I have a a profound interest in how the body works. I think it is very fascinating. My favorite class I ever had was Anatomy and Physiology. The teacher even asked me to dissect certain pig parts for the class to take the test for. I am eager to learn more as school moves along with harder and more detailed classes. My mom is a nurse and I love to hear her talk about her work. She has been an oncology nurse for 24 years. She has many stories, happy and sad. She has told me about witnessing patients dying, whether it was expected or not. She said being a cancer nurse will always hold a a special place in her heart. Once in awhile we will see a patient or family member that she cared for out in public. I see the way they smile and go hug my mom. I think that would be so great to be recognized like that. I think they deserve it, to share a special bond together. My mom says you must have compassion. I know I have it too. Therefore, I would like to specialize in cancer nursing also. I like to go into her work and visit her. The patients and co-workers are so nice , they like to talk to me. They seem so friendly. I converse with them and realize I know that I have got what it takes to do this as my career. I know I will not be one of those students changing their majors while in college. I cannot wait to be a nurse and do what my mom does. She tells me to be patient. However I just feel very eager and prepared to get to work on the start of my career. I will quiz her about something I learned about the human body and then she will tell me something in return. My best friend is also planning on going into Healthcare. At a sleepover at his house, we watched You-Tube videos of surgeries. Our other friends told us we "Were weird for doing that !". We just laughed, because we actually found it interesting and were not grossed out. I am a senior in High School and plan on attending the University of Cincinnati in the Fall . They are located by multiple hospitals to have my clinicals at. I am confident I will learn so much. Then I would like to move back home at apply for The Cleveland Clinic. I am very excited about my future and promise that I will help honor Kelly's legacy !

I grew up with what I thought was a great dad, then over the summer of 2014, life started to drastically change. I was very young to understand what was going on. I heard the word "Vodka" a lot. The paramedics and police were at our house a lot. Neighbors would come over to help. My mom was on a first name basis with the emergency workers. My mom would scream to my dad "don't touch me" when I was in bed supposed to be asleep, but he would be screaming at her. My dad became an abusive alcoholic. He got fired from his job, was in the hospital three times with alcohol withdrawal. He would be released , be fine for a few days, then go off the deep end again. My mom cried a lot. I wish I would have been old enough to save her. He once even passed out on the steps. My brother and I were only five and seven at the time. When my mom came home from work , I remember telling her how hungry we were. The first thing she did was quickly gather food to feed us. She said that my brother and I were going to have a secret picnic in my bedroom. She spread out a blanket and put some food down. Then I realized she called the police again and they took him away . He was able to see my brother and I with supervision, but he stopped asking to see us. The last time I saw my dad was January 2016. It bothers me greatly that I do not have a typical family, however there is nothing I can do about it. I do admit I get jealous of my friends who have both parents still married. When I look back at those horrible times, I realize and admire how amazing my mom was. I would not be where I am today without her. Overnight she became a single parent. I don't remember her complaining, she just did what she had to do. She does not receive any child support from him. My brother and I are now 15 and 17 . We have never received a birthday or Christmas card from him. I am constantly amazed how well my mom does at such a hard job. She just says over and over that she loves us enough for 100 parents. She would always play outside with us, take us to parks or build forts with us and sleep in them with us. I will never leave my family. I will never drink alcohol. I do not understand why people do. That what caused my parents to divorce. Moving forward, I would like a future that is full of positivity and helping others. I cannot wait to obtain my Nursing Degree. I know I will be able to help so many people out that will need medical care. I would love to be a recipient of this amazing award to help her out. We would be forever appreciative. Thank you, Landon ( future RN).

Hello, I would like to discuss two members of my family that are courageous veterans. The first is my grandpa ( my mother's dad) who was in the Army in Vietnam from 1967-1970. My mom always said how badly they were treated upon their return home. I think that is extremely terrible and unfortunate. Especially because many were forced to go , what they went through and were so young. I like to look at the pictures of him when he was there. Unfortunately, he would not talk about any of it with me. My mom says he was very traumatized , She explained to me what PTSD is. I think that would be awful to live every day like that. She said he was fine when she was growing up, but when she was in college he had what she defined as a " mental breakdown", and never was the same since. Then when I was a kid growing up, I noticed how other grandpas would play with their grandkids a lot, my grandpa usually would simply sit in a chair and stare at nothing in particular. I was too young to understand what was going on, but as I am older I understand why he was like that. I wish I could go back in time and just sit next to him and comfort him. Another unfortunate thing that happened to him was that he developed Thyroid Cancer . It is believed to have been from exposure to Agent Orange. He also developed severe Dementia. I always think how someone could be hit with these terrible diseases. He did peacefully die in 2021. I liked the red white and blue urn and 21 Gun Salute. He was very deserving of his memorable service. The other family member I would like to recognize is a cousin who served in Iraq. My mom told me what he was like prior to war and then post war. Sadly, he is on disability and stays to himself most days. My mom explained to me that he cannot be around any fireworks( reminds him of firing and explosions) or large crowds. He even has a service dog to help him cope with his severe PTSD. It is through unfortunate and sad situations as these two heroes that I would like to become a nurse. I am able to show compassion to them and others well. My educational goals are to obtain a bachelors Degree from the University of Cincinnati and graduate as a Registered Nurse. I would love to help out many people .I understand people have had terrible circumstances in their lives and I want to support them. Post graduation, I would love to have a house and a family. I hope they will also value compassion and kindness. I think it would be fun to volunteer as a family or take part in community wide fundraisers! Thank you !

I grew up with what I thought was a great dad, then over the summer of 2014, life started to drastically change. I was very young to understand what was going on. I heard the word "Vodka" a lot. The paramedics and police were at our house a lot. Neighbors would come over to help. My mom was on a first name basis with the emergency workers. My mom would scream to my dad "don't touch me" when I was in bed supposed to be asleep, but he would be screaming at her. My dad became an abusive alcoholic. He got fired from his job, was in the hospital three times with alcohol withdrawal. He would be released , be fine for a few days, then go off the deep end again. My mom cried a lot. I wish I would have been old enough to save her. He once even passed out on the steps. My brother and I were only five and seven at the time. When my mom came home from work , I remember telling her how hungry we were. The first thing she did was quickly gather food to feed us. She said that my brother and I were going to have a secret picnic in my bedroom. She spread out a blanket and put some food down. Then I realized she called the police again and they took him away . He was able to see my brother and I with supervision, but he stopped asking to see us. The last time I saw my dad was January 2016. It bothers me greatly that I do not have a typical family, however there is nothing I can do about it. When I look back at those horrible times, I realize and admire how amazing my mom was. I would not be where I am today without her. Overnight she became a single parent. I don't remember her complaining, she just did what she had to do. She does not receive any child support from him. My brother and I are now 15 and 17 . We have never received a birthday or Christmas card from him. I am constantly amazed how well my mom does at such a hard job. She just says over and over that she loves us enough for 100 parents. She would always play outside with us, take us to parks or build forts with us and sleep in them with us. I will never leave my family. I will never drink alcohol. I would like a future that is full of positivity and helping others. I cannot wait to obtain my Nursing Degree. I know I will be able to help so many people out that will need medical care. My mom always tell me to "Do the Right Thing", therefore I believe this scholarship is ironic. I would love to be a recipient of this amazing award to help her out. We would be forever appreciative. Thank you, Landon ( future RN).

I grew up with what I thought was a great dad, then over the summer of 2014, life started to drastically change. I was very young to understand what was going on. I heard the word "Vodka" a lot. The paramedics and police were at our house a lot. Neighbors would come over to help. My mom was on a first name basis with the emergency workers. My mom would scream to my dad "don't touch me" when I was in bed supposed to be asleep, but he would be screaming at her. My dad became an abusive alcoholic. He got fired from his job, was in the hospital three times with alcohol withdrawal. He would be released , be fine for a few days, then go off the deep end again. My mom cried a lot. I wish I would have been old enough to save her. He once even passed out on the steps. My brother and I were only five and seven at the time. When my mom came home from work , I remember telling her how hungry we were. The first thing she did was quickly gather food to feed us. She said that my brother and I were going to have a secret picnic in my bedroom. She spread out a blanket and put some food down. Then I realized she called the police again and they took him away . He was able to see my brother and I with supervision, but he stopped asking to see us. The last time I saw my dad was January 2016. It bothers me greatly that I do not have a typical family, however there is nothing I can do about it. When I look back at those horrible times, I realize and admire how amazing my mom was. I would not be where I am today without her. Overnight she became a single parent. I don't remember her complaining, she just did what she had to do. She does not receive any child support from him. My brother and I are now 15 and 17 . We have never received a birthday or Christmas card from him. I am constantly amazed how well my mom does at such a hard job. She just says over and over that she loves us enough for 100 parents. She would always play outside with us, take us to parks or build forts with us and sleep in them with us. I would love to be a recipient of this amazing award to help her out. We would be forever appreciative. Thank you, Landon ( future RN)

I am passionate about nursing because I am excited to be a productive and educated helper to those in need. A lot of people are getting sicker and living longer. However, due to modern technology and research , there are many cures and ways to alleviate symptoms. In addition, I would love to get to know other coworkers. My mom is a nurse and I admire the connection that she has with her coworkers. They were once complete strangers, and have been forced to work many weekend and holidays together. Now they voluntarily and frequently get together outside of a work setting. They even go volunteer together. I think that it is amazing when you can form a bond like this. I hope I am lucky enough to meet people like she has. I would also love to have a house and a family. My dad became an alcoholic and left my brother and I when we were five and seven, so I know I will be a really dedicated and good dad and never leave my family. I would also love to make a difference by helping answer questions and give advice. People are often asking my mom stuff about their health, like she is a doctor I tease her. I admire how she is sometimes so easily able to help persuade them to seek the appropriate needed treatment. I think that without her dedication and concern, some of these people might ignore their problems. My mom tells me about health fairs that I will be able to volunteer at . They are called : Muffins for Mammograms ( for low income and without medical insurance) and another called Free Prostate Screening, where a lab work can reveal a level , if detected high enough, is an indicator for Prostate Cancer. This is also done in a low income community. There are free blood pressure and weight screenings too. This type of help seems so easy to do, and you are able to help numerous people out that are most likely not going to seek these kind of appointments on their own. I am interested in becoming a surgical nurse. I had surgery in the fall, and I loved seeing how so many member of the healthcare system work together, just for me. The surgeon was so nice. but I know he could not have done his job without many other team members. I was amazed how kind they were to me. I am excited to give that same feeling back to others going thru such a scary situation. Overall, I am very excited to be a nurse. Thank you !

My career goals as a nurse will include being a productive and educated helper to those in need. A lot of people are getting sicker and living longer. However, due to modern technology and research , there are many cures and ways to alleviate symptoms. In addition, I would love to get to know other coworkers. My mom is a nurse and I admire the connection that she has with her coworkers. They were once complete strangers, and have been forced to work many weekend and holidays together. Now they voluntarily and frequently get together outside of a work setting. They even go volunteer together. I think that it is amazing when you can form a bond like this. I hope I am lucky enough to meet people like she has. I would also love to have a house and a family. My dad became an alcoholic and left my brother and I when we were five and seven, so I know I will be a really dedicated and good dad and never leave my family. I would also love to make a difference by helping answer questions and give advice. People are often asking my mom stuff about their health, like she is a doctor I tease her. I admire how she is sometimes so easily able to help persuade them to seek the appropriate needed treatment. I think that without her dedication and concern, some of these people might ignore their problems. My mom tells me about health fairs that I will be able to volunteer at . They are called : Muffins for Mammograms ( for low income and without medical insurance) and another called Free Prostate Screening, where a lab work can reveal a level , if detected high enough, is an indicator for Prostate Cancer. This is also done in a low income community. There are free blood pressure and weight screenings too. This type of help seems so easy to do, and you are able to help numerous people out that are most likely not going to seek these kind of appointments on their own. Lastly, my connection to the military is my grandpa. He was in Vietnam. My mom tells me about a lot of what he went through. I cannot believe how bad the troops were treated when they arrived back in the US. She also explained to me why he did not talk and act like himself, the years leading up to him passing away. He was exposed to Agent Orange. I still cannot believe there was such a terrible thing used on innocent people. She told me that he had to be put on a lot of medication to help with his Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and his thyroid cancer. I remember he was someone who loved to watch me play sports, but it was difficult interacting back with him. I felt so bad. How I watch my mom spend time with him and how she treat her patients makes me realize I can do all that too. I am very excited to start my Nursing journey!

A situation that will always stand out from other compassionate situations is a day that I visited my mom at work. She has been a cancer nurse for 23 years, and always shares stories with me about her job. Some of the stories are unfortunately very sad, others are happy. However, one day in particular , I went to visit her at work and brought her lunch. She works in an outpatient chemotherapy clinic. Everyone is so nice there. She says some patients she cares for are always asking her about her life and two kids. She also says when you take care of such friendly patients, it does not even seem like a true job, it is simply easy for her to be there. As I walked in, she introduced me to a few of her patients. She said that I was not allowed to learn their names though because of HIPPA laws. One specific older gentleman, his eyes got so big when I met him. He was frail looking, short of breath ,had a intravenous fluid bag infusing, had bruises everywhere , oxygen to help breathe , and a urine bag. He was huffing and puffing. I will never forget how he just smiled away at me. I am not sure if he was lonely. I am guessing so because he was alone. He did not even have anyone with him to help get all the way up to the third floor. He asked again what my name was. I told him . As we were talking, he asked about my future plans. I told him I wanted to be a nurse. His eyes and smile got real big again! He started telling me about his health situations. I felt so bad for him. But the thing was, he never once complained. He seemed like he was enjoying every day as a gift. He was showing me how he had broken bones before, and I showed him. It was so easy to talk with him. I said I should get moving along and go home and he kept saying " No just stay and talk to me". I felt bad leaving, so, with my moms permission, I stayed and talked to him some more. There is something about the interaction I had with that man that day that changed my life. It helped me realize how sick and unfortunate people can be. But perhaps it is up to them that the attitude and caregivers they have can help them along in their journey. More importantly, he helped me realize the power that compassion can hold. It does not cost anything, take up time or need a big crowd. Never underestimate what compassion can do.

The biggest adversity have been faced with in my life is having a father that left my little brother and I when we were just five and seven years old. He was once a great dad, but then became an alcoholic. I watched him became very mean and violent. The police and paramedics were often at our house. he would get taken away. He turned into another person. I was too young to understand what was happening. The last time I saw him was January of 2016. He does not send any child support, birthday or Christmas cards. This makes me question what have I done but my mom constantly reassures me that it was not anything I did. My mom became my rock and 100% support person thru and after that. She helps inspire me every day. She makes me feel loved and appreciated as much as two parents would. I get jealous of families with both parents, but there is nothing I can do about it. I hope the kids realize how lucky they are. Luckily my mom reminds me that I can still grow up and rebound from these challenges. She talks to be a lot about her job. She has been a cancer nurse in Akron , Ohio for 23 years. It is amazing how she convinced me to appreciate life and what we have . Therefore, I would love to be a nurse too. When I go visit her at work, I sometimes talk to the cancer patients. They are the nicest people and love talking to me. They actually smile at me. I feel so bad for them but it's amazing how they are the ones trying to make me feel special. I think that my mom realizes that her priorities are these innocent people . I want to be like her and make a difference. I love learning about the human body, I think it's fascinating. Unfortunately people are getting sick, but with modern technology and research, there will always be a need of Nursing and other STEM jobs. My goals are to provide support and reassurance to anyone in need of healthcare . Whether it is on the job, or out of job setting, there are numerous opportunities to be able to give advice, recommendations or assist someone with their medical issues. People are always asking my mom for health questions. I would like to be able to answer them too some day. Perhaps I can convince someone that does not like being in a hospital setting that they need to be seen and I could even go with them to help explain things, almost like an translator. If I would be a lucky recipient of this award. It would be amazing. I could help my mom and lessen the student loan amount, but most importantly, I would prove to myself that it is possible to overcome hardships and still maintain my passion to be come a nurse. Thank you !

I am extremely introverted and shy. Then to make matters more difficult, we moved to a different city and I had to start at a different High School. I went from 210 students in my class to 520. I became so overwhelmed. I unfortunately felt more to myself than ever after this move. I felt like I couldn't fit in at the new school. I hated it. I wanted to change the way I felt. I decided to help the innocent people that are less fortunate than me, so my mom suggested that volunteering again is a great idea to help feel more positive and help others out. I went with my mom and little brother to a place called Haven of Rest. It is a Homeless shelter in Akron, Ohio. We started long ago and it was nice to get back at it. We assembled lunch bags for homeless and the poor. It was so easy and straight forward to do. Plus I did not have to interact with that many people. The workers were so appreciative of our help. I can only imagine how happy the homeless people were to get food. Another way I enjoyed helping the less fortunate out is thru a program called Akron Snow Angels. The assistant to the mayor formed this. It is a charity that provides food, clothing and toiletries to the area's homeless. Up to 300 men, women children and even babies gather for a boxed meal, clothing, sleeping bags and other items. My mom knows someone who is highly involved in this special organization and thought it would a great idea for us to help collect items for her. My mom and her work helped out too. I feel like most people take everyday items , even food, for granted. I cannot imagine struggling every day for basic items. There is a particular feeling I get after helping others out. I actually feel so good for once. It is like a miracle and I actually forget how shy and introverted I am. I think more people should be helping others out. Unfortunately, some to most people have excuses or no time. But the rewards will easily outweigh anything else . At the end of my Senior year, we have a mandatory Senior Service Day. To be honest, I am happy to help, but at the same time, slightly dreading this day. So many people my age just turn it around , making it about themselves . But honestly, they should be doing these good deeds without having to publicly "post" about it, just making themselves " look good". However , I know that being introverted is not necessarily a bad thing, and I will continue to not me ashamed of it !

I would love to pursue a Nursing career because I love to help people. I feel that I am more compassionate than most people my age. I love to learn about the human body. With modern technology , new medicine and advancements in research , people are living longer. People are getting sicker more often and living longer. Therefore , nurses will always be needed. I can contribute to the community by participating in career fairs , blood pressure screenings, lab Checks and other organized fairs to assist the less fortunate or those without medical insurance. Often this is the only means of them receiving medical assistance or attention. Also contributing to the community involves helping friends , neighbors and family out. They will always have questions for any member of the medical field. Some people hesitate reaching out to their doctor or going to the emergency room since Covid , so I will be able to help them. I also feel that I might be able to reach out to men who may not usually go to the doctor. I will assist them in understanding why they need to go and could possibly persuade them to make any needed appointments. I also want to become a nurse because my mom is one. I love listening to her and her friends talk about “hospital life “ I call it. They say that you will be involved with most departments of the hospital and everything will be a collaborative effort. I wish I could start working today however she tells me to be patient and that my time will come! She taught be how to be patient, have compassion and be nice with people. That nurses meet complete strangers and have to do whatever it takes to care for them. She said they become vulnerable but get treated , feel better and are extremely grateful. She says it’s very rewarding . But also says she has seen many people take their last breath and teaches you to live each day like it’s your last. I hear her discuss nursing and the associated pros and cons but I know, without a doubt , this is where I want to be. If you select me as an award winner, I promise I will not let you down. 3 colleges chose me for the direct admission into their nursing programs . Not all potential nursing applicants receive this. One school stated on their phone call that I “ was a no brainer to accept”. They believe in me and I hope you do too. I work hard , am a good student,good work ethic at my part time job, never skip school and stay out of trouble. Thank you for your time and consideration! Sincerely , Landon Shinn ( future RN)

My mother ,Stephanie, has been my rock my whole life. She has supported me in my educational journey tremendously. She has volunteered at my Elementary school and I loved it. When I was about to start High School , we moved schools. She wanted to enroll me in a school that would provide more educational opportunities. It was very difficult on me at first , but now , as a Senior , I am very thankful and understand why she did that . I did not know anyone but she helped me with this scary transition. Now , when this year is complete, I will have had 18 hours of College Credit Plus on my transcript already ! She helped me believe I am capable and have what it takes to succeed at the hard school I am currently at. It is voted among the best High Schools in Ohio. I know if I would have remained at my previous school I would not have had the passion and determination as I do now. I became a better student and overall a better person because of this. I see many students , teachers and administrators that work very hard . They are admirable. I will build on her support by also becoming a Registered Nurse. I look up to my mom and her co-workers. They are the nicest people and I feel good when around them. I love to visit them at work and watch them. I can tell they all respect one another and enjoy their jobs. She tells me often I do not have to be a nurse simply because she is. I tell her I do really want to be a nurse. I cannot wait to be a nurse like them ! Her support for me has never slowed or stopped. I am amazed how she keeps up the positive momentum. I am constantly asking myself how she can continue despite being a single parent. She always says “ because I love you and I teach you to do the right thing “. Her support has been instrumental because she remains strong despite what my family has gone thru. When I was seven and my brother five , my life forever changed. My father , who was once great, became a full blown violent alcoholic. I witnessed my mother getting hurt, the police and paramedics at my house often , him in the hospital going thru withdrawals and being very angry at us. My mom cried often , I look back now and wish I could go back in time and save her , but we can only move forward and stick together. Unfortunately, my father was not able to get a hold of his disease and he left us. He does not even know what I look like anymore. He has not reached out to me since January 5 2016. My brother and I do not even get birthday cards from him. I will never understand him anymore. My mother receives no financial assistance or child support from him. She does everything herself. I will forever be grateful for her. If I could be a lucky recipient of this scholarship I would be so happy to help my mom. I feel like her and I deserve it . I guarantee I would be the most thankful student. I take life seriously, work hard at my job , go to school , don’t miss class and stay out of trouble. Please consider me ! Sincerely, Landon Shinn ( Future Nurse )