One of the hardest things to do is push through the tough times and come out on the other side. Oftentimes, it’s hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel, especially when you’re inside of it, but the only way to get out of there is by pushing through and persevering. Whether it be personal, business, mental, or emotional, there are lots of variables, unknowns, and circumstances we all must handle and deal with. Early in my life, I felt invincible. Rightfully so, I think we all do when we’re young. I would play games with my friends or outrun them just to brag. Or persevere through a test at school so I could make my parents proud. I guess you could say it did take perseverance, but I also believe I still had a lot to learn. It was because of my experience from one horrible day that I learned the true meaning of the word. It was a Tuesday afternoon after I had just come inside from playing with my friends when my mom gave me a look of pure sadness. She received a phone call that my dear cousin Samantha had passed away from a car hitting her that morning. I was petrified as I had never felt sorrow like this before. It took me months just to feel like I had some semblance of happiness in my life. To go through therapy and realize that I don't have to run this race alone. I think that's ​what the true meaning of perseverance is. To push through even in the toughest times so you might regain the balance of what your life is rather than what you think it should be

We have become so comfortable with trying to solve all of our problems that we’ve forgotten just how powerful music can be in our life. “Music touches us emotionally, where words alone can't" - Johnny Depp, and it's music alone that can inspire us. When I was about five or six (in the mid-’80s), there were a few songs that made me extremely emotional. Whenever I heard one, I would declare that it was “The Most Beautiful Song in the World” and would always be torn between continuing to listen and getting as far away from the song as possible to avoid any heartache. But the song that always pulled on my heartstrings was "Take on Me" by A-ha. The first time I heard it was the first time I ever went to church. Perhaps it was the now-familiar synth intro or the chorus climbing towards that stratospheric falsetto that struck a deep chord. But when I first heard that song, It made me feel like I finally belonged somewhere. Like I could depend on those around me like they can depend on me. Now I listen to the song almost daily. It never fails to provide me with that boost of enthusiasm in whatever I'm doing. The lyrics truly push me forward in an ever-changing world where sometimes you want to listen to a song that never changes. There is nothing new under the sun, so it’s not my intent to act like music has not been around for ages, but I intend to remind us of the inspiration music creates. Music makes friends out of strangers. It connects multiple cultures and people of all ages. I believe music will continue to inspire us with its breathe taking melodies, rhythms, and sounds for generations to come.

Art is a term that describes a diverse range of outlets to release human creativity. While there are many forms out there and many more I love to look at and make, The Son of Man is my favorite artistic painting. The Son of Man is a Belgian surrealist painting, painted in 1964 by Rene Magritte. The painting was originally intended to be a self-portrait but morphed into a man in an overcoat wearing a bowler hat instead. The man is standing in front of a stubby wall but can't see the cloudy sky and the bright sea behind it. You cannot see the face of the man either, since it is largely obscured by a floating green apple. However, you can see the sparkle of the man's eyes as they are peeking over the edge of the green apple. Magritte said that “the painting just shows us about humanity. He says that everything we see hides some other thing yet we still want to see what is hidden by what we see... This brings about some sort of conflict between the visible that is present and the visible that is hidden”. Because of this statement, I believe it shows a loss of identity. This is the reason I always come back to it because It's relatable to me. There came a time in my life where I was struggling with my own identity and In today's world, it's difficult to identify oneself through ethnicity, nationality, race, religion, or even a particular belief. In fact, I still struggle with finding that identity, but when I stumbled upon this piece at school, it struck a chord with me. It made me realize that you don't have to look too far past the apple to find where you belong in life.

There are books we read without a purpose. We grab them when we want a leisure activity that won't burden us with the choices we make in life. There are also powerful books that can transform the way we understand the world and ourselves. Others find deep meaning in a seemingly simple story, such as "The little prince". But the book that shifted me from my comfort zone was "The Brothers Karamazov" by Dostoevsky. No matter how many times I go back to it, I always discover some new inspiration that helps me put my life in the direction I believe it is supposed to go. The questions Dostoevsky imposes are mostly based on belief and free will, which in turn are both a freedom and a punishment. In my opinion, this writer was one of the greatest researchers of the human soul that ever existed. In The Brothers Karamazov, Dostoevsky gave us the ideal of a beautiful, positive person through the character of Father Zosima, opposed against the character of the bitter rationalist Ivan Karamazov. Between these two “absolute” characters, you can recognize a plethora of personalities with their own internal struggles. There is hardly a human personality that Dostoevsky did not address in this book. In psychology, the personality is defined as “the integrated and dynamic organization of the physical, mental, moral, and social qualities of the individual that manifests itself upon others in social life”. Dostoevsky managed to capture different combinations of these factors. Thus, this novel is more than literature to me; it is psychology and philosophy in action. The world of twisted aristocrats and servants, pious saints and atheists, criminals and sufferers, and obsessive idealists and rigid conformists, reaches readers regardless of the time, territory, religion, and cultural turmoil.

In all honesty, last month hasn't been the best for me, I lost a friend who I cared deeply about, and It felt like my heart had broken into two pieces. It's a thing only time and healing can fix, but even then it's never the same again. While I'm still healing from the pain, it's helped me to look back and appreciate what I have here and now. I've always been one to reflect on things however impatient I might get, but meditating has really helped me to find myself again. It's helped me to appreciate the little things in life. Whether it's a beautiful sunrise or sunset, pretty flowers growing on the side of the road, music playing on the radio, your pets, and your family and friends. It's easy to take for granted the things you love, the things you don't realize you loved after their gone. It's helped me show my family that I appreciate them more often and tell them that I love them. You never know when one day comes that they might not be there anymore. Recently I've taken into account that there will always be somebody in the world who is less fortunate than you. Somebody might not have the family that you might take for granted. I try to give all I have to the needy or make someone's day by saying thank you. The little things like my parents slipping a note that says I love you with candy into your lunch box or opening a door and calling you by a childhood nickname, or hugs when you need them most. Those are the small beautiful things that stay with you, the things that make me feel less lost in life. They're simple pleasures that make me whole.

It's hard to turn your life around, I've struggled with it, and so has everyone else I've met. It's never easy to tread water in an ocean full of worries, It feels like you could be pulled under any second by the invisible hand of your own thoughts, but there is always a way to push through. When I was younger, I would have a hard time concentrating. I would fight other kids because it felt like no one understood me. My family dynamics were horrible too since my Grandma passed away. She was the peanut butter to my jelly and it was hard to grieve her even though everyone around me was moving on. I couldn't seem to forget her. My family never communicated like that. I finally went to such a horrible place and got so depressed about what was happening around me that it felt like no one cared. I surrounded myself with walls and started sneaking alcohol behind my parent's backs because I thought it might help the pain. Unsurprisingly it made the pain worse. It got so bad that when I came home from school one day, I threw up all over the kitchen floor. When my parents found out, they got so livid they started yelling and crying, but honestly, it felt good because I realized they cared. They changed and started talking and communicating with me and brought me to church for the first time. I made new friends there and even gave my heart to god and got baptized, my second chance at a new beginning in life. I'm proud of what I've become since then, and I want to continue to improve my life and others because I've realized that the beauty of life is worth living; all lives matter.

Money is a fickle thing; it never stays in one place for long, including your bank account. This is a statement I've heard from my parents often, and yet, I find their statement to be true. If you have money you don't have to worry about the small things like when your rent needs to be paid or the basic thought of food. Investing is an important aspect of the money-saving process. I'm taking Economics at school, and I've loved educating myself on the basics of money spending and investing. A couple of investing tips I've taken to heart include putting $1,000 in an emergency savings fund, putting most of my savings in a mutual fund low money market account, and trashing credit cards. By putting $1,000 into an emergency savings fund I can be prepared for any financial obstacles that might come my way, including car troubles, emergency doctors visits, and of course the occasional trip to the vet because my dog decided to eat a bee (I don't think it tasted like chicken). However, my most important investment decision has been investing in a Mutual fund low money market account. These accounts are low risk, have great returns, are not taxed, and provide high return interest rates. I would go as far as to say that these accounts are probably the best financial decision anyone can make. Lastly, I've decided to refrain from using credit cards ever again. Why spend more on individual payments than you would be paying with cash, not to mention the high-interest rates. Learning these investment tips has helped me raise some money, however, I still have a long way to go in terms of being financially stable and living a life that is smooth cruising and debt-free.

Sometimes all you need is a second chance because time wasn't ready for the first one. Taking time to volunteer at nonprofit organizations, homeless shelters, and child care facilities is not always at the forefront of young people’s minds. But, with a little push from local nonprofits and passionate individuals, community change can start to take a front seat and become not just an opportunity, but a priority in the lives of young people. When I was younger I used to have a hard time concentrating and would get in fights because it felt like no one understood me. My family dynamics weren’t much better either since my Grandma had died and she was like the peanut butter to my jelly. It was hard to grieve her because everyone around me was moving on but I couldn't forget. My family never comminicated like that. It finally came to a boiling point when I got so depressed about what was happening around me and the fact that it seemed like no one cared that I started building walls and stopped talking. I started sneaking alcohol behind my parents back as I thought it might help the pain. Unsurprisingly it made the pain worse. When my parents found out they got so mad that they started yelling and screaming but honestly, it felt good because I realized they did care. They started talking and communicating with me and brought me to church for the first time. I made new friends there and even gave my heart to god and got baptized, my second chance at a new beginning to life. I realized how important life is and how many problems that I can help fix so generations after us can prosper. To me, volunteerism, civic engagement, and advocacy are the driving forces for creating change and making a positive impact in my community and society at large. By facing these issues head-on we can make a bigger difference within our community. A few times a semester I volunteer at "hope for horses" a nonprofit organization where I help provide children and adults with physical, cognitive, social, and emotional needs, free horsemanship opportunities in Cullman, Alabama. Helping each child learn how to ride horses and conversing with them, reminds me of the inequalities that many people with disabilities face today. Whether intentional or non-intentional the way we treat people with disabilities is an issue that many activists rally around in terms of its success. So, to help teach and hear the voices of those who are underrepresented is humbling when they say their voice is rarely heard. But their desire to learn and be a part of a working society is real and heard by those of us who work with them. However, their dreams shouldn't just be heard by us, they should be heard by the world using their own voices. Helping them along the way wouldn't hurt either, we can give them the stage to stand on, but it's up to the crowd to hear. It's up to the people who care about this world to listen to the underrepresented and help them, which is what I hope to accomplish one day. The relationship between young people and volunteering can be the start of a significant change in our community. By volunteering and giving others the second chance that they deserve, organizations and community members can be the launchpad for the social and environmental change organizations talk about and strive for every day. Together, we can make the change, we can make second chances a reality.

Hi, my name is Kristian Howell, I am 17 years old and a senior at J.B. pennington high school, Alabama. I want to get this scholarship not only because music matters to me but because I want to pursue it in the future. Ever since I started high school in 2018, I have realized the need for change in the world and have become an advocate for non-profit programs. I support these programs by volunteering and advocating as well as making music to support them. These Non-profit programs include environmental care such as "One Tree Planted" and "Weforest". I also volunteer and advocate for racial equality with "NAACP" and advocate for women's rights with "The National Organization for women". Locally I volunteer with "Friends of The Library" to help promote reading and education to younger kids and teens. On top of that, I also volunteer to tutor kids in any subject that they might need help on including math, science, reading/poetry, and English. Lastly, I also represent the Blountsville Community Arts council by bringing the Arts to Blountsville and bringing the community together by sharing the arts and issues that are important to me. My goals in the next 5 years are to pursue a general education associate degree and move to a 4-year college and pursue a major in musical theater and a minor in business. Some of my main extracurriculars include musical theater, mascoting, taking care of animals, volunteering, advocating, tutoring, soccer, volleyball, battle of the book club, singing, dancing, and acting. I am committed to working hard to achieve the things that I am passionate about and to leave the world better than I entered it. Music helped me in the lowest points in my life. When I was homeless, music was there for me to shine a light on the darkest parts of my life. When my papaw passed away, music helped me work through my emotions and grieving. When I reached high school and didn’t know anyone, I joined my school musical theater program and bonded over music interests with like-minded people, and were still a family. To me, music is there for me in the best and worst parts of my life. Music inspires me every day by bringing the world together and using the unique qualities and differences of cultures to spread the messages that matter to me when words can't. In Fact, that's why music is so important to society. Music can convey emotions and feelings that can't quite be described in words. It brings representation to communities that might otherwise be discriminated against for their skin color or sexuality. It brings communities together through the unique meshing of sounds like folk and blues to create rock and roll. My relationship with my emotions and music have always been close-knit. Because of the difficulties I’ve faced and the way music has been there for me, it's inspired me to make my own music and pursue a career in musical theater and music development. I might not get this scholarship, but if I did I would use it to pursue my passions and further my music career and by spreading the cultures and ideas that are important to me. The link is to a cover of me singing a song I heard while volunteering and the message has stuck with me ever since. and the portfolio is filled with a headshot, me performing the song Positoovity as scuttle, and a couple of pictures of me performing with my theater family.

Money is a fickle thing; it never stays in one place for long, including your bank account. "To have money is to be free from financial burdens", this is a statement I've heard from my parents often and yet it's true. I learned this lesson the hard way when I gained debt by paying for dual credit college courses. I wanted to get a higher education in high school that could give me college credits, however, the only thing offered was dual credit. Dual credit classes are basically college courses, which meant that I had to take up a job at my local grocer's. However, even that wasn't enough to pay for it. I started working odd jobs and tutored kids for money to be able to pay for the bare bones of my education. For example, the first time I got a check for $1,500. Instead of spending it outright, I carried it straight to the bank to start myself a savings account. My parents gave me this advice because a savings account builds up compound interest over time. So if I put $1,500 in the bank now, In 3 months, I'll have $1,515 if it goes up by a 1% compound interest rate. I also received advice from my parents to invest in the stock market as another way to make money. However, they told me I have to be smart in my decision to invest as there's a chance I could lose my hard-earned cash. By being financially free, you have the ability to choose pathways that you never thought possible. With this advice, I plan to use it to improve any financial burdens that may come my way, whether it be in college or beyond. I have the confidence that I will make the right decisions.

Friendship is like the first sun after a stormy night, the fresh air when it rains, and the starry lake in a cloudless night. Friendship means to expand your family and let your heart grow into a garden of sunlight. It means facing the world and its ugliness together and always having a backup when you face your demons. Friendship means hope and having a home that comes with you wherever you go. To me, Friends are someone I can depend upon, a steadfast boulder in a rushing stream. They are there for me like I am for them. When my friend was downcast because she lost her job and didn't have a home to go to, I tried to be there for her in every way possible. I provided her with a bed to sleep in and comforting food to share together. You can sit in quiet peacefulness and not have to say a word to understand what their feeling. You can always tell the truth and not be afraid of the consequences. You can laugh and laugh and laugh till your sides hurt for no reason at all. My friends have been with me through some of the toughest times in my life, through death, depression, successes, and of course, road trips we are our shoulder to lean on. A song that reminds me of that is For Good from Wicked "I've heard it said that people come into our lives for a reason bringing something we must learn. So much of me, is made of what I learned from you. You'll be with me like a handprint on my heart. Now whatever way our stories end. I know you have re-written mine by being my friend". People might move on, but true friendships last a lifetime.

With the rush of everyday life, it's hard to find a place to be yourself and grow to your fullest potential. It's something I've always struggled with and at times and still struggle with now. With the obstacles in everyday life, it's more important than ever to focus on yourself and your ability to grow. Two years ago, my friend Anna said something that changed my life "It's not selfish to love yourself, take care of yourself, and to make your happiness a priority. It's necessary". I had struggled with social anxiety and body image for a while when my family encouraged me to go to therapy. I wholeheartedly believe that it was one of the best decisions of my life. My therapist helped me realize the value in myself and my capabilities. She helped me realize that I don't need validation from other people to be happy. For me, my self-care routine includes taking 15 minutes every day to meditate and look inward at my emotions and the causes. I also take one week every month to log off of social media and focus on myself and my mental health. In the long run, it has improved my self-awareness and given me the motivation to complete my own goals. By practicing self-care, its helped me to focus on the things that are important in my life. I've started spending more time with my family and planning meals to cook and share with them around the table. It's made me realize that my family, friends, and the people that surround me are the most important things in my life. By practicing self-care, it's helped me take matters into my own hands and put my life on a road I'm grateful for.

With the rush of everyday life, it's hard to find a place to be yourself and grow to your fullest potential. It's something I've always struggled with and has been a point of dissatisfaction in my life, in fact, I'm still improving. With the obstacles throughout my life and advancement of social media and the ability for anyone to comment hurtful things, I believe it's more important than ever to focus on a growth mindset. Through my 17 years of life, I've faced financial, mental, and emotional obstacles every day. But through these trials, I've learned the importance of taking care of myself and my well-being. For me, my growth mindset includes taking 15 minutes every day to meditate and look inward at myself and my actions. In the long run, it has improved my self-awareness and given me the motivation to complete my own goals. Along with meditation, I follow a mind trick that my therapist showed me two years ago where if I randomly think of something, I count to 5 and follow through with my idea. These could include making a new recipe or completing homework, as long as it's not self-destructive. This has aided me to discover new things and grow myself as a person. Above all, these growth mindsets have kept me open to finding myself and improving every day. Its' made me realize that my family, friends, and the people that surround me are the most important things in my life. To be honest, practicing these growth mindset techniques have helped me take matters into my own hands no matter the obstacle. My growth mindset has helped me find happiness in my life that I had never experienced before and knock down the obstacles that stand in my way.

I never used to be excited about being patient. I've always wanted to move around or bounce my leg, and I felt that by sitting still, I was losing out on the things I could've been doing to push myself to higher standards. But recently, I've realized that by being patient and focusing on my surroundings, it has improved my self-awareness and given me the motivation to complete my own goals. The reason I'm applying for this scholarship is because I have been working on myself and my anxiety through meditation. Through the use of meditation, it gives me a chance to stop and look inward at myself and my actions. It gives me a chance to take the time to be patient because I'm still learning too. Through meditation, I've learned to cherish the life around me instead of trying to work to death to try to accomplish my goals. I've started spending more time with my family and planning meals to cook and share with them around the table. Its' made me realize that my family, friends, and the people that surround me are the most important things in my life. To be honest by practicing patience and meditation its helped me give back to my community and take matters into my own hands. I wholeheartedly believe that patience is the key to living a happy and fulfilling life. It's improved my mental, physical, and emotional well-being and has been the key to my motivation this past year. Instead of being bone-tired at the end of the day, I've instead become thankful for the patience I have learned to use in my everyday life and the people who have helped me become who I am today.

I used to think that I was “all that.” In elementary school and middle school I didn’t have to work hard and was able to get good grades without putting forth a lot of effort. My personal philosophy was that if I worked hard in class, when I got home, my time would be my own. I had been successful following this belief system for years, and then, I enrolled in AP Human Geography (APHG) in the ninth grade. My experiences in APHG changed my entire outlook on my role as a student and caused me to reevaluate my perspective on the things that were important to me. I had heard that APHG required a lot of work, but I was certain that it would be like any other honors class that I had taken in middle school. However, when I walked into Mrs.Hutchinson's classroom the first day, I was overwhelmed by the amount of homework she gave us. She didn't care how hard we worked in class, she gave us packets of homework to do. Because of this I quickly burnt out. Why would I put all of my effort in at school only to come home and put more effort in on homework. I soon started to fail my tests and my homework assignments because of my lack of enthusiasm. It didn't help that the one extracurricular I was doing at the time, soccer, was taking up all of my extra time and the coach would get mad because I couldn't come to all the extra practices he put in. It soon became obvious that he didn’t care about me as a student. He only cared about me as an athlete whose skills could help his team. By the mid-term point of Fall semester, I was depressed and ready to give up. I was disappointed in myself because I was still failing and decided to drop out of Soccer. My parents refused to let me succumb to the “poor me” syndrome. This was the time to show my strength of character. I needed to prove to myself that I could overcome this obstacle. I prayed to God to give me guidance on how to get back on track. I started staying up later to do the reading. I paid more attention in class. I got a tutor. As I put forth more of an effort, my grade slowly began to improve. By the end of the fall semester, I had raised my “D” to a “B”. I kept my focus during the spring semester. I ended the year with a 81% in the class. But I received something more valuable: self-respect and self-esteem. I learned that I must always keep my best interest in mind even if others tell me I'm making the wrong decision. I also gained a passion for teaching and helping others to learn so that they won't have to struggle like I did as a student. I have helped multiple people by being their tutor already in subjects ranging from geometry to APHG. Helping other students to learn isn't just my passion its what I want to do with my career in the future and what I hope to pursue in college with the right guidance and drive. My work ethic is now the complete opposite of what it was in 9th grade. I have learned many life lessons: I take my studies seriously, I know that I'm capable of being successful in college level classes, and most importantly, I have learned the value of hard work and passion for doing what I love.

Money is a fickle thing; it never stays in one place for long, including your bank account. "To have money is to be free from financial burdens.". This is a statement I've heard from my parents often and they're still paying off their college debts. Yet, I find their statement to be one of the wisest I've heard, If you have money you don't have to worry about the small things like when your rent needs to be paid or the basic thought of food. Instead, you can enjoy life - bumpy as it may be - with no worries about what may be around the corner. In fact, because of the advice my parents told me, it has helped me make better financial decisions in my life. Take, for example, the first time I got a check from my job for $1,500. Instead of spending it outright, I carried it straight to the bank to start myself a savings account. My parents gave me this advice because a savings account builds up compound interest over time. So if I put $1,500 in the bank now, In 3 months, I'll have $1,515 if it goes up by a 1% compound interest rate. I also received the advice from my parents to invest in the stock market as another way to save money. However, they told me I have to be smart in my decision to invest as there's a chance I could also lose money. By being financially free, you have the ability to choose pathways that you never thought possible. With this Wise advice, I plan to use it to better any financial burdens that may come my way, whether it be in college or beyond. I have the confidence that I will make wise decisions.

Women are taught to mold themselves based on other's preferences and men are taught to lead because at the end of the day, women have to manage household chores whereas men are the heroes saving their family and providing them financial support. This is the stereotype that has existed for centuries and one of the reasons women are denied basic human rights in society. A woman is denied the right to raise her opinions even in her household matters, and political or financial viewpoints aren't even considered. Women are born leaders and if given the opportunity can excel in every field. We live in a male dominant society where a male has every right to do whatever he desires without the thought of a women's mind. For centuries, women were not allowed to eat before men or sit in front of other men. Gender equality and women empowerment is a major concern globally. Gender equality starts with providing the same and equal resources of education to both genders. Education of girl child should also be a priority and not just an option. An educated woman will be able to build a better life for herself and the ones surrounding her. Gender equality and women’s empowerment are essential for the growth of women in society. Women empowerment ensures that every female gets an opportunity to get an education, seek professional training, and spread awareness. Additionally, Gender equality will ensure that access to resources is provided equally to both genders and ensure equal participation. By ensuring that women get the education they need, they can gain job opportunities easier and close the wage gap between men and women. Because even at the professional level women faces gender inequality because a male candidate is promoted way before a female candidate. The mindset should be changed and only deserving candidates should be promoted. Another way society can help empower women is by teaching women better business skills and empowering entrepreneurs both in developing and developed countries. In fact, by donating to businesses run by women we can help create more jobs for both women and men and it can change the life for both by promoting gender equality and changing the stereotypes globally. A great one to donate to is Micro and small business enterprises (MSEs), because they have empowered women in developing countries through enhancing their decision-making skills in the household and the community. Evidence suggests that MSEs have strengthened women’s bargaining power in decision-making and on family resource access by teaching them how to use and control income allocation and the expenditure of household resources. Research has also been shown through Vietnam Women’s Union and Peace Trees that business training can increase performance in micro-enterprises and improve motivation, success, trust, and perceptions of women entrepreneurs. Teaching women business skills has the potential of long-term benefits in sustaining a business and developing new ones in the future. By taking these next steps within my country and globally, we can ensure that women have a voice and can be heard around the world. We can ensure that women have the right to job security and can support themselves financially. Finally, We can ensure that women have the right to become leaders in this world and break down the stereotype that men are the only ones who can work and provide for their families. Gender equality is a key step towards sustainable development and ensures basic human rights for everyone. So I ask you, are you willing to help support this cause today?

“Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul motivated by love." ― Martin Luther King Jr. Taking time to volunteer at the many nonprofit organizations, homeless shelters, advocacy centers, philanthropic fundraisers, local schools, and child care facilities in the city is not always at the forefront of young people’s minds while navigating through their high school experiences. But, with a little push from student organizations, local nonprofits, and passionate individuals, volunteerism and community change can start to take a front seat and become not just an opportunity, but a priority in the lives of young people. To me, volunteerism, civic engagement, and advocacy are the driving forces for creating change and making a positive impact in my community and society at large. While gaining internship and job experience can lead to community impact and social change, it’s important for us to remember that before we start advocating for change and informing others about issues we care about, we need to fully understand the complexity and depth of the social, environmental, or economic issue we are passionate about. Not only do we need to understand the ‘issue’ or ‘societal problem’ that many people face and are impacted by every day, but we need to meet and work alongside those whose daily realities are shaped by injustices, while not creating any divides or barriers in the process. Every day people are affected by the issues that organizations fight for or against, and once we realize how people-centered things like advocacy, outreach, and service are, I believe young people will realize their call to action and their potential. Vocal nonprofit organizations have the potential to amplify their outreach to college, and young people in general, through matching passions with skills. You as organizations need to purposefully identify for us why promoting service and civic engagement is not only important, but necessary if we want to improve our lives, the lives of others, and the dilemmas and misfortunes our world faces every day. By realizing these issues and facing them head-on we can make a bigger difference within our community. A few times a semester I would volunteer at "hope for horses" a nonprofit organization where I would help provide children and adults with physical, cognitive, social, and emotional needs free horsemanship opportunities in Cullman, Alabama. Helping each child learn how to ride horses and conversing with each of them reminds me of the inequalities in this world that many people with disabilities face today. Whether intentional or non-intentional the way we treat people with disabilities today is an issue that many activists rally around in terms of its success and promise in correcting. So, to help teach and hear the voices of those living underrepresented lives, and when rallied around are rarely given a voice should be noted and have more attention and action drawn to. Their desire to learn and be a part of the working society is real and heard by those of us who work with them. But their wishes and dreams shouldn't just be heard by us, they should be heard by the world using their voices. Helping them along the way wouldn't hurt either, we can give them the stage to stand on, but it's up to the crowd to hear. It's up to the people who care about this world to listen to the underrepresented and help them, which is what I hope to help accomplish one day. The relationship between young people and nonprofits can be the start of a significant change in our community and should be a reciprocal and powerful educational experience. An open-minded and encouraging flow of communication between organizations and community members can be the launchpad for the social and environmental change organizations talk about and try for every day. Together, we can make the change – not just as a semblance of idealism, but reality, as well.

As a child, my life had structure. Coloring books had lines, letters took on very specific shapes, and a system of rules governed everything from board games to the classroom. I found comfort in the fact that my future had an easy-to-follow template: elementary, middle, high school, college, job, family retirement, and a “happily ever after” ending. When I graduated from elementary school I was told I completed 25% of my education. During my middle school graduation, I was told I was halfway there and I know I’ll be told I’m 75% done when I throw my cap in the air this May. College was always factored into the percentage and the overall formula for life. And I never questioned its importance because it was necessary. Going to college made sense. Yet I didn’t think about what actually goes on inside the magical universities until I entered high school where I met the teacher who flipped everything I thought about college on its head. That teacher's name is Mrs.Hutchinson, my AP human geography teacher. I entered high school thinking that it was going to be a breeze. I would do the work, I would get the A, and I would leave high school in the top 10%, I only came to school to learn. However, the day I walked into room 106 everything changed. I was in a much bigger school now and I had no idea how to navigate the jungle I stepped into. I still remember what she said on the first day of class "High school will be a whole different ball game and this class will be the hardest damn class that you will take all year, but it will be worth it." and she was right. After the first day of introductions, she handed us the world map and said to memorize all the countries of north and south America including the states of the U.S. for a test on Friday. I took the test and soon learned that I had failed it even though I'd studied, it was like a slap to the face. She saw my dismayed face and after class came up to me and asked if I needed tutoring. Even though I usually studied by myself I knew I couldn't pass this class alone. So I took the jump and said that I needed the extra help. To my surprise, she told me that I'm not the only one who needed help and that she has a tutoring group before school. So, every day from Monday to Friday I diligently came in to be tutored and my grades slowly started improving too. But even while being tutored Mrs.Hutchinson never stopped giving out the most challenging work I've ever experienced. At times I'd even have to stay up till midnight just to complete it, but it pushed me beyond my boundaries of what I thought education should be and I felt proud of the things I could accomplish if I put my mind to it. Looking back on my years with Mrs.Hutchinson I realized how big of an impact she made on how I view education. I wasn’t coming to school to mark another day off my calendar and inch closer to finishing the next 25%. I came to school to learn and question and push myself. Now, as a senior, I’m excited. I’m thankful for the sample she gave me of what learning is supposed to be like and thankful that it left me wanting more. I’m entering college next August with a new understanding of its importance for my future.

A hero can be a role model or an admired person as long as they have qualities that can make them one. William Shakespeare is my role model. But even though he is no longer living, he lives in spirit. People still love to read his works and many of his plays still perform today. William Shakespeare is my hero because of what he did for the world - he showed people the art of drama and theatre! Shakespeare was born on April 23, 1564, and died and April 23, 1610, meaning he died at only 56 years of age. But Shakespeare was not sitting Idly by - no - he was writing every day to bring the magic of theater to people. In fact, he wrote a total of 30 plays and 150 sonnets, each with a mixture of new words and phrases, a mark of many Shakespearean works. But These plays do not just fill hearts with joy, people can relate to them no matter what their age or religion is. Above all, he possessed qualities like being open-minded, hardworking, optimistic, and passionate that marks a good role model. Shakespeare was open-minded because his ideas were creative and could take something so small and with little detail and make it into something stunning! Along with being open-minded, he was hardworking. He worked every day to publish works to inspire and entertain people. He was optimistic because he never gave up if something went wrong and would work to fix it. He was passionate because he didn’t just do this work for money, he loved and cared about what he did. William Shakespeare once stated, “This above all; to thine own self be true.” and I will strive to follow this motto until the day I become history too.

Sometimes I have a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. When that happens, I look up to the vibrant rows of books on my shelf and think, how can my day have come to this? "How can we expect people to change if we don't give them a chance too?" - Marissa Meyer, Renegades. I imagine this quote in my head every time I have a bad day, and it helps me take a different perspective on life. It makes me think about how even when I get frustrated, I have to give people a chance(myself included) to make a change. This quote is from one of my most treasured books' "Renegades" by Marissa Meyer. The book follows the story of Nova McClain - the villain - who lives in a world of superheroes and tries to take them down. Along the way, however, she realizes that she is enough alone and doesn't need to change for anyone. I feel like this is an important lesson to learn in real life as well. No matter how many people may push you down in life, you have to learn how to get back up and that it's OK not to be perfect and to be scared. This is represented from another quote from the book "One cannot be brave who has no fear." - Marissa Meyer. I think that's why this book is such a treasured find for me is because even though it's teen fiction it has so many great lessons and morals. There's something so special about this book that it makes you believe that you can do the impossible even without special powers. It showed me that through hard work and dedication to a craft that I can accomplish things even I thought impossible.

Money is a fickle thing; it never stays in one place for long, including your bank account. To have money is to be free from financial burdens. This is a statement I've heard from my parents often and they're still paying off their college debts. Yet, I find their statement to be true, If you have money you don't have to worry about the small things like when your rent needs to be paid or the basic thought of food. Instead, you can enjoy life - bumpy as it may be - with no worries about what may be around the corner. In fact, because of the advice my parents told me, it has helped me make better financial decisions in my life. Take, for example, the first time I got a check from my job for $1,500. Instead of spending it outright, I carried it straight to the bank to start myself a savings account. My parents gave me this advice because a savings account builds up compound interest over time. So if I put $1,500 in the bank now, In 3 months, I'll have $1,515 if it goes up by a 1% compound interest rate. I also received advice from my parents to invest in the stock market as another way to make money. However, they told me I have to be smart in my decision to invest as there's a chance I could lose money. By being financially free, you have the ability to choose pathways that you never thought possible or have to worry about the small things. With this advice, I plan to use it to better any financial burdens that may come my way, whether it be in college or beyond. I have the confidence that I will make the right decisions.