons of the arts and of the advancements of artists as recognized and organized tradespeople.

I graduated high school in 2009, and enrolled at a local college. After some time, I withdrew from school because the financial burden was too much to handle given the jobs available with a student's schedule. After withdrawing, I proceeded to find work as a carpenter, musician, salesman, chef and ultimately butcher. Currently I am working full time in a meat market, and I am looking to expand my career possibilities. Specifically, I would like to complete my bachelors degree in Interdisciplinary Studies in order to subsequently pursue a teaching certificate to allow me to be employed as an educator. Over the last ten years, I have experienced many of the ups and downs life has to offer. I believe the best way forward for my wife and I is to continue my education and open new doors which will allow me to continue providing while pursuing fulfillment and peace of mind. More specifically, I intend to obtain a music teaching certificate. Although I have held many positions, my work as a musician, booking agent and recording artist has always stood out to me as significant. Music, without being overly poetic, allows us an expression of self often denied in other circumstances. My goal is to be able to share with others the ability to express oneself musically, with the intention to share and create with others. The positive impact of my experiences as a musician and music appreciator have led me back to the path of completing this stage of my education. I need to get a degree in order to become certified to teach, and this is what brings me to seeking scholarship! Thank you very much for your time in reading this, and I eagerly await your reply.

I graduated high school in 2009, and enrolled at a local college. After some time, I withdrew from school because the financial burden was too much to handle given the jobs available with a student's schedule. After withdrawing, I proceeded to find work as a carpenter, musician, salesman, chef and ultimately butcher. Currently I am working full time in a meat market, and I am looking to expand my career possibilities. Specifically, I would like to complete my bachelors degree in Interdisciplinary Studies in order to subsequently pursue a teaching certificate to allow me to be employed as an educator. Over the last ten years, I have experienced many of the ups and downs life has to offer. I believe the best way forward for my wife and I is to continue my education and open new doors which will allow me to continue providing while pursuing fulfillment and peace of mind. More specifically, I intend to obtain a music teaching certificate. Although I have held many positions, my work as a musician, booking agent and recording artist has always stood out to me as significant. Music, without being overly poetic, allows us an expression of self often denied in other circumstances. My goal is to be able to share with others the ability to express oneself musically, with the intention to share and create with others. The positive impact of my experiences as a musician and music appreciator have led me back to the path of completing this stage of my education. I need to get a degree in order to become certified to teach, and this is what brings me to seeking scholarship! Thank you very much for your time in reading this, and I eagerly await your reply.

I graduated high school in 2009, and enrolled at a local college. After some time, I withdrew from school because the financial burden was too much to handle given the jobs available with a student's schedule. After withdrawing, I proceeded to find work as a carpenter, musician, salesman, chef and ultimately butcher. Currently I am working full time in a meat market, and I am looking to expand my career possibilities. Specifically, I would like to complete my bachelors degree in Interdisciplinary Studies in order to subsequently pursue a teaching certificate to allow me to be employed as an educator. Over the last ten years, I have experienced many of the ups and downs life has to offer. I believe the best way forward for my wife and I is to continue my education and open new doors which will allow me to continue providing while pursuing fulfillment and peace of mind. More specifically, I intend to obtain a music teaching certificate. Although I have held many positions, my work as a musician, booking agent and recording artist has always stood out to me as significant. Music, without being overly poetic, allows us an expression of self often denied in other circumstances. My goal is to be able to share with others the ability to express oneself musically, with the intention to share and create with others. The positive impact of my experiences as a musician and music appreciator have led me back to the path of completing this stage of my education. I need to get a degree in order to become certified to teach, and this is what brings me to seeking scholarship! Thank you very much for your time in reading this, and I eagerly await your reply.

I graduated high school in 2009, and enrolled at a local college. After some time, I withdrew from school because the financial burden was too much to handle given the jobs available with a student's schedule. After withdrawing, I proceeded to find work as a carpenter, musician, salesman, chef and ultimately butcher. Currently I am working full time in a meat market, and I am looking to expand my career possibilities. Specifically, I would like to complete my bachelors degree in Interdisciplinary Studies in order to subsequently pursue a teaching certificate to allow me to be employed as an educator. Over the last ten years, I have experienced many of the ups and downs life has to offer. I believe the best way forward for my wife and I is to continue my education and open new doors which will allow me to continue providing while pursuing fulfillment and peace of mind. More specifically, I intend to obtain a music teaching certificate. Although I have held many positions, my work as a musician, booking agent and recording artist has always stood out to me as significant. Music, without being overly poetic, allows us an expression of self often denied in other circumstances. My goal is to be able to share with others the ability to express oneself musically, with the intention to share and create with others. The positive impact of my experiences as a musician and music appreciator have led me back to the path of completing this stage of my education. I need to get a degree in order to become certified to teach, and this is what brings me to seeking scholarship! Thank you very much for your time in reading this, and I eagerly await your reply.

I graduated high school in 2009, and enrolled at a local college. After some time, I withdrew from school because the financial burden was too much to handle given the jobs available with a student's schedule. After withdrawing, I proceeded to find work as a carpenter, musician, salesman, chef and ultimately butcher. Currently I am working full time in a meat market, and I am looking to expand my career possibilities. Specifically, I would like to complete my bachelors degree in Interdisciplinary Studies in order to subsequently pursue a teaching certificate to allow me to be employed as an educator. Over the last ten years, I have experienced many of the ups and downs life has to offer. I believe the best way forward for my wife and I is to continue my education and open new doors which will allow me to continue providing while pursuing fulfillment and peace of mind. More specifically, I intend to obtain a music teaching certificate. Although I have held many positions, my work as a musician, booking agent and recording artist has always stood out to me as significant. Music, without being overly poetic, allows us an expression of self often denied in other circumstances. My goal is to be able to share with others the ability to express oneself musically, with the intention to share and create with others. The positive impact of my experiences as a musician and music appreciator have led me back to the path of completing this stage of my education. I need to get a degree in order to become certified to teach, and this is what brings me to seeking scholarship! Thank you very much for your time in reading this, and I eagerly await your reply.

From caterpillars and chickens eating our produce to the family dog eating my wife's favorite chicken (family members are not food!), maintaining a small suburban farm has been a complete depiction of the circle of life! This year, we were able to use chicken wire around poles to keep our chickens out of our garden for much of the season. Then, Big Bird and Ducky grew to be some braver-than-most hens! The two large hens discovered that they could use the fence as a ladder, and fly into the garden for tasty treats galore! It is always a feat to catch a chicken in a garden without toppling over and destroying the vegetables. Just as we finally were able to keep the chickens out of the garden, an infestation of caterpillars began. Maybe we should have allowed the chickens to stay! Marigolds, Nasturtiums, and organic Neem oil was not enough to keep the caterpillars away. As we began spending our evenings hand picking caterpillars off of the vegetable plants, we started to wonder if all this would be worth it...(it was, homegrown tomatoes just can't be beat). One thing that a good farm cannot be without, is a faithful dog companion to protect the animals and family, while providing endless love. We adopted our Catahoula mix, Jockamo, from local rescue shelter. At her foster home, she was surrounded by 25 free range chickens, so we knew this was the dog for us! Jockamo quickly grew to love our small, 1/2 acre back yard where she could run amongst the chickens and alert us to any opposums, raccoons, and local cats who wanted to eat the chickens themselves. We loved Jockamo immediately - neither my wife nor I had ever met a dog who just wanted to hug you as much as Jockamo does! Jockamo learned to follow us around as we fed the chickens, tended the garden, and kept things in order around the house. She cuddles our cat and protects him, and showed no aggression to the baby chickens that we were hoping would grow into happy laying hens. After many months of being outside with both dogs and chickens, we took a chance on letting the dog exert some energy in the yard while the chickens were free ranging, without adult supervision. Boy oh boy, was this a bad idea. Whether it was the lack of adult supervision, or perhaps the chicken flavored dry food she normally eats for dinner, before we knew it the chickens were running for their lives and there is Jockamo with the baby silkie in her mouth. Now, this silkie was my wife's favorite chicken...it was the only one who would actually wanted to sit in my wife's lap of it's own volition! By the time we made it outside, it was too late. The little silkie had died, and the Jockamo was munching away. In the end, we tied the dead chicken around her neck for a few days, and Jockamo hasn't attempted to each a chicken again.

Patience is important to me because it helps me to know that I will not have to live life as I currently do forever. Every morning, I want to cry as I go to the grocery store to work for $15.00 an hour. I feel that my calling in life is to be a musician, and every day I exert patience as I both work full time and attend school full time in order to make my dream come true. I worked as a full time musician for 10 years, until COVID caused most of the live music jobs, and in person music lessons, to no longer be a valid means of making a living. My dream is to support my wife and children, along with the families of the musicians in my band, by providing stable paychecks, health insurance, and retirement benefits. I know that if I continue to work hard and be patient, I can eventually support my family in a way that is ethical and sustainable. This is a recording of myself (trumpet/vocals) and my band, KB & the Backbeat, performing my original composition “The Grace of Time”: https://youtu.be/vIMD7VuBhGM I wrote this song to inspire people to forgive themselves of missteps and focus on being grateful for what time we still have. All my music is meant to be uplifting and positive, and this song speaks a lot of the truths I have come to find in life. As I finish my degree to pursue an education career, I want to bring the same positive message from my music to the students I aim to teach. Being an artist means many things to many people. For me it means to appreciate the good things in my life and try my best to reflect them outwards onto others.

I practice self care by writing music and by hiring other musicians to perform. In my heart, I feel that my calling is to be a musician, but I have a family to provide for and bills to be paid. I am currently working 35 hours a week at the grocery store, while also enrolled in 18 hours of collegiate courses. I worked as a full time musician for 10 years, but gigging doesn't provide insurance benefits for my loved ones. Sometimes, I wake up sobbing knowing that I was meant for more than a grocery store. The way that I practice self care is to write music and organize musicians together for paid gigs. In this way, I feel like I am helping my band members to make an honest living through their talents. It is ultimately my goal to provide insurance benefits for my own family and the musicians I book through composing and performing music alone. This is a recording of myself (trumpet/vocals) and my band, KB & the Backbeat, performing my song “The Grace of Time”: https://youtu.be/vIMD7VuBhGM I wrote this song to inspire people to forgive themselves of missteps in the past and focus on being grateful for what time we still have. All my music is meant to be uplifting and positive, and this song speaks a lot of the truths I have come to find in my life. As I prepare to return to college and finish my degree to pursue an education career, I want to bring the same positive message from my music to the students I ultimately aim to teach. Being an artist means many things to many people. For me it means to appreciate the good things in my life and try my best to reflect them outwards onto others.

One of the ways I am able to keep a growth mindset is by writing music that brings joy and inspiration to others. By encouraging others to keep pressing forward, I am able to grow myself. Below are two examples of songs I have written to inspire others. Grace of Time: https://youtu.be/vIMD7VuBhGM I wrote this song to inspire people to forgive themselves of missteps in the past and focus on being grateful for what time we still have. All my music is meant to be uplifting and positive, and this song speaks a lot of the truths I have come to find in my life. As I prepare to return to college and finish my degree to pursue an education career, I want to bring the same positive message from my music to the students I ultimately aim to teach. Being an artist means many things to many people. For me it means to appreciate the good things in my life and try my best to reflect them outwards onto others. Catthew's Creep: https://soundcloud.com/kb-bonus/kasey-kb_2/s-jILOAaApkbL?ref=clipboard&p=i&c=1 I wrote this song with the intention of collaboration. My good friend and mentor was in the slumps due to covid and social distancing. As an older gentleman, there were not many outlets of human connection for him to take advantage of. One day, I began thinking on how music heals the soul, and decided to write a piece for him to play with me! KB plays a 5 string bass, so I decided to use B minor to take advantage of open string slap notes. I composed the music only, and performed the trumpet you hear. Another musician wrote and performed lyrics. Enjoy!

One investment tip that I've learned from my grandfather is to always invest in something that truly matters to you. I have taken this tip to heart and in doing so, invested the majority of my earnings back into my own music company. After working for many other employers who only allow part time hours to avoid paying benefits, and watching many of my relatives endure being laid off prior to retirement age, my dream is to provide insurance and retirement benefits to working musicians like myself. It is my dream to be able to provide an honest living wage to gigging musicians, so that they can truly carry forth our culture while also providing for their families. To me, being a musician is one of the most honest forms of work one can do. Many other employment opportunities cut corners at the expense of the general public in order to make a profit - I want to employ others in an effort to allow people the opportunity to earn their living without compromising their ethics or standards. Meme stocks have shown us that the SEC is turning a blind eye to companies that short stocks via darkpool purchases. The stock market, like many other industries, is no longer a fair and equitable place to make your living. The rich are staying rich, and the poor remain poor. Because of this, I want to create my own company where gigging musicians can work in an atmosphere that allows them to have a clear conscience, and provide stable benefits to their families.

This is a recording of myself (trumpet/vocals) and my band, KB & the Backbeat, performing my song “The Grace of Time”. Music is what makes me happy; playing music for others, invoking happiness and reflection in others, and paying the musicians in my band that they may support their families through honest work. It is ultimately my dream to be able to support my own family, and the families of my musicians, through honest gig work. I wrote this song to inspire people to forgive themselves of missteps in the past and focus on being grateful for what time we still have. All my music is meant to be uplifting and positive, and this song speaks a lot of the truths I have come to find in my life. As I prepare to return to college and finish my degree to pursue an education career, I want to bring the same positive message from my music to the students I ultimately aim to teach. Being an artist means many things to many people. For me it means to appreciate the good things in my life and try my best to reflect them outwards onto others. https://youtu.be/vIMD7VuBhGM

This is a recording of myself (trumpet/vocals) and my band, KB & the Backbeat, performing my song “The Grace of Time”. I wrote this song to inspire people to forgive themselves of missteps in the past and focus on being grateful for what time we still have. All my music is meant to be uplifting and positive, and this song speaks a lot of the truths I have come to find in my life. As I prepare to return to college and finish my degree to pursue an education career, I want to bring the same positive message from my music to the students I ultimately aim to teach. Being an artist means many things to many people. For me it means to appreciate the good things in my life and try my best to reflect them outwards onto others. This song is an inspiration and reminder to myself to keep working hard without giving up, that even little things can make big differences in the lives of others. It is a reminder to keep working hard to support my wife and family, and to keep being a positive influence in the lives of others.

Hello, my name is Kasey Ball. The change I would like to see come about in my community through my actions is to see more people become comfortable playing music and resultantly have a deeper appreciation for the arts as a whole. Many people in this world learn by doing, and this is certainly true with people who have the ambition or inkling to play a musical instrument. I have been a professional musician for over ten years, and I am returning to school to finish my degree so that I can become a music instructor. The arts are a worldwide phenomenon, and I believe taking action in my community is crucial to affecting overall change when it concerns art appreciation. Having worked as a professional for many years, I have seen the disparity between the appreciation of popular art and the appreciation for the artists who comprise the larger majority of the local arts communities. It is no secret that the masses adore celebrities, and often have very negative views of professional artists who are not at the pinnacle of fame and riches. Although in recent years, there has been some shifting of social consciousness to recognize the "gig economy" as a form of entrepreneurship, I believe this is not enough. The so-called "gig economy" exists because the current employment laws allow companies to get away with not paying a significant percentage of workers in compliance with any laws. I have worked for years at venues which took in thousands of dollars and paid the band a couple hundred. The same holds true for my time working for Uber, where I was paid pennies on the dollar to assume one hundred percent of the risk of driving passengers. I am not likely to become a lawmaker or a politician, but I do believe that positive exposure to not only the arts, but working artists themselves, is crucial to allow the general population to begin to view us as tradespeople rather than grifters. This also contributes to gig workers having less employer sponsored programs for retirement, health insurance, and other benefits for both them and their families. The lack of access to benefits such as health/dental insurance and retirement plans can cause other members of society to "look down" on the gig worker for not sacrificing his ethics and beliefs to provide insurance/retirement benefits for himself and his family. Circling back to the beginning, I believe my actions can allow others to become more comfortable with the arts as a profession, and I volunteer with the Baton Rouge Civic Orchestra as a way to meet people who have some interest in music but have pursued other trades. By sharing my experiences with the orchestra members and letting them see I am a hard working and societally productive individual, I hope to build the image of all my fellow artists in the eyes of the community. I hope to continue this ambition into my career in education, and I hope to inspire my students as well as their families to become active patrons of the arts and of the advancements of artists as recognized and organized tradespeople.

One of my favorite pieces of art (how can you choose only one!) is the statue of Ignatius J Reilly in New Orleans, Louisiana. Based on the lead character from the novel “A Confederacy of Dunces”. Over the last ten years, I have worked as a professional musician in New Orleans, with a constant aspiration of performing with the cultural torch bearers of the city. Many times, as I would hurry through the streets to a gig or jam session, feeling very self-important and occasionally indulgently cerebral, I would come to the statue and feel compelled to pause for a moment, calm down and laugh at myself for feeling so snooty while looking such a mess. The character Ignatius and his partner are both portrayed as very… wrapped up in “their own world”. It was an eye-opening novel, which gave me some small sense of self awareness of my own tendencies to enforce the “parameters” of my mental world onto others. Returning to my visits with Ignatius the statue, it has served as a good reminder over the years to try and not take myself too seriously. I love many pieces of art, and each of them serves continually evolving purpose in my life. My interpretations and general osmosis of many visual art pieces has varied over time, but Ignatius has thus far remained a constant. As a brief sidebar, I also think the sculpture of the hat’s ear cover flopping about is very humorous when observed late at night. Ignatius’s silhouette becomes that of a dog/man hybrid lifting an ear to hear something! Thank you for your time in reading this submission and thank you for providing support to students! -Kasey Ball

I graduated high school in 2009, and enrolled at a local college. I attended school there for a year as a journalism major, and then I transferred to Louisiana State University to pursue a degree in advertising. Throughout my time in college, I performed in the LSU Tiger Marching Band, worked in Student Media Advertising as a sales executive, and held down two full time jobs doing any entry level work I could find. After some time, I withdrew from school because the financial burden was too much to handle given the jobs available with a student's schedule. After withdrawing, I proceeded to find work as a carpenter, musician, salesman, chef and ultimately butcher. Currently I am working full time in a meat market, and I am looking to expand my career possibilities. Specifically, I would like to complete my bachelors degree in Interdisciplinary Studies in order to subsequently pursue a teaching certificate to allow me to be employed as an educator. Over the last ten years, I have experienced many of the ups and downs life has to offer. I believe the best way forward for my wife and I is to continue my education and open new doors which will allow me to continue providing while pursuing fulfillment and peace of mind. More specifically, I intend to obtain a music teaching certificate. Although I enjoy my work as a butcher, the risk of grievous injury is very high and the general fatigue shown by all my senior coworkers indicates inevitable exhaustion. Although I have held many positions, my work as a musician, booking agent and recording artist has always stood out to me as significant. Music, without being overly poetic, allows us an expression of self often denied in other circumstances. My goal is to be able to share with others the ability to express oneself musically, with the intention to share and create with others. One of my fondest memories of musical experience was traveling to Ecuador under contract with Hilton Hotels. We performed at a month-long festival of New Orleans culture. Food, music and dance were on display: three New Orleans musicians (including myself) were chosen to come and lead/ educate the ensemble for the festival. Over the course of my time in South America, I was able to communicate with many other people about the significance of music in their lives through conversation as well as outreach. In addition to the festival performances, I performed on Ecuadorian national television, gave a radio interview and was invited to give a masterclass on blues music to the local conservatory. I had the good fortune to learn Spanish from friends at a young age, and was able to make meaningful connections with new people through our shared love for music and the conversations which sprang forth after each performance. We performed roughly five times a day as a unit, which created a period of connection which reminded me of being in school ensembles as a young man. The positive impact of my experiences as a musician and music appreciator have led me back to the path of completing this stage of my education. I need to get a degree in order to become certified to teach, and this is what brings me to seeking scholarship! Thank you very much for your time in reading this, and I eagerly await your reply. I've attached a link to one of my original compositions, The Grace of Time. I am singing and performing trumpet in this performance.

My favorite scientific study (though it is from a soft science) is the Hierarchy of Needs. This is a theory of human necessity, and thus the level of effect certain deficiencies will have on our output as humans. This model can be used in almost any sociological or psychological analysis to explain motivation for certain actions. By defining what the basic physiological needs of most people are, the model gives us a benchmark by which to compare the ideal conditions to someone's actual situation, and address which basic needs are not being met. The hierarchy of needs model is also used in many aspects of education and has helped me to work with students while teaching private trumpet lessons. By observing my students day by day, I have been able to see the times when basic needs seem to be met and the students are most prepared for advancing the curriculum, and also days when something seems to be lacking (student needs food/water/ rest/ safe space to relax) and I can structure my lesson for the day to try and accommodate their current emotional state. The existence of the hierarchy of needs and similar discoveries allow the school systems to prepare empirical data in order to secure funding for resources which can be used to help students. Soft sciences may be harder to define landmark discoveries immediately upon their occurence, but I believe as time goes on and more research is put into educational psychology, criminology and social sciences as a whole, the hierarchy of needs will remain largely or wholly proven for many years to come and continue to shape modern day government assistance programs as well as legislature and law enforcement policy making.

One of my favorite pieces of art (how can you choose only one!) is the statue of Ignatius J Reilly in New Orleans, Louisiana. Based on the lead character from the novel “A Confederacy of Dunces”. Over the last ten years, I have worked as a professional musician in New Orleans, with a constant aspiration of performing with the cultural torch bearers of the city. Many times, as I would hurry through the streets to a gig or jam session, feeling very self-important and occasionally indulgently cerebral, I would come to the statue and feel compelled to pause for a moment, calm down and laugh at myself for feeling so snooty while looking such a mess. The character Ignatius and his partner are both portrayed as very… wrapped up in “their own world”. It was an eye-opening novel, which gave me some small sense of self awareness of my own tendencies to enforce the “parameters” of my mental world onto others. Returning to my visits with Ignatius the statue, it has served as a good reminder over the years to try and not take myself too seriously. I love many pieces of art, and each of them serves continually evolving purpose in my life. My interpretations and general osmosis of many visual art pieces has varied over time, but Ignatius has thus far remained a constant. As a brief sidebar, I also think the sculpture of the hat’s ear cover flopping about is very humorous when observed late at night. Ignatius’s silhouette becomes that of a dog/man hybrid lifting an ear to hear something! Thank you for your time in reading this submission and thank you for providing support to students! -Kasey Ball

For me, financial freedom is the ability to pursue the work that I am passionate about. Most recently, I was forced to take a job at a grocery store to support my family, due to musician gig work becoming scarce after COVID protocols and then Hurricane Ida damage in New Orleans. In my experience, many talented musicians are not able to contribute their full potential to society due to similar financial constraints. Many musicians that do not have independent family/financial backing are forced to give up their passion in order to make a living. My dream life is to own and run a music company that provides health insurance, benefits, and a salaried pay to full time musicians. It is often hard for musicians to support themselves and a family on "gig work", and I would love to change this so that musicians can make an honest living with full time, dependable music work. It is my hope that by attaining a business degree, I will be able to facilitate a means in which other musicians like myself can have the financial freedom to pursue and contribute to society through honest music work. Being an artist is to summarize your experiences reflected in the context of your current situation. Regardless of the medium, artists strive to capture a moment. The moment I try to capture and thusly transfer to my audience are the moments of serendipitous peace which come over us when we realize our sense of being in the world. I believe art is essential to our society, and without financial freedom, we lose many artists who must sacrifice their time to work low wage day jobs in an effort to support their families. I have attached a clip of myself and my band performing my song “The Grace of Time”. I wrote this song to inspire people to forgive themselves of missteps in the past and focus on being grateful for what time we still have. All my music is meant to be uplifting and positive, and this song speaks a lot of the truths I have come to find in my life. As I prepare to return to college and finish my degree to pursue an education career, I want to bring the same positive message from my music to the students I ultimately aim to teach. Being an artist means many things to many people. For me it means to appreciate the good things in my life and try my best to reflect them outwards onto others. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIMD7VuBhGM&ab_channel=KaseyBall

Being an artist is to summarize your experiences reflected in the context of your current situation. Regardless of the medium, artists strive to capture a moment. The moment I try to capture and thusly transfer to my audience are the moments of serendipitous peace which come over us when we realize our sense of being in the world. I started playing the trumpet when I was in elementary school. From the earliest days I enjoyed the solitary exploration which comes along with learning a musical instrument. Although participation in ensemble was enjoyable, I found the greater satisfaction to be the pursuit of individual growth. Any opportunity to progress on my trumpet was like a deeply rewarding brain teaser. As I progressed through high school, I developed an increasing interest in performing with others. More specifically, I noticed the ways in which ensemble music served as a vehicle for conversation amongst the performers. This solidified my ultimate decision to pursue music as a career. My dream life is to own and run a music company that provides health insurance, benefits, and a salaried pay to full time musicians. It is often hard for musicians to support themselves and a family on "gig work", and I would love to change this so that musicians can make an honest living with full time, dependable music work. In this way, musicians who do not have independent financial backing would be able to support themselves and their families doing the work that they love. In my experience, many talented musicians have fallen by the wayside due to taking on work in other fields. I have attached a clip of myself and my band performing my song “The Grace of Time”. I wrote this song to inspire people to forgive themselves of missteps in the past and focus on being grateful for what time we still have. All my music is meant to be uplifting and positive, and this song speaks a lot of the truths I have come to find in my life. As I prepare to return to college and finish my degree to pursue an education career, I want to bring the same positive message from my music to the students I ultimately aim to teach. Being an artist means many things to many people. For me it means to appreciate the good things in my life and try my best to reflect them outwards onto others. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIMD7VuBhGM&ab_channel=KaseyBall

One personal finance finance lesson that I find important is to balance "spending money to make money" with paying off debt. As a musician, I have seen firsthand that once you become poor, it is hard to get out of that rut. For example, if your bank account is deficient, you may incur fines that snowball and it becomes impossible to dig yourself out of debt. I have learned to pay extra on the principal amount of my student loans, while also spending a set percentage of my income on my music business in order to make more profit. My dream life is to own and run a music company that provides health insurance, benefits, and a salaried pay to full time musicians. It is often hard for musicians to support themselves and a family on "gig work", and I would love to change this so that musicians can make an honest living with full time, dependable music work. I have attached a clip of myself and my band performing my song “The Grace of Time”. I wrote this song to inspire people to forgive themselves of missteps in the past and focus on being grateful for what time we still have. All my music is meant to be uplifting and positive, and this song speaks a lot of the truths I have come to find in my life. As I prepare to return to college and finish my degree to pursue an education career, I want to bring the same positive message from my music to the students I ultimately aim to teach. Being an artist means many things to many people. For me it means to appreciate the good things in my life and try my best to reflect them outwards onto others. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIMD7VuBhGM&ab_channel=KaseyBall

Being an artist is to summarize your experiences reflected in the context of your current situation. Regardless of the medium, artists strive to capture a moment. The moment I try to capture and thusly transfer to my audience are the moments of serendipitous peace which come over us when we realize our sense of being in the world. My dream life is to own and run a music company that provides health insurance, benefits, and a salaried pay to full time musicians. It is often hard for musicians to support themselves and a family on "gig work", and I would love to change this so that musicians can make an honest living with full time, dependable music work. I have attached a clip of myself and my band performing my song “The Grace of Time”. I wrote this song to inspire people to forgive themselves of missteps in the past and focus on being grateful for what time we still have. All my music is meant to be uplifting and positive, and this song speaks a lot of the truths I have come to find in my life. As I prepare to return to college and finish my degree to pursue an education career, I want to bring the same positive message from my music to the students I ultimately aim to teach. Being an artist means many things to many people. For me it means to appreciate the good things in my life and try my best to reflect them outwards onto others. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIMD7VuBhGM&ab_channel=KaseyBall

Being an artist is to summarize your experiences reflected in the context of your current situation. Regardless of the medium, artists strive to capture a moment. The moment I try to capture and thusly transfer to my audience are the moments of serendipitous peace which come over us when we realize our sense of being in the world. I have attached a clip of myself and my band performing my song “The Grace of Time”. I wrote this song to inspire people to forgive themselves of missteps in the past and focus on being grateful for what time we still have. All my music is meant to be uplifting and positive, and this song speaks a lot of the truths I have come to find in my life. As I prepare to return to college and finish my degree to pursue an education career, I want to bring the same positive message from my music to the students I ultimately aim to teach. Being an artist means many things to many people. For me it means to appreciate the good things in my life and try my best to reflect them outwards onto others. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIMD7VuBhGM&ab_channel=KaseyBall

Generosity is the act of putting others before yourself in all that you do. Although I've had many jobs, my work as a musician, booking agent and recording artist has always stood out to me as significant. Music allows expression of self often denied in other circumstances. My goal is to share with others the ability to express oneself musically, with the intention to share and create with others. One of my fondest memories is traveling to Ecuador where I performed at a month-long festival of New Orleans culture. In Ecuador, I was able to communicate with many other people about the significance of music in their lives. I had the good fortune to learn Spanish from friends at a young age, and was able to make meaningful connections through our shared love for music and the conversations which sprang forth after each performance. One day, I stumbled across a local community orchestra, and decided to volunteer my time and talents. Little did I know, the president and founder would later become my wife! Through our dates, I learned that she founded a nonprofit orchestra while dealing with tremendous grief and ptsd after witnessing two very personal deaths in her life: her younger brother and previous fiancee'. She was able to create something beautiful, an organization for both ameteur and professional musicians to collaborate and perform free orchestral music performances for the community, out of something so bleak! Putting others before oneself and giving back to others is what generosity means to me. Bringing joy and peace to the lives of other people is true generosity. I continually strive to have a positive and healing impact on the lives of those around me.

I graduated high school in 2009, and enrolled at a local college. After some time, I withdrew from school because the financial burden was too much to handle given the jobs available with a student's schedule. After withdrawing, I proceeded to find work as a carpenter, musician, salesman, chef and ultimately butcher. Currently I am working full time in a meat market, and I am looking to expand my career possibilities. Specifically, I would like to complete my bachelors degree in Interdisciplinary Studies in order to subsequently pursue a teaching certificate to allow me to be employed as an educator. Over the last ten years, I have experienced many of the ups and downs life has to offer. Although I have held many positions, my work as a musician, booking agent and recording artist has always stood out to me as significant. Music, without being overly poetic, allows us an expression of self often denied in other circumstances. My goal is to be able to share with others the ability to express oneself musically, with the intention to share and create with others. One of my fondest memories of musical experience was traveling to Ecuador under contract with Hilton Hotels. We performed at a month-long festival of New Orleans culture. Food, music and dance were on display: three New Orleans musicians (including myself) were chosen to come and lead/ educate the ensemble for the festival. Over the course of my time in South America, I was able to communicate with many other people about the significance of music in their lives through conversation as well as outreach. In addition to the festival performances, I performed on Ecuadorian national television, gave a radio interview and was invited to give a masterclass on blues music to the local conservatory. I had the good fortune to learn Spanish from friends at a young age, and was able to make meaningful connections with new people through our shared love for music and the conversations which sprang forth after each performance. We performed roughly five times a day as a unit, which created a period of connection which reminded me of being in school ensembles as a young man. One day, I stumbled across a local community orchestra, and decided to volunteer my time and talents. Little did I know, the president and founder would later become my wife! Through our dates, I learned that she founded a nonprofit orchestra while dealing with tremendous grief and ptsd after witnessing two very personal deaths in her life: her younger brother and previous fiancee'. She was able to create something beautiful, an organization for both ameteur and professional musicians to collaborate and perform free orchestral music performances for the community, out of something so bleak! I hope to complete my degree in music that I may become an educator and performing artist who will continue to have a positive and healing impact on the lives of those around me.

Being an artist is to be able to summarize your experiences reflected in the context of your current situation. Regardless of the medium, artists strive to capture a moment. For me as a musician, the moment I try to capture and thusly transfer to my audience are the moments of serendipitous peace which come over us when we realize our sense of being in the world. I started playing the trumpet when I was in elementary school. From the earliest days I enjoyed the solitary exploration which comes along with learning a musical instrument. Although participation in ensemble was enjoyable, I found the greater satisfaction to be the pursuit of individual growth. Any opportunity to progress on my trumpet was like a deeply rewarding brain teaser. As I progressed through high school, I developed an increasing interest in performing with others. More specifically, I noticed the ways in which ensemble music served as a vehicle for conversation amongst the performers. This solidified my ultimate decision to pursue music as a career. Little did I know, a performing career in music would often lack the comradery and common goals among performers which school had accustomed me to. Fast forward to now; I am a continuing education student returning to finish my undergraduate degree after withdrawing several years ago (ironically enough as a result of an influx in musical work!). I have been performing full time for about seven years. First as a sideman and eventually as a bandleader. Playing the trumpet and singing jazz/R&B music, I have found a musical home in New Orleans. I have also been fortunate to tour nationally and internationally and have felt immensely rewarded with the experiences of meeting so many creative people. I have attached a clip of myself and my band performing my song “The Grace of Time”. I wrote this song to inspire people to forgive themselves of missteps in the past and focus on being grateful for what time we still have. All my music is meant to be uplifting and positive, and this song speaks a lot of the truths I have come to find in my life. As I prepare to return to college and finish my degree to pursue an education career, I want to bring the same positive message from my music to the students I ultimately aim to teach. Being an artist means many things to many people. For me it means to appreciate the good things in my life and try my best to reflect them outwards onto others. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIMD7VuBhGM&ab_channel=KaseyBall

Being an artist is to summarize your experiences reflected in the context of your current situation. Regardless of the medium, artists strive to capture a moment. The moment I try to capture and thusly transfer to my audience are the moments of serendipitous peace which come over us when we realize our sense of being in the world. I started playing the trumpet when I was in elementary school. From the earliest days I enjoyed the solitary exploration which comes along with learning a musical instrument. Although participation in ensemble was enjoyable, I found the greater satisfaction to be the pursuit of individual growth. Any opportunity to progress on my trumpet was like a deeply rewarding brain teaser. As I progressed through high school, I developed an increasing interest in performing with others. More specifically, I noticed the ways in which ensemble music served as a vehicle for conversation amongst the performers. This solidified my ultimate decision to pursue music as a career. I have attached a clip of myself and my band performing my song “The Grace of Time”. I wrote this song to inspire people to forgive themselves of missteps in the past and focus on being grateful for what time we still have. All my music is meant to be uplifting and positive, and this song speaks a lot of the truths I have come to find in my life. As I prepare to return to college and finish my degree to pursue an education career, I want to bring the same positive message from my music to the students I ultimately aim to teach. Being an artist means many things to many people. For me it means to appreciate the good things in my life and try my best to reflect them outwards onto others.

Being an artist is to be able to summarize your experiences reflected in the context of your current situation. Regardless of the medium, artists strive to capture a moment. For me as a musician, the moment I try to capture and thusly transfer to my audience are the moments of serendipitous peace which come over us when we realize our sense of being in the world. I started playing the trumpet when I was in elementary school. From the earliest days I enjoyed the solitary exploration which comes along with learning a musical instrument. Although participation in ensemble was enjoyable, I found the greater satisfaction to be the pursuit of individual growth. Any opportunity to progress on my trumpet was like a deeply rewarding brain teaser. As I progressed through high school, I developed an increasing interest in performing with others. More specifically, I noticed the ways in which ensemble music served as a vehicle for conversation amongst the performers. This solidified my ultimate decision to pursue music as a career. Little did I know, a performing career in music would often lack the comradery and common goals among performers which school had accustomed me to. Fast forward to now; I am a continuing education student returning to finish my undergraduate degree after withdrawing several years ago (ironically enough as a result of an influx in musical work!). I have been performing full time for about seven years. First as a sideman and eventually as a bandleader. Playing the trumpet and singing jazz/R&B music, I have found a musical home in New Orleans. I have also been fortunate to tour nationally and internationally and have felt immensely rewarded with the experiences of meeting so many creative people. I have attached a clip of myself and my band performing my song “The Grace of Time”. I wrote this song to inspire people to forgive themselves of missteps in the past and focus on being grateful for what time we still have. All my music is meant to be uplifting and positive, and this song speaks a lot of the truths I have come to find in my life. As I prepare to return to college and finish my degree to pursue an education career, I want to bring the same positive message from my music to the students I ultimately aim to teach. Being an artist means many things to many people. For me it means to appreciate the good things in my life and try my best to reflect them outwards onto others.

I graduated high school in 2009, and enrolled at a local college. I attended school there for a year as a journalism major, and then I transferred to Louisiana State University to pursue a degree in advertising. Throughout my time in college, I performed in the LSU Tiger Marching Band, worked in Student Media Advertising as a sales executive, and held down two full time jobs doing any entry level work I could find. After some time, I withdrew from school because the financial burden was too much to handle given the jobs available with a student's schedule. After withdrawing, I proceeded to find work as a carpenter, musician, salesman, chef and ultimately butcher. Currently I am working full time in a meat market, and I am looking to expand my career possibilities. Specifically, I would like to complete my bachelors degree in Interdisciplinary Studies in order to subsequently pursue a teaching certificate to allow me to be employed as an educator. Over the last ten years, I have experienced many of the ups and downs life has to offer. I believe the best way forward for my wife and I is to continue my education and open new doors which will allow me to continue providing while pursuing fulfillment and peace of mind. More specifically, I intend to obtain a music teaching certificate. Although I enjoy my work as a butcher, the risk of grievous injury is very high and the general fatigue shown by all my senior coworkers indicates inevitable exhaustion. Although I have held many positions, my work as a musician, booking agent and recording artist has always stood out to me as significant. Music, without being overly poetic, allows us an expression of self often denied in other circumstances. My goal is to be able to share with others the ability to express oneself musically, with the intention to share and create with others. One of my fondest memories of musical experience was traveling to Ecuador under contract with Hilton Hotels. We performed at a month-long festival of New Orleans culture. Food, music and dance were on display: three New Orleans musicians (including myself) were chosen to come and lead/ educate the ensemble for the festival. Over the course of my time in South America, I was able to communicate with many other people about the significance of music in their lives through conversation as well as outreach. In addition to the festival performances, I performed on Ecuadorian national television, gave a radio interview and was invited to give a masterclass on blues music to the local conservatory. I had the good fortune to learn Spanish from friends at a young age, and was able to make meaningful connections with new people through our shared love for music and the conversations which sprang forth after each performance. We performed roughly five times a day as a unit, which created a period of connection which reminded me of being in school ensembles as a young man. The positive impact of my experiences as a musician and music appreciator have led me back to the path of completing this stage of my education. I need to get a degree in order to become certified to teach, and this is what brings me to seeking scholarship! Thank you very much for your time in reading this, and I eagerly await your reply.

I graduated high school in 2009, and enrolled at a local college. I attended school there for a year as a journalism major, and then I transferred to Louisiana State University to pursue a degree in advertising. Throughout my time in college, I performed in the LSU Tiger Marching Band, worked in Student Media Advertising as a sales executive, and held down two full time jobs doing any entry level work I could find. After some time, I withdrew from school because the financial burden was too much to handle given the jobs available with a student's schedule. After withdrawing, I proceeded to find work as a carpenter, musician, salesman, chef and ultimately butcher. During this time, my relationships and friendships suffered greatly as I began to tie my self worth to my career success. I began to feel worthless. One day, my friend reached out to me for money, and I knew it was for drugs. I pleaded with him, but it was too late. He hung up the phone on me, and later that day he overdosed. I began to feel even worse, and my girlfriend was tired of my depression. She broke up with me, and I moved to New Orleans to live on the street and play my trumpet. Over the last ten years, I have experienced many of the ups and downs life has to offer. I believe the best way forward for my wife and I is to continue my education and open new doors which will allow me to continue providing while pursuing fulfillment and peace of mind. More specifically, I intend to obtain a music teaching certificate. Although I have held many positions, my work as a musician, booking agent and performing artist has always stood out to me as significant. Music, without being overly poetic, allows us an expression of self often denied in other circumstances. My goal is to be able to share with others the ability to express oneself musically, with the intention to share and create with others. One of my fondest memories of musical experience was playing in the street bands in New Orleans. I tattooed a semi colon on my wrist, a symbol for those struggling that I am a person willing to listen to their story. I cannot count the amount of times that tattoo has been recognized while performing on the street by locals, tourists, and musicians alike. Sometimes people just need an ear, or a hug, to find the strength to go about their day. In 2019, I stumbled across a local community orchestra, and decided to volunteer my time and talents. Little did I know, the president and founder would later become my wife! Through our dates, I learned that she founded a nonprofit orchestra while dealing with tremendous grief and ptsd after witnessing two very personal deaths in her life: her younger brother and suicide of her previous fiancee'. She was able to create something beautiful, an organization for both ameteur and professional musicians to collaborate and perform free orchestral music performances for the community, out of something so bleak! I was uniquely touched that she wanted to create a welcome place for people to feel valued. When 2020 hit, the possibility to support myself and my new wife as a performing musician came to an end. There were no public venues, no tourists to perform for, and my life crashed before my eyes again. I applied at the grocery store, and have worked hard to become a meat cutter. Every day, I began to dwell on the different outlook people had for me as a grocery store employee, compared to the way I was treated as a performing artist. It amazed me how much judgment others can pass based on their perception of your career! I began to realize that life is not about simply earning a paycheck. It is about respect, love, and caring for others and ourselves. This pandemic and the forced career change experience has lead me to the decision to return to school. I hope to finish my degree in order to inspire and educate others, through music, so that they may come through to a brighter future.

I graduated high school in 2009, and enrolled at a local college. I attended school there for a year as a journalism major, and then I transferred to Louisiana State University to pursue a degree in advertising. Throughout my time in college, I performed in the LSU Tiger Marching Band, worked in Student Media Advertising as a sales executive, and held down two full time jobs doing any entry level work I could find. After some time, I withdrew from school because the financial burden was too much to handle given the jobs available with a student's schedule. After withdrawing, I proceeded to find work as a carpenter, musician, salesman, chef and ultimately butcher. During this time, my relationships and friendships suffered greatly as I began to tie my self worth to my career success. I began to feel worthless. One day, my friend reached out to me for money, and I knew it was for drugs. I pleaded with him, but it was too late. He hung up the phone on me, and later that day he overdosed. I began to feel even worse, and my girlfriend was tired of my depression. She broke up with me, and I moved to New Orleans to live on the street and play my trumpet. Over the last ten years, I have experienced many of the ups and downs life has to offer. I believe the best way forward for my wife and I is to continue my education and open new doors which will allow me to continue providing while pursuing fulfillment and peace of mind. More specifically, I intend to obtain a music teaching certificate. Although I have held many positions, my work as a musician, booking agent and performing artist has always stood out to me as significant. Music, without being overly poetic, allows us an expression of self often denied in other circumstances. My goal is to be able to share with others the ability to express oneself musically, with the intention to share and create with others. One of my fondest memories of musical experience was playing in the street bands in New Orleans. I tattooed a semi colon on my wrist, a symbol for those struggling that I am a person willing to listen to their story. I cannot count the amount of times that tattoo has been recognized while performing on the street by locals, tourists, and musicians alike. Sometimes people just need an ear, or a hug, to find the strength to go about their day. One day, I stumbled across a local community orchestra, and decided to volunteer my time and talents. Little did I know, the president and founder would later become my wife! Through our dates, I learned that she founded a nonprofit orchestra while dealing with tremendous grief and ptsd after witnessing two very personal deaths in her life: her younger brother and suicide of her previous fiancee'. She was able to create something beautiful, an organization for both ameteur and professional musicians to collaborate and perform free orchestral music performances for the community, out of something so bleak! I was uniquely touched that she wanted to create a welcome place for people to feel valued. The positive impact of my experiences as a musician and music appreciator have led me back to the path of completing this stage of my education. I hope to finish my degree in order to inspire and educate others, through music, so that they may come through to a brighter future as I have.

I graduated high school in 2009, and enrolled at a local college. I attended school there for a year as a journalism major, and then I transferred to Louisiana State University to pursue a degree in advertising. Throughout my time in college, I performed in the LSU Tiger Marching Band, worked in Student Media Advertising as a sales executive, and held down two full time jobs doing any entry level work I could find. After some time, I withdrew from school because the financial burden was too much to handle given the jobs available with a student's schedule. After withdrawing, I proceeded to find work as a carpenter, musician, salesman, chef and ultimately butcher. During this time, my relationships and friendships suffered greatly as I began to tie my self worth to my career success. I began to feel worthless. One day, my friend reached out to me for money, and I knew it was for drugs. I pleaded with him, but it was too late. He hung up the phone on me, and later that day he overdosed. I began to feel even worse, and my girlfriend was tired of my depression. She broke up with me, and I moved to New Orleans to live on the street and play my trumpet. Over the last ten years, I have experienced many of the ups and downs life has to offer. I believe the best way forward for my wife and I is to continue my education and open new doors which will allow me to continue providing while pursuing fulfillment and peace of mind. More specifically, I intend to obtain a music teaching certificate. Although I have held many positions, my work as a musician, booking agent and performing artist has always stood out to me as significant. Music, without being overly poetic, allows us an expression of self often denied in other circumstances. My goal is to be able to share with others the ability to express oneself musically, with the intention to share and create with others. One of my fondest memories of musical experience was playing in the street bands in New Orleans. I tattooed a semi colon on my wrist, a symbol for those struggling that I am a person willing to listen to their story. I cannot count the amount of times that tattoo has been recognized while performing on the street by locals, tourists, and musicians alike. Sometimes people just need an ear, or a hug, to find the strength to go about their day. One day, I stumbled across a local community orchestra, and decided to volunteer my time and talents. Little did I know, the president and founder would later become my wife! Through our dates, I learned that she founded a nonprofit orchestra while dealing with tremendous grief and ptsd after witnessing two very personal deaths in her life: her younger brother and suicide of her previous fiancee'. She was able to create something beautiful, an organization for both ameteur and professional musicians to collaborate and perform free orchestral music performances for the community, out of something so bleak! The positive impact of my experiences as a musician and music appreciator have led me back to the path of completing this stage of my education. I hope to finish my degree in order to inspire and educate others, through music, so that they may come through to a brighter future as I have.

I graduated high school in 2009, and enrolled at a local college. After some time, I withdrew from school because the financial burden was too much to handle given the jobs available with a student's schedule. After withdrawing, I proceeded to find work as a carpenter, musician, salesman, chef and ultimately butcher. Over the last ten years, I have experienced many of the ups and downs life has to offer. I believe the best way forward for my wife and I is to continue my education. I intend to obtain a music teaching certificate. Although I have held many positions, my work as a musician, booking agent and recording artist has always stood out to me as significant. Music, without being overly poetic, allows us an expression of self often denied in other circumstances. My goal is to be able to share with others the ability to express oneself musically, with the intention to share and create with others. One of my fondest memories of musical experience was traveling to Ecuador under contract with Hilton Hotels. We performed at a month-long festival of New Orleans culture. Food, music and dance were on display: three New Orleans musicians (including myself) were chosen to come and lead/ educate the ensemble for the festival. Over the course of my time in South America, I was able to communicate with many other people about the significance of music in their lives through conversation as well as outreach. In addition to the festival performances, I performed on Ecuadorian national television, gave a radio interview and was invited to give a masterclass on blues music to the local conservatory. I had the good fortune to learn Spanish from friends at a young age, and was able to make meaningful connections with new people through our shared love for music and the conversations which sprang forth after each performance. We performed roughly five times a day as a unit, which created a period of connection which reminded me of being in school ensembles as a young man. One day, I stumbled across a local community orchestra, and decided to volunteer my time and talents. Little did I know, the president and founder would later become my wife! Through our dates, I learned that she founded a nonprofit orchestra while dealing with tremendous grief and ptsd after witnessing two very personal deaths in her life: her younger brother and previous fiancee'. She was able to create something beautiful, an organization for both ameteur and professional musicians to collaborate and perform free orchestral music performances for the community, out of something so bleak! The positive impact of my experiences as a musician and music appreciator have led me back to the path of completing this stage of my education. I need to get a degree in order to become certified to teach, and this is what brings me to seeking scholarship! Thank you very much for your time in reading this, and I eagerly await your reply.

I graduated high school in 2009, and enrolled at a local college. After some time, I withdrew from school because the financial burden was too much to handle given the jobs available with a student's schedule. After withdrawing, I proceeded to find work as a carpenter, musician, salesman, chef and ultimately butcher. Currently I am working full time in a meat market, and I am looking to expand my career possibilities. Specifically, I would like to complete my bachelors degree in Interdisciplinary Studies in order to subsequently pursue a teaching certificate to allow me to be employed as an educator. Over the last ten years, I have experienced many of the ups and downs life has to offer. Although I have held many positions, my work as a musician, booking agent and recording artist has always stood out to me as significant. Music, without being overly poetic, allows us an expression of self often denied in other circumstances. My goal is to be able to share with others the ability to express oneself musically, with the intention to share and create with others. One of my fondest memories of musical experience was traveling to Ecuador under contract with Hilton Hotels. We performed at a month-long festival of New Orleans culture. Food, music and dance were on display: three New Orleans musicians (including myself) were chosen to come and lead/ educate the ensemble for the festival. Over the course of my time in South America, I was able to communicate with many other people about the significance of music in their lives through conversation as well as outreach. In addition to the festival performances, I performed on Ecuadorian national television, gave a radio interview and was invited to give a masterclass on blues music to the local conservatory. I had the good fortune to learn Spanish from friends at a young age, and was able to make meaningful connections with new people through our shared love for music and the conversations which sprang forth after each performance. We performed roughly five times a day as a unit, which created a period of connection which reminded me of being in school ensembles as a young man. One day, I stumbled across a local community orchestra, and decided to volunteer my time and talents. Little did I know, the president and founder would later become my wife! Through our dates, I learned that she founded a nonprofit orchestra while dealing with tremendous grief and ptsd after witnessing two very personal deaths in her life: her younger brother and previous fiancee'. She was able to create something beautiful, an organization for both ameteur and professional musicians to collaborate and perform free orchestral music performances for the community, out of something so bleak! I hope to complete my degree in music that I may become an educator and performing artist who will continue to have a positive and healing impact on the lives of those around me.

“Music can heal the wounds which medicine cannot touch.” I graduated high school in 2009, and enrolled at a local college. After some time, I withdrew from school because the financial burden was too much to handle given the jobs available with a student's schedule. After withdrawing, I proceeded to find work as a carpenter, musician, salesman, chef and ultimately butcher. Currently I am working full time in a meat market, and I am looking to expand my career possibilities. Specifically, I would like to complete my bachelors degree in Interdisciplinary Studies in order to subsequently pursue a teaching certificate to allow me to be employed as an educator. Over the last ten years, I have experienced many of the ups and downs life has to offer. Although I have held many positions, my work as a musician, booking agent and recording artist has always stood out to me as significant. Music, without being overly poetic, allows us an expression of self often denied in other circumstances. My goal is to be able to share with others the ability to express oneself musically, with the intention to share and create with others. One of my fondest memories of musical experience was traveling to Ecuador under contract with Hilton Hotels. We performed at a month-long festival of New Orleans culture. Food, music and dance were on display: three New Orleans musicians (including myself) were chosen to come and lead/ educate the ensemble for the festival. Over the course of my time in South America, I was able to communicate with many other people about the significance of music in their lives through conversation as well as outreach. In addition to the festival performances, I performed on Ecuadorian national television, gave a radio interview and was invited to give a masterclass on blues music to the local conservatory. I had the good fortune to learn Spanish from friends at a young age, and was able to make meaningful connections with new people through our shared love for music and the conversations which sprang forth after each performance. We performed roughly five times a day as a unit, which created a period of connection which reminded me of being in school ensembles as a young man. One day, I stumbled across a local community orchestra, and decided to volunteer my time and talents. Little did I know, the president and founder would later become my wife! Through our dates, I learned that she founded a nonprofit orchestra while dealing with tremendous grief and ptsd after witnessing two very personal deaths in her life: her younger brother and previous fiancee'. She was able to create something beautiful, an organization for both ameteur and professional musicians to collaborate and perform free orchestral music performances for the community, out of something so bleak! I was again drawn to the quote of how music can heal what medicine cannot. “Music can heal the wounds which medicine cannot touch.”

I wrote this song with the intention of collaboration. My good friend and mentor was in the slumps due to covid and social distancing. As an older gentleman, there were not many outlets of human connection for him to take advantage of. One day, I began thinking on how music heals the soul, and decided to write a piece for him to play with me! KB plays a 5 string bass, so I decided to use B minor to take advantage of open string slap notes. I composed the music only, and performed the trumpet you hear. Another musician wrote and performed lyrics. Enjoy!

graduated high school in 2009, and enrolled at a local college. I attended school there for a year as a journalism major, and then I transferred to Louisiana State University to pursue a degree in advertising. Throughout my time in college, I performed in the LSU Tiger Marching Band, worked in Student Media Advertising as a sales executive, and held down two full time jobs doing any entry level work I could find. After some time, I withdrew from school because the financial burden was too much to handle given the jobs available with a student's schedule. After withdrawing, I proceeded to find work as a carpenter, musician, salesman, chef and ultimately butcher. Currently I am working full time in a meat market, and I am looking to expand my career possibilities. Specifically, I would like to complete my bachelors degree in Interdisciplinary Studies in order to subsequently pursue a teaching certificate to allow me to be employed as an educator. Over the last ten years, I have experienced many of the ups and downs life has to offer. I believe the best way forward for my wife and I is to continue my education and open new doors which will allow me to continue providing while pursuing fulfillment and peace of mind. More specifically, I intend to obtain a music teaching certificate. Although I enjoy my work as a butcher, the risk of grievous injury is very high and the general fatigue shown by all my senior coworkers indicates inevitable exhaustion. Although I have held many positions, my work as a musician, booking agent and recording artist has always stood out to me as significant. Music, without being overly poetic, allows us an expression of self often denied in other circumstances. My goal is to be able to share with others the ability to express oneself musically, with the intention to share and create with others. One of my fondest memories of musical experience was traveling to Ecuador under contract with Hilton Hotels. We performed at a month-long festival of New Orleans culture. Food, music and dance were on display: three New Orleans musicians (including myself) were chosen to come and lead/ educate the ensemble for the festival. Over the course of my time in South America, I was able to communicate with many other people about the significance of music in their lives through conversation as well as outreach. In addition to the festival performances, I performed on Ecuadorian national television, gave a radio interview and was invited to give a masterclass on blues music to the local conservatory. I had the good fortune to learn Spanish from friends at a young age, and was able to make meaningful connections with new people through our shared love for music and the conversations which sprang forth after each performance. We performed roughly five times a day as a unit, which created a period of connection which reminded me of being in school ensembles as a young man. The positive impact of my experiences as a musician and music appreciator have led me back to the path of completing this stage of my education. I need to get a degree in order to become certified to teach, and this is what brings me to seeking scholarship! Thank you very much for your time in reading this, and I eagerly await your reply.