At age 8, I was diagnosed with Jeavons Syndrome, a rare form of epilepsy that was very difficult to control, requiring multiple trials of medications and hospitalizations. When I had a seizure at school, which happened often, the ambulance came. I was the "girl in the ambulance" my classmates whispered about during class. At a young age, I experienced fear, embarrassment, and stigma. I developed severe and sometimes paralyzing anxiety about when my next seizure might occur and what my peers thought about me. Up to 80% of patients with Jeavons syndrome develop depression and anxiety like I did, and they often feel alone and isolated. My form of epilepsy is lifelong, adding to the complexity of living with the condition. Both of my diagnoses have resulted in both a medical disability and a mental disability due to severe anxiety, but I have persevered. Although I still worry about seizures, I have transformed my fear and anxiety into resilience and empathy. This journey led me to become a community volunteer, an advocate, and a leader. In 2021, I established a local International Children's Advisory Network (iCAN) chapter for my community's children with complex medical conditions and a passion for advocacy and health equity. I am the President of our chapter, representing the children's hospital that provided me with epilepsy care for the past ten years. We have members from diverse backgrounds and lived experiences as patients. I have successfully led multiple advocacy discussions, raised thousands of dollars for local charities, provided community service, and organized health fairs for low-income children living with complex medical conditions and social determinants of health. We provide community service at monthly health fairs for Medicaid children living with complex medical conditions including Type 1 Diabetes, Sickle Cell Disease, and severe asthma. We meet monthly to prepare backpacks with school supplies for children at our health fairs and food bags for families with food insecurity. I earned the President’s Gold Service Award in 2023 and 2024 for over 600 hours of service, but even more importantly, I led 25 chapter members to earn the award. Leading and engaging others in service is one of the most rewarding aspects of my iCAN journey. I am ready to be a leader beyond my local community as I move to a new city, New Orleans, a resilient community in its own right and a city with a long history of poverty, health disparities, and poor health outcomes. I will explore new community service opportunities through the Tulane Center for Public Service. I will also help the local children’s hospital in New Orleans establish an iCAN chapter, bringing opportunities to even more young people. I am studying International Relations, and after college, I plan to attend law school and pursue a career in international advocacy to make a difference through global policy change, specifically access to equitable healthcare, including pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, and genetic testing for rare diseases. I will advocate for mental health support for people living with chronic medical conditions to reduce stigma, promote awareness, and expand resources. Although my healthcare experiences and disability created challenges, they also provided valuable growth opportunities and ultimately shaped me into the resilient and empathetic person I am today. Now, I am ready to dive into my college education and pursue my dreams to grow as a community volunteer, an advocate, and a leader—no longer the "girl in the ambulance."

At age 8, I was diagnosed with Jeavons Syndrome, a rare form of epilepsy that was difficult to control, requiring multiple trials of medications and hospitalizations. When I had a seizure at school, which happened often, the ambulance came. I was the "girl in the ambulance" my classmates whispered and laughed about. At a young age, I experienced fear, embarrassment, and stigma. I developed severe and sometimes paralyzing anxiety about my condition and felt isolated, especially knowing that my condition is lifelong. My experiences are not uncommon among people with complex medical conditions and are even more challenging for marginalized communities. This is the community I have chosen to serve. When I was 15, I established a local International Children's Advisory Network (iCAN) chapter for my community's children with complex medical conditions and a passion for advocacy and health equity. I am the President of our local chapter, representing the children's hospital that has provided me with epilepsy care for the past ten years. There are over 40 chapters worldwide, and I am proud to have started one for my community. We have grown to 50 members from 10 schools in our community. We have recruited members from diverse backgrounds and experiences, mainly lived experiences with complex medical conditions. In the past three years, I have successfully led multiple advocacy discussions, raised thousands of dollars for local charities, provided community service, and organized health fairs for low-income children living with complex medical conditions and social determinants of health. Locally, we provide community service at monthly health fairs for Medicaid children living with complex medical conditions; for example, we help kids with Type 1 Diabetes, Sickle Cell Disease, and severe asthma. We meet monthly to assemble and fill backpacks with school supplies for the children at our health fairs and culturally appropriate food bags for distribution to families with food insecurity whose children are living with chronic diseases. I earned the President’s Gold Volunteer Service Award in 2023 and 2024 for over 600 hours of service, but even more importantly, I have led 25 chapter members to earn the award. Leading and engaging others in service has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my iCAN journey. I am ready to be a leader beyond my local community as I move to a new city, New Orleans, a resilient community in its own right and a city with a long history of poverty, health disparities, and poor health outcomes. I will expand my international advocacy work and explore new community service opportunities through the Tulane Center for Public Service. I will also help the local children’s hospital in New Orleans establish an iCAN chapter, bringing opportunities to even more young people. I will major in Political Science and International Relations, and after college, I plan to attend law school and pursue a career in international advocacy to make a difference through global policy change, specifically access to equitable healthcare, including pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, and genetic testing for rare diseases. I will also advocate for mental health support for people living with chronic medical conditions to reduce stigma, promote awareness, and expand resources. Although my healthcare experiences created challenges, they also provided valuable growth opportunities. My early struggles living with a complex condition have ultimately shaped me into the resilient and empathetic person I am today. Now, I am ready to dive into my college education and pursue my dreams to grow as a community volunteer, an advocate, and a leader—no longer the "girl in the ambulance."

I am the daughter of two military veterans who have shaped the person I am today. Like many military dependents, I have grown up with a core value of service to others. Still, I have taken that very seriously and created opportunities for myself to give back meaningfully to others because of my childhood experiences and being a military dependent in the Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP), which assists children of military members with complex medical conditions. At age 8, I was diagnosed with Jeavons Syndrome, a rare form of epilepsy that was very difficult to control, requiring multiple trials of medications and hospitalizations. When I had a seizure at school, which happened often, the ambulance came. I was the “girl in the ambulance” that my classmates whispered about during class. At a young age, I experienced fear, embarrassment, and stigma. I was anxious about my next seizure and what my peers thought about me. Finally, after two years, a new medication worked! Although I would still worry about seizures, it was then that I began to transform fear and anxiety to become a community volunteer, an advocate, and a leader. My military parents mentored and supported me on this journey. The EFMP helped my family stay close to a pediatric epilepsy center for my care. My healthcare experiences led to a passion for helping others with complex medical conditions. As a military dependent, giving back through community service is a part of who I am; I am driven to constantly find ways to give back, especially knowing that there are thousands of children with challenges like me, some of whom are in military families. I want to inspire them not to give up. I founded a chapter of the International Children’s Advisory Network (iCAN) in my community. There are 40 chapters worldwide, and we dedicate ourselves to advocacy for children with rare diseases. I am the president of our local chapter, Kids-Rady, and we have 50 members from 10 different schools. In 2023, I earned the President’s Gold Volunteer Service Award, completing over 300 hours of community service. I will also earn the award in 2024. During this work, I continually remind myself of my military family values of service and sacrifice for others. As I embark on my college education, I want to better understand the complexities of public service, international politics, and diplomacy. I also want to expand my international advocacy work. I will major in Political Science and International Relations. After college, I plan to attend law school to pursue a career in international advocacy and law to make a difference through global policy change, such as equitable healthcare and fair trade agreements. I am particularly interested in policy change for equitable care and access to pharmaceuticals as well as diagnostic and genetic testing for rare medical conditions like my own, Jeavons Syndrome. I also plan to advocate for mental health support for people living with chronic medical conditions to reduce stigma, promote awareness, and expand resources. My ultimate career goal is to work for the U.S. State Department and advocate on an international scale. I credit my veteran parents for my values and these aspirational career goals. I am thankful daily for their sacrifices for me, our family, and our country. Although my experiences created challenges, they also provided valuable growth opportunities. They ultimately shaped me into the resilient and empathetic person I am today. Now, I am ready to dive into my education and pursue my dreams as a community volunteer, an advocate, and a leader – no longer the "girl in the ambulance."

I am the daughter of two military veterans who have shaped the person I am today. Like many military dependents, I have grown up with a core value of service to others. Still, I have taken that very seriously and created opportunities for myself to give back meaningfully to others because of my childhood experiences and being a military dependent in the Exceptional Family Member Program, which assists children of military members with complex medical conditions. At age 8, I was diagnosed with Jeavons Syndrome, a rare form of epilepsy that was very difficult to control, requiring multiple trials of medications and hospitalizations. When I had a seizure at school, which happened often, the ambulance came. At a young age, I experienced fear, embarrassment, and stigma. Finally, after two years, a new medication worked! Although I would still worry about seizures, it was then that I began to transform fear and anxiety to become a community volunteer, an advocate, and a leader. Community service is a part of who I am; I am driven to constantly find ways to give back, especially knowing that there are thousands of children with challenges like me, some of whom are in military families. I want to inspire them not to give up. My mother taught me to continually find ways to help others. She exposed me to every opportunity to volunteer in our community throughout my childhood. I learned about giving back at a very young age, and when I was a sophomore, I founded a chapter of the International Children’s Advisory Network (iCAN) in my community. There are 40 iCAN chapters worldwide, and we dedicate ourselves to advocacy for children with rare diseases. I am the president of our local chapter, Kids-Rady, and we have 50 members from 10 different schools. In 2023, I earned the President’s Gold Volunteer Service Award after completing over 300 hours of community service. I will also earn the award in 2024. During this work, I continually remind myself of my military family values of service and sacrifice for others. I have an ongoing memory about my father that I am reminded of every day in my home. My father received a shadow box of medals when he retired with a disability after 25 years of honorable military service. When I look at it displayed proudly in our home, I reflect on his sacrifices for our country and family. He went on many deployments, particularly in the Middle East, which meant months away from home, often missing holidays and birthdays. Although he missed parts of my childhood, which wasn’t easy for him, I always knew that he loved me. I also know that he experienced many things that weren’t easy when he was deployed. Now that he is retired, I couldn’t be more proud and honored that he is my father. As I embark on my college education, I want to better understand the complexities of public service, international politics, and diplomacy, so I chose Political Science/International Relations as my major. After college, I plan to attend law school to pursue a career in international advocacy and law to make a difference through global policy change, such as equitable healthcare and fair trade agreements. My ultimate career goal is to work for the U.S. State Department. I credit my veteran parents for my values and these aspirational career goals. I am thankful daily for their sacrifices for me, our family, and our country.

I am the daughter of two military veterans who have shaped the person I am today. Like many military dependents, I have grown up with a core value of service to others. Still, I have taken that very seriously and created opportunities for myself to give back meaningfully to others because of my childhood experiences and being a military dependent in the Exceptional Family Member Program, which assists children of military members with complex medical conditions. At age 8, I was diagnosed with Jeavons Syndrome, a rare form of epilepsy that was very difficult to control, requiring multiple trials of medications and hospitalizations. When I had a seizure at school, which happened often, the ambulance came. I was the “girl in the ambulance” that my classmates whispered about during class. At a young age, I experienced fear, embarrassment, and stigma. I was anxious about my next seizure and what my peers thought about me. Finally, after two years, a new medication worked! Although I would still worry about seizures, it was then that I began to transform fear and anxiety to become a community volunteer, an advocate, and a leader. My parents mentored and supported me on this journey. Community service is a part of who I am; I am driven to constantly find ways to give back, especially knowing that there are thousands of children with challenges like me, some of whom are in military families. I want to inspire them not to give up. I founded a chapter of the International Children’s Advisory Network (iCAN) in my community. There are 40 iCAN chapters worldwide, and we dedicate ourselves to advocacy for children with rare diseases. I am the president of our local chapter, Kids-Rady, and we have 50 members from 10 different schools. In 2023, I earned the President’s Gold Volunteer Service Award, completing over 300 hours of community service. I will also earn the award in 2024. During this work, I continually remind myself of my military family values of service and sacrifice for others. As I embark on my college education, I want to better understand the complexities of public service, international politics, and diplomacy. I also want to expand my international advocacy work. I will major in Political Science and International Relations. After college, I plan to attend law school to pursue a career in international advocacy and law to make a difference through global policy change, such as equitable healthcare and fair trade agreements. I am particularly interested in policy change for equitable care and access to pharmaceuticals as well as diagnostic and genetic testing for rare medical conditions like my own, Jeavons Syndrome. I also plan to advocate for mental health support for people living with chronic medical conditions to reduce stigma, promote awareness, and expand resources. My ultimate career goal is to work for the U.S. State Department and advocate on an international scale. I credit my veteran parents for my values and these aspirational career goals. I am thankful daily for their sacrifices for me, our family, and our country. Although my healthcare experiences created challenges, they also provided valuable growth opportunities. They ultimately shaped me into the resilient and empathetic person I am today. And, the military values from my parents have added strength to who I am becoming. Now, I am ready to dive into my education and pursue my dreams as a community volunteer, an advocate, and a leader – no longer the "girl in the ambulance."

I am the daughter of two military veterans who have shaped the person I am today. Like many military dependents, I have grown up with a core value of service to others. Still, I have taken that very seriously and created opportunities for myself to give back meaningfully to others because of my childhood experiences and being a military dependent in the Exceptional Family Member Program. At age 8, I was diagnosed with Jeavons Syndrome, a rare form of epilepsy that required multiple trials of medications and hospitalizations. When I had a seizure at school, which happened often, the ambulance came. I was the “girl in the ambulance” that my classmates whispered about during class. At a young age, I experienced fear, embarrassment, and stigma. Finally, after two years, a new medication worked! Although I would still worry about seizures, it was then that I began to transform fear and anxiety to become a community volunteer, an advocate, and a leader. My parents mentored and supported me on this journey. Community service is a part of who I am; I am driven to constantly find ways to give back, especially knowing that there are thousands of children with challenges like me, some of whom are in military families. I want to inspire them not to give up. I founded a chapter of the International Children’s Advisory Network (iCAN) in my community. There are 40 iCAN chapters worldwide, and we dedicate ourselves to advocacy for children with rare diseases. I am the president of our local chapter, Kids-Rady, and we have 50 members from 10 different schools. In 2023, I earned the President’s Gold Volunteer Service Award, completing over 300 hours of community service. I will also earn the award in 2024. During this work, I continually remind myself of my military family values of service and sacrifice for others. I want to better understand the complexities of public service, international politics, and diplomacy as an International Studies major. After college, I plan to attend law school to pursue a career in international advocacy to make a difference through global policy change, such as equitable healthcare and fair trade agreements. I am particularly interested in policy change for equitable care and access to pharmaceuticals as well as diagnostic and genetic testing for rare medical conditions like my own, Jeavons Syndrome. I also plan to advocate for mental health support for people living with chronic medical conditions to reduce stigma, promote awareness, and expand resources. I credit my veteran parents for my values and these aspirational career goals. I am thankful daily for their sacrifices for me, our family, and our country. Although my experiences created challenges, they also provided valuable growth opportunities. They ultimately shaped me into the resilient and empathetic person I am today. Now, I am ready to dive into my education and pursue my dreams as a community volunteer, an advocate, and a leader – no longer the "girl in the ambulance."

I am the daughter of two military veterans who have shaped the person I am today. Like many military dependents, I have grown up with a core value of service to others. Still, I have taken that very seriously and created opportunities for myself to give back meaningfully to others because of my childhood experiences and being a military dependent in the Exceptional Family Member Program, which assists children of military members with complex medical conditions. At age 8, I was diagnosed with Jeavons Syndrome, a rare form of epilepsy that was very difficult to control, requiring multiple trials of medications and hospitalizations. When I had a seizure at school, which happened often, the ambulance came. I was the “girl in the ambulance” that my classmates whispered about during class. At a young age, I experienced fear, embarrassment, and stigma. I was anxious about my next seizure and what my peers thought about me. Finally, after two years, a new medication worked! Although I would still worry about seizures, it was then that I began to transform fear and anxiety to become a community volunteer, an advocate, and a leader. My parents mentored and supported me on this journey. Community service is a part of who I am; I am driven to constantly find ways to give back, especially knowing that there are thousands of children with challenges like me, some of whom are in military families. I want to inspire them not to give up. I founded a chapter of the International Children’s Advisory Network (iCAN) in my community. There are 40 iCAN chapters worldwide, and we dedicate ourselves to advocacy for children with rare diseases. I am the president of our local chapter, Kids-Rady, and we have 50 members from 10 different schools. In 2023, I earned the President’s Gold Volunteer Service Award, completing over 300 hours of community service. I will also earn the award in 2024. During this work, I continually remind myself of my military family values of service and sacrifice for others. As I embark on my college education, I want to better understand the complexities of public service, international politics, and diplomacy. I also want to expand my international advocacy work. I will major in Political Science and International Relations. After college, I plan to attend law school to pursue a career in international advocacy and law to make a difference through global policy change, such as equitable healthcare and fair trade agreements. I am particularly interested in policy change for equitable care and access to pharmaceuticals as well as diagnostic and genetic testing for rare medical conditions like my own, Jeavons Syndrome. I also plan to advocate for mental health support for people living with chronic medical conditions to reduce stigma, promote awareness, and expand resources. My ultimate career goal is to work for the U.S. State Department and advocate on an international scale. I credit my veteran parents for my values and these aspirational career goals. I am thankful daily for their sacrifices for me, our family, and our country. Although my healthcare experiences created challenges, they also provided valuable growth opportunities. They ultimately shaped me into the resilient and empathetic person I am today. And, the military values from my parents have added strength to who I am becoming. Now, I am ready to dive into my education and pursue my dreams as a community volunteer, an advocate, and a leader – no longer the "girl in the ambulance."

"Did you see that girl in the ambulance?" My answer, whispered afterward to myself, was always, "yes" – "yes" because that girl was me. I saw her every time I looked in a mirror. For as long as I can remember, healthcare has enormously impacted my life. At age 8, I was diagnosed with Jeavons Syndrome, a rare form of epilepsy that was very difficult to control, requiring multiple trials of medications and hospitalizations. When I had a seizure at school, which happened often, the ambulance came. At a young age, I experienced fear, embarrassment, and stigma. I was anxious about my next seizure and what my peers thought of me. Once a new medication worked, I still worried about seizures, but I found a way to transform fear and anxiety into resilience and empathy. This journey led me to become a community volunteer, an advocate, and a leader. During my sophomore year, I established a local International Children's Advisory Network (iCAN) chapter. There are over 40 chapters worldwide, and I am proud to have started one for my community. I learned to stay organized and improved my public speaking skills while talking to peers about iCAN and at advocacy events. In the past three years, I have successfully led multiple advocacy discussions, raised thousands of dollars for local charities, provided community service, and earned the President's Gold Volunteer Service Award in 2023. I anticipate earning it in 2024 as well. As the current chapter president, I am growing as a leader, expanding our chapter's reach, organizing advocacy events, and creating lifelong bonds with iCAN members worldwide with similar experiences and passion for advocacy and community service. Empathy is critical to this work, and I feel that deeply when I talk with individuals experiencing healthcare challenges. I reflect on my journey and know that others may have even greater challenges but can also find their unique source of strength and resilience. When I talk with other teens going through similar challenges, I encourage them not to give up, to lean on others, to trust their medical team, and to find ways to help others. Many people still need support on their journeys, and I am committed to growing as an advocate and public servant. My volunteer and advocacy efforts are just beginning and the Jorian Kuran Harris (Shugg) Helping Heart Foundation Scholarship will help me achieve my dreams. I want to better understand the complexities of public service, international politics, and diplomacy so I plan to majoy in International Relations. I also want to expand my international advocacy work and explore new community service opportunities. After college, I plan to attend law school to pursue a career in international advocacy and law to make a difference through global policy change, such as equitable healthcare and fair trade agreements. I am particularly interested in policy change for equitable care and access to pharmaceuticals as well as diagnostic and genetic testing for rare medical conditions like my own, Jeavons Syndrome. I also plan to advocate for mental health support for people living with chronic medical conditions to reduce stigma, promote awareness, and expand resources. My ultimate career goal is to work for the U.S. State Department and advocate on an international scale. Although my experiences created challenges, they also provided valuable growth opportunities. They ultimately shaped me into the resilient and empathetic person I am today. Now, I am ready to dive into my education and pursue my dreams as a community volunteer, an advocate, and a leader – no longer the "girl in the ambulance."

I am the daughter of two military veterans who have shaped the person I am today. Like many military dependents, I have grown up with a core value of service to others. Still, I have taken that very seriously and created opportunities for myself to give back meaningfully to others because of my childhood experiences and being a military dependent in the Exceptional Family Member Program, which assists children of military members with complex medical conditions. At age 8, I was diagnosed with Jeavons Syndrome, a rare form of epilepsy that was very difficult to control, requiring multiple trials of medications and hospitalizations. When I had a seizure at school, which happened often, the ambulance came. I was the “girl in the ambulance” that my classmates whispered about during class. At a young age, I experienced fear, embarrassment, and stigma. I was anxious about my next seizure and what my peers thought about me. Finally, after two years, a new medication worked! Although I would still worry about seizures, it was then that I began to transform fear and anxiety to become a community volunteer, an advocate, and a leader. My parents mentored and supported me on this journey. Community service is a part of who I am; I am driven to constantly find ways to give back, especially knowing that there are thousands of children with challenges like me, some of whom are in military families. I want to inspire them not to give up. I founded a chapter of the International Children’s Advisory Network (iCAN) in my community. There are 40 iCAN chapters worldwide, and we dedicate ourselves to advocacy for children with rare diseases. I am the president of our local chapter, Kids-Rady, and we have 50 members from 10 different schools. In 2023, I earned the President’s Gold Volunteer Service Award, completing over 300 hours of community service. I will also earn the award in 2024. During this work, I continually remind myself of my military family values of service and sacrifice for others. As I embark on my college education, I want to better understand the complexities of public service, international politics, and diplomacy. I also want to expand my international advocacy work. I will major in Political Science and International Relations. After college, I plan to attend law school to pursue a career in international advocacy and law to make a difference through global policy change, such as equitable healthcare and fair trade agreements. I am particularly interested in policy change for equitable care and access to pharmaceuticals as well as diagnostic and genetic testing for rare medical conditions like my own, Jeavons Syndrome. I also plan to advocate for mental health support for people living with chronic medical conditions to reduce stigma, promote awareness, and expand resources. My ultimate career goal is to work for the U.S. State Department and advocate on an international scale. I credit my veteran parents for my values and these aspirational career goals. I am thankful daily for their sacrifices for me, our family, and our country. Although my healthcare experiences created challenges, they also provided valuable growth opportunities. They ultimately shaped me into the resilient and empathetic person I am today. And, the military values from my parents have added strength to who I am becoming. Now, I am ready to dive into my education and pursue my dreams as a community volunteer, an advocate, and a leader – no longer the "girl in the ambulance."

"Did you see that girl in the ambulance?" My answer, whispered afterward to myself, was always, "yes" – "yes" because that girl was me. I saw her every time I looked in a mirror. For as long as I can remember, healthcare has had an enormous impact on my life. At age 8, I was diagnosed with Jeavons Syndrome, a rare form of epilepsy that was very difficult to control, requiring multiple trials of medications and hospitalizations. When I had a seizure at school, which happened often, the ambulance came. At a young age, I experienced fear, embarrassment, and stigma. I was anxious about my next seizure and what my peers thought about me. Although I will always have epilepsy and still worry about seizures, I have transformed fear and anxiety into resilience and empathy. This journey led me to become a community volunteer, an advocate, and a leader. During my sophomore year, I established a local International Children's Advisory Network (iCAN). There are over 40 chapters worldwide, and I am proud to have started one for my community. As the chapter president, I have dedicated many hours to establishing our chapter. I learned to stay organized and improved my public speaking skills while talking to peers about iCAN and at advocacy events. We now have 50 members from 10 local schools. In the past three years, I have successfully led multiple advocacy discussions, raised thousands of dollars for local charities, provided community service, and earned the President's Gold Volunteer Service Award. How we engage and build productive relationships with people from diverse backgrounds and other countries to advocate for change has been a passion of mine during high school and also the cornerstone of my childhood. My parents are military veterans and prioritized international experiences during my childhood. They taught me the importance of learning from those around us and respecting their histories and experiences. Our most important family value is service, which, for me, took the form of advocacy and dedication to community service. As I embark on my college education, I want to better understand the complexities of public service, international politics, and diplomacy. To succeed in my major,International Relations, I must understand several other fields of study to become an effective leader who develops trusting and productive relationships. To accomplish this, I plan to enroll in interdisciplinary courses that facilitate and support my personal and academic growth. Effective communication and appreciation for different cultures are essential to driving change through collaboration and shared goals. I am also invested in opportunities outside of the classroom to broaden my understanding of the world through community service. After college, I plan to attend law school to pursue a career in international advocacy and law to make a difference through global policy change, such as equitable healthcare and fair trade agreements. My ultimate career goal is to work for the U.S. State Department and pursue my dream of being a public servant. That is what success looks like to me. I want to help others and make a difference in the world by constantly reflecting on my own challenges, being empathetic to the challenges of others, and endlessly advocating for change to better the lives of others. Although my experiences created challenges, they also provided valuable growth opportunities. They ultimately shaped me into the resilient and empathetic person I am today. Now, I am ready to dive into my education and pursue my dreams as a community volunteer, an advocate, and a leader – no longer the "girl in the ambulance."

I am the daughter of two military veterans who have shaped the person I am today. Like many military dependents, I have grown up with a core value of service to others. Still, I have taken that very seriously and created opportunities for myself to give back meaningfully to others because of my childhood experiences and being a military dependent in the Exceptional Family Member Program, which assists children of military members with complex medical conditions. At age 8, I was diagnosed with Jeavons Syndrome, a rare form of epilepsy that was very difficult to control, requiring multiple trials of medications and hospitalizations. When I had a seizure at school, which happened often, the ambulance came. At a young age, I experienced fear, embarrassment, and stigma. Finally, after two years, a new medication worked! Although I would still worry about seizures, it was then that I began to transform fear and anxiety to become a community volunteer, an advocate, and a leader. My parents mentored and supported me on this journey. Community service is a part of who I am; I am driven to constantly find ways to give back, especially knowing that there are thousands of children with challenges like me, some of whom are in military families. I want to inspire them not to give up. I founded a chapter of the International Children’s Advisory Network (iCAN) in my community. There are 40 iCAN chapters worldwide, and we dedicate ourselves to advocacy for children with rare diseases. I am the president of our local chapter, Kids-Rady, and we have 50 members from 10 different schools. In 2023, I earned the President’s Gold Volunteer Service Award after completing over 300 hours of community service. I will also earn the award in 2024. During this work, I continually remind myself of my military family values of service and sacrifice for others. As I embark on my college education, I want to better understand the complexities of public service, international politics, and diplomacy, so I chose Political Science/International Relations as my major. After college, I plan to attend law school to pursue a career in international advocacy and law to make a difference through global policy change, such as equitable healthcare and fair trade agreements. My ultimate career goal is to work for the U.S. State Department. I credit my veteran parents for my values and these aspirational career goals. I am thankful daily for their sacrifices for me, our family, and our country.

Although Erin’s debut on the Office didn’t happen until Season 5 when she replaced Pam as the receptionist, she immediately won my heart. Erin is kind, empathetic, open-minded, and quirky. Many would describe me as the same. My life experiences have presented me with an opportunity to show kindness and empathy to others due to my experience living with a rare form of epilepsy. At age 8, I was diagnosed with Jeavons Syndrome, a rare form of epilepsy that was very difficult to control, requiring multiple trials of medications and hospitalizations. When I had a seizure at school, which happened often, the ambulance came. At a young age, I experienced fear, embarrassment, and stigma, however I have transformed fear and anxiety into resilience and empathy. This journey inspired me to become a community volunteer, an advocate, and a leader. During my sophomore year, I established a local International Children's Advisory Network (iCAN) chapter. There are over 40 chapters worldwide, and I am proud to have started one for my community. As President over the past three years, I have led multiple advocacy discussions, raised thousands of dollars for local charities, provided community service, and earned the President's Gold Volunteer Service Award. Some of my most impactful international healthcare advocacy and service experiences have been the opportunities to learn from others and hear about their journeys. Much of the community service events we volunteer at serve children from low-income communities with complex medical conditions where empathy and kindness is critical to helping others. Like Erin, I also have a quirky side. I do things that surprise many people because I am also open-minded like her. I am on the competitive improvisation team, Comedy Sportz, at my high school. And, although I am not athletic, I was the co-captain of the first girls’ flag football team at my high school as a senior. I try to stay positive like Erin and try new things. Maybe I’m easily impressed like her too! The Office has definitely shown me that office politics, although exaggerated in the show, is commonplace. The only way to manage around it is to have a sense of humor and not take ourselves or the drama in the office too seriously. And, showing kindness and empathy to others, while always staying true to who we are, like the quirky personality I share with Erin, will always make work more enjoyable.

"Did you see that girl in the ambulance?" My answer, whispered afterward to myself, was always, "yes" – "yes" because that girl was me. I saw her every time I looked in a mirror. For as long as I can remember, healthcare has had an enormous impact on my life. At age 8, I was diagnosed with Jeavons Syndrome, a rare form of epilepsy that was very difficult to control, requiring multiple trials of medications and hospitalizations. When I had a seizure at school, which happened often, the ambulance came. At a young age, I experienced fear, embarrassment, and stigma. I was anxious about my next seizure and what my peers thought about me. Although I will always have epilepsy and still worry about seizures, I have transformed fear and anxiety into resilience and empathy. This journey led me to become a community volunteer, an advocate, and a leader. My epilepsy was something unique about me, but even then, I knew others had challenges, too, and I wanted to help. When I was younger, this was through volunteer opportunities at health fairs and fundraising events. As a teenager, I was ready to do more. This realization and my growing passion for advocacy and community service led me down an amazing path. During my sophomore year, I established a local International Children's Advisory Network (iCAN). There are over 40 chapters worldwide, and I am proud to have started one for my community. As the chapter president, I have dedicated many hours to establishing our chapter. I learned to stay organized and improved my public speaking skills while talking to peers about iCAN and at advocacy events. We now have 50 members from 10 local schools. In the past three years, I have successfully led multiple advocacy discussions, raised thousands of dollars for local charities, provided community service, and earned the President's Gold Volunteer Service Award. How we engage and build productive relationships with people from diverse backgrounds and other countries to advocate for change has been a passion of mine during high school and also the cornerstone of my childhood. My parents are military veterans and prioritized international experiences during my childhood. They taught me the importance of learning from those around us and respecting their histories and experiences. Our most important family value is service, which, for me, took the form of advocacy and dedication to community service. As I embark on my college education, I want to better understand the complexities of public service, international politics, and diplomacy. To succeed in my major,International Relations, I must understand several other fields of study to become an effective leader who develops trusting and productive relationships. To accomplish this, I plan to enroll in interdisciplinary courses that facilitate and support my personal and academic growth. Effective communication and appreciation for different cultures are essential to driving change through collaboration and shared goals. I am also invested in opportunities outside of the classroom to broaden my understanding of the world through community service. After college, I plan to attend law school to pursue a career in international advocacy and law to make a difference through global policy change, such as equitable healthcare and fair trade agreements. My ultimate career goal is to work for the U.S. State Department and pursue my dream of being a public servant. That is what success looks like to me. I want to help others and make a difference in the world by constantly reflecting on my own challenges, being empathetic to the challenges of others, and endlessly advocating for change to better the lives of others. Although my experiences created challenges, they also provided valuable growth opportunities. They ultimately shaped me into the resilient and empathetic person I am today. Now, I am ready to dive in to my education and pursue my dreams as a community volunteer, an advocate, and a leader – no longer the "girl in the ambulance."

"Did you see that girl in the ambulance?" My answer, whispered afterward to myself, was always, "yes" – "yes" because that girl was me. I saw her every time I looked in a mirror. For as long as I can remember, healthcare has had an enormous impact on my life. At age 8, I was diagnosed with Jeavons Syndrome, a rare form of epilepsy that was very difficult to control, requiring multiple trials of medications and hospitalizations. When I had a seizure at school, which happened often, the ambulance came. At a young age, I experienced fear, embarrassment, and stigma. I was anxious about my next seizure and what my peers thought about me. Although I will always have epilepsy and still worry about seizures, I have transformed fear and anxiety into resilience and empathy. This journey led me to become a community volunteer, an advocate, and a leader. My epilepsy was something unique about me, but even then, I knew others had challenges, too, and I wanted to help. When I was younger, this was through volunteer opportunities at health fairs and fundraising events. As a teenager, I was ready to do more. This realization and my growing passion for advocacy and community service led me down an amazing path. During my sophomore year, I established a local International Children's Advisory Network (iCAN). There are over 40 chapters worldwide, and I am proud to have started one for my community. As the chapter president, I have dedicated many hours to establishing our chapter. I learned to stay organized and improved my public speaking skills while talking to peers about iCAN and at advocacy events. We now have 50 members from 10 local schools. In the past three years, I have successfully led multiple advocacy discussions, raised thousands of dollars for local charities, provided community service, and earned the President's Gold Volunteer Service Award. How we engage and build productive relationships with people from diverse backgrounds and other countries to advocate for change has been a passion of mine during high school and also the cornerstone of my childhood. My parents are military veterans and prioritized international experiences during my childhood. They taught me the importance of learning from those around us and respecting their histories and experiences. Our most important family value is service, which, for me, took the form of advocacy and dedication to community service. As I embark on my college education, I want to better understand the complexities of public service, international politics, and diplomacy. To succeed in my major,International Relations, I must understand several other fields of study to become an effective leader who develops trusting and productive relationships. To accomplish this, I plan to enroll in interdisciplinary courses that facilitate and support my personal and academic growth. Effective communication and appreciation for different cultures are essential to driving change through collaboration and shared goals. I am also invested in opportunities outside of the classroom to broaden my understanding of the world through community service. After college, I plan to attend law school to pursue a career in international advocacy and law to make a difference through global policy change, such as equitable healthcare and fair trade agreements. My ultimate career goal is to work for the U.S. State Department and pursue my dream of being a public servant. Although my experiences created challenges, they also provided valuable growth opportunities. They ultimately shaped me into the resilient and empathetic person I am today. Now, I am a community volunteer, an advocate, and a leader – no longer the "girl in the ambulance."

At age 8, I was diagnosed with Jeavons Syndrome, a rare form of epilepsy that was very difficult to control, requiring multiple trials of medications and hospitalizations. When I had a seizure at school, which happened often, the ambulance came. At a young age, I experienced fear, embarrassment, and stigma, however I have transformed fear and anxiety into resilience and empathy. This journey inspired me to become a community volunteer, an advocate, and a leader. During my sophomore year, I established a local International Children's Advisory Network (iCAN) chapter. There are over 40 chapters worldwide, and I am proud to have started one for my community. As President over the past three years, I have led multiple advocacy discussions, raised thousands of dollars for local charities, provided community service, and earned the President's Gold Volunteer Service Award. Some of my most impactful international healthcare advocacy and service experiences have been the opportunities to learn from others and hear about their journeys. For example, a member of our advocacy chapter, Hawaa, is a recent immigrant from Somalia who lives with sickle cell disease (SCD). I have learned from her and others about the disease's impact on their lives. I have also learned that bias, racism, and poverty impact equitable access to healthcare. I have volunteered at several health fairs for Medicaid children with complex medical conditions. One of these was in celebration of Sickle Cell Awareness Month. Over 90% of children with SCD in the US are Black, and many experience difficulty obtaining access to adequate care, often due to poverty and systemic racism. Lack of awareness by health policymakers and the public has made SCD an "invisible" public health issue. This is alarming because the number of newborns born globally with SCD is estimated to increase by more than 30% by 2050. One significant barrier to worldwide progress is inadequate testing for the disease early in life. Most deaths due to SCD in Africa occur before diagnosis. Newer, inexpensive point-of-care diagnostic tests for SCD have become available in recent years, potentially allowing for near-universal early screening. However, they are not available to all people in Africa. Without effective testing, we can't even approach effective treatment, ultimately preventing severe disease and death. Other inexpensive public health measures that could improve the child mortality rate for SCD include early antibiotic prophylaxis with penicillin in children under five years of age, in conjunction with widespread immunization against infectious diseases that cause significant mortality from SCD. Additionally, hydroxyurea (a safe and inexpensive medicine) is highly effective at improving the lives of people with SCD by reducing excruciating pain episodes and mortality. Tragically, it is not widely available throughout Africa. Efforts to provide access to this medication could change thousands of lives. Both federal and international funding for scientific research on SCD has been traditionally underfunded compared to other conditions that predominantly impact white children, like cystic fibrosis and hemophilia. New treatments, when discovered, are often costly and out of reach for low-income families in the US and may never reach sub-Saharan Africa. Inadequate research funding, in addition to systemic racism, results in a lack of scientific advances in treatment and increased mortality. I believe access to equitable care is a human right, but I also know there is much work to be done for people living with SCD, both in the US and worldwide. I believe that as an ally, I can learn from others' experiences, understand the statistical data, and subsequently add my voice to amplify the continuous fight against racism and bias to improve access to equitable funding, resources, and healthcare.