Through the opportunities I have received throughout my life, I have devoted my time and my heart to giving back to others. As an undergraduate student, volunteering has helped me to become selfless and see the world outside my campus walls. My service skills started when I was six, my parents decided to volunteer at a soup kitchen every Wednesday night and brought me along with them. Although I was at first resistant to the thought of giving up the time I could be playing with toys or watching cartoons, my heart shifted and I found joy in giving back to my community. I saw how the struggle to be financially stable affected families, and to me, simply serving sodas to families and playing with kids who have less than I do was an experience that has helped shape me into who I am today. Ever since then, I have devoted my time by serving as Vice President of National Honor Society my senior year of high school where I helped plan service days at a provision garden and food bank. As an undergraduate, I had the opportunity to serve in the Lambda Sigma Honor Society and take opportunities to give back to the local community. Thinking back to when I was young, my love for serving grew me to who I am today, and I truly think that the benefits one can personally get from serving are overlooked. However, seeing the smile on someone's face as they receive a meal, a compliment, a toy, or a simple hug, gives me hope that someone getting help will encourage them. When I was thirteen, I had the opportunity to serve on missions in Guatemala for a week. To this day, this trip has affected my heart. Seeing the joy people feel when we built them houses, renovated a special needs orphanage, handed out food, and provide free dental care showed me that my petty problems are minuscule compared to what the rest of the world goes through. In the future, my goal is to be a sideline reporter. Although not a service-based career, I have a heart to give back with it. I want to be the reporter who asks an athlete a question, provoking an answer that encourages the future generation of star athletes to work hard and achieve their dreams. I have a goal in the future to give back by starting philanthropies to help cover the costs of sports fees and equipment so that families who can't afford to let their kids play sports won't have to worry. The world is full of darkness and sadness, and the media exploits this. My goal is to share the light and show that amid a fallen world, chasing dreams is something possible for every person whose heart has the desire to achieve lifelong goals.

Since the day I was born, I have been an avid sports fanatic. The sound of announcers telling the story of the game reminds me of when I was young, and the excitement when my favorite team wins brings me a rush of joy. I love to talk about sports, and the thought of getting paid to do as a career so doesn't even sound like a job to me. My goal with sports broadcasting is to be a reporter and help fans keep up with what's going on in the game. But even more than that, what I am incredibly passionate about is telling athletes' stories. I think about young kids who have dreams of becoming the number-one quarterback in the NFL, the top scorer in the NBA, or the best of the best in whatever sport they are passionate about. I think about how there are words spoken by their heroes that are answers to questions asked by reporters. I am passionate about talking to the players who say these words and have famous quotes that inspire the younger generation to chase their dreams. There is a lot of darkness and sadness running wild in the news but sports is something that consistently brings excitement and happiness to millions. I want to be a part of this world because is something that has affected me positively, and I want to spread that positivity to others. My mom is an author with eight published novels. My dad is a sports fanatic who raised me to love watching sports. I like to think of myself as a mix of the two--a sports fan who loves to write. Because of this, sports journalism is something that perfectly mixes the two into something perfect for me. Although being a reporter is my top choice for a career, I have had the opportunity to practice sports journalism through my university newspaper, and an internship with Sports Illustrated and Athlon to practice writing and making short segments. This opportunity has made me ecstatic about my career goals. While being a full-time student, a staff writer, and an intern, it's hard for me to find time to get a job that pays well and can help cover tuition and housing. I am an ambitious and determined student working to achieve my goals, and a scholarship would help me to achieve my goals so that one day I can be the reporter who encourages the next generation of star athletes to do the same.

I have always been a goal-oriented person with a knack for completing tasks. Education and learning give me an outlet to practice this. As an undergraduate student pursuing a career in sports broadcasting, an exemplary education is vital to achieving my dream. There are a lot of majors and career paths that I believe do not need a college degree. I have seen my own dad, a successful man in real estate, work hard without a degree in real estate to do well in his field. Any time I hear someone speak about how they are pursuing a degree in real estate, I have to bit my tongue to tell them that it's unnecessary. I wish that were the case with my dream job. As I scroll through internships, part-time, and full-time jobs on LinkedIn and Indeed to gain experience for the future, every job that relates to my field requires a Communications/Journalism and Broadcasting degree. As I balance a remote internship, writing for the school newspaper, and striving for straight A's, I lose time that I could have a job to help me with college. I have made a hard decision to transfer schools as a junior because the University of Tennessee has more opportunity and a stronger department for my major and my goals. However, with change schools comes more expenses. These extra necessities would be covered more efficiently with scholarships. Housing in Knoxville is incredibly expensive as well as tuition--even for in-state students. Where this scholarship would be going towards is my tuition cover. A scholarship of this much could cover food and housing for a month, and if that money goes towards my tuition, then my budget would have a sigh of relief in paying for my housing and food for a month. I would also have the weight off my shoulders in worrying if I should pick up a job even though I few my occupation as a full-time student. If I had financial help, I could invest more time in interning a news stations and focusing deeper into my studies. The excitement in just knowing that I won a scholarship would be more than enough encouragement to push me further in my motivation to excel. When future me steps onto the sidelines of a big football game to interview athletes and keep fans updated on the game, I will also look back at my accomplishments and smile knowing I continued to strive for excellence.

I want people to learn how to love well because of me. The world we live in does not show love well. People are cold, selfish, prideful, and empty of love. I want people to know that I cared about them, showed them that they are worth something, included them, and most of all that I loved them. I think if I show love well, people will learn how to show it as well. I want them to pick up my habits, say the things I say, and love the way I love. I want people to know they are seen and heard. For example, when someone starts telling a story and everyone stops listening, I want to be the person who is listening. If I show more love, and see the love I can get back, I will know that I have made an impact. Love has a ripple effect and I want to be the stone thrown in the pond to start the ripple. Loving others will change the world, and I want to start it.

Stage fright is prominent and many people, but not me. I love being in front of people talking. The feeling of sharing wisdom to so many others excites me. I love public speaking, and I am good at it. I am actively in ministry and with ministry comes speaking in front of lots of people. My youth group, family gatherings, worship nights, etc. On top of that, I make announcements for my school and I took a speech class at school which I did very well in. Being "on the grind" to improve my skills makes me feel empowered and ready for any challenge public speaking might throw at me. I love being in front of people, talking to them, and making people feeled empowered through my speaking.

"There is one more thing about a person's life you know nothing about." My dad told me this and still reminds me of this phrase. It has helped me to understand that if people treat me poorly, the reason may not be caused by I did something to them, but something I don't know about is taking over their minds. For example, if a friend walks by and I wave to them, but they ignore me and move on, I should not think that they personally wanted to ignore me, instead, I need to change my mindset and be aware that they may have failed a test, gotten bad news, or are just having an off-day. This sentence could be so impactful if the entire world knew just how helpful it is in relationships and in being more sympethetic towards people. Having something bad in your life does not give you an excuse to treat people poorly, but knowing how to respond to the people who do you it as an excuse is world-changing.

A lot of people say that your best quality can also be your worst quality. For me, I have proved it to be true. I am an incredibly loyal person. I love to stick by people's side like glue. I will never leave a friendship unless it is toxic, and I will never give up on anyone. Throughout my life, I have gotten hurt by not letting go to people I should. However, I have also seen people come back into my life who I never thought would. Showing kindness and loyalty has proved to be beneficial in my life. There are times when I think about how if I gave up on people, they might not have wanted to come back. It makes all the difference in the world to not give up on someone. Just because they are not faithul, doesn't mean you don't have to be faithful. I could not imagine giving up on people, it's not my character. I feel so warm and happy inside knowing I will never leave someone. I love that about myself!

Having horrible headaches daily when you are ten years old is not a situation without trauma. Summer of 2014 I had headaches to the point that I was screaming and throwing up. I had no idea what was wrong with me . . . until a trip to the ER. An MRI showed a tumor the size of a lemon on the base of my brain. I was so out of it that I had no idea what was going on, but my mom told me in simpler terms that I would haave surgery to remove it. After surgery, I was told it would take months of physical therapy and time to heal. I had to realearn to walk, talk, eat, write, everything. Through lots of prayer and positivity, my parents supported me and helped me to heal. Then, ten days later, I walked out of the hospital. The doctors were astonished, and I was empowered. Through it all, my support, the faithfulness of God, and my perserverance, I know that I can overcome anything. Nothing can stop me from achieving any goal I set my mind on.

I will be honest, my life has been for the most part easy. There were some up and downs here and there but nothing that wrecked me. . . until I got to ninth grade. For the first time in a long time, I felt what it was like to be judged. That gave me a lot of anxiety. I had no idea why my stomach hurt to the point it was hard to walk. I had no idea why I felt my mind and heart racing when I got to school. I knew that other people had felt anxiety but I never allowed myself to admit that I could also feel something so mentally draining. After switching schools and starting fresh, I knew how to control my anxiety and cope when it was bad. I would take a step back, do some self-care, breathe, pray, and continue on. Life will not always be easy, a lot of times it takes a lot of energy to keep moving forward. I hope that through my walk of life I can see doors open for other people who struggled like I did. I hope that I can help people heal, grow, find themselves, and move on with their heads high. One day, I want to be a public speaker telling the world that evereything will be okay. I want to thrive, and I want to help others do the same.

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I will be honest, my life has been for the most part easy. There were some up and downs here and there but nothing that wrecked me. . . until I got to ninth grade. For the first time in a long time, I felt what it was like to be judged. That gave me a lot of anxiety. I had no idea why my stomach hurt to the point it was hard to walk. I had no idea why I felt my mind and heart racing when I got to school. I knew that other people had felt anxiety but I never allowed myself to admit that I could also feel something so mentally draining. After switching schools and starting fresh, I knew how to control my anxiety and cope when it was bad. I would take a step back, do some self-care, breathe, pray, and continue on. Life will not always be easy, a lot of times it takes a lot of energy to keep moving forward. I hope that through my walk of life I can see doors open for other people who struggled like I did. I hope that I can help people heal, grow, find themselves, and move on with their heads high. One day, I want to be a public speaker telling the world that evereything will be okay. I want to thrive, and I want to help others do the same.

The older you get the darker the world is. The colors don't seem as vibrant and the gray seems to overcome the sunshine. Negative thoughts and experiences enter the mind of teens growing older. That is why I want to write on positivity. I want to be a sports journalist. Picture this. Your cheeks hurt from smiling as the game you're covering ends with a big win. Fans cheer, and you're the one capturing the highlight. You write about the quarterback's new record of passing yards and it makes you happy, it makes fans happy, and it makes the team happy. That's my dream. I want people to see my writing a feel a refreshing sense of happiness. Although I want to write mostly on sports, smiles are contagious. I think I would have a good impact on a lot of people if I pointed out and encouraged athletes with articles. I remember going on the ESPN app and reading an article about how a quarterback played really well in a game. At the bottom, I noticed that the article was written by a woman. I had a sense of inspiration and aspiration Ever since seeing that a woman wrote an article about a popular interest, I wanted to do that as well. I hope that above the sideline reporter part of it, I will be led to public speaking. I want to encourage people and share my inspirational life story with the rest of the world. Through my writing, I want to infect people with smiles, encouragement, and community. I think that a lot of people can relate to each other, but people are too afraid to voice their thoughts and feelings, so they don't know if they relate or not. I want to help people come together. I also want to let people know that they are not alone in their feelings, that they are seen, heard, and related to all across the world. I truly believe that my writing can make an impact. With diligence, ambition, and the help of God, I can do anything.

The older you get the darker the world is. The colors don't seem as vibrant and the gray seems to overcome the sunshine. Negative thoughts and experiences enter the mind of teens growing older. That is why I want to write on positivity. I want to be a sports journalist. Picture this. Your cheeks hurt from smiling as the game you're covering ends with a big win. Fans cheer, and you're the one capturing the highlight. You write about the quarterback's new record of passing yards and it makes you happy, it makes fans happy, and it makes the team happy. That's my dream. I want people to see my writing a feel a refreshing sense of happiness. Although I want to write mostly on sports, smiles are contagious. I think I would have a good impact on a lot of people if I pointed out and encouraged athletes with articles. I remember going on the ESPN app and reading an article about how a quarterback played really well in a game. At the bottom, I noticed that the article was written by a woman. I had a sense of inspiration and aspiration Ever since seeing that a woman wrote an article about a popular interest, I wanted to do that as well. I hope that above the sideline reporter part of it, I will be led to a public speaking element. I want to encourage people and share my inspirational story with the rest of the world. Through my writing, I want to infect people with smiles, encouragement, and community. I think that a lot of people can relate to each other, but people are too afraid to voice their thoughts and feelings. However, I want to let people know that they are not alone in their feelings, that they are seen, heard, and related to all across the world, and I truly believe that my writing can make in impact. With diligence, ambition, and the help of God, I can do anything.

The feeling my gut gets when something makes me happy is a daily enjoyment. The warm, fuzzy tingle that makes me laugh. The feeling I get when I see my friends, get a good grade, see someone else happy, and realize that I am in a moment that I will miss, fills me with joy. In a time of life where depression, anxiety, fear, worry, and other negative emotions reign our culture, realizing what you do have to make you happy is incredibly beneficial for our mental health. For me, I am a very optimistic person. I enjoy seeing the good in bad situations, it keeps me happy. Joy is so important to me because it makes me feel like life is good and the bad is not everywhere. I seek joy by seeing the good in the bad and appreciating the little things. If I didn't, I would have lost joy. I can confidently say that I am a person full of joy.

Picture a child who sees a cookie in the morning. They think about that cookie all day at school. During breakfast and lunch, they think about that cookie. Their mom tells them that after dinner they can eat that cookie. It seems like the day has gone by so slow. Every tick of the clock takes two seconds instead of one. All the child can think about is that cookie. Dinner comes and goes by so slow. But at the end, slowly, the child's mother stands, goes to the kitchen, and places the cookie in front of the child. The excitement filling the child and feeling of accomplishment when they have waited for what seems like so long overjoys the child. That is the beauty of patience. Patience is important to me because of the reward that comes in the end. If something isn't worth the wait, then I simply don't want it anymore. The build-up to something I want, whether it be college acceptance, scholarships, ACT scores, or a package to come in the mail, makes the end result so much more exciting. Patience is one of life's greatest gifts!

Generosity is a part of me. Yesterday, I had a day off school. I took some things to a donation center then went to a couple of stores to buy items for a program called Operation Christmas Child, where boxes of toys, clothes, and personal items are packed and distributed to kids in need. While driving home, I thought about how I show love by giving, but I do not like to receive gifts. Then, I realized the warm and fuzzy feeling I got from giving to people. Later that night, I went to my school's talent show. It was incredible. My headmaster went on stage at the end and explained how we are in a culture of giving. My jaw dropped. The realization I had earlier was supported. I went up to him right after the show and told him about how I felt that I was in a season of giving, he told me that I had been all year. Being a senior, I had given my time and energy to the rest of the school. I was overjoyed with this realization of my giving. When I was searching on Bold.org for scholarships this morning, I saw this one and was shocked at how perfect this scholarship was for me. Generosity is a character trait of mine, it is something that makes me. . . me!

Ever since I was little, I have always admired Julius Ceaser. I am sure a lot of people would say the same, but that shows that he was a pretty stellar figure. He was powerful, but also an amazing person. His good character and talent drove people mad, referring to Brutus. I don't know why Ceaser has always been my favorite, I just remember when I was younger, sitting at my homeschool desk, and immediately loving the story of Ceaser. The entire idea that someone who only had good intentions could have so much power, and yet be so hated. It made me realize that good character and intentions can lead someone to power and affect others in good and bad ways. Ceaser was a historical icon. He was gifted in leadership and so important. If he wasn't amazing, his name wouldn't be in history books. Besides being assassinated, I want to be like Ceaser. I want to have good intentions and rise in power. I want to be known in a good way and leave an important legacy. Thanks, to Ceaser I have been inspired, empowered, and encouraged. I remember being in a geography class in sixth grade, the teacher asked if anyone knew who Julius Ceaser was. I was proud enough to raise my hand and confidently answer correctly. My friend looked at me in frustration since he was mad the teacher picked me instead of him to answer. After the class, he told me his favorite figure in history was Ceaser. I realized that Ceaser had other fans. I guess his mark on the world truly did make an impact.

I have two very motivating words. They're a bit scary at times, but they motivate me to better myself and trudge through hard times. These two words are "the future." Although uncertain and full of challenges, the future motivates me to keep going with my head held high. If it's school, I think of college. If it's discouraging friends, I think of everyone I haven't met yet, but will later on. If it's relationships, I think of my wedding day. If it's running a race, I think of the finish line. All of these will happen in the future, and all of these motivate me to give everything 110%. I am ready for the future, I am ready for the challenges it will bring. I am ready for the challenges I will overcome. The question is "is the future ready for me?" Get ready future, I am on my way!

People need help with a lot of different things. Not everyone has the same issues. We all have problems and together we can help each other. However, there is one universal thing that helps everyone, prayer. I have a very close relationship with God. I talk to Him every day, I am constantly reading the Bible, and I pray for others. Whether someone is sick, in poverty, homeless, or lost in spirit, prayer can help anyone. I am not saying that I'm not a hands-on helper, I am. On top of volunteer work, mission trips, being a listening ear, and showing love, Prayer is one thing I hold on a pedestal of my helpfulness. If I don't have the ability to stop the Taliban in Afghanistan, I pray for peace. If I don't have the ability to heal Covid patients, I pray for healing. If I don't have the ability to feed kids in Africa, I pray for provision. Prayer is powerful and I have seen it work many times. It is my weapon and my refuge. It helps people in need.

Imagine this, you are the only person on earth. You get all the food, money, clothes, jewelry, anything you want. However, you are alone. It would get very quiet and lonely. This illustration highlights something missing, something that makes me happy. People can make me feel mad, sad, frustrated, hurt, and discluded. Honestly, people are not amazing all the time. However, people also make me very happy. Friends, family, mentors; all aid in my happiness. My friends give me that excited feeling in my gut whenever I see them. My family makes me feel more loved than anyone else I know. My mentor helps me learn more about life and how to handle it when it gets tough. They all have an impact on me that puts a smile on my face. Without people, it would be hard for me to find a reason to live. I would be lonely, sad, and depressed. Thankfully, I have the best people in my life. Thankfully, people make me happy.

If you've ever walked by someone and smiled, but got only a frown in return, you may have wondered where you went wrong or why that person doesn't like you. Well, I can tell you that isn't the case. They may just have a hard test coming up, maybe their pet fish died, they got home past curfew and got grounded. As my dad always told me "there is one more thing about a person's life you know nothing about." As a human, I think about myself a lot. How I look, dress, act in public, my reputation, it's all about me, me, me! That's pretty selfish. Let's be honest, we all think like that. So why should I think about what others think about me when all they are thinking about it themselves? I have learned that everyone has different life situations that I don't know about. I know that everyone is thinking about themselves and not me, and that takes the weight off my shoulders. I don't worry about how people view me, I just live my life. I sympathize with what they are going through, and I don't take anything personally. To be honest, it has made life a lot less stressful!

To me, friendship means everything. Throughout my life I have made and lost a lot of friends, but during every friendship, I pour all of my loyalty into each friend. I have had friends who go behind my back, leave, use me, guilt me, and take my loyalty for granted. Yes, it hurt, but now I have the best friends I could ever ask for. Friendship means going out of your way to help out someone in need. It means not having any partiality towards anyone. It means having the ability to be myself with no judgment around people I want to spend time with. Every time I am with my best friends, I get that warm feeling inside me and think about how much I will miss them in the future. Friendship is one of lifes' greatest gifts. Taking it for granted would be a shame. My advice for anyone struggling with friendship is to look at who is in your life and value those who care about you. If you find that someone's loyalty is not worth valuing, then are they really your friend?

With having good self-care, comes good health and happiness. Personally, I keep little habits for a big impact. In order to make myself feel the best, I have to treat myself the best. Some simple ways I practice self-care are through movement, diet, and rest. First, movement. I make sure to get at least twenty minutes of exercise every day. Even if I am not able to fully work out, I wear my Apple watch to track my steps and use the Lifesum app to track my exercise. Along with tracking movement, the Lifesum app also tracks my calorie, sodium, sugar, and carbs intake. With the app, I can see the health benefits and warnings of certain foods to better the choices of what I put into my body. Lastly, rest. I get tired very easily, so making sure that I get 8 hours of sleep a night is vital to my health. More than just sleep, to me, rest can be sitting down to watch a movie or a read a book. It could even be putting my life in order on a planner or getting homework done. Overall, self-care is very important to me. I like to imagine that ten years from now I will look back and be happy about the choices I made to make myself healthier.

Four years ago I had a life-changing experience. I was given the opportunity to go on a mission trip to Guatemala for a week. It was my first time going out of the country. I saw things I had never seen, met amazing people, got closer to God, and thought only about when I would go back. I know I have a calling to missions and I don't want to push that away. Although my dream job isn't a missionary, I want to have a job that gives me enough money to go on missions. I want to be a journalist and that in itself I know can be used for God's glory in this country and in every country. I am going to Honduras in March, hopefully, Haiti as well, and I know that God will give me more opportunities for more trips in the future. A verse that really touches my heart is the Great Commission "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19 ESV). I take this verse to heart because I know for me this is my mission. I am supposed to go and serve and be an example of Christ and share His love and light with others. I want to serve in praying for people, helping them find food, jobs, helping them with medical needs. I simply want to be there for them and I know the Holy Spirit will guide me when I am there. He always does. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever! I know how Jesus has changed me and I can feel that he is still working in my life. I know he is working in the lives of others to and I want to be there for others going through that journey. To do missions, you don't even have to leave the country. Right now, I am part of a non-profit called Wilco United that offers a monthly worship night for teens. Every month teens give their lives to Christ. My part in this is to offer prayer to those who I feel led to pray for. I also promote this night to my school and adopt my school as a "local mission field." I am constantly in the Word every day looking for what God has planned next for me. I can not wait to see where he takes me in the coming years. I know his plans for me are nothing but big!

Making little habits affect a big life is easier said than done. Especially with school and sports, it's hard to make time to work out, meal prep, and sleep. However, through simple methods I use for myself, I make it work. One of the greatest inventions ever made is. . . Google! Taking out my phone, I can easily look up the calories, health benefits, and dangers of any food. I make healthy decisions with food. Picking the apple over the cake, or the sugar-free candy over the sugar-loaded candy. Then, I watch my calories, and almost every day I drink coffee instead of eating breakfast. Making eating habits healthier will also help how I feel and grow for the rest of my life. I also make working out a priority. At least twenty minutes a day goes to cardio, weightlifting, or just moving in general. Whether it's a walk, friendly basketball or volleyball game with friends, or a dance party, any movement is helpful. These habits will continue in the future to benefit my life. The last priority is sleep. I make sure to sleep eight hours a night, especially on school nights. This helps me feel refreshed and alert the next day. While these habits have taken a lot of time to form, they have been beneficial to my health and wellness in the long run. I hope I can inspire others to form the same habits to also live healthy lives.

Deep breath in, deep breath out, it will all be okay. No one is judging you, being yourself is the best you can be. You got this. Take every thought captive and live your life. While peer pressure is strong and expectations are high, being myself gives me the most comfort. Every day I go to school with a thousand responsibilities for student council, my reputation, my grades, college and scholarships, my relationships, and sometimes I just wish I could go home and forget it all. To be honest, as relaxing as that sounds, that is not who I am. I persevere, work hard, and keep a smile on my face. Every time I take a deep breath and take a minute to think, I remember who I am. I am strong, hardworking, I am me. I do not like to give in to peer pressure or worry about what people think of me. I remember that I am unique and I don't want to be like everyone else. I won't be a carbon copy, I am original. Keeping these thoughts running through my mind each day, I remember who I am, created in the image of God, and I carry myself with my head held high. I hope this inspires others to want to be themselves and remember how amazing they truly are. I will never not be unique, I will always be me!

You would think that having horrendous migraines at age ten might be normal, or at least that's what the doctors told me. However, they were wrong. It wasn't migraines, it was a brain tumor. The removal and healing of the brain tumor have shaped my character and beliefs of who I am. Age ten seems a bit too young to have a brain tumor, but the neurosurgeon stated that he removes that same kind of tumor three times a week in children. Knowing this made me feel sympathy for other children who had worse conditions than I did. In fact, I was in the best place possible. I had to relearn to walk, eat, and function on my own. I relearned in the span of ten days. I have always been independent, so knowing I had to relearn to do everything on my own was both challenging and helpful. I had to let others do things for me. That is still a challenge in my independence but that experience has helped me remember that asking for help is okay. I have also been shaped through that experience in my faith. Although I was born in a Christian home, it was still my choice to believe in God or not. When I was little, I believed whatever my parents told me and didn't question the existence of God. But as we grow, we start to think for ourselves, so when I reached the age where children start to question, every doubt disappeared; I saw an angel. One night in my hospital bed I closed my eyes and he was right there. Flames around him, he looked strong, he said everything would be okay. When I opened my eyes, he was gone. I never doubted God's existence ever again.

If it doesn’t work out this time it will be more exciting next time! The glass is half full, always! Look on the bright side! This is how my mind thinks. I am a very optimistic person. I enjoy thinking about the positive side of situations. It was only a few minutes ago that I finished a volleyball game. It was so fun! We lost very badly. Our last set was 25-6. It was the best I had ever done in a game. I was so happy with myself. At one point in the game my coach pulled me out to let another girl get playing time. Coach was upset because no one was enthusiastic. It barely looked like we wanted to play! She was sad that we weren’t enthusiastic? We were losing so badly. So, I took matters into my own hands. The score was 14-1 and I started cheering for every little thing we did good. Every bump, set, hit, I screamed. I cheered so loud and cheered on my teammates for every one of their feats. Just like that, we got five more points! I love being enthusiastic. It makes life so much more fun, it improves situations, it makes people want to be around me more. I won’t sugar coat it though, it takes a lot of energy. A good enthusiast needs a good rest as well. It takes a lot to think about positives where it seems no positives are left. It takes energy to cheer and encourage well. It takes energy and sometimes it feels fake. I don’t like the phrase “fake it till you make it.” I feel like it drives enthusiasts away from being themselves. Although I love being very enthusiastic, I do find it difficult to stay positive all the time. I’m in my senior year and I have the heaviest work load I’ve ever had. Enthusiasm doesn’t do homework or ace tests. It comforts you when you miss an assignment and fail a test. At school a lot I forget to keep a smile all the time and show off my positive side. Instead, I’m quiet, solemn, and tired. However knowing the power that i have to instantly change the atmosphere of a room by a smile and a reminder that everything will be okay, I can be the mood changer of my whole school. I’m proud to be enthusiastic and I treasure that characteristic greatly. It’s something I will bring along with me for the rest of my life!

Since I was little I was “13 going on 30.” I wanted to do everything myself with no help. My childhood had everything going for me. I felt older than I was, I was doing well in school, I was confident and able to do everything. Then everything changed. At age 10 I started to get very bad migraines to the point that I was screaming and throwing up. I couldn’t do anything for myself and we later found out that I had a brain tumor. After the tumor was removed I needed help to eat, walk, and do anything. I couldn’t do anything for myself and I had to give up my independent nature to let others help me. Now, after being fully healed and able to do everything for myself, I value my independence and ability to carry myself alone. I let others help me when I know I need it and help them when I know I can. Independence is a treasure to me and I love looking back to see how much I’ve grown.

My dreams are big - very big. Imagine this, you sit down to watch TV. When you click a channel you hear the screeching of referee whistles, the cheering of fans, band music creating an atmosphere of football season, and a sportscaster happily explaining the highlights of the best players. I would like to be the sportscaster. I want to be the person who uplifts players and encourages them after they play, win or lose. I want to host football watching parties with friends, and live the sports mom life. There is a lot I want to do and daydreaming about it excites me. Since I was little, I loved watching football with my dad. We would watch the football games, cheer together, it was our little bond. When I was ten we found out that I had a brain tumor. When I got it removed I had to relearn to walk. I know of a lot of players who have injuries and hve to relearn to walk and play and I feel for them. It is a difficult thing to do. My dream of becoming a sportscaster would include me interviewing players that have come back from this in order to encourage others going through the same trials. I am excited to live my life encouraging others!

One simple concept that has kept me from spending all of my money and going broke is budgeting. It is very practical way of sorting a given amount of money in order to effenciently spend earnings. Budgeting is a simple skill to learn and is very beneficial for keeping a healthy financial life. The first step to budgeting is recieving money. Once one recieves money, then they must sort it into different amounts they want to spend on certain things per month. These things could be food, bills, gifts for others, savings, investing etc. Once the money is sorted for certain things, that's the amount that can be spent per month. For example, if one were to put $200 on food per month, then they couldn't spend any more than $200 on food that month. This method helps someone not to spend $1,000 on random things and starve that month when they should've bought food instead. For me, it has helped me not to go out to eat too much, spend to much on random meaningless things, or go all out for a friends birthda. Instead, I spend my money smartly. Budgeting is the first thing I would tell someone who is hurting financially because it has been proven to benefit many people, especially those considered very wealthy. For myself, I notice I have more money in savings that I can use for things like college in the future. Budgeting is the most helpful piece of financial advice I have ever recieved.

Meet Brutus Buckeye Brandenburg! Brutus is a 2 year old Bernedoodle who LOVES to play! He especially loves the snow and in the picture he’s looking at my through the window wanting me to go outside to play with him of course I did! Sometimes I feel like he’s a “human in a dog suit” because even though he’s an animal I know we still communicate and we have a special dog/girl bond. Love you Brutus!

I am 5'1 and I love my height. Although I am teased for being short and I can't always reach the top shelf, I have the opportunity to always keep my head up. I will never be a model or WNBA player, but that doesn't matter, because down lower is a world of opportunities. I will never wear heels and be taller than my date. I get to perform parkour every day when I need something off the top shelf by climbing up and down. I am very helpful to tall people who need armrests. It is a very fun life being short. For real though, the pros and cons may seem like a joke but I honestly do love being short! Just like an M&M, I am fun-sized! Some studies even say that short people live longer. If the doner reading this happens to be blessed with height, don't take this the wrong way, being tall has just as much advantage as being short does. That's why both types are in the world, all heights are needed. Life is short, and so am I.

For the past few years, anxiety has been a struggle for me. Where I am now, I know how to calm myself, think about the positives of the situation, and move forward with diligence. I used to think that mental health was sort of "made up" or an "exaggeration" of being sad or stressed. However, I now understand the real struggle of how it affects so many others like me and I want others to know they are not alone. When it comes to my experience with anxiety, I have my own little routine for when I have an attack. I breathe in and out. I think about the truth of the situation. For example, when I am stressed about school, I think about how my grades are good, I have my homework on time, I have already been accepted to a college. Next, I write down what I am anxious about to put my thoughts in order. For example, with school, I write down what I am supposed to do and when--an agenda. Next, I do something creative to give my mind a rest. For me, this might be journaling, crocheting, needle felting, or bracelet making. After that, I spend time with God in prayer and read my Bible so I can see truth and love and feel calm. Last, I keep going forward with my headstrong. While I know what I do to help myself, I know that there are others very lost and very scared. I want to help them. I am a very strong Christian and anxiety in my peers is something I pray about on a daily basis. I want to help others overcome their anxiety and I am always a listening ear to those who need it. Sometimes, just opening up and talking about it makes a huge difference. There is a cure for anxiety though, it just takes help from others to push you to where you need to be.

One personal finance lesson I find extremely important is keeping a savings account. I learned in my personal finance class that every high school student needs to keep $500 in savings and when they become an adult they need to keep $1,000 in savings. As a teenager, I spend a lot of money on food, gifts for others, gas, and random things for myself. However, I keep $500 in savings for emergencies. I know I can not touch unless it is a situation where I need $500 quickly. This way I don't have to use a credit card and I can easily pay for whatever the emergency is without touching my monthly budget. When I am an adult and I start keeping $1000 in my savings, I will have already developed the habit of keeping money in savings that I know I won't be tempted to use. Thanks to the amazing personal finance teacher I had last year, I now know the best way to keep from going broke when I have unexpected incidences hit.

Anxiety is a common enemy in this generation. Especially through the past few years, my battle has been tough. However, I have learned to overcome it. When I hear the phrase mind over matter, it sounds like something that should be thought about for physical pain, but I like to think about it differently. If you set your mind on things that are bright and happy--if you are optimistic, then things that seem physically hard become easier. For example, dealing with school and friends can become a challenge in high school but when you look at the bright side of things like how good your grades are and how on top of homework you are, then the anxiety trapping your mind fades. Another factor of optimism that keeps me happy is smiling. Even fake smiling brings out real smiling. Fake laughter creates real laughter, and that creates a better day. Next time someone seems down and in need of a smile, try smiling at them.

I believe that most everything you use can be used more than once in many different ways. For example, using plastic groceries bags in place of small trash bags, using reusable water bottles and metal straws, planting plants and using all natural products, avoiding taking paper receipts by having them emailed or texted, and carpooling as much as possible to lower the use of gas. I do these things because I believe in the ripple effect. That little changes can lead to big outcomes. If I am doing my part to help the environment, then I can inspire people to do the same. Coming together to help the environment benefits everyone in the long run and it makes me excited just thinking about it. Together, the world will become more efficient, healthy, and all around better place to live!

While living in a wealthy community, the people who struggle are often overlooked.While living in a wealthy community, the people who struggle are often overlooked. I believe in bettering the health of those who struggle to buy healthy foods and in doing so I volunteer at local garden. At this garden, the founders plant, tend and harvest fruits and vegetables to give to soup kitchens and locals in poverty. This garden looks to help them, I would like to see the health of others benefitted, and by receiving healthy foods I am excited to watch the local poverty disappear in my community.

Everyone knows the feeling of fancying someone who we know doesn't like us back. When I was younger, I had a thought that no one would relate to me and my feelings. I read a lot of books and related to a lot of characters. However, one character that stuck out the most to me was Éponine from my favorite book, Les Miserables. When my English teacher told me that we were going to read Les Miserables, I was not pleased with the size of the book. I thought it was too much and I was convinced I would hate it. However, that was not the case; I loved the book. I had never watched the movie so I did not know the story. When I got to a certain point in the book a hopeless romantic character stuck out to me the most. Her name was Éponine Thenardier. Éponine fell in love with a man named Marius Pontmercy. However, this feeling was not mutual. Marius fell in love with a different girl, Cossette, who had lived in Éponine's home years ago but was mistreated by Eponine and her parents. Cossette was alter adopted and as the author states in the book "blossoms" into a beautiful young lady. Éponine realized that she could never be like Cossette, and she ended up giving her life to save Marius. I related with Éponine because I liked someone years ago who did not see me the same, and also I never did anything for them, I watched them fancy someone else who I thought was better than myself. The feeling in my gut hurt when I watched this and while I read Les Miserables, I sympathized with Éponine, and I know most everyone in the world relates with us too.

Smiling, even fake smiling, is known to release chemicals like serotonin and dopamine into the body. In this day and age, other people in my generation attempt to feel these chemicals through substances and means that give them temporary happiness, but depression in the long run. This leads people to severe depression and anxiety, along with addictions. I would like to see this change. The little, contagious act I can do to help is smiling at people. A friend told me that her school seems sad, so she started smiling at people and they smiled back, changing the atmosphere of the halls. I would like to see this done everywhere. Constantly wearing a smile will effect not just me, but everyone around me, giving people the dopamine and seratonin they crave. My hope is that depression would be healed and substances would no longer be used if their purple is no longer needed. My goal in life is to share the light of Jesus, and this is the first step. I will be a light to others by lighting a room with my smile. This will spread to my peers, to my school, to my community, to everywhere. Everyone has a contagious smile, it's time to wear it proudly!

Since sixth grade I have been an active mentor to younger students. I have mentored a total of nine students including three middle school girls I mentor now. I hope to help these girls go through middle school confidently, influence good mental health for them and show them the best love I can so they can share love to their peers. I am there for them if they need anything, I would drop what I am doing in an instant to help them, and I hope that I will influence them to do the same. I hope to help them through any drama and comfort them for anything going on in their lives. If I had had a mentor in middle school I would've felt more encouraged and confident in myself knowing I had someone to go to. However being a mentor gives me to opportunity to influence these girls to be the best they can be going into high school. Mentoring is such a strong role that has the ability to influence many generations to come. I know I am doing my part to see a strong generation thrive and I will continue mentoring so I can be an influence and light to others who need it.

My spiritual gift is a guardian. I am very active in my community in using my spiritual gift and in pursuing a deep relationship with God. I believe that my calling is to help others achieve their fullest potential. My role in the community is the supporting role. I make sure the show goes on and I help others win the spotlight. I use my gift to help others win. This means I win as well. I love sports with a passion. I play soccer and volleyball and I love playing for fun. I really want to go to college to be a trainer so I can help athletes reach their fullest potential so they can win and have the spotlight. That's my gifting, that's my calling. With this scholarship I would put it directly towards college so I can learn how to get to my fullest potential in order to help others and be an example of God's love while doing so.

I aspire to inspire. During my high school career I have made National Honor Society and Student Council. On these committees I have volunteered, shared my ideas, put together pep rallies and encouraged people to show school spirit and encourage others. I a sprite to bring people to their fullest potential with the help of college education. I have always loved sports and I want to be around them for the rest of my life. I want to be a leader to teams even if I’m not a player. I want to help athletes achieve their fullest potential and help them be leaders themselves. I’ve shown this leadership by doing small things for a big impact in my tiny school. On our Student Council committees, we have pep rallies that need to be put together. Many of my friends listen to my ideas and put my ideas to work to bring our pep rallies to life. I believe with this scholarship for college I can do bigger things than just pep rallies. I believe with the help of God that I can lead mission trips, volunteer work in my community, that I can lead sports teams to victory, and most of all I can be humble enough to be a servant of God, but a leader to man.

“There is one more thing about a persons life that you nothing about” this incredible quote came from my dad. He told me this when I was young so I would remember to not be offended when someone seems cold to me or doesn’t reciprocate energy. It is an excellent reminder that no matter what you are going through, someone else is struggling as well. If someone seems cold to you, remember that they are fighting their own battles and you can be an influence on them as well. Many times I feel as if I am ignored or friends are mad at me, but I find out later that they have issues at home, with others friends, their boyfriend/girlfriend, or just life in general. Remembering that life happens to everyone and not everyone’s life is perfect, is a great motivation for communicating with others in life.