Health or blight is a beautiful fight between a nurse and a patient's sicknesses. A battle that must be fought with vigor and a battle I am all too immersed in. I am an I am a first-generation student and I graduated a year early. My original year to graduate was 2025. Instead, I am graduating with the class of 2024 and have earned myself a 3.2 GPA. I live with a parent who is physically disabled with an autoimmune disorder and she is on the way to being in a wheelchair we have struggled to find funding for even that money it's no joke that we would struggle to pay for college. I have worked hard and will continue to work hard and strive for greatness and my education so I can do what countless nurses do on the daily front lines against the battle that comes with health and sicknesses. I have always been enamored with medicine as a whole but being on the front lines of the medical field has been a primary interest of mine I'm struggling as of now due to a lack of funds. I come from a family that is constantly taunted by poverty. As of now the only income that can be used is my mother's disability check and that covers our bills so even with me working it's been a struggle to gather funds. For me every single penny counts to help me fight for and get my degree and help prevent a longstanding cycle of poverty in my family. But why I crave the ability to help improve lives daily is not too cut and dry as I've seen my mother be pushed aside, ignored, and mistreated by doctors and nurses. So I plan to help change that one step at a time. I want my patience to feel seen and heard I refuse to be like the people who have pushed my mom aside. I want to make a difference in the field one way or another! Mark my words if I get the aid I require money wise I will push to make a stark difference in the field. I already made it through high school a year ahead of what I should have, if I keep on my path I know I will do things that will push for change in the long term. All I need is the help to get there. This is my passion and my need for my life. I crave the ability to save lives as one craves sugar but I as of now don’t have the funds to afford schooling due to my circumstances in my family with my stepdad having lost his job. My family is living off my mom's disability government check and food stamps. So as you can imagine hopes for a college fund were lost so I plan to use it to pay for my tuition, textbooks, and of course, my dorm stay. Thank you for your consideration Sincerely Kimberly Joyce Notto

Hello, I am Kimberly Joyce Notto. I am a first-generation student and I graduated a year early. My original year to graduate was 2025. I am instead graduating with the class of 2024 and I have earned myself a 3.2 GPA. I live with a parent who is physically disabled and she is on the way to being in a wheelchair so we have struggled to find funding for even that money so it's no joke that we would struggle to pay for college. I have worked hard and will continue to work hard and strive for greatness and my education. I have been accepted to college and I know I should get this scholarship because I know that it will help me with the necessities of life. That I otherwise would struggle greatly to achieve. For me every single penny counts to help me fight for and get my degree and help prevent a longstanding cycle of poverty in my family. But why I want to be a doctor is that it's just simple in the cut. Ever since my youth, I have been enamored with how the human body works especially with the heart and lungs I have had issues with my lungs but the heart issues have run in my family. It all began when I was about 6 years old in school walking into the library and finding a book on the human body. Then I was hooked, and that became my interest, and years later even now I want to help people and learn more about medicine, especially in cardiology. The body, when there is an issue not only is an interesting and beautiful puzzle but also helps people when they need the help. But nowadays my interest in medicine goes beyond my interest. My example is my mother. She's in desperate need of medical aid but she's stuck with needing her hips and knees replaced. However, not a single doctor takes her seriously and I want to be a change in the system. I want to be the doctor people can go to and feel heard instead of being pushed aside and simply told to stop being dramatic. I want to be the doctor that will address the problem for my patient. I will be that doctor. All I need is the help to get there. This is my passion and my need for my life. I crave the ability to save lives as one craves sugar but I as of now don’t have the funds to afford schooling due to my circumstances in my family with my stepdad having lost his job. My family is living off my mom's disability government check and food stamps. So as you can imagine hopes for a college fund were lost so I plan to use it to pay for my dorm stay for a year and my textbooks for this year as well. Thank you for your consideration Sincerely Kimberly Joyce Notto

Hello, I am Kimberly Joyce Notto. I am a first-generation student and I graduated a year early. My original year to graduate was 2025. I am instead graduating with the class of 2024 and I have earned myself a 3.2 GPA. I live with a parent who is physically disabled and she is on the way to being in a wheelchair so we have struggled to find funding for even that money so it's no joke that we would struggle to pay for college. I have worked hard and will continue to work hard and strive for greatness and my education. I have been accepted to college and I know I should get this scholarship because I know that it will help me with the necessities of life. That I otherwise would struggle greatly to achieve. For me every single penny counts to help me fight for and get my degree and help prevent a longstanding cycle of poverty in my family. But why I want to be a doctor is that it's just simple in the cut. Ever since my youth, I have been enamored with how the human body works especially with the heart and lungs I have had issues with my lungs but the heart issues have run in my family. It all began when I was about 6 years old in school walking into the library and finding a book on the human body. Then I was hooked, and that became my interest, and years later even now I want to help people and learn more about medicine, especially in cardiology. The body, when there is an issue not only is an interesting and beautiful puzzle but also helps people when they need the help. But nowadays my interest in medicine goes beyond my interest. My example is my mother. She's in desperate need of medical aid but she's stuck with needing her hips and knees replaced. However, not a single doctor takes her seriously and I want to be a change in the system. I want to be the doctor people can go to and feel heard instead of being pushed aside and simply told to stop being dramatic. I want to be the doctor that will address the problem for my patient. I will be that doctor. All I need is the help to get there. This is my passion and my need for my life. I crave the ability to save lives as one craves sugar but I as of now don’t have the funds to afford schooling due to my circumstances in my family with my stepdad having lost his job. My family is living off my mom's disability government check and food stamps. So as you can imagine hopes for a college fund were lost so I plan to use it to pay for my dorm stay for a year and my textbooks for this year as well. Thank you for your consideration Sincerely Kimberly Joyce Notto

Goals, we all have them and for me, it’s medical school. In my family education hasn't even been pushed past the high school level by my parents and I am looking to change that. My mother and father did not graduate high school and I am doing what many in my family haven't done in the last generation. I am graduating but also doing it a year ahead of my peers. Now my new journey begins with college. I will be attending UW Oshkosh this upcoming fall semester for premedical studies. My goal post Oshkosh in 4 years is med school to study cardiology. My goal is to become a cardiologist as not only have I loved medicine since I was young, but in particular, I've lived the heart. So ultimately I've decided that I will become a cardiologist for my career and now I am striving for that truth. Despite obstacles of poverty, instability, crimes, and disability that is a vicious cycle in my family that I vow to be the one to break. I made it now my new goal is the funding for my education for my job for my future ultimately. So to sum it all up I am working to go through my premedical and then to medical school degrees this coming fall after I graduate. But I am doing it all for the beautiful beacon of my career in cardiology. I will do it by saving lives by helping heal. I vow to save lives with my job and education. But why I want to be a doctor is that it's just simple in the cut. Ever since my youth, I have been enamored with how the human body works especially with the heart and lungs I have had issues with my lungs but the heart issues have run in my family. It all began when I was about 6 years old in school walking into the library and finding a book on the human body. Then I was hooked, and that became my interest, and years later even now I want to help people and learn more about medicine, especially in cardiology. The body, when there is an issue not only is an interesting and beautiful puzzle but also helps people when they need the help. But nowadays my interest in medicine goes beyond my interest. My example is my mother. She's in desperate need of medical aid but she's stuck with needing her hips and knees replaced. However, not a single doctor takes her seriously and I want to be a change in the system. I want to be the doctor people can go to and feel heard instead of being pushed aside and simply told to stop being dramatic. I want to be the doctor that will address the problem for my patient. I will be that doctor. All I need is the help to get there. This is my passion and my need for my life. I crave the ability to save lives as one craves sugar but I as of now don’t have the funds to afford schooling due to my circumstances in my family with my stepdad having lost his job. My family is living off my mom's disability government check and food stamps. So as you can imagine hopes for a college fund were lost so I plan to use it to pay for my dorm stay for a year and my textbooks for this year as well. Thank you for your consideration Sincerely Kimberly Joyce Notto

Goals, we all have them and for me, it’s medical school. In my family education hasn't even been pushed past the high school level by my parents and I am looking to change that. My mother and father did not graduate high school and I am doing what many in my family haven't done in the last generation. I am graduating but also doing it a year ahead of my peers. Now my new journey begins with college. I will be attending UW Oshkosh this upcoming fall semester for premedical studies. My goal post Oshkosh in 4 years is med school to study cardiology. My goal is to become a cardiologist as not only have I loved medicine since I was young, but in particular, I've lived the heart. So ultimately I've decided that I will become a cardiologist for my career and now I am striving for that truth. Despite obstacles of poverty, instability, crimes, and disability that is a vicious cycle in my family that I vow to be the one to break. I made it now my new goal is the funding for my education for my job for my future ultimately. So to sum it all up I am working to go through my premedical and then to medical school degrees this coming fall after I graduate. But I am doing it all for the beautiful beacon of my career in cardiology. I will do it by saving lives by helping heal. I vow to save lives with my job and education. But why I want to be a doctor is that it's just simple in the cut. Ever since my youth, I have been enamored with how the human body works especially with the heart and lungs I have had issues with my lungs but the heart issues have run in my family. It all began when I was about 6 years old in school walking into the library and finding a book on the human body. Then I was hooked, and that became my interest, and years later even now I want to help people and learn more about medicine, especially in cardiology. The body, when there is an issue not only is an interesting and beautiful puzzle but also helps people when they need the help. But nowadays my interest in medicine goes beyond my interest. My example is my mother. She's in desperate need of medical aid but she's stuck with needing her hips and knees replaced. However, not a single doctor takes her seriously and I want to be a change in the system. I want to be the doctor people can go to and feel heard instead of being pushed aside and simply told to stop being dramatic. I want to be the doctor that will address the problem for my patient. I will be that doctor. All I need is the help to get there. This is my passion and my need for my life. I crave the ability to save lives as one craves sugar but I as of now don’t have the funds to afford schooling due to my circumstances in my family with my stepdad having lost his job. My family is living off my mom's disability government check and food stamps. So as you can imagine hopes for a college fund were lost so I plan to use it to pay for my dorm stay for a year and my textbooks for this year as well. Thank you for your consideration Sincerely Kimberly Joyce Notto

Victim or survivor, My only two options the mind can be such a strong and deadly force to us. It can make you feel as though you're lifeless or it can motivate you. But how? Why? Well, mental health is both friend and foe you need to be able to maintain it to be its friend but let it slip and fall without aid it will be your foe. I learned the hard way mental health is so important because it's not the kind of health we visibly see. The mind contains a battle that won't shed blood on the surface level it's a monster that won't cut you not immediately at least. Because the mind is so strong many people have lost their lives at the hands of suicide because of poor mental health and illness. My view is it's just as important as any other part of your health but it seems to be stigmatized and left to rot in most cases. But I see that it's just as important as your physical health so to maintain it I've done therapy in the past and learned new coping skills like creative writing, drawing, listening to music, and self-care days. But when I struggle like anyone should I will seek help with therapy and all that jazz. I also keep up with exercise as that helps my mental health as well when I can, I will move around and keep moving because that always makes me feel at least awake, and often that in itself is an improvement. But now it's hard to do anything however that doesn't mean I'll just collapse to the ground to lay and wait, no. I have forced myself to improve and now I hold a job and have a largely improved life. I made myself learn that the best revenge is to live well. As well as if you want to start the war against your mind take it to your door and fight for your life. There were days I desperately wanted to wave my white flag but looking at all I have done all I was able to do, with my school, job, and family. I continue to fight. In a way this battle was never a curse, it taught me in a way to fight for life and never give in. It taught me to keep my boots on the ground in the face of this never-ending war. However, it affected relationships as I learned my true worth and strength in improving. I will never stop improving. Thank you for your consideration Sincerely Kimberly Joyce Notto

Goals, we all have them and for me, it’s medical school. In my family education hasn't even been pushed past the high school level by my parents and I am looking to change that. My mother and father did not graduate high school and I am doing what many in my family haven't done in the last generation. I am graduating but also doing it a year ahead of my peers. Now my new journey begins with college. I will be attending UW Oshkosh this upcoming fall semester for premedical studies. My goal post Oshkosh in 4 years is med school to study cardiology. My goal is to become a cardiologist as not only have I loved medicine since I was young, but in particular, I've lived the heart. So ultimately I've decided that I will become a cardiologist for my career and now I am striving for that truth. Despite obstacles of poverty, instability, crimes, and disability that is a vicious cycle in my family that I vow to be the one to break. I made it now my new goal is the funding for my education for my job for my future ultimately. So to sum it all up I am working to go through my premedical and then to medical school degrees this coming fall after I graduate. But I am doing it all for the beautiful beacon of my career in cardiology. I will do it by saving lives by helping heal. I vow to save lives with my job and education. But my issues are far more harsh. I as of now work my hardest in school and this shows in the fact I'm graduating a year ahead of my peers as I wanted a head start. However, as of now, my goals feel so distant despite my working as hard as possible. I simply need a little bit of aid as of now I have less than 600 saved for my college fund as my family had a small emergency that I pitched in for rid of my savings so I am starting over and this scholarship would do so to aid me in the success I'm desperately striving for. But the very second I get the aid I need it will go into a separate bank account I won't be accessed until it's time to pay for my tuition and dormitory costs that I otherwise wouldn't be able to afford. As of now, I'm putting up to half of my paycheck into a savings account I will not have access to until the fall semester of 2024 at Oshkosh. Thank you for your consideration Sincerely Kimberly Joyce Notto

Medicine. Ever since my youth I was enamored in how the human body worked especially with the heart and lungs as I myself have had issues with my lungs but the heart issues have run in my family. It all began when I was about 6 years old in school walking into the library finding a book on the human body. Then I was hooked, that became my interest and years later even now I want to help people and learn more in medicine especially in cardiology. The body to be when there is an issue not only is an interesting and beautiful puzzle but it also helps people when they need the help. But nowadays my interest in medicine goes beyond my personal interest. My example is my mother. She's in desperate need of medical aid but she's stuck with needing her hips and knees replaced. However not a single doctor takes her seriously and I want to be a change in the system. I want to be the doctor people can go to and feel heard instead of pushed aside and simply told to stop being dramatic. I want to be the doctor that will address the problem for my patient. I will be that doctor. All I need is the help to get there. This is my passion and my need for my life. I crave the ability to save lives as one craves sugar but I as of now don’t have the funds to afford schooling due to my personal circumstances in my family with my step dad having lost his job. My family is living off my moms disability government check and food stamps. So as you can imagine hopes for a college fund were lost so I plan to use it to pay for my dorm stay for a year and my textbooks for this year as well. Thank you for your consideration Sincerely Kimberly Joyce Notto

Medicine Hello, I am Kimberly Joyce Notto. I am a first generation student and I graduated a year early. My original year to graduate was 2025. I am instead graduating with the class of 2024 and I have earned myself a 3.2 gpa. I live with a parent who is physically disabled and she is on the way to being in a wheelchair so we have struggled to find funding for even that money so it's no joke that we would struggle to pay for college. I have worked hard and will continue to work hard and strive for greatness and my education. I have been accepted to college and I know I should get this scholarship because I know that it will help me with the necessities of life. That I otherwise would struggle greatly to achieve. For me every single penny counts to help me fight for and get my degree and help prevent a longstanding cycle of poverty in my family. But why I want to be a doctor is that it's just simple in cut. Ever since my youth I was enamored in how the human body worked especially with the heart and lungs as I myself have had issues with my lungs but the heart issues have run in my family. It all began when I was about 6 years old in school walking into the library finding a book on the human body. Then I was hooked, that became my interest and years later even now I want to help people and learn more in medicine especially in cardiology. The body to be when there is an issue not only is an interesting and beautiful puzzle but it also helps people when they need the help. But nowadays my interest in medicine goes beyond my personal interest. My example is my mother. She's in desperate need of medical aid but she's stuck with needing her hips and knees replaced. However not a single doctor takes her seriously and I want to be a change in the system. I want to be the doctor people can go to and feel heard instead of pushed aside and simply told to stop being dramatic. I want to be the doctor that will address the problem for my patient. I will be that doctor. All I need is the help to get there. Thank you for your consideration Sincerely Kimberly Joyce Notto

Hello I'm Kimberly Joyce Notto. I am going to be attending UW Oshkosh this fall semester. I am working hard to pay for my college tuition but given I'm from a household with a disabled parent I am struggling to find the funds to afford my pre medical schooling at Oshkosh as well as the payment for my textbooks. It will greatly help me get the basic necessities of life in Wisconsin. It will help me buy the winter clothing I need. The basic necessity to get me up and running on my start of college that I otherwise would struggle greatly to do. But then there is depression something that's haunted me and my family for years. A feeling to rattle your bones but a feeling I'm aware of all too well. Depression is a monster that has infected every aspect of my life from work to school. It has prevented me from pursuing friendships and jobs up till now, I have been fighting back against it with fire and in the process I have learned that is not my only issue as I after releasing this isn't a useless and fruitless fight was tested for other things and have been diagnosed with Anxiety and ADHD. Now knowing this I used this information to aid me. I have forced myself to improve and now I hold a job and have a largely improved life. I made myself learn that the best revenge is to live well. As well as if you want to start the war against your mind take it to your door and fight for your life. Because there were days I desperately wanted to wave my white flag but looking at all I have done all I was able to do, with my school, job, and family. I continue to fight. In a way this battle was never a curse, it was teaching me in a way to fight for life and never give in. It taught me to keep my boots on the ground in the face of this never ending war. However it affected relationships as I learned my true worth and strength. I lost a lot of who I once thought were my friends but they never were. I lost most who were just there to beat me down simply because they could. Learning my worth in this war has cost me friends and some family but nowadays I am stronger than ever. I did it because this is a fight worth winning. Now that I have gotten free from the dark grasp of those nights looking at the ceiling wondering why I'm alive. I have been working to help others achieve the same war and ability. It was painful but it was the best kind of pain because now I can say I will not be bleeding on my hearse. Now for me living well is the best revenge against my demons. This is my revenge against those who hurt me. This is my revenge against the demons that haunted me to hit rock bottom I will climb to me its not a matter of for other people. I do this for myself my options are as follows in my life its crutch or crown. I was always taught it's ok to struggle but you must ask for help but you cant stay there in pain. I am forever grateful I got the help I needed and I will always extend my hand to those in need. Thank you for taking a moment to consider me. Sincerely Kimberly Joyce Notto

Hello, I am Kimberly Joyce Notto. I am a first generation student and I graduated a year early. My original year to graduate was 2025. I am instead graduating with the class of 2024 and I have earned myself a 3.2 gpa. I live with a parent who is physically disabled and she is on the way to being in a wheelchair so we have struggled to find funding for even that money so it's no joke that we would struggle to pay for college. I have worked hard and will continue to work hard and strive for greatness and my education. I have been accepted to college and I know I should get this scholarship because I know that it will help me with the necessities of life. That I otherwise would struggle greatly to achieve. For me every single penny counts to help me fight for and get my degree and help prevent a longstanding cycle of poverty in my family. But why I want to be a doctor is that it's just simple in cut. Ever since my youth I was enamored in how the human body worked especially with the heart and lungs as I myself have had issues with my lungs but the heart issues have run in my family. It all began when I was about 6 years old in school walking into the library finding a book on the human body. Then I was hooked, that became my interest and years later even now I want to help people and learn more in medicine especially in cardiology. The body to be when there is an issue not only is an interesting and beautiful puzzle but it also helps people when they need the help. But nowadays my interest in medicine goes beyond my personal interest. My example is my mother. She's in desperate need of medical aid but she's stuck with needing her hips and knees replaced. However not a single doctor takes her seriously and I want to be a change in the system. I want to be the doctor people can go to and feel heard instead of pushed aside and simply told to stop being dramatic. I want to be the doctor that will address the problem for my patient. I will be that doctor. All I need is the help to get there. Thank you for your consideration Sincerely Kimberly Joyce Notto

Depression is a monster that has infected every aspect of my life from work to school. It has prevented me from pursuing friendships and jobs up till now, I have been fighting back against it with fire and in the process I have learned that is not my only issue as I after releasing this isn't a useless and fruitless fight was tested for other things and have been diagnosed with Anxiety and ADHD. Now knowing this I used this information to aid me. I have forced myself to improve and now I hold a job and have a largely improved life. I made myself learn that the best revenge is to live well. As well as if you want to start the war against your mind take it to your door and fight for your life. Because there were days I desperately wanted to wave my white flag but looking at all I have done all I was able to do, with my school, job, and family. I continue to fight. In a way this battle was never a curse, it was teaching me in a way to fight for life and never give in. It taught me to keep my boots on the ground in the face of this never ending war. However it affected relationships as I learned my true worth and strength. I lost a lot of who I once thought were my friends but they never were. I lost most who were just there to beat me down simply because they could. Learning my worth in this war has cost me friends and some family but nowadays I am stronger than ever. I did it because this is a fight worth winning. Now that I have gotten free from the dark grasp of those nights looking at the ceiling wondering why I'm alive. I have been working to help others achieve the same war and ability. It was painful but it was the best kind of pain because now I can say I will not be bleeding on my hearse. Now for me living well is the best revenge against my demons. This is my revenge against those who hurt me. This is my revenge against the demons that haunted me to hit rock bottom, the demons that told me I was worthless. Because now when I hit rock bottom I know it is either cry or climb, it is the choice between crush and crown. Victim or survivor, and I chose survivor and I vow to help as many others chose survivor to help them know that when it rains you can drown or be baptized. My mental issues have given me strength to help people who were in my exact same situation and I will always help people stuck in that hell. I had to walk through hell to be who I am and now. I want to help people through their walk and their battles. For me my mental battles and struggles have shaped me into a fighter as I refuse to fall. It has created my main goal: keep fighting, never raise that white flag and above all prove to myself I am worth it and I am worthy of life. Thank you for taking a moment to consider me. Sincerely Kimberly Joyce Notto

ADHD. A surge in my mind that has marked me as different, I was undiagnosed until the age of 13-14 years old and I'm now 16 years old. This disorder has been a huge herdal for me though I have been able to stay out of speed classes because of a 504 plan that gave me accommodations but it's hard. I started to see this issue when I was young, I knew I was different but not by choice I was shunned from my peers up until highschool. Up till now I felt how my peers told me I was; stupid, heartless (because of lack of understanding social cues), and a total loser. It wasn't just kids my age, it was teachers in parent teacher conferences, “You are so smart you just need to apply yourself” I would walk out feeling like I wasn't enough. But now I look at it all and realize that I was never some worthless sack that couldn't learn. The first step was vyvanse and therapy which was thankfully a huge help and has allowed me to focus on the work I needed to and so my grades went from D’s and C’s to mostly A’s and B’s. It was beautiful but I still struggle with the physical issues from ADHD and the stigma of ADHD with me and my peers. I often have to explain that ADHD is an attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and it is exhausting. It's also frustrating that people keep claiming that ADHD doesn't exist and it's just a crutch. I have heard it thousands of times. But nowadays I can see my fight now was worth something as now I'm graduating a year ahead of my peers. Now I'm on the way to UW Oshkosh this fall. I was motivated to go for one reason. Proof to myself that I am worth it and I can do something meaningful. That I am not stupid, I am not lacking in self application. I just needed a system and once I was diagnosed it finally clicked from meds to my alarms, new habits that revolve with my brain and giving myself the extra time to be able to slow down to think for once. This has all, all the negatives, the hate and disapproval I have gotten from my peers, that is my motivation. My motivation is to prove them wrong but most importantly to prove to myself that I am enough. That I am strong enough and smart enough my issue was time and being forced to learn and work in a way neurotypicals do because that's how I was taught. Now I can finally undo that damage and start to fix that pain that was screwed into my skull. But it wasn't easy. I have a biological father that doesn't believe in ADHD and when I brought it up to him he laughed at me and as time went on I was made to move in with my mother. That's when i brought it up to her she thought it was just anxiety. But after hounding her for a good two year span she finally got me tested and that's when I finally got my answer. Severe ADHD and finally it clicks, So started the research and delegation of tasks in a way that would aid me. So to close off people have been horrid to me and few have understood however that to me was my motovation to prove them wrong. Thank you for your consideration Kimberly Joyce Notto

My name is Kimberly Notto I come from a household with a disabled parent and as of this month my step dad has lost his unemployment and now me, my mom, and my step dad have been liveing on her disability check from the gov and so as you may imagine that means money is tight and I have no college fund. But as of now in-spite of all that I am on track to graduate from high school on May 17th 2024 a year ahead of my class. I was supposed to graduate next year in 2025 but I've managed to be able to take to a huge goal of mine early graduation. I have also been working my way through high school I started at DQ and once it was bought out I moved to culvers to continue working and its been difficult a lot of late nights but now lets move to something more something powerful and a huge driver of mine. Its goals, we all have them we all love them. For me it’s medical school. In my family education hasn't even been pushed past the high school level by my parents and I am looking to change that. My mother and father did not graduate high school and I am doing what many in my family haven't done in the last generation. I am graduating but also doing it a year ahead of my pears. Now my new journey begins with college. I will be attending UW Oshkosh this upcoming fall semester for premedical studies. My goal post Oshkosh in 4 years time is med school to study cardiology. My goal is to become a cardiologist as not only have I loved medicine since I was young, but in particular I've lived the heart. So ultimately I've decided that I will become a cardiologist for my career and now I am striving for that truth. Despite obstacles of poverty, instability, crimes and disability that is a vicious cycle in my family that I vow to be the one to break. I made it now my new goal is the funding for my education for my job for my future ultimately. So to sum it all up I am working to go through my premedical and then to medical school degrees in this coming fall after I graduate. But I am doing it all for the beautiful beacon of my career in cardiology. I will do it through saving lives through helping heal I vow to save lives with my job and education.

Hello, I am Kimberly Joyce Notto. I am a first generation student and I graduated a year early. My original year to graduate was 2025. I am instead graduating with the class of 2024 and I have earned myself a 3.2 gpa. I live with a parent who is physically disabled and she is on the way to being in a wheelchair so we have struggled to find funding for even that money so it's no joke that we would struggle to pay for college. I have worked hard and will continue to work hard and strive for greatness and my education. I have been accepted to college and I know I should get this scholarship because I know that it will help me with the necessities of life. That I otherwise would struggle greatly to achieve. For me this is my first obstacle as now every single penny counts and the clock is ticking for the fight for and get my degree and help prevent a longstanding cycle of poverty in my family. These are all the reasons I strive to be the best person I can be as well as the child my parents can be proud of. My mothers issues with her disability has been my major hurdle my entire life as I've had to stay home and help her it has greatly affected my family so now I have been pushing as hard as I possibly can to be the best I can be because I know if I'm successful, I can get the help I need I can help my momma and get a better life for myself. But now I'm faced with a new challenge my step dad lost his job and we are struggling for our bills but to be honest this just drives me even harder to be the best person I can possibly be for my family and myself. Even though money has so been tight we can barely afford food or medical care. This gave me in a strange sense today a strength fueled by goals and the knowledge that I and I alone can put an end to the disparity haunting my family. So nowadays I am not only fight for myself now but also my future. I learned it and I am at this point. I have worked to graduate a year ahead of my pears and have earned a 3.1 GPA. Through this life I have learned even with finances being low, people against you, family medical issues, poverty, hate and above all pain. I can and will remain strong and push through it. There were days I genuinely wondered if I was worth living, days I couldn't even get out of bed but I am still here. I'm still pushing the battle against the painful cycle in my family. I will embody grit and prove that I will end the cycle of poverty, pain , misfortune , poverty and pain that has destroyed my family. This is my reason for a fight this is my reason to be better because I refuse to fall to this cycle that's haunted my family for generations that is my reason to push that is my major obstacle I face daily when I get out of bed. Thank you for taking a moment to consider me. Sincerely Kimberly Joyce Notto

Exhaustion and numbness. A feeling to rattle your bones but a feeling I'm aware of all too well. Depression is a monster that has infected every aspect of my life from work to school. It has prevented me from pursuing friendships and jobs up till now, I have been fighting back against it with fire and in the process I have learned that is not my only issue as I after releasing this isn't a useless and fruitless fight was tested for other things and have been diagnosed with Anxiety and ADHD. Now knowing this I used this information to aid me. I have forced myself to improve and now I hold a job and have a largely improved life. I made myself learn that the best revenge is to live well. As well as if you want to start the war against your mind take it to your door and fight for your life. Because there were days I desperately wanted to wave my white flag but looking at all I have done all I was able to do, with my school, job, and family. I continue to fight. In a way this battle was never a curse, it was teaching me in a way to fight for life and never give in. It taught me to keep my boots on the ground in the face of this never ending war. However it affected relationships as I learned my true worth and strength. I lost a lot of who I once thought were my friends but they never were. I lost most who were just there to beat me down simply because they could. Learning my worth in this war has cost me friends and some family but nowadays I am stronger than ever. I did it because this is a fight worth winning. Now that I have gotten free from the dark grasp of those nights looking at the ceiling wondering why I'm alive. I have been working to help others achieve the same war and ability. It was painful but it was the best kind of pain because now I can say I will not be bleeding on my hearse. Now for me living well is the best revenge against my demons. This is my revenge against those who hurt me. This is my revenge against the demons that haunted me to hit rock bottom, the demons that told me I was worthless. Because now when I hit rock bottom I know it is either cry or climb, it is the choice between crush and crown. Victim or survivor, and I chose survivor and I vow to help as many others chose survivor to help them know that when it rains you can drown or be baptized. My mental issues have given me strength to help people who were in my exact same situation and I will always help people stuck in that hell. I had to walk through hell to be who I am and now. I want to help people through their walk and their battles. For me my mental battles and struggles have shaped me into a fighter as I refuse to fall. It has created my main goal: keep fighting, never raise that white flag and above all prove to myself I am worth it and I am worthy of life. Thank you for taking a moment to consider me. Sincerely Kimberly Joyce Notto

Exhaustion and numbness. A feeling to rattle your bones but a feeling I'm aware of all too well. Depression is a monster that has infected every aspect of my life from work to school. It has prevented me from pursuing friendships and jobs up till now, I have been fighting back against it with fire and in the process I have learned that is not my only issue as I after releasing this isn't a useless and fruitless fight was tested for other things and have been diagnosed with Anxiety and ADHD. Now knowing this I used this information to aid me. I have forced myself to improve and now I hold a job and have a largely improved life. I made myself learn that the best revenge is to live well. As well as if you want to start the war against your mind take it to your door and fight for your life. Because there were days I desperately wanted to wave my white flag but looking at all I have done all I was able to do, with my school, job, and family. I continue to fight. In a way this battle was never a curse, it was teaching me in a way to fight for life and never give in. It taught me to keep my boots on the ground in the face of this never ending war. However it affected relationships as I learned my true worth and strength. I lost a lot of who I once thought were my friends but they never were. I lost most who were just there to beat me down simply because they could. Learning my worth in this war has cost me friends and some family but nowadays I am stronger than ever. I did it because this is a fight worth winning. Now that I have gotten free from the dark grasp of those nights looking at the ceiling wondering why I'm alive. I have been working to help others achieve the same war and ability. It was painful but it was the best kind of pain because now I can say I will not be bleeding on my hearse. Now for me living well is the best revenge against my demons. This is my revenge against those who hurt me. This is my revenge against the demons that haunted me to hit rock bottom, the demons that told me I was worthless. Because now when I hit rock bottom I know it is either cry or climb, it is the choice between crush and crown. Victim or survivor, and I chose survivor and I vow to help as many others chose survivor to help them know that when it rains you can drown or be baptized. My mental issues have given me strength to help people who were in my exact same situation and I will always help people stuck in that hell. I had to walk through hell to be who I am and now. I want to help people through their walk and their battles. Thank you for taking a moment to consider me. Sincerely Kimberly Joyce Notto

Grit. For me born of pain, A powerful horrible and beautiful thing, something we all know but not all of us have the same pains. Some its mental others its financial. For me and my family it's a lot more than that and in the process I learned to endure and fight. I learned grit. Let's start with the explanation that my mother is physically disabled and that though taxing isn't the main issue the main issue is no doctor helps and we are in the tight grasp of poverty as of now. It wasn't always like this, I was 7 years old when the problems began, the issues walking, weight gain, sickness, thyroid issues. Nowadays she has gotten much worse. She's getting to the point of a wheelchair. I had to learn from a young age about how to help take care of someone. My mind had to switch from happy and carefree all the way to the flip side of I must help my family. But now we get into the true battles I've faced and won. As this was also when home life went down the gutter and my parents got divorced. Leaving my mother alone and in a horrible place without a home to live with my grandma. I know I hear the question “How did this give you grit? You were a child after all?” Well we are getting to that. Once my parents divorced, so began a life of poverty and difficulty. My mother and father both live on disability. Doing things at both homes was hard. I would have to persevere through the years but money became an issue when I had no choice but to move with my dad to Merril and leave my mom till each weekend. But in Merril I faced issues unknown to me. In school I was beaten on by other kids and told I never amounted to anything at home. Money was so tight we could barely afford food or medical care. This gave me in a strange sense today a strength fueled by goals and the knowledge that I and I alone can put an end to the disparity haunting my family. So nowadays I am grit. I learned it and I am at this point. I have worked to graduate a year ahead of my pears and have earned a 3.1 GPA. Through this life I have learned even with finances being low, people against you, family medical issues, poverty, hate and above all pain. I can and will remain strong and push through it. There were days I genuinely wondered if I was worth living, days I couldn't even get out of bed but I am still here. I'm still pushing the battle against the painful cycle in my family. I will embody grit and prove that I will end the cycle of poverty, pain , misfortune , poverty and pain that has destroyed my family. I will prove to be able to provide for myself and my family. That is my vow, that is my grit. Thank you for taking a moment to consider me. Sincerely Kimberly Joyce Notto

I was young no more than 10 years old told I'd never do anything in life. Today I stand to say I proved those bitter words wrong. I am now 16 years old, and I am graduating a year early ahead of my class. Let me tell you it was never easy, I worked tirelessly and yet ever sense my youth with my dreams of being a doctor was always pushing me hard. However, that's not to say I haven't struggled because I have. My parents at the ripe age of when I wasn't any older then 7 years old divorced. So, I was presented with the struggle of who to live with and what to do. I lived with my dad most my life all the way up until I was 11, I lived with my father. We didn't have much, but I have my dad to thank for helping me look more into medicine. But unfortunately, this came to a screeching halt as life in school was no longer sweet and shiny as I grew, I was ostracized and bullied to the point I was vomiting from stress. So, I was forced to move back to my mother, my mom and i struggled a long time but she had problems. A lot of them my mom has many medical conditions and from my youth I noticed the issues and grew curious about the conditions. A few of which are as follows osteoarthritis, Hip dysplasia, Neuropathy of the arm, Hashimoto's disease, and many more. I have through the years watched her deteriorate and eventually now Shes to the point of a wheelchair and I am infeudated. Because doctors have refused to help her and has left her to suffer. I Kimberly Joyce Notto with watching it all happen i now know what I want to do in the medical field. I want to make a difference; I want to be able to help people just like my mother. This way none of my patents suffer the way my mother has to because no one will take her seriously. I will make a difference in this life mark my words I will not let anyone I treat once I'm in the field feel left in the dark like my mother was. Now days I have learned how to treat people with care and actually listen to them because I have been there helping take care of my mother sense, I was 13 years old. I am 16 years old now and all of this has helped me develop mental grit, strength, patience, honesty, I care about others more than I do myself. I have been known to learn and strive to do my best. I've been faced with many obstacles and one of them besides my family medical issues is poverty. The issues with money have made it hard for my family to afford medical care and even more so for schooling. But that is why I have strived and fought so hard for my education, for the ability to help my mother, for the ability to say that I have overcome the obstacles presented and above all have the ability to say that I've been able to help my family gain a better life both financially and medically. But I suppose now days even with all this against me, I can say it has made me crave the ability to help and save lives more than ever. As well as being Persistent that I Kimbelry Joyce Notto defied the odds and did what many thought I could never do.