When I was in middle school, I thought my future was set. I was an athlete that wanted to experience the pride of participating in a program bigger than myself. Sports were how I saw myself becoming victorious in my future endeavors of High School. I believed high school success was expressed on the field, wearing a jersey. After an incident during a Middle School track meet, within weeks, my athletic dreams were gone. The injury that ended my middle school season also ended the athletic future I had hoped to build my identity around. Losing sports felt like losing a part of myself. In a small-town school, athletes are ultimately the only symbols of success and popularity. Without sports, I wondered where I would fit in. I finished middle school unsure of who I was, convinced that the best part of my story had already been written. However, as I would learn, high school has a way of redefining you. I joined the band in middle school, and had always been a prominent group member, but had not taken the skill seriously. Over time, my ability to express myself through music began to fill the space my injury had left behind. Band demanded focus, teamwork, and resilience. This re-connection of involvement motivated me to continue to create my own path without athletics. I also enrolled in weights classes for most of my high school career, and gained the confidence and knowledge within the gym that many of my peers gained from their programs. Class politics is another aspect that I take great pride in participating in. For all four years of high school, I have had the honor of being president of my class. Bridging the gap between students, teachers, and administrators is a rewarding experience that aided in strengthening my communication, commitment, and leadership skills. Slowly, I began to realize that I did not have to chase the version of success I once idolized, and could instead rewrite it. I saw how the arts could unite people, and how creativity could command just as much respect as a game-winning play. I knew what I wanted to pursue: Business. Character is often defined as the force within an individual which distinguishes that person from another. Experiencing character in the modern world of competition and conformity is more difficult than ever, especially as a teenager. Finding my place through music and extracurricular activities that didn’t fit the “popular” mold allowed me to express my creativity and connection with my school and community. Through these encounters, I learned how to lead not by fitting in, but by standing out. I began to acknowledge that leadership and respect come from collaboration, authenticity, and passion for whatever your goal is. My goal to shift the way that people around me think about popularity and leaving a legacy through inspiration, as well as understanding the value of all contributions, is something I will always continue to strive for in all aspects of life.

When I was in middle school, I thought my future was set. I was an athlete that wanted to experience the pride of participating in a program bigger than myself. Sports were how I saw myself becoming victorious in my future endeavors of High School. I believed high school success was expressed on the field, wearing a jersey. After an incident during a Middle School track meet, within weeks, my athletic dreams were gone. The injury that ended my middle school season also ended the athletic future I had hoped to build my identity around. Losing sports felt like losing a part of myself. In a small-town school, athletes are ultimately the only symbols of success and popularity. Without sports, I wondered where I would fit in. I finished middle school unsure of who I was, convinced that the best part of my story had already been written. However, as I would learn, high school has a way of redefining you. I joined the band in middle school, and had always been a prominent group member, but had not taken the skill seriously. Over time, my ability to express myself through music began to fill the space my injury had left behind. Band demanded focus, teamwork, and resilience. These qualities were all something I had been taught in athletics, but in a new form. This challenge that I faced has shaped me in a whole new way. Slowly, I began to realize that I did not have to chase the version of success I once idolized, and could instead rewrite it. I saw how the arts could unite people, and how creativity could command just as much respect as a game-winning play. I began to believe that this expression of ability and talent could be my ticket to experiencing something nobody in my family has before: higher education. Character is often defined as the force within an individual which distinguishes that person from another. Experiencing character in the modern world of competition and conformity is more difficult than ever, especially as a teenager. Finding my place through music and extracurricular activities that didn’t fit the “popular” mold allowed me to express my creativity and connection with my school and community. Through these encounters, I learned how to lead not by fitting in, but by standing out. I began to acknowledge that leadership and respect come from collaboration, authenticity, and passion for whatever your goal is. My goal to shift the way that people around me think about popularity and leaving a legacy through inspiration, as well as understanding the value of all contributions, is something I will always continue to strive for in all aspects of life, especially as I continue my families history with the addition of higher education opportunities.

When I was in middle school, I thought my future was set. I was an athlete that wanted to experience the pride of participating in a program bigger than myself. Sports were how I saw myself becoming victorious in my future endeavors of High School. I believed high school success was expressed on the field, wearing a jersey. After an incident during a Middle School track meet, within weeks, my athletic dreams were gone. The injury that ended my middle school season also ended the athletic future I had hoped to build my identity around. Losing sports felt like losing a part of myself. In a small-town school, athletes are ultimately the only symbols of success and popularity. Without sports, I wondered where I would fit in. I finished middle school unsure of who I was, convinced that the best part of my story had already been written. However, as I would learn, high school has a way of redefining you. I joined the band in middle school, and had always been a prominent group member, but had not taken the skill seriously. Over time, my ability to express myself through music began to fill the space my injury had left behind. Band demanded focus, teamwork, and resilience. These qualities were all something I had been taught in athletics, but in a new form. Around that same time, I signed up for a video production class, thinking it would be an easy elective. Instead, it became one of the most influential experiences of my high school career. Through a camera lens, I learned to tell stories about my classmates, community, and athletics. Eventually, with the help of my peers, we successfully produced a weekly school news broadcast. This re-connection of involvement motivated me to continue to create my own path without athletics. I also enrolled in weights classes for most of my high school career, and gained the confidence and knowledge within the gym that many of my peers gained from their programs. Class politics is another aspect that I take great pride in participating in. For all four years of high school, I have had the honor of being president of my class. Bridging the gap between students, teachers, and administrators is a rewarding experience that aided in strengthening my communication, commitment, and leadership skills. Slowly, I began to realize that I did not have to chase the version of success I once idolized, and could instead rewrite it. I saw how the arts could unite people, and how creativity could command just as much respect as a game-winning play. Character is often defined as the force within an individual which distinguishes that person from another. Experiencing character in the modern world of competition and conformity is more difficult than ever, especially as a teenager. Finding my place through music and extracurricular activities that didn’t fit the “popular” mold allowed me to express my creativity and connection with my school and community. Through these encounters, I learned how to lead not by fitting in, but by standing out. I began to acknowledge that leadership and respect come from collaboration, authenticity, and passion for whatever your goal is. My goal to shift the way that people around me think about popularity and leaving a legacy through inspiration, as well as understanding the value of all contributions, is something I will always continue to strive for in all aspects of life.