Starting high school as a 14-year-old who had just been diagnosed with Ileal Crohn's Disease was difficult. There were many changes I needed to do in my everyday routine that would help me take care of myself and improve my health. I was an overachiever all throughout high school so I took all the difficult AP and honors courses I could. This of course came with a lot of stress which was not good for my health. Eventually as I progressed through high school and being in the Schuler Scholar Program and Waukegan to College Program did help me manage all my courses and activities. Having a chronic illness in school made me feel different from the other students. I felt like it was difficult for my friends to understand my illness when I explained it to them and why I felt tired all the time because to them I "didn't look sick". Crohn's Disease is invisible. Yet, I felt seen by my boss at my tutoring job who had Ulcerative Colitis, a chronic illness similar to Crohn's. We shared many of the same symptoms and struggles. I also felt seen by my gastroenterologist doctor and all the nurses who treated me. They understood what I went through every day. My junior year of high school I decided I wanted to pursue a career in nursing. I discovered my interest in nursing when I attended a medical camp the summer after my junior year. A week at Rosalind Franklin University taught me what it takes to be in the medical field. I was able to converse with many medical professionals from various fields of study. The common theme that came up with after each conversation was that being in the medical field means being there for your patients. To understand what they need from you to not only give them the best care to improve their health but to become a part of their support system. When I would visit the hospital for procedures and tests to maintain my illness in remission, all of the healthcare workers, starting from the secretaries at check-in to the nurses who would take my temperature, height, and weight, to finally my doctor, were all very kind to me. Simply asking "How are you today?" and "How are you feeling today?" made me feel seen while I was secretly nervous for the tests as I put on a strong face for my mom accompanying me to the appointments. I will be attending DePaul University in Chicago this upcoming autumn and double majoring in nursing and psychology. I plan to become a registered nurse after taking the NCLEX. I also plan to go into pediatric nursing. I adore kids, from becoming an aunt at age eleven to volunteering at preschool events to helping kids achieve academic success at my tutoring job, have all helped me learn how to connect and talk with children. Being diagnosed with a chronic illness as a teenager was a lot of responsibility. Medications and appointments were a lot to handle and even then, it took a hit on my mental health. As a pediatric nurse, I want to be a person whom kids can be comfortable talking to. I want to be a part of many kids support systems and furthermore of their families support systems as they navigate illnesses and health journeys. I want to watch kids grow because they are resilient and can overcome anything. I believe that my medical history and activities throughout high school have prepared me to be a great nurse. With this scholarship even more.

Starting high school as a 14-year-old who had just been diagnosed with Ileal Crohn's Disease was difficult. There were many changes I needed to do in my everyday routine that would help me take care of myself and improve my health. I was an overachiever all throughout high school so I took all the difficult AP and honors courses I could. This of course came with a lot of stress which was not good for my health. Eventually as I progressed through high school and being in the Schuler Scholar Program and Waukegan to College Program did help me manage all my courses and activities. Having a chronic illness in school made me feel different from the other students. I felt like it was difficult for my friends to understand my illness when I explained it to them and why I felt tired all the time because to them I "didn't look sick". Crohn's Disease is invisible. Yet, I felt seen by my boss at my tutoring job who had Ulcerative Colitis, a chfonic illness similar to Crohn's. We shared many of the same symptoms and struggles. I also felt seen by my gastroenterologist doctor and all the nurses who treated me. They understood what I went through every day. My junior year of high school I decided I wanted to pursue a career in nursing. I discovered my interest in nursing when I attended a medical camp the summer after my junior year. A week at Rosalind Franklin University taught me what it takes to be in the medical field. I was able to converse with many medical professionals from various fields of study. The common theme that came up with after each conversation was that being in the medical field means being there for your patients. To understand what they need from you to not only give them the best care to improve their health but to become a part of their support system. When I would visit the hospital for procedures and tests to maintain my illness in remission, all of the healthcare workers, starting from the secretaries at check-in to the nurses who would take my temperature, height, and weight, to finally my doctor, were all very kind to me. Simply asking "How are you today?" and "How are you feeling today?" matie me feel seen while I was secretly nervous for the tests as I put on a strong face for my mom accompanying me to the appointments. I will be attending DePaul University in Chicago this upcoming autumn and double majoring in nursing and psychology. I plan to become a registered nurse after taking the NCLEX. I also plan to go into pediatric nursing. I adore kids, from becoming an aunt at age eleven to volunteering at preschool events to helping kids achieve academic success at my tutoring job, have all helped me learn how to connect and talk with children. Being diagnosed with a chronic illness as a teenager was a lot of responsibility. Medications and appointments were a lot to handle and even then, it took a hit on my mental health. As a pediatric nurse, I want to be a person whom kids can be comfortable talking to. I want to be a part of many kids support systems and furthermore of their families support systems as they navigate illnesses and health journeys. I want to watch kids grow because they are resilient and can overcome anything. I believe that my medical history and activities throughout high school have prepared me to be a great nurse. With this scholarship even more.