For the past five years, tennis has been an integral part of my life. Played by multiple other relatives, tennis is a family sport, which was my introduction. Tennis is not an easily approached sport, given the rudimentary $100 cost of acquiring a racket. In addition, teams and tournaments often have fees to join that can quickly add up. Prospective players must have access to an open court to play, which is rare in cities and seldom free of cost. Tennis is not abundant in money, attention, and resources outside of the professional sphere, so it is difficult to help those who cannot afford to play. Based on my own experience, tennis is the sport at my school that receives the least care from our athletic department. This inequality is made worse by the fact that I play on a girls' team which is disproportionately excluded from resource allocation and attention. Over my five years with this sport, I have witnessed some of its greatest heartbreaks. Teammates of mine have played with broken and cheap rackets, used beat-up sneakers instead of proper tennis shoes, and had incorrect gear. I watched my teammates have to put themselves at greater risk of injury or give up the sport entirely as they were unable to afford it. It has been my pleasure to teach many people how to play tennis or to improve their skills since my sophomore year, and it has been my privilege to provide coaching feedback to my teammates and fellow players for free. I joined the boys' team as a manager at the beginning of my junior year. In this role, I continued to give feedback and coaching to the players. I continued as a manager for the boys' team and led the team's social media during my senior year which was used as a method to recruit potential players and encourage participation. Higher team participation would lead to more funding and resources from the school and district, meaning that, hopefully, the inequality would lessen. The wealth gap in this sport is disheartening and unfortunate, but it is an issue I want to continue to work on whenever possible. This entire experience has impacted my life because it has made me realize how fortunate I am to have the opportunities I do. I have played various sports throughout my childhood, and they have been one of my greatest sources of happiness. As a result of seeing people who lack these opportunities due to money or resources, I strive to live a life of service to others. I try to give back to my fellow athletes in whatever way possible, and there are a multitude of ways to do so. At some point, I hope to work with women and underrepresented communities within the world of sports. The work I have started to do is nowhere close to finished because there are still a plethora of instances of inequality within tennis. When I play the sport for my final time this spring, I will likely have teammates facing borders and obstacles. Service has been an essential part of my life for as long as I can remember. There is true kindness in giving to others. As Luke 6:31 instructs, “do to others as you would have them do to you.” In kindergarten, it is taught that this is the golden rule that we should follow. However, I believe and want to show that charity is a cardinal duty of being human. Helping others has been my past and present, and I am determined to make it part of my future.

During the winter of my junior year, my AP Government teacher selected me to participate in our district student senate. We would meet weekly to discuss contemporary Colorado legislation and imitate the Colorado legislative process. Through discussing the motivations for the creation of the bills, I began to connect philosophy and sociology to the law. This landed me on my current major choice for my undergraduate degree before going into law school, a double major in political science/history and philosophy. I also realized that I want to specialize in constitutional law because of the conjunction it serves between legislative politics and legal work. At the student senate, I was Senator Rothe, instead of my regular self who couldn’t even vote yet. Sitting at that rotunda in a district building, surrounded by politically-motivated peers like myself, I understood how much I wanted politics to be in my future. Originally, the language and process were difficult to get used to -- it felt strange, different, and uncomfortable. Aided by our supervisor Mr.Brandon Shaffer, former president of the Colorado State Senate, navigated the foreign, oddly disconnected world of modern politics. However, this did not push me away, rather it drew me in. I wondered how a nation for the people and the systems that supposedly represented them became so far estranged from their interests. I realized even more why politics seemed so inaccessible to the public. The general public attitude towards politics is dismissive and negative, which makes sense when the entire process seems exclusionary. I realized how big of a problem voter apathy and the lack of political action is. This is especially true among youth who cannot vote yet or do not care to do so. The level of political action at the local level is also scaringly low because many people think that these elections do not matter. I now aspire to work on a voting campaign to encourage people to care and get involved with politics. Politics have been a world of intellectual gain and aspiration for me, and I want everyone to understand that they do matter. These weekly meetings led to our end-of-session visit to the revered State Capitol building itself. However, no matter how much mock legislating we did compared to the real experience. We got to sit in on the Senate votes early in the morning, seeing the different sessions which varied in importance and priority. The first round of voting was incredibly serious, then the next was lessened, and by the final round, I saw Senators reading the paper while voting, eating a burrito while discussing with colleagues, or entirely absent from their desks. I realized that maybe American history and politics weren't so disconnected from the people themselves. It may seem so, but upon later meeting with some Senators and Representatives, I realized that these were all everyday people who got into politics for a variety of reasons. I want this motivation for issues to become more widespread in a country where it has been abandoned. This opportunity provided me with a plethora of knowledge on current Colorado politics, as well as how to understand the incredibly complex language within these bills, which is a very important skill. Knowing how to interpret these bills, their contents, and their political motivations is something I see as crucial to my future in law. I want to study American History and constitutional or immigration law, so I can help other people with my resources. I want to use my career to help people, specifically people who do not have access to legal assistance.

Educationally, I want to get a bachelor’s degree in political science before going to law school to get a Juris Doctor. During the winter of my junior year, my AP Government teacher selected me to participate in our district student senate. We would meet weekly to discuss contemporary Colorado legislation and imitate the Colorado legislative process. Through discussing the motivations for the creation of the bills, I began to connect philosophy and sociology to the law. This landed me on my current major choice for my undergraduate degree before going into law school, a double major in political science and philosophy. I also realized that I want to specialize in constitutional law because of the conjunction it serves between legislative politics and legal work. I want to study constitutional or immigration law, so I can help other people with my resources. I have always been fascinated by the legal system and the way that it works to protect the rights of individuals and ensure justice. Lawyers have the ability to advocate for those who might not otherwise have a voice, and to work towards a more fair and just society. I want to be a part of that, and to use my skills and knowledge to make a difference in the lives of others. Specifically by helping people who have been disadvantaged by the justice system or who do not have access to legal assistance. I have played various sports throughout my childhood, and they have been one of my greatest sources of happiness. As a result of seeing people who lack these opportunities due to money or resources, I strive to live a life of service to others. I try to give back to my fellow athletes in whatever way possible, and there are a multitude of ways to do so. At some point, I hope to work with women and underrepresented communities within the world of sports. The work I have started to do is nowhere close to finished because there are still a plethora of instances of inequality within tennis. When I play the sport for my final time this spring, I will likely have teammates facing borders and obstacles. Service has been an essential part of my life for as long as I can remember. There is true kindness in giving to others. As Luke 6:31 instructs, “do to others as you would have them do to you.” In kindergarten, it is taught that this is the golden rule that we should follow. However, I believe and want to show that charity is a cardinal duty of being human. Helping others has been my past and present, and I am determined to make it part of my future. Tennis is not an easily approached sport, given the rudimentary $100 cost of acquiring a racket. In addition, teams and tournaments often have fees to join that can quickly add up. Prospective players must have access to an open court to play, which is rare in cities and seldom free of cost. Tennis is not abundant in money, attention, and resources outside of the professional sphere, so it is difficult to help those who cannot afford to play. At some point in my life, I also want to create a nonprofit that funds girls’ sports programs to address disproportionate participation and unequal treatment. As someone who has played sports her entire life, I understand how important the community these opportunities create is and I have also seen how they are not supported by schools, districts, and legislative bodies.

I want to study constitutional or immigration law, so I can help other people with my resources. I have always been fascinated by the legal system and the way that it works to protect the rights of individuals and ensure justice. Lawyers can advocate for those who might not otherwise have a voice and to work towards a more fair and just society. I want to be a part of that and use my skills and knowledge to make a difference in the lives of others. Specifically by helping people who have been disadvantaged by the justice system or who do not have access to legal assistance. I have played various sports throughout my childhood and they have been one of my greatest sources of happiness. As a result of seeing people who lack these opportunities due to money or resources, I strive to live a life of service to others. I try to give back to my fellow athletes in whatever way possible and there are a multitude of ways to do so. At some point, I hope to work with women and underrepresented communities within the world of sports. The work I have started to do is nowhere close to finished because there are still a plethora of instances of inequality within tennis. When I play the sport for my final time this spring, I will likely have teammates facing borders and obstacles. Service has been an essential part of my life for as long as I can remember. Fortunately, I have not suffered in times of need. Hence, it compels me to help those less fortunate than myself. There is true kindness in giving to others. As Luke 6:31 instructs, “do to others as you would have them do to you.” In kindergarten, it is taught that this is the golden rule that we should follow. However, I believe and want to show that charity is a cardinal duty of being human. Helping others has been my past and present, and I am determined to make it part of my future At some point in my life, I want to create a nonprofit that funds girls’ sports programs to address disproportionate participation and unequal treatment. As someone who has played sports her entire life, I understand how important the community these opportunities create is and I have also seen how they are not supported by schools, districts, and legislative bodies.

I want to study constitutional or immigration law, so I can help other people with my resources. I have always been fascinated by the legal system and the way that it works to protect the rights of individuals and ensure justice. Lawyers have the ability to advocate for those who might not otherwise have a voice, and to work towards a more fair and just society. I want to be a part of that, and to use my skills and knowledge to make a difference in the lives of others. Specifically by helping people who have been disadvantaged by the justice system or who do not have access to legal assistance. I want to become a constitutional law attorney who will focus on helping others fight injustice and assisting those that are underserved in our communities. At some point in my life, I also want to create a nonprofit that funds girls’ sports programs to address disproportionate participation and unequal treatment. As someone who has played sports her entire life, I understand how important the community these opportunities create is and I have also seen how they are not supported by schools, districts, and legislative bodies. I plan to achieve my goals through discipline and determination, which is my way of tackling all of my challenges. In my sport, I maintain a good schedule and practice routine. I accept and welcome feedback because I understand it promotes growth. In school, I have an online and paper planner to keep track of all my upcoming assignments. For my tests and final exams, I prepare in advance and study in a way that works with how I learn. I ensure I have a comprehensive understanding of the curriculum covered. In my service and jobs, I promote selflessness and cooperation, which I want to continue throughout my life. I believe no force alone is as strong as people working together. I am incredibly passionate about my dreams and pursuing them, motivated mainly by a strong core value of helping others in any way that I can A challenge I have faced is my love for the game of tennis. Tennis is not an easily approached sport, given the rudimentary $100 cost of acquiring a racket. In addition, teams and tournaments often have fees to join that can quickly add up. Prospective players must have access to an open court to play, which is rare in cities and seldom free of cost. Tennis is not abundant in money, attention, and resources outside of the professional sphere, so it is difficult to help those who cannot afford to play. Based on my own experience, tennis is the sport at my school that receives the least care from our athletic department. Last spring, we earned the best record of any spring sport, yet we still had our administrators complaining about having to support us. This inequality is made worse by the fact I play on a girls' team because these sports are disproportionately excluded from resource allocation and attention. Over my five years with this sport, I have witnessed some of its greatest heartbreaks. Teammates of mine have played with broken and cheap rackets, used beat-up sneakers instead of proper tennis shoes, and had incorrect gear. I watched my teammates have to put themselves at greater risk of injury or give up the sport entirely as they were unable to afford it. I believe that the money from this scholarship will make it easier for my family to assist me in achieving my dreams.

I began my life of service through school organizations and volunteer opportunities in middle school. Currently, I participate in four main forms of leadership and service, which are: Key Club, Sources of Strength, Youth Sustainability Board, and Student Senate. I joined Key Club this year and it has made a positive difference in my school and community through a multitude of projects and campaigns. I also joined Sources of Strength, a mental health-centered program, this year after being nominated to participate. Sources of Strength is a program at my high school that works to support the mental and physical well-being of students. I am a member of my district’s Student Senate after school. Student Senate is a student organization that meets bi-weekly to focus on contemporary Colorado state legislation. This is one of my favorite extracurriculars because it is so interesting to me. Last year, we met to discuss and debate bills that were currently in the legislative process. This opportunity provided me with a plethora of knowledge on current Colorado politics, as well as how to understand the incredibly complex language within these bills, which is a very important skill. Knowing how to interpret these bills, their contents, and their political motivations is something I see as crucial to my future in law. Outside of school, I am the co-president of a local Colorado environmental nonprofit: Youth Sustainability Board. It is a student-created and student-led organization focused on sustainability and good environmental treatment on an individual level. As co-president of this Board, I work with our committees to manage finances, social media presence, and student recruitment. My service has made a positive impact on schools across the Front Range and my community by encouraging youth care for the environment and early participation in sustainability. Educationally, I want to get a bachelor’s degree in political science before going to law school to get a Juris Doctor. I love to learn and I have been drawn to learning forever. I am certain my never-vanquished desire for learning will propel me well in the future. Since my early childhood, I have found enjoyment in reading and writing. By reading books and writing a few of my own, I realized that I best express myself through my words. I enjoy learning and problem-solving, and I know that the legal profession requires constant study and critical thinking. I am confident that I have the drive and determination to succeed in law school and to excel in my career as a lawyer. I want to study constitutional or immigration law, so I can help other people with my resources. I have always been fascinated by the legal system and the way that it works to protect the rights of individuals and ensure justice. Lawyers have the ability to advocate for those who might not otherwise have a voice, and to work towards a more fair and just society. I want to be a part of that, and to use my skills and knowledge to make a difference in the lives of others. Specifically by helping people who have been disadvantaged by the justice system or who do not have access to legal assistance. At some point in my life, I also want to create a nonprofit that funds girls’ sports programs to address disproportionate participation and unequal treatment. As someone who has played sports her entire life, I understand how important the community these opportunities create is and I have also seen how they are not supported by schools, districts, and legislative bodies

“At one point, you will reach a wall. This is inevitable, and when this happens, you must make the decision to overcome it or let the wall stop you.” Those were the words of my seventh-grade math teacher when talking about the advanced math path that my fellow peers and I were embarking on. Little did I know, I would reach this challenge only three short years later. My wall was calculus, a class I decided to take my sophomore year that most people only reach in their final year of high school. For whatever reason, the math did not work with my brain. I felt incredibly lost. I was continuously making up ground but never actually catching up. Unlike the math classes I was used to, calculus was a subject that continually built upon itself, so this put me at even more of a disadvantage. After the first test of the semester, where I did the worst I’d ever done, I decided to reach out to my teacher for help. He offered test corrections where we could earn points back on our tests, which was a helpful start. However, for the test corrections, he only gave us the answers. Due to my lack of understanding of the mathematical process, just having the answer didn't help me. As I worked on my notes and assignments, I concentrated on parts I didn't understand. I focused on the formulas and processes to ensure I fully grasped how they functioned. For some reason, I need to understand how formulas work before I can use them; merely memorizing the formulas alone would not suffice. Even though I had AP classes and exams to focus on, I think I dedicated most of my time during my spring semester to calculus. I was determined to not allow this one subject to become my wall; I knew it in myself that I could overcome it. And I did. Following spring break, I improved considerably on my test scores, homework assignments, and understanding of calculus. I managed to get an A on my final for that class, which I was incredibly proud of. I conquered the subject that I never thought I could comprehend. This was a considerable change from the beginning of the semester, where I felt lost, clueless, and defeated. I learned a lot from this challenge and it taught me so much for my future struggles. I realized that not everything will come easy and that is okay. Every failure or setback is the optimal opportunity for learning. I was used to understanding math very well and being advanced in that subject, but I learned that being gifted falls short of hard work and effort. I also learned that for certain things, I may need more help or more time to fully grasp a concept. Sometimes in order to do this, you need to dedicate more attention to specific areas and arrange your priorities. You may have to evaluate and search for where you are failing to eventually improve. It feels counterintuitive to look at your losses when trying to succeed, but that is exactly where the key to it is. From this one challenge, I learned the power of self-reflection, not solely in school but in life in general. Ultimately, challenges or “walls” are inevitable in life and will continue to occur. It’s something you must be prepared to face. You also must have faith in your abilities and yourself because that is the only way you will win.

Educationally, I want to get a bachelor’s degree in political science before going to law school to get a Juris Doctor. I love to learn and I have been drawn to learning forever. I am certain my never-vanquished desire for learning will propel me well in the future. Since my early childhood, I have found enjoyment in reading and writing. By reading books and writing a few of my own, I realized that I best express myself through my words. I enjoy learning, problem-solving and I know that the legal profession requires constant study and critical thinking. I am confident that I have the drive and determination to succeed in law school and to excel in my career as a lawyer. Last year, I became a member of my school district’s Student Senate which is a student organization that meets bi-weekly to focus on contemporary Colorado state legislation. This is one of my favorite extracurriculars because it is so interesting to me. Last year, we met to discuss and debate bills that were currently in the legislative process. This opportunity provided me with a plethora of knowledge on current Colorado politics, as well as how to understand the incredibly complex language within these bills, which is a very important skill. Knowing how to interpret these bills, their contents, and their political motivations is something I see as crucial to my future in law. At the end of the program, we met with Colorado state legislators. Through this, I understood the current trend of political apathy because of communicative issues within the process. Although not currently applicable, I see this helping my future community and career. This desire to learn for the purpose of public service translated quite well over to political science and legal studies. I want to study constitutional or immigration law so I can help other people with my knowledge and resources. I have always been fascinated by the legal system and the way that it works to protect the rights of individuals and ensure justice. Lawyers have the ability to advocate for those who might not otherwise have a voice and to work towards a more fair and just society. I want to use my skills and knowledge to make a difference in the lives of others. Specifically by helping people who have been disadvantaged by the justice system or who do not have access to legal assistance. At some point in my life, I also want to create a nonprofit that funds girls’ sports programs to address disproportionate participation and unequal treatment. As someone who has played sports her entire life, I understand how important the community these opportunities create is and I have also seen how they are not supported by schools, districts, and legislative bodies. I plan to achieve my goals through discipline and determination, which is my way of tackling all of my challenges. In my service and jobs, I promote selflessness and cooperation, which I want to continue throughout my life. I believe no force alone is as strong as people working together. I am incredibly passionate about my dreams and pursuing them, motivated mainly by a strong core value of helping others in any way that I can.

For the past five years, tennis has been an integral part of my life. Played by multiple other relatives, tennis is a family sport which was my introduction to the tennis world of support and compassion, as well as how fortunate I am to have access to it. I must recognize my privilege in being able to play tennis. Tennis is not an easily approached sport, given the rudimentary $100 cost of acquiring a racket. In addition, teams and tournaments often have fees to join that can quickly add up. Prospective players must have access to an open court to play, which is rare in cities and seldom free of cost. Tennis is not abundant in money, attention, and resources outside of the professional sphere, so it is difficult to help those who cannot afford to play. Based on my own experience, tennis is the sport at my school that receives the least care from our athletic department. Last spring, we earned the best record of any spring sport, yet we still had our administrators complaining about having to support us. This inequality is made worse by the fact I play on a girls' team because these sports are disproportionately excluded from resource allocation and attention. Over my five years with this sport, I have witnessed some of its greatest heartbreaks. Teammates of mine have played with broken and cheap rackets, used beat-up sneakers instead of proper tennis shoes, and had incorrect gear. I watched my teammates have to put themselves at greater risk of injury or give up the sport entirely as they were unable to afford it. It has been my pleasure to teach many people how to play tennis or to improve their skills since my sophomore year, and it has been my privilege to provide coaching feedback to my teammates and fellow players for free. I joined the boys' team as a manager at the beginning of my junior year. In this role, I continued to give feedback and coaching to the players. I continued as a manager for the boys' team and led the team's social media during my senior year. I used social media as a method to recruit potential players and encourage participation. Higher team participation would lead to more funding and resources from the school and district, meaning that, hopefully, the inequality would lessen. The wealth gap in this sport is disheartening and unfortunate, but it is an issue I want to continue to work on whenever possible. As a result of seeing people who lack these opportunities due to money or resources, I strive to live a life of service to others. At some point, I hope to work with women and underrepresented communities within the world of sports. The work I have started to do is nowhere close to finished because there are still a plethora of instances of inequality within tennis. When I play the sport for my final time this spring, I will likely have teammates facing obstacles. Service has been an essential part of my life for as long as I can remember which compels me to help those less fortunate than myself. There is true kindness in giving to others. As Luke 6:31 instructs, “do to others as you would have them do to you.” In kindergarten, it is taught that this is the golden rule that we should follow. However, I believe and want to show that charity is a cardinal duty of being human. Helping others has been my past and present, and I am determined to make it part of my future.

This summer, I went to my first concert ever with my best friend. Both superfans of Scott Mescudi, who goes by the stage name Kid Cudi, a lot of our friendship has bonded over his music. So, when he announced he was going on tour and coming to Denver, it was certain we were going. The concert was one of the best experiences of my life; I love living it over and over again through my memories. At the end of the concert, he did an encore and performed my favorite song of his. A re-release on his debut 2008 mixtape, A Kid Named Cudi, he closed out the concert with “love.” Through all his music, Kid Cudi speaks to his struggles with mental health and substance abuse. But weaved into his lyrics are messages of hope and encouragement. In “love”, Kid Cudi writes a poem to the listener and their troubles. He promotes positivity in tough times, which I believe every person needs. Kid Cudi makes the battles one goes through real in this song, comparing the listener to the protagonist in a heroic tale. He repeats that in “all of the stories, the hero gets lonely.” A fundamental tenet to heroic stories is “the darkest hour” the hero endures. These struggles make the hero stronger and develop for the better, which can be applied to every person. As Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “we acquire the strength we overcome.” When we overcome adversity, we become a better person because of it. Hardships and struggles are a given in life, what is not given is how you approach them. In his song “love.”, Kid Cudi is promoting a positive, persevering attitude towards handling these problems, which makes it a song with the most important message.

I believe that college is an important step in furthering career goals. College is a time to learn new life skills and encounter people outside of your immediate community. Attending college allows a person to take chances and learn about ideas that haven't been explored in primary and secondary education. The cost of college is high but it enables a person to grow in ways they hadn't thought of before. I want to become a constitutional law attorney who will focus on helping others fight injustice and assisting those that are underserved in our communities. If I didn't attend college, I would have a harder time finding future employment opportunities to help others who need assistance to overcome their own personal adversities. I believe I should be awarded the scholarship because, over the past year, my family has been impacted by unexpected financial troubles. My dad was injured at work in Jan 2022 with a complete rotator cuff tear and ultimately resulting with shoulder surgery. He was unable to do his job for almost ten months which involved a lot of physical therapy, decreased job duties and a severe cut in his salary. I am hardworking, persevering and I will not give up or let hardship hinder my goals. I believe that money from this scholarship will make it easier for my family to assist me in achieving my dreams. I want to become a constitutional law attorney who will focus on helping others fight injustice and assisting those that are underserved in our communities. I know that law school will accrue a lot of debt on top of my undergraduate costs and that is one reason why I believe I should be awarded the scholarship — for my goals, for my future and for my dream of helping others who need assistance to overcome their own personal adversities. My father has been my biggest role model for my entire life. One of his many gifts to me was introducing me to the sport of tennis. I have enjoyed playing tennis my entire high school career and would like to continue it beyond. My father also became my coach and helped me through my struggles and hard times, both on and off the court. He helped me understand that losing is sometimes a reality of life and that I should look for the positive in each loss: what have I or what can I learn from the loss or defeat. My father has always been my light, a source of my motivation and one of my biggest supporters. I want to accomplish my dreams and show him that I am the daughter he raised me to be.