Promise me you'll keep reading once you hear the movie title. I mean, it's going to seem silly for a minute but stick with me. Pinky swear. Okay, the movie that has had the greatest impact on my life is...drumroll, please....The Emperor's New Groove. That's right. I've said it. Now let me explain. This is an incredible film despite the childishness, and there are three great lessons. First, you can be kind even when others aren't and life isn't. Second, once a jerk is not always a jerk. And finally, mentors matter so choose wisely. If you're not familiar with the story, Peruvian-esque Emperor Kuzco calls the peasant and llama-herder Pacha to the palace to ask about the view from Pacha's mountaintop. Why? He's planning to build another palace there, dislocating Pacha's family in the process. Kuzco is served by an evil and flamboyant advisor named Yzma and her large, handsome, and rather dull-witted associate Kronk. Kuzco intends to fire her and so she poisons him, turning him into a llama. Perfect setup for life-changing wisdom, isn't it? Pacha is in danger of losing his family home and tries to strongarm the now llama-ed Kuzco who is extremely egocentric, rude, and uncaring. But when Kuzco is lost, it is Pacha who helps him. With no promise of reward, Pacha serves this awful person. We live in an unfair world, sprinkled (if not full) of unkind people but we still have the choice to be kind. It is a lesson I'm still learning. Emperor Kuzco is an unlikely candidate for moral improvement. He is horrible throughout the entire film even though Pacha is so good and kind. It would be nice to say that he saw the error of his ways by the end of the film and had a complete change of heart. This would not be entirely true, but in the words of C.S. Lewis, "the cure had begun." He was grateful to Pacha. He did discover the value of a friend, and he found an even better place for his summer palace. It is easy for us to see a jerk and think that he is a jerk and will always be a jerk. However, if I am honest, I have been a jerk--to friends and to my parents, and definitely to my siblings, but the cure has begun for me, too. I would hate to be judged forever on who I was in 8th grade, wouldn't you? So, I have begun to give people room to have bad days, bad behavior and as an old friend says, "leave the period off their life" for a much, much later time. They might just grow out of it and become a better version of themselves. Kronk mindlessly follows Yzma, the flashy sorceress with incredibly creative ideas and cool fashion sense. Kronk helps poison Kuzco but he does have a conscience. He does wrong things and really wants to do the right thing. But Kronk is not a bad guy, he's just following the bad guy. It is easy to become the people you hang around, the people you idolize. To wholeheartedly follow a leader or a crowd, we better truly know who they are, what they are about, and where they're headed. We, too, have a conscience and we should listen. Mentoring relationships are important, but we have to choose wisely. If we are seeking life advice from the wrong source or sources, our reputation and even our life can be in danger. There you have it. The Emperor's New Groove. Words to live by.

Every allowance I was given growing up came with these words: Give God his share, spend it wisely, make it last. My grandparents on both sides struggled financially and so my parents grew up knowing there had to be a better way. Little by little and through lots of trial and error, my parents learned to manage money better than their parents. Still, I grew up in a house that was somewhat feast or famine. A fun vacation here and no-we-can’t-afford-that there. We always had a roof over our heads, food on the table, and an extra place set for a guest, but I began to realize that there’s got to be an even better “better way.” I am not a natural spender. I’m the kid who picked something up at the store but by the checkout line I’d decided I could do without it. I have my Christmas money from when I was seven. But saving and never enjoying life because of financial fear is not the way. When my high school offered a Financial Literacy class during my sophomore year, my parents encouraged my brother and me to take it. It was a curriculum from Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University. My eyes began to open to the practical measures anyone of any income level can do to manage their earnings in a way that is responsible, generous, and attentive to the future. I haven’t started much earning yet, but you can be sure that those principles did not fall on deaf ears. I learned the significance of budgeting, knowing where each dollar is designated for and sticking to the plan. I noticed the joy of planned giving, of knowing that I can make a positive difference with my generosity. I saw the importance of saving, an immediate and a larger emergency fund. I recognize the deception of debt and that is one of the main reasons my parents and I are aggressively pursuing scholarships like this–so I can graduate from college debt-free. I also learned (and have a lot to learn) about investing so that the financial lessons and legacy I leave my own future family will be rock solid. I will continue to utilize the advice my parents have given me and the lessons learned in that class. I will be a giver and continue to donate the first 10% of my income. I will continue to be a wise spender. I know that it is possible to admire things without giving in to the impulse to acquire them. I think part of the secret to being a wise spender is to live with intentional gratitude for the things I already have and the things I am given. Gratitude silences the beast of More. I will also stay a saver, making whatever income I receive last. My family teases me that I still have my Christmas money from a decade ago. That may be a bit of an exaggeration, but I understand the security of knowing that there is money set aside for an emergency or for some incredible experience waiting around the next bend. Applying for (and hopefully receiving) scholarships will prevent me from starting my adult life in debt. I have been as diligent as I know how to be in prioritizing my school work and applying for merit-based and random scholarships. I will be applying for work-study to offset any additional costs when college begins and I work a part-time job now. One thing that is exciting about going to college is that as I discover a career that will help me fulfill my purpose, I will also be learning to earn an income that will open new doors. In the future, I will be able to invest in ways that I haven't been able to just yet. I will be able to use my income to help provide for my family and be more generous with others. My parents are wonderful and I long for the day where I can help them as much as they have helped me. I have watched their humble means stretch and do more good than is possible on paper. I believe that my future income--however large or small--is a treasure to be managed to meet my needs and have enough left over to serve someone else. By working, saving, and giving, I can make the most of my income now and in my future.

I am passionate about people. I believe all people have innate worth and deserve to be loved and respected. I am passionate about learning and give my best in every pursuit, in and out of the classroom. I believe in living life at a walking pace, taking time to think and feel and be present in the moment--not racing to the next activity and the next item on the to-do list. I believe that God deserves my best and is honored when I give my best to the task at hand, to the person in front of me. I have a unique family--doesn't everyone? My parents love each other deeply and their love has provided the greenhouse where my motley crew of siblings has grown up. My oldest brother was a junior in high school when my parents took him in. He's now a dentist in San Antonio. That was a year before my only biological brother was born. He's apprenticing as an electrician. Two years later there was me, followed by two Korean exchange students who have been my sisters since I was one. We've hosted kids from El Salvador who've come to town to have eye surgery. I have a Chinese brother who spent his four high school years in our home and is now working on his Ph.D. I have a sister who spent five years at our house because it was a safer environment than her own home. She's s sophomore at Jarvis Christian College in Hawkins, playing volleyball and studying business. I feel very blessed to have seen love lived out in daily service to others. I am not sure what I want to do or be when I grow up--though I am asked that question multiple times a week. I have excelled in school and am excited to start college (and a little nervous, to be honest.) I am ready to begin to discover where all the amazing things I've learned so far fit into the puzzle of my future. I have great grades and a 29 on the ACT but more than that, I really love to learn. My interests are varied so it's hard when people ask me questions about careers because I want to answer, "I want to try it all!" I am starting as an education major because I love to learn and think that would be an amazing thing to do with my life--to help kids love to learn. I enjoy serving. I have worked with special needs students at our school since the elementary grades. I have interned for two semesters in the Foundations Program which serves students with autism and Down Syndrome. My Foundations friends are some of the most precious relationships I've made in high school. I serve my school as part of the Student Council. I serve with our youth at church and outreaches to our community. I know that I will continue to serve in college and as an adult because each of us has the power to improve someone's life every day in small ways. I believe that we live by our giving. I don't know if you are looking for someone who has their future figured out. I hope not because even though I have more questions than answers at this season of my life, I have answered the most important question. I know that people are what matter most. Making a difference is a decision we make every day with every person our life intersects. It is today's kindness that most positively impacts the world.

I grew up in a home where my parents spoke Spanish so my brother and I couldn't understand what they were saying. I attend a small private Christian school in Shreveport, Louisiana. My junior year of high school, though, the tables turned when I had Spanish I and Spanish II in none other than my mother's class. I didn't expect my mom to actually become my favorite teacher--I mean, who would? From the first day of school, though, I started to learn--not just the language, but the life. My mom teaches life. There were always extra people at our table from my earliest memories. Many of them were students who didn't quite fit in, were in a rough patch, or had been devastated by loss. I never thought about how those kids got there until last year. Watching my mom/Spanish teacher engage each student eye-to-eye day after day, I began to see. I always knew my mom loved her students, but to give 180 days so passionately, so compassionately to the best and brightest and the barely making it--it made me want to impact people like that. I am naturally more shy than my mom but love doesn't have to be loud, it just has to be visible. Also, learning Spanish was an academic challenge. She opened our eyes to countries and cultures we barely could find on a map. She demanded that by May we should be able to carry on three to five minute conversations with native-speakers. That final interview drove our learning. This was not just a textbook class and some worksheets; this was real. Everyday, my classmates and I were eager to grow and improve, and we did. Our school competes in an academic contest called Literary Rally and last year my friend John (who was in my class) won state. He had the highest score of anyone in Louisiana. I was proud of him and his teacher. This year, we don't have my mom's class, but my friends still stop by her room to say hello, to borrow the kickball, or to ask a question. I want to be like that. Last year, our family started a new adventure together. My parents began to help have kids' services at the horse racing track in a nearby town. There is a church on site for the workers who groom, exercise, and ride the thoroughbreds and quarter horses. Most of these workers are Hispanic and except for the kids, they mostly don't speak English. The opening half of the service is done with a translator and so every Friday night I got to hear Spanish spoken. I had the chance to watch my mom engage with people because she held the key--their language. I got to visit the ESL class where she helps adults improve their English. She became friends with people from Mexico, El Salvador, and Guatemala and I want to be like that. I have loved school my whole life and have had many wonderful teachers. Maybe it's cheating to pick my teacher-mom, but honestly, she is the one who's had the most impact on my life. Having her as a teacher strengthened our relationship more than anything else ever has because I got to see how great she is through the eyes of my classmates. I got to see her teach, love, give, and forgive every day. I got to see her passion for learning and language and it made me love it, too. It's one of the few classes I wished wouldn't have ended--and for high school, that's really something.

My parents tell this story about me. When I was three, we were going on a walk around our neighborhood, a walk we had made hundreds of times. That afternoon, I picked up a yellow leaf off the road and held it up. “Look, a golden leaf,” I exclaimed. “This is the best day ever!” That enthusiasm for life is what I’m passionate about because I nearly lost it, and now I want it back. I can’t really explain how I went from the golden leaf child to a lost one, but somehow in middle school, I disappeared. I was withdrawn, lonely, disconnected. I was in groups of people and smiled and laughed but wondered if anyone had any idea who I was. I pulled away from my parents. I was an excellent student, kind to others, all the while holding misery at bay. Nothing about my life was terrible but I couldn’t find the happy I had once been able to find in the simplest of things. My parents never stopped fighting for me, standing by me, believing in me. My sophomore year of high school, I began having some health issues. I was diagnosed with a small tumor on my pituitary gland. My parents told me after school on the day of our district championship game for soccer. The game ended 0-0 and went to penalty kicks. I was thankful when our coach chose five other people but then he leaned over to me and said, “If it goes over, you’re six.” That night, I scored the goal that put us ahead and the other team’s shot was blocked by our goalie. A diagnosis and a district championship on the same day. Life is like that, isn’t it? I was sent to Dr. Swift, a neurosurgeon at Dallas Children’s and after an extensive consultation, he assured me that this small tumor was not causing my issues and we’d see each other again in a year to double check. Last year, I got the same report. No surgery. A little miracle. This experience and dozens of other moments that let me see that life is beautiful even though it's scary sometimes. I have so much to be grateful for and I don’t want to waste time being me-focused. Every person I meet has a story full of tragedy and triumph and I have decided to be present and help them carry their load. I want to really know and celebrate people and see that each one of them is a golden leaf. I think I want to be a teacher. It’s too early to say I’m absolutely sure. But I know that kids need to know they are a treasure, even if they’ve fallen to the ground. I am finishing my senior year more determined than ever to use my life to serve others. When I help someone with an essay as a peer tutor or distribute food with my church, it’s more than checking a service hour box, it’s a chance to demonstrate to someone else that they are valuable, that someone sees them, cares about them. As Langston Hughes writes, “Life ain’t no crystal stair,” and I think we could all “amen” that. Rich or poor, healthy or sick, there are challenges and struggles, fair and unfair. But, knowing we don’t walk alone can make all the difference. Whatever I choose to do as I explore the possibilities in college, I know that I will keep moving forward and keep reaching out.

I am passionate about people. I believe all people have innate worth and deserve to be loved and respected. I am passionate about learning and give my best in every pursuit, in and out of the classroom. I believe in living life at a walking pace, taking time to think and feel and be present in the moment--not racing to the next activity and the next item on the to-do list. I believe that God deserves my best and is honored when I give my best to the task at hand, to the person in front of me. I have a unique family--doesn't everyone? My parents love each other deeply and their love has provided the greenhouse where my motley crew of siblings has grown up. My oldest brother was a junior in high school when my parents took him in. He's now a dentist in San Antonio. That was a year before my only biological brother was born. He's apprenticing as an electrician. Two years later there was me, followed by two Korean exchange students who have been my sisters since I was one. We've hosted kids from El Salvador who've come to town to have eye surgery. I have a Chinese brother who spent his four high school years in our home and is now working on his Ph.D. I have a sister who spent five years at our house because it was a safer environment than her own home. She's s sophomore at Jarvis Christian College in Hawkins, playing volleyball and studying business. I feel very blessed to have seen love lived out in daily service to others. I am not sure what I want to do or be when I grow up--though I am asked that question multiple times a week. I have excelled in school and am excited to start college (and a little nervous, to be honest.) I am ready to begin to discover where all the amazing things I've learned so far fit into the puzzle of my future. I have great grades and a 29 on the ACT but more than that, I really love to learn. My interests are varied so it's hard when people ask me questions about careers because I want to answer, "I want to try it all!" I am starting as an education major because I love to learn and think that would be an amazing thing to do with my life--to help kids love to learn. I enjoy serving. I have worked with special needs students at our school since the elementary grades. I have interned for two semesters in the Foundations Program which serves students with autism and Down Syndrome. My Foundations friends are some of the most precious relationships I've made in high school. I serve my school as part of the Student Council. I serve with our youth at church and outreaches to our community. I know that I will continue to serve in college and as an adult because each of us has the power to improve someone's life every day in small ways. I believe that we live by our giving. I don't know if you are looking for someone who has their future figured out. I hope not because even though I have more questions than answers at this season of my life, I have answered the most important question. I know that people are what matter most. Making a difference is a decision we make every day with every person our life intersects. It is today's kindness that most positively impacts the world.

I am passionate about people. I believe all people have innate worth and deserve to be loved and respected. I am passionate about learning and give my best in every pursuit, in and out of the classroom. I believe in living life at a walking pace, taking time to think and feel and be present in the moment--not racing to the next activity and the next item on the to-do list. I believe that God deserves my best and is honored when I give my best to the task at hand, to the person in front of me. I have a unique family--doesn't everyone? My parents love each other deeply and their love has provided the greenhouse where my motley crew of siblings has grown up. My oldest brother was a junior in high school when my parents took him in. He's now a dentist in San Antonio. That was a year before my only biological brother was born. He's apprenticing as an electrician. Two years later there was me, followed by two Korean exchange students who have been my sisters since I was one. We've hosted kids from El Salvador who've come to town to have eye surgery. I have a Chinese brother who spent his four high school years in our home and is now working on his Ph.D. in computer science. I have a sister who spent five years at our house because it was a safer environment than her own home. She's s sophomore at Jarvis Christian College in Hawkins, playing volleyball and studying business. I have loving grandparents and an extended family that is smart and fun. I feel very blessed. I am not sure what I want to do or be when I grow up--though I am asked that question multiple times a week. I have excelled in school and am excited to start college (and a little nervous, to be honest.) I am ready to begin to discover where all the amazing things I've learned so far fit into the puzzle of my future. I have great grades and a 29 on the ACT but more than that, I really love to learn. My interests are varied so it's hard when people ask me questions about careers because I want to answer, "I want to try it all!" I am starting as an education major because I love to learn and think that would be an amazing thing to do with my life--to help kids love to learn. I enjoy serving. I have worked with special needs students at our school since the elementary grades. I have interned for two semesters in the Foundations Program which serves students with autism and Down Syndrome. My Foundations friends are some of the most precious relationships I've made in high school. I serve my school as part of the Student Council. I serve with our youth at church and outreaches to our community. I know that I will continue to serve in college and as an adult because each of us has the power to improve someone's life every day in small ways. I believe that we live by our giving. I don't know if you are looking for someone who has their future figured out. I hope not because even though I have more questions than answers at this season of my life, I have answered the most important question. I know that people are what matter most. Making a difference is a decision we make every day with every person our life intersects. It is today's kindness that most positively impacts the world.

Every allowance I was given growing up came with these words: Give God his share, spend it wisely, make it last. My grandparents on both sides struggled financially and so my parents grew up knowing there had to be a better way. Little by little and through lots of trial and error, my parents learned to manage money better than their parents. Still, I grew up in a house that was somewhat feast or famine. A fun vacation here and no-we-can’t-afford-that there. We always had a roof over our heads, food on the table, and an extra place set for a guest, but I began to realize that there’s got to be an even better “better way.” I am not a natural spender. I’m the kid who picked something up at the store but by the checkout line I’d decided I could do without it. I have my Christmas money from when I was seven. But saving and never enjoying life because of financial fear is not the way. When my high school offered a Financial Literacy class my sophomore year, my parents encouraged my brother and me to take it. It was a curriculum from Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University. My eyes began to open to the practical measures anyone of any income level can do to manage their earnings in a way that is responsible, generous, and attentive to the future. I haven’t started much earning yet, but you can be sure that those principles did not fall on deaf ears. I learned the significance of budgeting, knowing where each dollar is designated for and sticking to the plan. I noticed the joy of planned giving, of knowing that I can make a positive difference with my generosity. I saw the importance of saving, an immediate and a larger emergency fund. I recognize the deception of debt and that is one of the main reasons my parents and I are aggressively pursuing scholarships like this–so I can graduate from college debt-free. I also learned (and have a lot to learn) about investing so that the financial lessons and legacy I leave my own future family will be rock solid. My parents are wonderful and I long for the day where I can help them as much as they have helped me. I have watched their humble means stretch and do more good than is possible on paper. I believe that my future income--however large or small--is a treasure to be managed to meet my needs and have enough left over to serve someone else. By working, saving, and giving, I can make the most of my income now and in my future.

Every allowance I was given growing up came with these words: Give God his share, spend it wisely, make it last. My grandparents on both sides struggled financially and so my parents grew up knowing there had to be a better way. Little by little and through lots of trial and error, my parents learned to manage money better than their parents. Still, I grew up in a house that was somewhat feast or famine. A fun vacation here and no-we-can’t-afford-that there. We always had a roof over our heads, food on the table, and an extra place set for a guest, but I began to realize that there’s got to be an even better “better way.” I am not a natural spender. I’m the kid who picked something up at the store but by the checkout line I’d decided I could do without it. I have my Christmas money from when I was seven. But saving and never enjoying life because of financial fear is not the way. When my high school offered a Financial Literacy class my sophomore year, my parents encouraged my brother and me to take it. It was a curriculum from Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University. My eyes began to open to the practical measures anyone of any income level can do to manage their earnings in a way that is responsible, generous, and attentive to the future. It is possible to break generational curses of poverty and manage resources in a way that provide for today and prepare for tomorrow. Over time, generational wealth can propel not just my family's future, but positively impact a community. I haven’t started much earning yet, but you can be sure that those principles did not fall on deaf ears. In that semester, I learned the significance of budgeting, knowing where each dollar is designated for and sticking to the plan. I noticed the joy of planned giving, of knowing that I can make a difference with my generosity. I saw the importance of saving, an immediate and a larger emergency fund. I recognize the deception of debt and that is one of the main reasons my parents and I are aggressively pursuing scholarships like this–so I can graduate from college debt-free. I also learned (and have a lot to learn) about investing so that the financial lessons and legacy I leave my own future family will be rock solid. My parents are wonderful and I long for the day where I can help them as much as they have helped me. I have watched their humble means stretch and do more good than is possible on paper. I believe that my future income--however large or small--is a treasure to be managed to meet my needs and have enough left over to serve someone else. By working, saving, and giving, I can make the most of my income now and in my future. I can make sure that the resources that I leave for my children and grandchildren is one of stability and generosity--not wealth to entitle, but wealth to empower.

My parents tell this story about me. When I was three, we were going on a walk around our neighborhood, a walk we had made hundreds of times. That afternoon, I picked up a yellow leaf off the road and held it up. “Look, a golden leaf,” I exclaimed. “This is the best day ever!” That enthusiasm for life is what I’m passionate about because I nearly lost it, and now I want it back. I can’t really explain how I went from the golden leaf child to a lost one, but somehow in middle school, I disappeared. I was withdrawn, lonely, disconnected. I was in groups of people and smiled and laughed but wondered if anyone had any idea who I was. I pulled away from my parents. I was an excellent student, kind to others, all the while holding misery at bay. Nothing about my life was terrible but I couldn’t find the happy I had once been able to find in the simplest of things. My parents never stopped fighting for me, standing by me, believing in me. My sophomore year of high school, I began having some health issues. I was diagnosed with a small tumor on my pituitary gland. My parents told me after school on the day of our district championship game for soccer. The game ended 0-0 and went to penalty kicks. I was thankful when our coach chose five other people but then he leaned over to me and said, “If it goes over, you’re six.” That night, I scored the goal that put us ahead and the other team’s shot was blocked by our goalie. A diagnosis and a district championship on the same day. Life is like that, isn’t it? I was sent to Dr. Swift, a neurosurgeon at Dallas Children’s and after an extensive consultation, he assured me that this small tumor was not causing my issues and we’d see each other again in a year to double check. Last year, I got the same report. No surgery. A little miracle. This experience and dozens of other moments that let me see that life is beautiful even though it's scary sometimes. I have so much to be grateful for and I don’t want to waste time being me-focused. Every person I meet has a story full of tragedy and triumph and I have decided to be present and help them carry their load. I want to really know and celebrate people and see that each one of them is a golden leaf. I think I want to be a teacher. It’s too early to say I’m absolutely sure. But I know that kids need to know they are a treasure, even if they’ve fallen to the ground. I am finishing my senior year more determined than ever to use my life to serve others. When I help someone with an essay as a peer tutor or distribute food with my church, it’s more than checking a service hour box, it’s a chance to demonstrate to someone else that they are valuable, that someone sees them, cares about them. As Langston Hughes writes, “Life ain’t no crystal stair,” and I think we could all “amen” that. Rich or poor, healthy or sick, there are challenges and struggles, fair and unfair. But, knowing we don’t walk alone can make all the difference. Whatever I choose to do as I explore the possibilities in college, I know that I will keep moving forward and keep reaching out.

Every allowance I was given growing up came with these words: Give God his share, spend it wisely, make it last. My grandparents on both sides struggled financially and so my parents grew up knowing there had to be a better way. Little by little and through lots of trial and error, my parents learned to manage money better than their parents. Still, I grew up in a house that was somewhat feast or famine. A fun vacation here and no-we-can’t-afford-that there. We always had a roof over our heads, food on the table, and an extra place set for a guest, but I began to realize that there’s got to be an even better “better way.” I am not a natural spender. I’m the kid who picked something up at the store but by the checkout line I’d decided I could do without it. I have my Christmas money from when I was seven. But saving and never enjoying life because of financial fear is not the way. When my high school offered a Financial Literacy class my sophomore year, my parents encouraged my brother and me to take it. It was a curriculum from Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University. My eyes began to open to the practical measures anyone of any income level can do to manage their earnings in a way that is responsible, generous, and attentive to the future. I haven’t started much earning yet, but you can be sure that those principles did not fall on deaf ears. I learned the significance of budgeting, knowing where each dollar is designated for and sticking to the plan. I noticed the joy of planned giving, of knowing that I can make a positive difference with my generosity. I saw the importance of saving, an immediate and a larger emergency fund. I recognize the deception of debt and that is one of the main reasons my parents and I are aggressively pursuing scholarships like this–so I can graduate from college debt-free. I also learned (and have a lot to learn) about investing so that the financial lessons and legacy I leave my own future family will be rock solid. My parents are wonderful and I long for the day where I can help them as much as they have helped me. I have watched their humble means stretch and do more good than is possible on paper. I believe that my future income--however large or small--is a treasure to be managed to meet my needs and have enough left over to serve someone else. I will need to keep learning about wise financial planning as I go through college and begin a career, but I already know that by working, saving, and giving, I can make the most of my income now and in my future.

Everyday, I come home to the wagging tail of Molly Brown, a mixed breed mutt we got nine years ago. She was a rescue. Everyday, she rescues us from the weight of stuff that piles up at school or work. She pretends to be a diligent guard dog, but it's just for show. With the exception of the UPS driver, I think she would lovingly let anyone into our home. New people are a delight to her. Molly Brown is really my mother's dog. She loves all of us, but mom is her favorite. Mom says, "I'm a better person with a dog," and I'm starting to see what she means. It sounds a little silly to talk about what you've learned from your dog, but here it goes. First, a little wag goes a long way. It's hard to stay grumpy or discouraged with Molly wagging right there. I'm a pretty quiet person and for many years hesitated to engage first with people. I waited to be talked to or called on. But, over the last couple of years, I've realized that a smile, a cheerful greeting, a sincere "How are you?" can change someone's mood or even change a stranger into a friend. Molly Brown thinks we're great and she's so glad to see us. What if we all shared that sentiment with the people we encounter every day? Second, persistence wins the day. I sometimes wish we were stronger than our dog. She can be such a rascal. When we have company, for example, she loves to interrupt serious conversations and quiet moments. At first, she just inserts herself. Then she whines. (She's after a T-R-E-A-T, you're not allowed to say that word in our house). You can tell her, "No" as much as you want, or even put her outside, but she's not giving up. If she's inside, she finds something she's not supposed to have, like a Lego guy or a pencil and brings it nearby, but just out of reach and begins to chew it up. She's too fast to catch so what can you do? I don't know what the dog-whisperer would say, but we trade her a you-know-what for the contraband. I know she's kind of a bad example, but really, each of us is an unstoppable force if we just refuse to give up. I can't say that I'm there yet, but I am learning. Finally, lean into correction. There was a season of my life when I was very closed-off to my parents and my teachers. I can't even explain why, but I didn't want to hear what they had to say. I resisted being told what to do or what was wrong or how I should've done something. Well, Molly Brown, who is almost completely sweet and obedient, can be a bit mischievous. If my dad scolds her, she sinks into the floor, devastated and ashamed. But, the moment he sits down, Molly Brown goes straight to him, eager to reconnect, ready to be restored. It's a great lesson for me. I want to learn and grow so probably there's a lot more correction ahead. The people teaching (and maybe scolding) are pushing me in a right direction. While other people may choose to growl and snap and walk away, I am learning to lean in to the lesson--even the hard ones. So, someday I will be searching for my own puppy, maybe a Dalmatian--Mom's definitely not giving up Molly Brown. I look forward to being a dog lover and life learner for always.

So many things in life are beyond our control--the family you're born into, what other people say or do, if your friend moves away, the weather. The list could go on and on. I think that for too many years I let the uncontrollables control how I felt and thought. Recently, I am seeing that there is power and freedom in focusing on the things I can control--that includes how I eat, exercise, and sleep. It also includes how I choose to think, speak, and act. First, as a little kid, you just go with the flow of your family, school, friends. You eat what's in your lunchbox or in the cafeteria, without much thought. As middle school was wrapping up (not the best season of my life on any level), I began to notice that what I ate affected how I felt. I began to want a healthier lifestyle than my parents' food choices. Little by little, I started to make my own breakfast every morning and incorporating things like yogurt and fruit. Now, don't get me wrong, I enjoy bacon and eggs and waffles when we have company or are staying at a hotel, but on a day to day basis, I feel better when I eat right. I began packing my own lunch and at every meal, taking time to consider what's best for me. Secondly, I have realized how important exercise is to my physical and mental well-being. I grew up playing soccer so I never really thought about much about exercise. My junior year, though, when I gave up soccer to have more time to focus on my studies, I knew I needed to be more intentional about being active. I take walks with my family but the main thing I began to do is workout at home with Sydney Cummings videos on YouTube. I mix it up between cardio, deep stretches, and strength training. Sometimes it's hard to make myself get started, but it feels so great once I've finished. I'm proud of myself for taking good care of me. Thirdly, I have really recognized the importance of getting good sleep. I know the research is all there about how significant sleep is and how much teenagers need sleep (and are often missing out on it for a variety of reasons). When you're younger, "bedtime" is a dreadful word. Once you're older, it's easy to feel that now that you're the boss, you're just going to stay up late because you can. However, I can feel the difference between well-rested and worn-out. I prefer well-rested. I feel better, think better, work harder. Knowing this helps me prioritize my school work and accomplish things bit by bit rather than pulling the "all-nighter" to study or finish a paper. I know that much of my consistent success in high school has been how I choose to take care of myself. Finally, true health is not just physical. It's mental. How I think affects how I feel. How I feel affects what I do and how I treat other people. Everyone experiences stress because, frankly, life is hard. Bad things happen. We make mistakes. Other people can be awful (and wonderful). I think that the revelation that I can take control of what I think has been the biggest change in my healthy lifestyle. I can compliment someone without worrying how it sounds. I can apologize when I've made a mistake. I can believe the best about myself and my future. Healthy is a choice. It's a choice I've begun to make and will continue to make.

So many things in life are beyond our control--the family you're born into, what other people say or do, if your friend moves away, the weather. The list could go on and on. I think that for too many years I let the uncontrollables control how I felt and thought. Recently, I am seeing that there is power and freedom in focusing on the things I can control--that includes how I eat, exersice, and sleep. It also includes how I choose to think, speak, and act. First, as a little kid, you just go with the flow of your family, school, friends. You eat what's in your lunchbox or in the cafeteria, without much thought. As middle school was wrapping up (not the best season of my life on any level), I began to notice that what I ate affected how I felt. I began to want a healthier lifestyle than my parents' food choices. Little by little, I started to make my own breakfast every morning and incorporating things like yogurt and fruit. Now, don't get me wrong, I enjoy bacon and eggs and waffles when we have company or are staying at a hotel, but on a day to day basis, I feel better when I eat right. I began packing my own lunch and at every meal, taking time to consider what's best for me. Secondly, I have realized how important exercise is to my physical and mental well-being. I grew up playing soccer so I never really thought about much about exercise. My junior year, though, when I gave up soccer to have more time to focus on my studies, I knew I needed to be more intentional about being active. I take walks with my family but the main thing I began to do is workout at home with Sydney Cummings videos on YouTube. I mix it up between cardio, deep stretches, and strength training. Sometimes it's hard to make myself get started, but it feels so great once I've finished. I'm proud of myself for taking good care of me. Thirdly, I have really recognized the importance of getting good sleep. I know the research is all there about how significant sleep is and how much teenagers need sleep (and are often missing out on it for a variety of reasons). When you're younger, "bedtime" is a dreadful word. Once you're older, it's easy to feel that now that you're the boss, you're just going to stay up late because you can. However, I can feel the difference between well-rested and worn-out. I prefer well-rested. I feel better, think better, work harder. Knowing this helps me prioritize my school work and accomplish things bit by bit rather than pulling the "all-nighter" to study or finish a paper. I know that much of my consistent success in high school has been how I choose to take care of myself. Finally, true health is not just physical. It's mental. How I think affects how I feel. How I feel affects what I do and how I treat other people. Everyone experiences stress because, frankly, life is hard. Bad things happen. We make mistakes. Other people can be awful (and wonderful). I think that the revelation that I can take control of what I think has been the biggest change in my healthy lifestyle. I can compliment someone without worrying how it sounds. I can apologize when I've made a mistake. I can believe the best about myself and my future. Healthy is a choice. It's a choice I've begun to make and will continue to make.

Do you know the feeling of waiting anxiously for the next book in your favorite series to be published? That is what it feels like to be awaiting this next chapter in my life. It's been a great story so far, some ups and downs of course, but I'm ready to see what comes next. We all just get this one life and this one body to live it in. I really believe that what we do with each of our minutes matters, and that includes choosing a healthy lifestyle. There are so many ways that our small choices make big impacts in our lives--how we eat, how we sleep and pace our lives, how we interact with other people. I think clean living is one where a person is conscious and considerate of making best choices, being quick to recognize when we've drifted off-track and quick to readjust or ask for help, and then beginning again to do what we know is right. First, what I eat affects how I feel and so nutritional choices matter to me, though I do not want to be controlled by food--healthy or otherwise. I like fruits and vegetables and though my parents roll their eyes a bit, eat my cereal with almond milk. I drink water and avoid sodas and junk foods. I eat a healthy breakfast everyday. I am not on a mission against anything but I know I feel better when I know I'm eating better. I live in a teenage world where pizza and burgers and fries abound. Anxiety and depression and insecurity and stress also abound. Although fast food is not to blame, my life is complicated enough without also feeling like I'm not taking good care of myself on top of term papers, college decisions, and who's going to ask me to the prom. Knowing that I'm taking good care of me helps me feel valuable--I'm worth taking care of. Secondly, everything I read emphasizes how important sleep is to a healthy life. So many kids are staying up so late, maybe studying, maybe playing videogames, maybe whatever. They come to school tired and walk around unprepared or overwhelmed. What could a few more hours of sleep do? Sleep is part of learning to live at a walking, sustainable pace. I enjoy exercising and running. Pushing my body feels good on a 30-minute workout, but I couldn't do an hour or two pushing that hard. But I could walk for hours and hours. From my vantage point, it looks like our society prides itself in running, being busy, racing from one thing to then next. I'd rather walk. Rest, taking time for family and friends, prioritizing the most important things, and saying "no" to the rat race--all these are factors to a healthy pace of life. Finally, I think that I have had to realize that I'm not perfect. I know that sounds so obvious, but sometimes we are the hardest on ourselves. We get off track and then, instead of quickly admitting it and readjusting, we feel bad and stay off track way too long. We're embarrassed so we don't even ask for help from the people who care about us and would help in a heartbeat. I am learning to just be honest about where I'm at and to pick up and start again. I want the confidence to be a real person, learning and growing, putting one foot in front of the other to build the best possible life. In doing that, I know I will make a positive difference in those around me.

I want to go to college and get a degree because education is key to being prepared for my future. I wish I could tell you that I know exactly what I want to be when I grow up--the never-ending question--but it's not true (yet). What I do know is that I love to learn and I know that by continuing my learning, I will discover the career path that fits my gifts and that makes a positive difference in the world. My parents were the first in their families to get college degrees and both now have their master's. Our home is one full of books and conversation about all kinds of things. They have encouraged me to give my best without pressuring me about grades. My mom and dad haven't said I have to go to college, but I know that I will go and pursue a degree, probably in science education to start. I love science and learning so I think that will be a good place to begin. I'm taking Anatomy this semester and I am completely flabbergasted by the intricacies and efficiencies of the human body. I was surprised how much I enjoyed Spanish class. I also have a dual enrollment English class where just yesterday I had to do an analysis of a Shakespearean sonnet (#138) that we had never discussed. Don't tell my friends, but I actually really enjoyed it. I have always liked school, but as my high school career is wrapping up, I find myself valuing the learning more and more. I know that graduation is really not an end, but a new beginning. I want to study to become someone who can serve people, someone who can solve problems, someone who will make a positive impact on those around me.

We all just get this one life and this one body to live it in. I really believe that what we do with each of our minutes matters, and that includes choosing a healthy lifestyle. There are so many ways that our small choices make big impacts in our lives--how we eat, how we sleep and pace our lives, how we interact with other people. I think the fuel we feed our body makes such a difference in how we feel which, in turn, makes a difference in how we see ourselves and others. First, what I eat affects how I feel and so nutritional choices matter to me, though I do not want to be controlled by food--healthy or otherwise. I like fruits and vegetables and though my parents roll their eyes a bit, eat my cereal with almond milk. I drink water and avoid sodas and junk foods. I eat a healthy breakfast everyday. I am not on a mission against anything but I know I feel better when I know I'm eating better. I live in a teenage world where pizza and burgers and fries abound. Anxiety and depression and insecurity and stress also abound. Although fast food is not to blame, my life is complicated enough without also feeling like I'm not taking good care of myself on top of term papers, college decisions, and who's going to ask me to the prom. Knowing that I'm taking good care of me helps me feel valuable--I'm worth taking care of. When I don't eat well, I can feel it. I'm frustrated with myself for not making better choices and that frustration sometimes spills out onto family or friends. I feel like I have less energy and I feel less motivated to tackle the hard work of life and school. Our bodies and our minds and our spirits are a team and when one is not well taken care of, it affects the others. It's often subtle and we're not making the connection. We think we're sad or anxious or insecure, but really we might just be running on bad fuel. I think anything, even good things, can be taken to the extreme. Exercise is great, but people can overdo it. It can become an obsession that diminishes the development of the mind and the development of healthy relationships with other people. We get too focused on the body. Nutrition can be like that as well. Eating healthy is a good thing, but taken to the extreme, it can become unhealthy. We can forget that life is meant to be enjoyed and a piece of black-tie cheesecake is a beautiful thing. If we are too focused on the calorie count, we can miss the conversation around the table. I have definitely been guilty of that, but I am learning to find my stride, to be my best self. In conclusion, I am a treasure, to myself and to my parents, grandparents, and friends. I will be a treasure to my future friends and family. Treasures deserve to be protected, to be polished, to be preserved so that they can last and be enjoyed and continue to provide delight. If I believe that about myself, my choices should reflect that. A big piece of that protection and polishing is eating right. I feel so much better about me when I'm taking good care of myself. It's not my parents' job anymore, it's mine.

We all just get this one life and this one body to live it in. I really believe that what we do with each of our minutes matters, and that includes choosing a healthy lifestyle. There are so many ways that our small choices make big impacts in our lives--how we eat, how we sleep and pace our lives, how we interact with other people. I think clean living is one where a person is conscious and considerate of making best choices, being quick to recognize when we've drifted off-track and quick to readjust or ask for help, and then beginning again to do what we know is right. First, what I eat affects how I feel and so nutritional choices matter to me, though I do not want to be controlled by food--healthy or otherwise. I like fruits and vegetables and though my parents roll their eyes a bit, eat my cereal with almond milk. I drink water and avoid sodas and junk foods. I eat a healthy breakfast everyday. I am not on a mission against anything but I know I feel better when I know I'm eating better. I live in a teenage world where pizza and burgers and fries abound. Anxiety and depression and insecurity and stress also abound. Although fast food is not to blame, my life is complicated enough without also feeling like I'm not taking good care of myself on top of term papers, college decisions, and who's going to ask me to the prom. Knowing that I'm taking good care of me helps me feel valuable--I'm worth taking care of. Secondly, everything I read emphasizes how important sleep is to a healthy life. So many kids are staying up so late, maybe studying, maybe playing videogames, maybe whatever and they come to school tired and walk around overwhelmed and unprepared. I often wonder what a few more hours of sleep a night might do. I very rarely do the late night finish--I try to work bit by bit--but when I do, I feel it and know I need to "catch up on my sleep," as my parents would say. Getting enough sleep is also part of learning to live at a walking pace, that is a sustainable pace. I enjoy exercising and running. Pushing my body feels good on a 30-minute workout, but I couldn't do an hour or two pushing that hard. But from my vantage point, it looks like our society prides itself in being busy, racing from one thing to then next, bragging about how they are barely making it. Getting good sleep, making time for family and friends, prioritizing the most important things, and saying "no" to the million other possibilities of what to do and where to go--all these are factors to a healthy pace of life. Finally, I think that we have to realize that we're not perfect. I know that sounds so obvious, but sometimes we are the hardest on ourselves. We get off track and then, instead of quickly admitting it and readjusting, we feel bad and stay off track way too long. We're embarrassed so we don't even ask for help from the people who care about us and would help in a heartbeat. Part of clean living is just being honest about where we're at and humble enough to pick up and start again. That's the kind of person I want to be...just a real person, learning and growing, putting one foot in front of the other to build the best possible life. In doing that, I will make a difference.

I want to go to college and get a degree because education is key to being prepared for my future. I wish I could tell you that I know exactly what I want to be when I grow up--the never-ending question--but it's not true (yet). What I do know is that love to learn and I know that by continuing my learning, I will discover the career path that fits my gifts and that makes a positive difference in the world. My parents were the first in their families to get college degrees and both now have their master's degrees. They have encouraged me to give my best in school without pressuring me to get certain grades. Our home is one full of books and conversation about all kinds of things--history, the news, science, poetry, etc. My mom and dad haven't pressured me to go to college, but I know that I will go and pursue a degree, probably in science education to start. I love science and learning so I think that will be a good place to begin. I am an excellent student with a variety of interests. I was surprised how much I enjoyed Spanish class, for instance, and learning about all the different countries where Spanish is spoken. It made me want to travel and become fluent. I mean, there's a whole world out there where a different language is the key to understanding culture and people. I'm taking Anatomy this semester and I am completely flabbergasted by the intricacies and efficiencies of the human body. Then, I also have a dual enrollment English class where just yesterday I had to do an analysis of a Shakespearean sonnet (#138) we had never read or discussed. Don't tell my friends, but I actually really enjoyed it. I couldn't believe that ideas jumped out at me and I did not struggle to find the words. I have always liked school, but as my high school career is wrapping up, I find myself valuing the learning more and more. I know that graduation is really not an end, but a new beginning. So, why am I pursuing a college degree? Because I know that there is a lot more to learn and our world needs people to keep growing, keep figuring things out, keep caring about making a difference. I want to study to become someone who can serve people, someone who can solve problems, someone who will make a positive impact on those around me. I know that there are many noble professions that do not require a college degree, but for me, I believe the path to my great is through university. NOTE: Thanks so much for offering the opportunity for financial help to students like me.

Why is learning important to me? I grew up in a family of learners. My dad is a creative genius, a reader, a tinkerer, a fixer. We joke that if you give him a weekend and some duct tape, he can do anything. My mom is a teacher and an artist. She's the person reading the tag on every artifact at the museum. I grew up in a family of books. Books overflow the shelves at our house and while my siblings and I weren't forced to read, it seemed like our family was always in the middle of a good book. Curiosity is a core value of our family. Asking questions, figuring things out has always been second nature to me. In school, grades are attached to learning but I learned quickly that good grades and learning are not the same thing. There are classes where a student can learn to make the grade but not really understand the material they are regurgitating. I have always been a student who is determined to excel in the class but deeply wants to understand what I'm reading about, writing about, and how everything fits together. I have this gut feeling that I'm going to need to know this (whatever it is) someday and so I want to get it locked in so I'll be ready. I am the kid who asked for the microscope on my 8th birthday and the kid who reads the National Geographic. I find the world facinating, all of it. I enjoy history and nature and world cultures. I can get enthralled with the article about the anniversary of King Tut's tomb being opened or the affects of pollution in the ocean. It makes it hard when people ask (and they do almost every day), "What do you want to do in the future?" Are you allowed to say, "I want to do it all?" I want to go everywhere, see everything, meet everyone. I want to know how my watch works and what's up with daylight savings time. I'm not sure the career I will choose, but the idea of discovering it excites me. One of my brothers gave me a blank sketchbook for Christmas last year. It has a leather cover with a world map and the words, "I haven't been everywhere, but it's on my list." This time next year, I will be in college, mining the most out of every class, every experience. What I learn and read and see, who I meet, and where I go past high school...that will be what fills those pages. Thank you for the opportunity to apply. Lots of us need help from people like you.

Puddle of oil Gorgeous grime, marvelous muck Rainbow on the road I think life is best lived in everyday moments, finding the unexpected beauty in the regular things. I see so many people looking for more stuff, more excitement, more people, more places, more, more, more. It's exhausting to watch and deadly to join in. Happiness and joy must be mined from the mundane or they will be elusive even in a penthouse in Paris. If we can't find contentment on a country road, we won't be able to find it in Cancun. I'm not saying it's that easy, I'm just saying that we've got to slow down and as our grandmothers would say, "Stop and smell the roses." I know I haven't lived so long. Seventeen is not the peak of human wisdom, but I have been paying attention. I've seen friends with so much smarts, so many friends, such great teeth--stress and strain and complain when the roses are right there. Heck, I've seen myself morph from a happy kid to a pile of middle-schooler to a beginning-to-get-my-stride high school senior who is bound and determined that Cancun or country road, mundane mines or Paris penthouse, I'm going to enjoy today and the people who are sitting across from me at the table. I'm not going to half-empty myself into misery. I'm going to half-full to overflowing come what may. There's that great scene in the film (and the book, too, I imagine) The Count of Monte Cristo where the Count is retelling--I almost said "recounting"--the pretend kidnapping of Albert. He talks about his courage as the boy tells his would-be attackers to do their worst. Do you remember it? If not, it's well worth the watching. Anyway, the Count says, “Life is a storm, my young friend. You will bask in the sunlight one moment, be shattered on the rocks the next. What makes you a man is what you do when that storm comes. You must look into that storm and shout as you did in Rome. Do your worst, for I will do mine! Then the fates will know you as we know you..." Wow! Here I am, seventeen with seventeen fun syllables in my poem. I'm just getting started but here is what I know. I know at seventeen that storms have come and that many more are on the horizon. I also know that the sunrises and the sunsets are far more beautiful on cloudy days than they are on clear ones. It's long enough to have learned that now is the most important moment, that whoever I'm with deserves my utmost respect and attention, and that there's something lovely right here, right now, even in a puddle of oil.

Puddle of oil Gorgeous grime, marvelous muck Rainbow on the road

I grew up in a home where my parents spoke Spanish so my brother and I couldn't understand what they were saying. I attend a small private Christian school in Shreveport, Louisiana. My junior year of high school, though, the tables turned when I had Spanish I and Spanish II in none other than my mother's class. I didn't expect my mom to actually become my favorite teacher--I mean, who would? From the first day of school, though, I started to learn--not just the language, but the life. My mom teaches life. There were always extra people at our table from my earliest memories. Many of them were students who didn't quite fit in, were in a rough patch, or had been devastated by loss. I never thought about how those kids got there until last year. Watching my mom/Spanish teacher engage each student eye-to-eye day after day, I began to see. I always knew my mom loved her students, but to give 180 days so passionately, so compassionately to the best and brightest and the barely making it--it made me want to impact people like that. I am naturally more shy than my mom but love doesn't have to be loud, it just has to be visible. Also, learning Spanish was an academic challenge. She opened our eyes to countries and cultures we barely could find on a map. She demanded that by May we should be able to carry on three to five minute conversations with native-speakers. That final interview drove our learning. This was not just a textbook class and some worksheets; this was real. Everyday, my classmates and I were eager to grow and improve, and we did. Our school competes in an academic contest called Literary Rally and last year my friend John (who was in my class) won state. He had the highest score of anyone in Louisiana. I was proud of him and his teacher. This year, we don't have my mom's class, but my friends still stop by her room to say hello, to borrow the kickball, or to ask a question. I want to be like that. Last year, our family started a new adventure together. My parents began to help have kids' services at the horse racing track in a nearby town. There is a church on site for the workers who groom, exercise, and ride the thoroughbreds and quarter horses. Most of these workers are Hispanic and except for the kids, they mostly don't speak English. The opening half of the service is done with a translator and so every Friday night I got to hear Spanish spoken. I had the chance to watch my mom engage with people because she held the key--their language. I got to visit the ESL class where she helps adults improve their English. She became friends with people from Mexico, El Salvador, and Guatemala and I want to be like that. I have loved school my whole life and have had many wonderful teachers. Maybe it's cheating to pick my teacher-mom, but honestly, she is the one who's had the most impact on my life. Having her as a teacher strengthened our relationship more than anything else ever has because I got to see how great she is through the eyes of my classmates. I got to see her teach, love, give, and forgive every day. I got to see her passion for learning and language and it made me love it, too. It's one of the few classes I wished wouldn't have ended--and for high school, that's really something.