Hummingbirds are the smallest of all migratory bird species, but don't let their small size fool you; these birds are fiercely intense and determined creatures. Carolyn Craddock, the woman this scholarship honors, reminds me of the hummingbird: active, compassionate, resilient, and always in motion, bringing hope to others. Her lasting legacy of steadfast compassion and advocacy for those diagnosed with type 1 diabetes deeply moves me, as I, too, try to live life with courage, compassion, and purpose while living with T1D. I was thirteen when I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a traumatic experience; I was told that my life would then revolve around injections, glucose checks, and other medical regimens. However, I faced the fear head-on. I learned to control my condition with strictness, turning my diagnosis into a source of strength. I embraced a healthier lifestyle and became dedicated to letting others know the truth about living with T1D. I, like Carolyn, set out to educate and inspire others. I helped a younger student at my school when a diagnosis was discovered, walked her through the first few weeks, showing her how I managed insulin at school, balanced meals, and kept a good attitude when faced with adversity. Track and field is where I became fierce. With every hit of my spikes on the rubber track, I am alive, in sync, quick, and free. I've spent the last decade pushing myself through pain, failures, and successes. I've been a county, district, regional, and state champion, and a national All-American. The commitment it takes to manage T1D while existing in an aggressive athletic lifestyle has taught me endurance beyond the physical. When, during the State Championships, I fractured a bone in my foot, I was supposed to win in the 800m event. Instead, I departed in tears. I held tight to my faith, particularly the Hebrews 11:1 verse: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." I chose to persevere. I recovered, underwent training, and returned stronger. To me, fierceness is the act of forging ahead despite being in pain. Kindness is just as powerful. I, like Carolyn, believe in lifting others. Outside of the classroom and the track, I volunteer at the Positive Impact Food Pantry and Rotary Club Road cleanups. Whether I am distributing food or helping to clean local streets, I am part of something bigger than myself. I want others to know that they are not alone, just like Carolyn made others feel seen, supported, and accepted. As I move forward to college, I carry all that T1D has given me: strength, empathy, and leadership. I plan to study public health and then start a nonprofit organization to provide diabetic education to underprivileged children and facilitate access to care. Just as the emerald green hummingbird first caught my eye, I wish to be a source of strength, healing, and hope. I hope to honor Carolyn’s legacy by living fiercely, leading kindly, and inspiring others through every challenge I face.

Hummingbirds are the smallest migrating birds. Do not let their size fool you; they are also fierce fighters. I felt emboldened by the beauty of its emerald-green color and how it shined despite the dismal day. Ironically, one day in elementary school, we began our science unit and learned about many species, including hummingbirds. My teacher, Mrs. Blue, explained that hummingbirds symbolize joy, hope, resilience, and recovery. At the time, I did not understand the impact of these words or how much I have in common with hummingbirds. Much like a radiant jewel soaring through the air, my life personifies joy, spreading hope and faith amid the unknown. I have demonstrated resilience even when counted out and realized the beauty in my recovery. The joy I found in life became ignited by track and field. When the pounding of my spikes hits the rubber track violently, I can feel the reverberation through my body. My breathing gets heavier with each stride. But I am too focused on victory to be dissuaded by fatigue in every race. The consistency of training and progressing year by year in my sport for the last decade has manifested my many victories as county, district, regional, state champion, and national all-American. Despite being adorned with medals, my passion for running and the freedom I feel when I run through the pain and get lost in the rhythm is invigorating! As the writer of Hebrews emphasizes faith as a persevering hope, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (New International Version, Heb. 11:1). A lesson I learned from life was that it is unpredictable. I never imagined that I would break a bone in my foot when I was racing at the State Championships. The forecasts projected me to be the State Champion in the 800m. Yet the night resulted in tears and a broken heart. I held onto Hebrews 11:1 ever since that night. My faith in the Lord has been my steady anchor in life's storms. Only God knows the future; I trust His will in my life is more extraordinary than I can ever dream. It was my connection with God that made my healing process unforgettable. I felt tested countless times to doubt, negative self-talk, and quit running forever. Through Jesus, I proved that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (New International Version, Phil. 4:13). Finally, my resilience encountered difficulties yet cultivated when my health plummeted. I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when I was thirteen in 2020. Learning I had an autoimmune disease that was not yet curable during a global public health disaster was traumatic not only for me but for my family as well. Learning to live with diabetes was a struggle that I conquered. My diagnosis led to the development of a healthier lifestyle and shaped my career ambitions. As a result, I felt driven to guide and educate diabetics in their journey toward better health. My body faced stress once more, challenging the limits of my resilience. Through numerous trials of my adaptability, I recovered and triumphed over strenuous challenges. As I venture off to college and traverse a new world, I will remember the lessons learned along the way and apply them to the challenges I will meet. I know my future is as bright as the emerald green hummingbird that first caught my eye and continues to remind me to radiate joy and be a beacon of hope, strength, resilience, and recovery.

It is a wonderful metaphor, catching a wave, for how you can look at other challenges in your life, said successful actor Jeff Bridges. In Disney’s Finding Nemo, “Just keep swimming” was repeated several times by a character named Dory. Marlin, the main character, and Dory meet and embark on a journey to conquer the considerable feat of crossing the ocean to save Marlin’s son, Nemo. Abstractly, the phrase helped them cope with the implausible task. It is interesting how the human brain seeks comfort to avoid stressful situations, but life is brimming with inescapable, intimidating circumstances. Finding Nemo is one of my favorite childhood movies. I watch it now and then in my teenage years to feel a sense of nostalgia and morale-boosting to “just keep swimming” through the crashing waves of life. Unfortunately, the waves engulfed my life. I was diagnosed with type one diabetes when I was twelve years old. My initial thoughts were that my life was over. I assumed I could not participate in one of my true loves, track and field. I would not be a normal kid anymore. My diagnosis was the most overwhelming event in my entire life. The first three months were the hardest. I had to prick my fingers endlessly to check my blood sugar. I remember crying repeatedly because my fingers were tired and bruised. Type 1 diabetes completely altered my way of life. Therefore, my eating habits had to shift to a healthier diet and count carbohydrates. I became more irritable, angry, and depressed. This disease was a lot for a twelve-year-old to handle. Three years later, I had a seizure. At three in the morning, I was rushed to the hospital by an ambulance, where I was under observation for three days. During the course of my stay, doctors performed an EKG and an MRI to find the source of my seizure. The results were inconclusive. I could not partake in strenuous activity for a month, which was detrimental to my track and field training. Again, my life was encumbered by a medical issue. Furthermore, these two events were examples of catching a wave in life. I rode every wave and kept swimming. I persevered through these setbacks with no end in sight. The phrase “just keep swimming” gives me hope that I can make it out to the other side. I thank Dory for impacting my life and allowing me to keep looking toward the light at the end of the tunnel.

Aca­d­e­m­i­cal­ly speak­ing, chil­dren in sin­gle-par­ent fam­i­lies are more like­ly to drop out of high school when com­pared to peers with mar­ried par­ents. Many children of single-parent families face challenges in education (aecf.org). I am proud to say that I am not a statistic. I have an exemplary academic career, taking honor and advanced placement courses. I had the opportunity to attend a great school and participate in numerous extracurricular activities with the support of my family. However, being the child of two parents who were separated and spent years arguing with each other has taken a toll on my mental health. Before they split, my sister and I would go into our rooms and watch movies or play games to distract us from the commotion. Then, she graduated from high school. Now, I am the only child at home. Not being able to talk to anyone about my feelings puts immense stress on my body. It was similar to sweeping the dirt under the rug; that was not a permanent solution. Consequently, my grades began to decline. I never experienced the amount of disinterest in school and my extracurricular activities during my parents' divorce. Subsequently, the divorce was finalized, and I chose to live with my father. I was afraid to make that decision because I thought it would hurt my mother's feelings. It was not a matter of loving him more, but I felt it would make more sense to stay with him. Thankfully, my mother proved my assumption wrong and made me comfortable in my decision-making. Once I settled into my new life, I realized I had to do better in school because it would not be beneficial for the future. I desire to run track and field in college. To get a full scholarship, I must maintain a certain grade-point average. My aspiration was motivation to get better grades to graduate high school with excellent grades and honors. Therefore, I studied hard, made up assignments, and worked with my teachers to continue to raise my grades. The events of my parents' divorce and the changing pace of my life made me realize that I can accomplish many more things in my future. I conquered the notion of becoming a statistic and pushed past this world's assumptions of my life. The resilience and perseverance I developed during this moment encouraged me to tackle life head-on, fearless of failure because life will not get easier. I will become stronger and more resilient.