The prospect of transforming abstract ideas into flourishing, community-enriching businesses has always intrigued me, which is why I intend to pursue an entrepreneurial degree. During my time in business school, my aim is to gain relevant business skills, grow as a leader and individual, and ultimately establish a profitable coffee business as a space for community connection. I am also excited about the opportunity to participate in seminars and internship opportunities, which will hone my business and entrepreneurial skills in real world scenarios. These opportunities will not only push me to be ultra-innovative and serve as a gateway to expand my skill set, but also offer a glimpse into other potential career paths. I look forward to the chance to work with professionals, learn from their expertise, and contribute to meaningful projects. I have planned an entrepreneurial career because I have seen many needs in my community around me, and I have many ideas about how to connect many of my passions in a way that can positively impact my community. From a young age, I have dreamed of owning my own business—a coffee shop that not only serves impeccable drinks, a passion of mine, but also acts as a hub for community interaction and connections. I believe that every community can always come together more, whether it's to meet up with friends, listen to music, study, or just grab a drink. I hope to be able to use the space as a platform for artists and musicians to display their works, and for communities to come together for various events. I would also love to set up donations or funding of local food and homeless shelters from a portion of drink sales. In my local community, hunger and homelessness are real issues that I have seen many of my own peers battle. I would love to have a space for people to find refuge, a warm meal, or even just conversation with people who would like to help. My dream isn't just to find success selling my coffee, but to bring light into my community. I believe that I will be successful in the entrepreneurial realm because of the characteristics that define me, and my passion for positively impacting my local community. In high school I have volunteered in my local community with many of the clubs I am a part of, and I have learned to become more empathetic and have seen the importance of giving back to those around me. I have also run on my school's Varsity Track and Field team for four years, which has taught me to be persistent in the face of challenges, work well in a team, and the power of encouragement. Finally, I have taken many challenging courses which have taught me to be disciplined and honed my organizational and critical thinking skills, which are crucial aspects in the ever-changing business world. All of these skills will work together and contribute to a successful coffee shop. To me, a successful life will be defined by knowing that I was a part of something bigger than myself. I am not seeking notoriety or recognition for being a great entrepreneur, but rather, I am eager to bring light into a dark community. As cliche as it may seem, I am encouraged by those around me already making an impact and hope to follow in their footsteps to change a life. If at the end of my lifetime I can look back and see that I changed even one person's life, I will feel as though my life was a success.

The prospect of transforming abstract ideas into flourishing, community-enriching businesses has always intrigued me, which is why I intend to pursue someday opening my own business. My experiences throughout high school in team sports, club leadership, and difficult courses have provided me with the skills that I hope to implement into my career such as teamwork, resilience, discipline, and a thirst for knowledge. Community engagement and contributing positively to my local community has always been very important when considering my career goals. From a young age, I have dreamed of owning my own business—a coffee shop that not only serves impeccable drinks, a passion of mine, but also acts as a hub for community interaction and connections. I believe that every community can always come together more, and nothing brings people together more than a cozy space to meet up with friends, listen to music, study, and grab a warm drink. I hope to be able to use the space as a platform for artists and musicians to display their works, and for communities to come together for various events. I would also love to set up donations or funding of local food and homeless shelters from a portion of drink sales. In my local community, hunger and homelessness are real issues that I have seen many of my own peers battle. I would love to have a space for people to find refuge, a warm meal, or even just conversation with people who would like to help. My dream isn't just to find success selling my coffee, but to bring light into my community. To achieve these career goals, I plan to pursue an entrepreneurial degree at a 4-year university. During my time in business school, my aim is to gain relevant business skills, grow as a leader and individual, and ultimately hone my business and entrepreneurial skills in real world scenarios. Opportunities such as internships and seminars will not only push me to be ultra-innovative and serve as a gateway to expand my skill set but also give me the chance to work with professionals, learn from their expertise, and contribute to meaningful projects. After college, I hope to work at another coffee shop or cafe in my community to better learn the food industry and how the system works best. While I am eager to face the challenges of managing my own business, I also understand the time and money that opening a business will take, which is why I may have to continue to save and earn certifications after college for a few years in order to open a successful coffee shop. This scholarship would help me pay for my education, and ultimately change my community for the better. I am eager to begin to learn more about the entrepreneurial world.

Taylor Swift seemingly has a song for every emotion one could face, but on 1989 (Taylor's Version), "Shake It Off", "This Love", "Wildest Dreams", and "Welcome to New York" resonate most deeply within. I spent many nights in 2023 listening to "Shake It Off". 2023 was a year full of ups and downs as I faced many trials and setbacks. While many people questioned my abilities to succeed in my sport, my classes, or my future career endeavors, Taylor reminded me not to listen to those preying on my downfall. In the song, she refers to all of the incorrect things that people believe about her, before stating that she is going to choose to ignore the lies and keep working hard to pursue her dreams. Before my State Championship competition in track and field this year, I listened to "Shake It Off", and it reminded me that no matter what others told me, I was strong enough to win. My 4x400 meter relay team ended up coming home as state champions. In 2023, listening to this song helped me find my inner strength to push on and defy the odds. "This Love" is a very different song than "Shake It Off", but it resonates, nonetheless. Even though I faced struggles mentioned above, I also had great friends and family to rely on. To me, "This Love" is not about the romantic love Taylor sings about, but about my deep friendships. The line "This love is glowing in the dark" spoke to me in particular, because even in the hardest of times this year, I could come to my friends, and they uplifted me and always made me smile. "This Love" is a discussion of all things beautiful about love, while also reminding listeners that there are difficulties in love (both platonic and romantic love) at times. Instrumentally, the guitar and breathless sound of her voice transport the listener into a dream-like state that represents healing and the warm feeling of love. The message of hope is that love always withstands, and "you come back to what you need." In 2023, "This Love" reminded me just how powerful love is. I have many dreams for my future, including one day opening my own coffee shop. The melody and instrumental backdrop of "Wildest Dreams" perfectly encapsulates the feeling of dreaming and having high hopes for the future. The heartbeat going through the background of the song perfectly represents the nervousness and euphoria of chasing your dreams. Lyrically Taylor is discussing a love that may not last forever, but instrumentally "Wildest Dreams" is a soundtrack to building the life of your dreams, just as the title reveals. As I applied to college in 2023, I was often reminded of the goals I've set for myself. "Wildest Dreams" was in the background reminding me to keep pushing forward make those dreams a reality. Finally, "Welcome to New York" was the pop anthem I needed as I entered into my senior year of high school and began thinking more and more about college in 2023. The line "It's a new soundtrack, I could dance to this beat forevermore" made me feel so excited about the future ahead of me and the big changes I was experiencing. She sings "The lights are so bright, but they never blind me". To me this means that change is still exciting, fun, and manageable even when it can feel scary or out of your comfort zone at first. In 2023, "Welcome to New York" was my anthem of embracing change.

"Suite Life of Zach and Cody" and "Jessie" "Brains vs. Brawns" After Zack and Cody's mom becomes the singer in the Ross's New York City Apartment building, she moves the family there. Zack and Cody do a little exploring, and become fast friends with the doorman, Tony, who introduces the boys to Luke and Ravi. Cody and Ravi's personalities click instantly. Ravi introduces Cody to Ms. Kipling, whom Cody is fascinated by. Meanwhile, Luke and Zack skateboard all around the penthouse, annoying Bertram, who kicks the boys out and tells them to go to the park. Cody and Ravi overhear Bertram and decide to go to the park with Luke and Zack. The boys wander the park before seeing a sign advertising a skateboarding competition on Friday in the park for a chance to win $500. Luke and Zack are ecstatic, as they both love to skateboard, and decide to sign up. They practice their skills all week, while Ravi and Cody are busy preparing for the Science Bowl, which also happens to be on Friday. Friday rolls around, and the pairs of boys are excited for their respective competitions. After a long school day, the boys board the subway. They all ride together for a couple of stops, then disembark, and prepare to board two separate trains leaving the subway station at the same time. In the bustle of the crowd, and their unfamiliarity with the New York subway system, Zack accidentally gets on the train with Ravi, and Cody goes with Luke. The boys realize what has happened, and Zack and Cody both try to get Ravi and Luke (respectively) to get off at the next stop and backtrack, but Luke and Ravi are both too nervous about missing their competitions, as they were already running late. When Luke and Cody arrive in the park, Cody is extremely nervous as he's never skateboarded before. At the science bowl, Zack argues that their team is going to lose now that he is on it and not Cody. Luke and Ravi are both extremely worried about their new partners but decide to go ahead with the competitions. Cody is very rusty when he starts down the first ramp. He lands his shakily lands his jump and scores a "6" from the judges. Luke is pleased and scores a "9" himself after an impressive round. By the last round of the competition, the boys have averaged an "8.5". Cody is the last participant of the competition, and if he scores a perfect "10", he will win for the boys. Cody goes down the most difficult ramp, launches into the air and SCORES A "10"! The boys did it! At the Science Bowl, Ravi and Zack's team is tied for the win as the last question approaches. The judge states "True or False: One of Newton's Laws of Motion states that an object will remain in motion unless disrupted by an external force". The participants are silent for a moment, and Ravi is frustrated that he forgot to review Newton's Laws. However, Zack remembers his first skateboard crash after hitting a large rock in the road and hits his buzzer. He yells "True!" and the judge pauses a moment before saying "Correct!" and crowning their team Science Bowl Champions! After the competitions, and an ice cream celebration for their wins, the boys go back to the Penthouse and crash on the couch. The episode ends with Cody grimacing at his sore muscles and stating, "I think that was enough skateboarding for a lifetime", to which the boys share a laugh.