I am a gay transgender man who lives in Sandwich, Cape Cod. Sandwich is an incredibly homogenous town and the students are cruel to queer students. I have been harassed and bullied since I came out as trans at 13 years old. My bad experience being trans in this school system has encouraged me to advocate for the LGBTQ+ community at my school. I have spoken to a professional development class for middle and high school teachers about queer issues twice; when I was 16 and recently at 18. I have been told that my perspective as a student was the most impactful lesson in the class. I am honored to have the opportunity to use my bad experience to help the younger generation of queer students. I also created the GSA at my school and am the president of the GSA and my school’s National Art Honors Society. Being active in my community through the arts and advocacy is extremely important to me. I also grew up without a supportive family. My father is not in my life, and my mother is incredibly transphobic. I have had to live two completely separate lives for the last 5 years, a false one at home and a real one in every other aspect of my life. It has taken 5 years for me to have access to gender-affirming care because I did not have medical autonomy until I was 18. I am now 4 months on testosterone, and I am happier than I thought possible when I was 13. I have relied on friends and teachers as my support system, and I wouldn’t be here without them. Community is extemely important to me and I want to be a resource that younger queer people can go to and find a welcoming, supportive environment. I plan to continue advocating for my community in whatever capacity possible. I will attend Maine College of Art and Design in the fall of 2025, and I plan to major in Illustration and use that degree to assist my career as a tattoo artist. Being a tattoo artist has been my dream since I was young. I want to use my art to help another person love and appreciate their body, with a focus on gender-affirming tattoos. I wouldn’t have been able to attend MECA&D if it weren’t for the Dean Scholarship awarded by the college, which I am extremely grateful for, but I still have a lot of student loan debt and additional expenses. The Star Farm Scholarship would be incredibly helpful as someone from a lower socioeconomic background. I currently work two jobs and have been saving for college for years. Thank you for your time and consideration.