Before I begin, I am going to ask you to think for a moment about and choose any work of fiction. Take that work of fiction, and place yourselves in the shoes of the creator. Now, begin to think about the impact that piece of fiction had on the world. Did it open up people to new and fantastical realms they haven't imagined? Did it help people learn things about themselves they haven't discovered? Did it make a lasting impact around the world to see it be referenced among people or even other pieces of media? Imagine how the creator of that piece of fiction would feel watching their own creative ideas integrate itself into the real world. Imagine how much joy they would feel at the moment having made a lasting impact on society as a whole. That feeling, the feeling of joy and accomplishment, of having made an impact on society and life, is why I wish to become a video game designer. Speaking of, my dreams of becoming a video game designer didn't really kick off until the spring of 4th grade, when I discovered the website that changed my life forever, Scratch. Before 4th grade, all I have been exposed to were the video games themselves, whether it be the games on my Nintendo 3DS or the games that YouTubers played on their Gaming channel. Scratch was the first time I got the chance to make a game myself. While what I made there was nothing impressive for my age, snapping code blocks together and seeing a digital world respond was transformative. It was at that moment that I knew the man I wanted to grow up into in the future, a video game designer. My computer science experience started in 8th grade, when I took my first computer science class. We were told to use Code.org, which was like Scratch in its layout and coding process, but instead of an original language, it was a real language that video game designers use, JavaScript. I loved coding my own video games, which not only were miles better than the ones I made on Scratch, but also were coding using a real coding language. Recognizing this passion, I enrolled in the CTE program at Seneca Valley High School, where I have spent the last few years refining my coding skills. Through AP Computer Science Principles, Computer Science Java, and AP Computer Science A, I moved beyond drag-and-drop interfaces to manual coding. The newfound knowledge of these new coding languages allowed me to start developing text-based RPGs in my personal time, blending my growing technical proficiency with my love for world-building. These courses proved that my dream of becoming a designer was not just a dream from my childhood, but a viable professional path. The reason I dream to design video games lies in my dream to create an impact. More than anything, I've always wanted to create a piece of work that impacts many generations. When I go on YouTube and see people talk about various games, shows, or movies, I always imagine those prices of media being ones I created in the future. I wish to combine the logic and knowledge that comes with computer programming with the art of storytelling, I aim to develop a game that achieves the same cultural longevity as the masterpieces I admire today, and the moment I see that impact, I can finally feel that shared feeling of joy and accomplishment the creators of various prices of fiction have felt throughout history.

In my personal opinion, the most beautiful thing that has ever been brought to the very Earth we walk on is creativity. In fact, it would be almost impossible for anyone to imagine a life where creativity never existed. Creativity is a blessing for those who were gifted it at birth, and I myself am lucky one of those people was me, Keshav Ganesh. We can trace this back to my birth. Ever since I was born, I loved everything and anything that expressed creativity, especially art. I love art, whether it be drawing with crayons when I was in Elementary School, experimenting with my newfound love of digital art (browsing online art or trying to draw it myself) in 5th grade to middle school, and more recently, sketching on my sketchpad, since high school. Art, to me, is what makes a human "human." Art is the expression of human feelings, personality, and passions, and I love seeing it around my world. Art is especially inspiring. Every time I look at a piece of art, it inspires me to express my heart out and create art myself. It's why I dream of getting a job in the creative business, to express that love out to others and hopefully inspire them to follow my footsteps. Everything I did and loved doing was because of my love for creativity. The interactive storytelling and pixel art of video games is what got me interested in pursuing computer science. The musical storytelling and acting of theater is what drove me to perform in the school theater group. And the works of literature that express the imaginative mind and heart through words is what drives me to write essays for my school or for college. Whether through a digital screen, on a stage, or in the pages of a book, I am constantly looking for ways to bridge the gap between imagination and reality. This is why I am applying for the John Woolley Memorial Scholarship, to help bridge that gap. I plan to attend the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) to pursue the Computer Science Video Game Track. This scholarship would allow me to master the technical coding skills necessary to bring my innermost imaginations to life. By blending art with technology, I hope to create experiences that inspire others just as I have been inspired. I want my work to be a catalyst for the next generation of creators, ensuring that the cycle of creativity continues.

This is Keshav Ganesh. I am the first generation in my family to go to college in USA, Receiving this scholarship would significantly reduce the financial pressure that my family has. We were single income for a long time under my father's salary, with my mother only recently started working. My parents, along with having to pay off our house debt, also have to support their extended family all the way back in India. My sister will be a fresher in another couple of years. Receiving this scholarship would sure be beneficial not just me , it will be to my whole family. I stand strong against Bullying just like Matthew E. Minor Awareness Foundation, Bullying, whether it be physical or virtual. It's 100% wrong, I have high functioning autism which impact my social skill and that gave a path for me being the silent victim of bullying in my younger years and even at a mild percentage today. I could stand strong and overcome with the support of my family, my school counselors and my few friends who really understands me and support me and these people in my life are my pillars and I want to help who those like me in need and I can clearly empathize with those. One of my main goals is to help people like me have limited ability to express and have problems with social skills from being bullied. Since I started high school, I decided to come out of my shell and join the theater program there to express myself to the world and to surround myself in a safer environment. I've also reached support from my counselors if I ever felt like I was being bullied by other students. Thankfully, both the theater program and the counselors have made it much easier for me to express and feel better about myself in a public setting compared to earlier. Since then, I have done various efforts to make sure that victims of bullying who were put in similar situations like me can recover and that bullying decreases in our society. For example, I have talked with students who were victims of bullying and heard them out so I can figure out what to do to help them. I plan to spread awareness in the future in any way I could, either by joining anti-bullying origination or through mediums such as writings or art. And I will always voice out my opinions through social media.