A great leader puts others first. You lead by helping in any way possible, and by example with kindness and compassion. A leader does not think of themselves as above others, but as a group of people striving to make a difference. Growing up in Dover-Foxcroft, a small, rural town in Maine you would not expect to have many opportunities to lead and thrive. My life has been the opposite. My inspiration came from my brother. When he was a senior in high school I was in the eighth grade. That is when I learned about Key Club, the community service organization for which he was Vice President. I began to follow my brother to every club event. That is where I found my passion, where I saw all the good that people can do. Throughout that school year, in addition to volunteering with my mother at the local food center, through Key Club I helped raise money and bring people together in my community by doing fundraisers, including providing the means for children with life-threatening illnesses to have fun at Camp Sunshine. Because of my service that year, I was honored with the Secretary of State Award and was able to join Key Club early and became the President of the club during Freshman and Sophomore years of high school. This taught me about leadership. At first, I was very shy and timid about leading a club of upperclassmen. I learned to find and trust my own voice, but just as important, I learned how to consider the voices of many in making decisions. I learned how to speak-up but not be commanding. I remained with the club, later serving as Secretary and Communications and Social Media Coordinator. The skills I learned through Key Club gave me the confidence to participate as Vice President of Student Council and to step forward as a captain on both the soccer and cheer teams, where I saw peers struggle with self-esteem and fears of not being good enough. Being a support to them was a quiet kind of leadership, more of a presence than a voice or active hand. In the fall I will participate in community service through Circle K at the University of Maine, Orono, where I will begin working toward a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. I will continue to develop my skills through leadership positions in both Circle K and a student nursing organization. I have further learned what service means by being on the receiving end of it. In middle school I was diagnosed with a heart condition which led to surgery at Boston Children’s Hospital during the summer before my senior year. It was a frightening experience, but it was through the care of the nurses that I decided the direction of my life. I experienced their medical expertise, empathy, and personalized attention, which I know was healing for me. I want to be that caring, competent presence, to hold someone’s hand at their hardest moments and congratulate them when they're better. I will be a great future leader of Maine because I care about its people. They are my home. I am passionate about helping communities thrive, and as a nurse I will dedicate myself to ensuring that people have the care that they need and deserve. While I know that there are many applicants for this scholarship, I want to thank you for considering my application. Receiving this scholarship would ease my financial burden, allowing me the fullest focus on my education and potential as a person and as a leader.