I began a lot of things in my freshman year, one of them being a fresh, new sketchbook with a panda-faced cover. One of the first sketch books I really took seriously, I carried it with me everywhere and used it frequently. If sketchbooks were alive, then this one was living the dream. I would glue papers into it, like clothing tags and doodles from homework. I let my friends draw on pages to add richness to the style-diversity. I also experimented with many different mediums, trying watercolors, markers, and colored pencils. However, sometime near the end of my Sophomore year, that plentiful phase dried up. That year's sketchbook was better quality, with a black plastic cover and thick, durable pages. While that book contains some pretty notable drawings, the last ten pages were never even used. On top of that, many sections were nothing more than unfinished doodles. Unfortunately, this drought wasn't stamped out in the summer break boredom, and persisted even through my Junior year. Now I’m a senior, and it's time to begin planning for my future. However, how can I intend to use my art as a career if I hardly even draw enough to grow my skills? I'm sick of staring at blank pages- I want to draw with the same ferocity as that bright eyed Freshman I somehow misplaced all those years ago! In pursuit of what I had lost, I cracked out the old panda-faced sketchbook. The answer surprised me. Chaos! Like flower petals preserved between the pages of a book, those drawings were preserved memories of a fourteen year old girl's revolving obsessions. By the dates in the bottom corners of the pages, you could tell when I began to like elves, and when I started to watch certain You-tubers. I could recall the Pinterest art I had used as references. I also liked to draw Original Characters of my own design, and seeing them again was almost like reminiscing about an old friend. But some time along my Sophomore year, it must have creeped into my mind how "cringey" these drawings were. I began to think of my fantasy creatures as silly and outlandish. My Youtube-inspired art died out when those influencers lost popularity. And my art journey turned from a sprint, to a slow jog, to a weary plod. I want my Freshman year mentality back. I’ve decided I need fresh inspiration- and all inspiration is precious, even if it can be labeled as “cringey” or weird. To help with this, one of the new sketchbooks I started was pocket sized, and had one rule: I could only draw with pen. By taking away my ability to erase, I learnt to draw without worry of mistakes, and built much stronger line-confidence. I'm proud to say I carried that sketchbook everywhere, keeping track of the experiences I had, till I filled it cover to cover. "Restoration" is found within that sketchbook. It depicts a figure perched in a tree, because I wanted the piece to come off as playful, whimsical, and free. I also used a yellow-green for the lighting to capture that warm, sunny feel we often associate with childhood. And if you look close, you'll notice the figure is an elf. This piece symbolizes my return to my creative era, regaining that fervent, inner child we tend to lose touch with. My name is Madalyn Mattix, and I want to study graphic design and illustration at a Christian university, so I can learn to use my skills in a way that is fruitful and honoring to God.

George Washington never wanted to be president. He stated, on multiple occasions, that he wanted nothing more than to simply settle down on his farm and spend time with his wife. But America, newly-formed and fragile, needed a strong leader to help cultivate it into the nation we know today. Washington knew, if not him, then somebody less capable may take up office. Though the obstacles a high school student faces aren't (at least, shouldn't be) as drastic as leading an unstable nation, we often find ourselves in situations where we need to make similar choices. I put myself into one of these situations this year, when I decided to join the Ohio Scholars Association, a community service-based honors society. I waited to write this essay specifically on this day, the last day, because it was the date of the OSA Leadership Conference. As I walked into school this morning, I was a little confused, but mainly excited. All the other students were heading out to a field trip, leaving me and the five other girls in OSA to prepare. In a little over an hour, over fifty students were expected to come streaming through the doors. They were the OSA members from the surrounding schools, and we needed to have activities prepared for them. As for the conference itself, it was a blast. First we listened to a speaker, who explained to us that being a leader is much more than a title you possess. It calls for taking responsibility, inspiring others, and making wise choices. It also means learning how to benefit and manage the people around us. We were then split up into teams based on our personality types, (sanguine, choleric, melancholic, or phlegmatic,) and sent around the school to complete the activities we had prepared. We discovered that each personality type had their own advantages and weaknesses, making some activities harder for some and easier for others. After a lunch break, we replayed the activities, but this time we split up the personality types evenly. I discovered our teams were much quicker and more efficient when many different skill sets were brought to the table. While the conference itself was lots of fun and a great learning experience, it was definitely still a chance to serve others. We made sure to be there to help the new students feel welcomed in the unfamiliar environment, and we took turns managing some of the more complicated activities instead of participating, allowing the other students to have a chance to go through all of them. And when the conference was over, and everyone cleared out, we had quite a cleaning job to do. All in all, I'm glad I joined OSA. I'm prepared to enter more situations where I can serve others in an impactful, Christ-like manner. But OSA and school are not the limits to where I can serve. There were times when George Washington got up out of his chair as president and led troops into battle as Commander in Chief, just as there are times when I have to get out of my church pew and sit myself down in front of a pile of toys as Nursery Worker. Serving others is much more than simply helping. It is an act of inspiring, nurturing, and letting the light of Christ shine through you. Sometimes it can mean stepping up, or stepping down, but always stepping out of your comfort zone. My name is Madalyn Mattix, and I plan to study graphic design, using my skills to bring glory to God and serve others.

While playing Minecraft, I often climb tall hills. When I get to the top, I turn around, and gaze upon the scene unfolding below me. A land that was once filled with long grass and trees is now a garden of houses, towers, farms, and castles. After months of hard work, I can gaze upon the creation of my own hands and dedication. This is my favorite aspect of the game: building domains. I find Minecraft to be alot like real life.  We all start the same: in a mysterious world, with no clue as to what lies over the next mountain, and no supplies to help you get there. Not to mention the first night, which is sneaking up behind you quicker than you realize. Making wise choices right off the bat usually helps you get further, faster. I always spend the first day gathering resources, food, and making a simple shelter. It could be compared to schooling: Do well in it, and you'll be all set for the next step in life. On the second day is when the real adventure begins. I have food, I have tools, now I just need to find my "place." I venture across the land, images blooming in my mind- a house would look pretty by the lake side, and a library would sit quite nicely in that grove. I need to pick my place wisely. This is where I'll pour out all my effort and resources. It reminds me of picking a passion. Many are appealing, but there are few a person will be willing to work for their entire life. At long last, the place is chosen. Now the fun can begin. I plan carefully, building first my own house, then a farm to sustain me. I'll need storage rooms and fences to keep animals. I'll need to venture deep within caves to gather up iron and diamonds for stronger tools and weapons. This part reminds me of college or other forms of training: I know where I want to be, now I need to prepare to make it my home. Now my domain begins to grow beyond self-preservation. Houses appear, designated for my friends and family. Some of them are in very interesting places, like floating on lakes or sticking out of mountains. Restaurants, museums, and gardens fill the spaces in between. Sometimes, I have to make messes to progress. There are times when I cover every single riverbank with sugarcane to harvest for paper, but it will be worth it when the library is filled with books. I light the streets up with torches and lanterns: the monsters of the night I battled for so long are now banished. With each project, I build memories alongside walls and ceilings. This is my favorite part of the game. It is also the longest, most pain-stalking part. It reminds me of adulthood. You've gathered your resources. You've picked what you want to do. Now it's time to run with it. Each build is like an accomplishment in your life: they can be anything, from jobs you've gotten, to people you've befriended, to skills you've built. With each accomplishment, your "domain" grows. And when you climb that hill, and you look down upon what you've built up for so long, you can be proud of what you've done. My name is Madalyn Mattix, and I plan to study graphic design at a Christian University to equip me with the proper skills to expand not only my own domain, but the kingdom of God as well.

All the adults in my life say I've been drawing since I could hold a crayon. I have many happy childhood memories of laying on my bedroom floor, entranced in my passion. I've always had a strong, active imagination. I delight in fabricating fantastical creatures and stories with nothing but strokes of my pencil. And even as I grow older, and my skills continuously sharpen, my ideas never dull. Many years later, during my junior and senior years, I was given the chance to attend Tri-Rivers Career Center as a part-time student. When I saw they had an artistic lab, interactive media, I was all in. Upon only my first couple semesters in the innovative class, I was introduced to whole worlds of different art forms: photography, web design, video-making, and digital art, to merely scrape the surface. I had quickly taken to graphic design. I'm astounded by the way you can make a line of text express emotion by simply changing the font and color. Or you can make a shape become attention-grabbing by making it a different hue or size than the others. Shapes and colors are really just another language, I discovered. I also fell in love with digital art, which can easily go hand in hand with graphic design. I would find great fulfillment in a life of designing business cards that truly voice the themes of their business, or even simply illustrating colorful children's books. But now I'm a senior, and I'm beginning to be harassed by the dreadful questions that haunt every art student. I'm preparing to enter a chaotic world, and there's no saying client work will be sustainable enough to make a living. And even if it is, will I be able to stand out from my competition? We are living in one of the most creative generations seen yet! Not to mention AI, which is already proven to be pretty handy at creating "art" of its own. Proverbs 3:16 reads, "Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans." That is why I seek to attend a Christ-Centered christian college where I can grow as both a servant to Christ and an artist. My hopes are to become a skillful graphic designer or illustrator (or both!) that is dedicated to creating provoking, effective art that reflects the intentions of my Creator. I'm already researching multiple colleges I would like to attend. I think college would be an enriching experience for me. I'm looking for the perfect place to grow, create memories and friendships, and delve deeper into my passions. The cherry on top is that my goal is to graduate completely debt free. I'm already creating a plan that involves working part-time and applying to scholarships. This is my first one. I think this prompt is a great reminder as to why I'm setting off on this journey.