I still remember the way my friend Sam’s voice broke as he confessed over the phone to me that he wanted to commit suicide. He sounded so hopeless, so distraught, as if he had nothing for which to live. Talking to him over the phone was bittersweet – I was heartbroken that he was experiencing suicidal thoughts, glad that I had the tools to calm him down, and sobered by the realization that if not for my own suicidal thoughts a few years earlier, I wouldn't have known how to help Sam. I am grateful that my friend is still alive and thriving today. Both of us have a second chance at living – but, as many stories show, not everyone is so blessed. After helping friend after friend with their mental health struggles, I realized that so many teenagers suffer in silence. Roughly one in five teens struggle with clinical depression, and nearly a third struggle with anxiety. Even with these crippling statistics, our society still stigmatizes people with mental health issues as unusual, pathetic, or asking for attention. So often, teenagers feel like there is no hope for their lives, even though we’ve only just begun our lives and have yet to experience so much joy. I hope that through a career in psychology, I can help teenagers discover this joy and realize that there truly is hope for their lives.  I’ve always been passionate about psychology and Music Therapy as a form of psychology, and my past mental health struggles and motivation to help others intensify this passion. After receiving degrees in Psychology and Music Therapy, I hope to open a private therapy practice and earn my Board Certification in Music Therapy. Through my work, I hope to create a welcoming and non-judgemental platform for teenagers and adults to feel safe and supported to ask for help. After establishing a private practice, I hope to offer free counseling services to my community for lower-income families who might not otherwise be able to access mental health services. I’ve seen the tragic effects suicide and mental illnesses have on my family and close friends. These experiences have inspired me to change the dialogue surrounding mental health. If I receive this scholarship, I will use it to help other teenagers like my cousin and my friend Sam realize that they are loved and worthy of life.

Through my choir, the Atlanta Young Singers, I met Alice. She has high-functioning autism and has trouble engaging with her peers, but when we sing, it’s as if her disability falls away as she joins a community that loves and supports her. Her joy for music and pure passion for singing inspire me and ignite my passion for bringing this joy to others. Alice is one of the many children as young as six years old who are living testimony to the power of music therapy, inspiring me to pursue it as a career. Music permeates every aspect of my life, whether I’m playing it, listening to it, composing it, or teaching it, and I always have a song playing in my head. Music sustains me through each challenge and helps me celebrate every success. Most importantly, music provides comfort because there’s a song to represent and affirm most every emotion – and if I can’t find one, I can write my own. Whether I feel excited, scared, upset, joyful, or confused, I can always turn to my piano or a favorite song for the answer. This phenomena feeds my interest in psychology, which has fascinated me from when I played “therapist” for my friends in elementary school to when I read my first “Intro to Psych” book in middle school. Recently, I’ve discovered how often music and psychology intersect, and I hope I can continue exploring this connection for my entire life. I am currently double-majoring in music therapy and psychology at the University of Georgia and hope to eventually pursue an advanced degree. After receiving a doctorate in psychology, completing a residency, attaining a license, and receiving a board certification in music therapy, my goal is to open a private practice where I can help children, teenagers, and adults reach their full potential. I’ve participated in collegiate-level music therapy practicums, affirming my passion and dedication to this field, which ranges from helping cancer patients in hospitals fight through their rehabilitation to helping young children with disabilities like Alice. My personal beliefs center around my Christian faith and my dedication to helping those around me. John Young’s story inspires me because he not only pursued his dreams and passions but used them to make our world a better place. His courage and dedication motivate me to use my God-given gifts to help those around me. In conjunction with these core values, I believe in the importance of setting goals, working hard, and giving back to my community, all of which I will support through a private practice. Most of all, I have faith that my passion will develop into a career that brings healing and hope to those who need it most.

As an eighth grader, I wanted to take my own life. This statement holds such unbearable weight as I look back on my young teenage years. Like many other teenagers, I am no stranger to the stigma around mental illness in our society. Even after overcoming my suicidal thoughts, I struggled with depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and self-harm for several years, and I was terrified of admitting that I needed help. I grieve for our society, that we poison our children with toxic individualism. This rugged refusal to seek help devastates so many families, including my own. Still struggling with my own mental health at the age of sixteen, I talked one of my closest friends out of committing suicide. I am so grateful that my friend is still alive and thriving today, and this experience made me realize how grateful I am that I did not decide to take my own life at the tender age of thirteen. Both of us have a second chance at living – but, as Jake’s story shows, not everyone is so blessed. After helping my friend out of the same situation I once experienced, I realized that so many others suffer in silence. Roughly one in five teenagers struggle with clinical depression, and nearly a third struggle with anxiety. Even with these crippling statistics, our society still harbors the stigma that people with mental health issues are somehow unusual, pathetic, or asking for attention. So often, teenagers feel like there is no hope for their lives, even though we’ve barely experienced a sliver of truly living. Adolescence brings many difficulties, but it also nurtures the joy of meeting one’s first real friends, of discovering budding gifts and talents, of making one’s first life decisions, and of enjoying one’s last few years of childhood. I hope that through a career in psychology, I can help teenagers discover this joy and realize that there truly is hope for their lives. I’ve always been passionate about psychology, but my own mental health struggles and my motivation to help others intensify this passion. I’ve also discovered a passion for Music Therapy. I am double-majoring in Psychology and Music Therapy in the fall, eventually hoping to open a private therapy practice and earn my Board Certification in Music Therapy. I hope to specialize in teenagers' mental health because the suicide rate for teenagers has drastically increased over the past decade. Through my work, I hope to create a welcoming and non-judgemental platform for teenagers to feel safe and supported in asking for help. Once I've established a private practice, I hope to offer free counseling services to my community for lower-income families who might not be able (or willing) to provide mental health services for their children. I’ve seen the tragic effects suicide and mental illnesses have on my family and the families of my close friends. However, these experiences have inspired me to create real change, and I hope to help teenagers find joy in their adolescence, all while raising awareness for suicide prevention. I am honored simply to apply for this scholarship and to know about Jake's story, and if I receive the scholarship, I hope to use it to achieve the most possible good for other teenagers like him.

As an eighth grader, I wanted to take my own life. This statement holds such unbearable weight as I look back on my young teenage years. Like many other teenagers, I am no stranger to the stigma around mental illness in our society. Even after overcoming my suicidal thoughts, I struggled with depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and self-harm for several years, and I was terrified of admitting that I needed help. I grieve for our society, that we poison our children with toxic individualism. This rugged refusal to seek help devastates so many families, including my own. Still struggling with my own mental health at the age of sixteen, I talked one of my closest friends out of committing suicide. He was the same age that Mattie Wilmoth was when he died. I am so grateful that my friend is still alive and thriving today, and this experience made me realize how grateful I am that I did not decide to take my own life at the tender age of thirteen. Both of us have a second chance at living – but, as Mattie’s story shows, not everyone is so blessed. After helping my friend out of the same situation I once experienced, I realized that so many others suffer in silence. Roughly one in five teenagers struggle with clinical depression, and nearly a third struggle with anxiety. Even with these crippling statistics, our society still harbors the stigma that people with mental health issues are somehow unusual, pathetic, or asking for attention. So often, teenagers feel like there is no hope for their lives, even though we’ve barely experienced a sliver of truly living. Adolescence brings many difficulties, but it also nurtures the joy of meeting one’s first real friends, of discovering budding gifts and talents, of making one’s first life decisions, and of enjoying one’s last few years of childhood. I hope that through a career in psychology, I can help teenagers discover this joy and realize that there truly is hope for their lives. I’ve always been passionate about psychology, but my own mental health struggles and my motivation to help others intensify this passion. I’ve also discovered a passion for Music Therapy. I am double-majoring in Psychology and Music Therapy in the fall, eventually opening a private therapy practice and earning my Board Certification in Music Therapy. I hope to specialize in teenagers so that I can bring more awareness to their mental health and help break down the stigma surrounding it. Through my work, I hope to create a welcoming and non-judgemental platform for teenagers to feel safe and supported in asking for help. I’ve seen the tragic effects suicide and mental illnesses have on my family and the families of my close friends. However, I am amazed by how Mattie’s family has carried on his legacy, creating beautiful opportunities and championing mental health advocacy with the Mattie’s Way Memorial Scholarship. While their wounds and the wounds caused by mental health issues around our world will never fully heal, the beauty and real change that they’ve created from the worst of circumstances inspires me to do the same. I hope to help teenagers create beauty from their suffering, learn to embrace their emotional scars, and find joy in their adolescence, all while raising awareness for mental health issues through my career. I am honored simply to apply for this scholarship and to know about Mattie’s story, and if I receive the scholarship, I hope to use it to achieve the most possible good for other teenagers like him.