My name is Laith, and I’m 21 years old. In 2019, my mom, two brothers, and I moved from Amman, Jordan to Ohio due to economic hardship. My mom is American, and we returned to her home state to be closer to family. When I arrived, I was 15 and spoke very little English. I was placed in 9th grade to build my language skills, and with the help of an incredible ESL teacher and a lot of determination, I worked hard to improve. Learning English was not easy; there were many days I struggled to keep up or felt frustrated. But I never gave up. Over time, I not only became fluent, but also confident, graduating high school with strong English skills and a clear sense of pride in how far I had come. At 16, I started working at Burger King, and later at other fast-food jobs. Every challenge motivated me to push myself further. When a high school presentation introduced me to the EMT/Fire program, I felt nervous but decided to take the chance. That decision changed everything. I became an EMT before graduating and started working for LifeCare, responding to real 911 emergencies while still in school. Since then, I’ve continued to grow! Volunteering as an auxiliary officer, working as a phlebotomist, and now serving at a private ambulance company. I faced setbacks, including asthma forcing me out of fire training and a car accident delaying paramedic school, but I’ve learned from every experience. My goal is to become a paramedic, earn a degree in Emergency Medical Technology, and one day teach EMS. Learning English as a second language taught me perseverance and empathy, qualities that shape how I serve others. No matter the struggle, I keep pushing forward, turning every challenge into motivation to succeed. Empathy means truly understanding and sharing another person’s feelings; seeing the world through their eyes and responding with compassion. To me, empathy is more than an emotion; it’s an intentional effort to connect with people on a human level. It’s listening, observing, and caring enough to make someone feel heard and valued, even in their most difficult moments. In healthcare, especially in the field of paramedicine/EMS, which I plan to pursue—empathy is a vital skill. Paramedics often meet people on the worst days of their lives: in pain, scared, or uncertain about what’s happening to them or their loved ones. In those moments, empathy allows a provider to go beyond treating symptoms. It helps calm fear, build trust, and create a sense of safety. When patients feel that you care about them as people, not just as medical cases, they’re more likely to cooperate and communicate honestly, which can lead to better outcomes. Empathy also plays a key role within the emergency response team itself. Paramedics work under high stress, and being able to recognize and support each other’s emotional needs is crucial for teamwork and mental health. Understanding how others feel helps prevent burnout and improves communication during emergencies, where every decision counts. To ensure my work is done through a human-centered lens, I plan to focus on treating each patient with dignity and respect—regardless of their background or situation. That means listening actively, maintaining eye contact, using calm and reassuring tones, and showing patience. It also means being aware of cultural differences, emotional states, and social challenges that can affect how people experience care. Outside of direct patient care, I will continue developing empathy through reflection and learning. This includes debriefing after intense calls, asking for feedback, and learning from patients’ experiences. Every interaction is a chance to grow in understanding and compassion. Empathy transforms healthcare from a technical profession into a healing art. In paramedicine, it bridges the gap between urgent action and genuine care. It reminds us that behind every emergency, there is a scared person, vulnerable, and deserving of kindness. That’s why empathy isn’t just important in my chosen career, it’s essential.

My name is Laith, and I am 21 years old. My mother, my two brothers, and I moved to the United States from Amman, Jordan in November 2019 due to the worsening economic conditions in the Middle East. We chose to come to the U.S. because my mother is American, and she wanted to return to her home state of Ohio, where she had family, friends, and a support system. My father is Jordanian, and my parents met in the late 1990s when he owned a convenience store. After having my oldest brother, they moved to Jordan, where I was born and raised. When we arrived in Ohio, I was 15 years old. I enrolled in school within a month, where I was placed in the 9th grade instead of 10th to improve my English. With the support of a dedicated ESL teacher, I progressed quickly, and by the time I graduated high school, my English skills were strong. Shortly after turning 16, I got my first job at Burger King, working the maximum hours allowed for minors. I later explored other fast food and restaurant jobs, including an Arabic restaurant during Ramadan, Taco Bell, and Applebee’s. One day during English class, I was invited to a presentation by a local vocational/technical school. They introduced us to various career pathways and explained how we could graduate with certifications or licenses that would prepare us for the workforce. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do at the time, but the EMT/Fire program caught my attention. Despite doubts about the difficulty of working in healthcare, I decided to enroll—and it changed everything. That summer, I started working as an ambulette driver for a private ambulance company and continued part-time when school resumed. By the end of the first semester of my senior year, I had completed my EMT certification. I was offered a job with LifeCare, the same company where I completed my clinical hours. LifeCare provides 911 emergency services for multiple cities, and I couldn’t believe that, while still in high school, I was responding to real emergency calls. In my second semester, I began the fire academy, but unfortunately, due to severe asthma, I had to withdraw. I attempted to transfer into the dispatcher course, but it was too late. Still, my passion for EMS remained strong. I’ve always been a team leader and trainer in every job I’ve held, and I take pride in helping others learn and grow. Unfortunately, I was later let go from LifeCare due to a policy violation I wasn’t fully aware of. While reversing an ambulance, there must always be a designated spotter. I had offered to assist, but the driver declined and accidentally backed into another vehicle—causing no damage, but enough for disciplinary action. As the extra crew member on board, I was held responsible, and the company chose to let me go. 2/2 2 months prior to my termination I had being volunteering as an auxiliary officer for the City of Lorain, supporting the police with events, patrols, and public safety. I also worked as a phlebotomist to allow more study time while preparing for paramedic school, which was covered by a FAFSA grant. Sadly, just weeks before classes started, I was involved in a serious car accident. Though not my fault, I was out of work for two months and my car was totaled. As a result, I had to postpone my education and struggled to keep up with EMT continuing education requirements due to financial strain. I’m currently working at a private ambulance company and saving up to return to paramedic school. My short-term goal is to become a certified paramedic. After that, I plan to earn my associate degree in Emergency Medical Technology, and eventually a bachelor’s degree in the same field. I also hope to become an EMS instructor. Teaching and training others has always been something I love, and I aspire to guide future EMTs and paramedics with the same passion and dedication that shaped my journey. This scholarship would help me continue pursuing a career that I’m deeply committed to—a career built on service, resilience, and growth.

My name is Laith, and I am 21 years old. I am born in Jordan with Palestinian roots as my dad is Palestinian with the last name “الدويك" My mother, my two brothers, and I moved to the United States from Amman, Jordan in November 2019 due to the worsening economic conditions in the Middle East. We chose to come to the U.S. because my mother is American, and she wanted to return to her home state of Ohio, where she had family, friends, and a support system. My father is Jordanian, and my parents met in the late 1990s when he owned a convenience store. After having my oldest brother, they moved to Jordan, where I was born and raised. When we arrived in Ohio, I was 15 years old. I enrolled in school within a month, where I was placed in the 9th grade instead of 10th to improve my English. With the support of a dedicated ESL teacher, I progressed quickly, and by the time I graduated high school, my English skills were strong. Shortly after turning 16, I got my first job at Burger King, working the maximum hours allowed for minors. I later explored other fast food and restaurant jobs, including an Arabic restaurant during Ramadan, Taco Bell, and Applebee’s. One day during English class, I was invited to a presentation by a local vocational/technical school. They introduced us to various career pathways and explained how we could graduate with certifications or licenses that would prepare us for the workforce. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do at the time, but the EMT/Fire program caught my attention. Despite doubts about the difficulty of working in healthcare, I decided to enroll—and it changed everything. That summer, I started working as an ambulette driver for a private ambulance company and continued part-time when school resumed. By the end of the first semester of my senior year, I had completed my EMT certification. I was offered a job with LifeCare, the same company where I completed my clinical hours. LifeCare provides 911 emergency services for multiple cities, and I couldn’t believe that, while still in high school, I was responding to real emergency calls. In my second semester, I began the fire academy, but unfortunately, due to severe asthma, I had to withdraw. I attempted to transfer into the dispatcher course, but it was too late. Still, my passion for EMS remained strong. I’ve always been a team leader and trainer in every job I’ve held, and I take pride in helping others learn and grow. Unfortunately, I was later let go from LifeCare due to a policy violation I wasn’t fully aware of. While reversing an ambulance, there must always be a designated spotter. I had offered to assist, but the driver declined and accidentally backed into another vehicle—causing no damage, but enough for disciplinary action. As the extra crew member on board, I was held responsible, and the company chose to let me go. 2/2 2 months prior to my termination I had being volunteering as an auxiliary officer for the City of Lorain, supporting the police with events, patrols, and public safety. I also worked as a phlebotomist to allow more study time while preparing for paramedic school, which was covered by a FAFSA grant. Sadly, just weeks before classes started, I was involved in a serious car accident. Though not my fault, I was out of work for two months and my car was totaled. As a result, I had to postpone my education and struggled to keep up with EMT continuing education requirements due to financial strain. I’m currently working at a private ambulance company and saving up to return to paramedic school. My short-term goal is to become a certified paramedic. After that, I plan to earn my associate degree in Emergency Medical Technology, and eventually a bachelor’s degree in the same field. I also hope to become an EMS instructor. Teaching and training others has always been something I love, and I aspire to guide future EMTs and paramedics with the same passion and dedication that shaped my journey. This scholarship would help me continue pursuing a career that I’m deeply committed to—a career built on service, resilience, and growth.

My name is Laith, and I am 21 years old. In November 2019, my mother, two brothers, and I moved from Amman, Jordan to Ohio due to worsening economic conditions in the MiddleEast. My mother is American and wanted to return to her home state where she had friends, family, and a support network. My father is Jordanian, and they met in the late 1990s when he owned a convenience store. After having my oldest brother, they moved to Jordan, where I was born and raised. When I arrived in Ohio, I was 15 and placed in the 9th grade to improve my English. With the help of a committed ESL teacher, I advanced quickly, and by graduation, I was fluent and confident. After turning 16, I got my first job at Burger King, working the maximum hours allowed for minors. I later worked at Taco Bell, an Arabic restaurant during Ramadan, and Applebee’s. These jobs taught me work ethic, teamwork, and adaptability. One day in class, I attended a vocational school presentation. It introduced us to career paths that allowed us to earn licenses and certifications by graduation. Although I wasn’t sure about my future, the EMT/Fire program caught my attention. I doubted myself—thinking the medical field might be too difficult—but I took the leap, and that decision changed the course of my life. That summer, I began working as an ambulette driver for a private ambulance company and continued part-time during school. By the end of the first semester of my senior year, I earned my EMT certification. I joined LifeCare, the company where I had done my clinicals. LifeCare provides 911 EMS across multiple cities. At just 17 years old, I was responding to real emergency calls, and I felt proud to be of service. During my second semester, I enrolled in the fire academy but had to withdraw due to severe asthma. I tried to join dispatch, but it was too late. Despite this, my passion for EMS never wavered. I’ve consistently taken on training roles in every job I’ve held and found fulfillment in mentoring and teaching others. I was later let go from LifeCare for a policy violation I hadn’t fully understood. Ambulances must have a spotter while reversing. I offered to assist, but the driver declined and accidentally backed into another vehicle. While no damage occurred, I was held accountable as the third crew member. It was a tough moment, but it taught me the importance of accountability and policy awareness. Two months before that incident, I had started volunteering as an auxiliary officer with the City of Lorain, supporting police during festivals, patrols, etc. I also worked as a phlebotomist to allow more flexibility while preparing for paramedic school, which was covered by a FAFSA grant. Unfortunately, I was in a serious car accident just weeks before classes started. Although not my fault, I couldn’t work for two months and had to postpone my education. Financially, I struggled to maintain my EMT certification with the required courses and continuing education. Today, I work at a private ambulance company and am saving to return to paramedic school. My goal is to become a licensed paramedic. I then hope to earn an associate and eventually a bachelor’s degree in Emergency Medical Technology. Long-term, I aspire to become an EMS instructor. I’m passionate about education, public safety, and supporting the next generation of first responders. Receiving the Matthew J. Kauffman Memorial Scholarship would help me continue a journey grounded in public service, lifelong learning, and commitment to helping others—values I know this scholarship honors deeply.

During my junior year of high school, I found myself confronted with a situation that profoundly shaped my understanding of empathy, courage, and the consequences of taking a stand against injustice. It was a typical day in 11th grade when I first noticed a girl in my class who seemed to be struggling with her mental health. She often appeared withdrawn. As a relatively new arrival to the country, having immigrated only a year prior, I was still navigating the nuances of American culture, including its social dynamics and laws. Despite my own feelings of apprehension and uncertainty, I couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for the girl who seemed to be bearing the brunt of relentless bullying from a fellow classmate. The bully, a brash and outspoken individual, took pleasure in tormenting the girl, hurling insults and derogatory remarks at her with reckless abandon. His actions were met with laughter from some of his peers, while others looked on in uncomfortable silence, unsure of how to intervene. I, too, initially grappled with feelings of helplessness and indecision. What could I, a newcomer to this school and still grappling with my own sense of belonging, possibly do to make a difference? However, as the days passed and the bullying persisted, I found myself increasingly unable to ignore the injustice unfolding before my eyes. It was a moral dilemma that gnawed at my conscience, demanding action in the face of indifference. And so, one fateful day, I made the decision to speak out. Summoning whatever courage I could muster, I approached the bully and urged him to cease his torment of the girl. To my surprise, my words seemed to fall on deaf ears as he simply laughed off my concerns and doubled down on his abusive behavior. Undeterred, I persisted in my efforts to defend the girl, refusing to stand by while she suffered in silence. However, my intervention did not go unnoticed by the bully, who quickly turned his attention towards me. Suddenly, I found myself in the crosshairs of his aggression, subjected to a barrage of insults and physical assaults intended to undermine my resolve. Yet, despite the mounting pressure and the growing threat of violence, I remained steadfast in my commitment to stand up for what was right. As the situation escalated, with the bully becoming increasingly aggressive in his attempts to intimidate me, I realized that words alone would no longer suffice. In a moment of desperation and self-defense, I lashed out, striking him with a force born of frustration and righteous indignation. The blow landed squarely, resulting in a resounding crack as his nose broke under the impact. In the aftermath of the altercation, chaos reigned supreme as teachers and students rushed to intervene, their voices blending into a cacophony of confusion and concern. Amidst the chaos, I found myself grappling with a mix of emotions relief, for having finally put an end to the bullying; fear, for the repercussions of my actions; and guilt, for the pain I had inflicted upon another human being. In the days that followed, I faced the consequences of my actions, as I was handed a week suspension from school for my role in the altercation. Yet, even as I grappled with the fallout of my decision, I remained steadfast in my belief that I had done the right thing. However, it was not until the girl whom I had sought to defend stepped forward and recounted the entire sequence of events to the school authorities that I fully comprehended the impact of my actions. Her testimony not only corroborated my account of the incident but also shed light on the broader context of the bullying that had been taking place. Thanks to her courageous act of speaking truth to power, my suspension was shortened to just two days, as the school recognized the mitigating circumstances surrounding my actions. In the end, justice prevailed, and I was able to return to school with my head held high, secure in the knowledge that I had stood up for what was right, even in the face of adversity. Looking back on that pivotal moment in my high school journey, I am struck by the profound lessons it imparted upon me. It was a moment that taught me the importance of empathy, courage, and moral integrity in the face of injustice. It was a moment that reinforced my belief in the enduring power of kindness to effect positive change everywhere.