My name is Maddilyn Register, and I will be a freshman in college in the fall of 2024! I'm not entirely sure where I am enrolling at the moment, but I know I want to major in political science and explore either policy, education, or urban studies through a minor or double major program. I took an interest in policy after joining the A+ Student Voices Team here in Alabama. We are an advocacy group that aims to shine a light on student voices and opinions regarding educational policy. Though I initially applied because I thought I could use the volunteer hours, I immediately fell in love with everything we did. From conducting our yearly student survey to presenting our ideas to the Governor, I was introduced to many new experiences that made me passionate about education. Since joining the team, I have also become an intern for A+ Education Partnership. I work mainly as a link between the Student Voices Team and those who work for A+. I also largely coordinate the spreading of our yearly survey, which is open to all 9th-12th students in Alabama. As I have explored educational policy through research and advocacy, I have become more interested in how we, as a country, can make our schools more equitable. Growing up in Alabama, I was always aware that my state had some of the worst-ranked schools in the nation. They are often underfunded, understaffed, and lack community support to help students properly. As a kid, I always pushed at the capabilities of my schools. I was significantly ahead in elementary school, but all they could do was send me to a "gifted" class once a week. On the days I didn't have gifted, I was left to entertain myself while teachers tried to run the rest of their class. This was not anybody in the school's fault; we did not have the people, resources, facilities, or activities to cater to everyone's educational needs. Over the past few years, I've studied education and educational topics from other regions of the country, such as New England and the West Coast. These areas have incredible education systems and fairly examine hot issues like student voice and curriculum changes. I want to study political science so that I can thoroughly understand the issues most prevalent in schools and how to address them. More specifically, I want to learn how to fix these problems in Southern schools, as they often get the short end of the stick when it comes to educational innovation. Furthermore, I believe education is the only path to reversing the generational poverty and tension where I grew up. More than just funneling money into districts, we need to study what works in order to create better, more adequate schools for the next generation.

My name is Maddilyn Register, and I am a high school senior from southeastern Alabama. I have played varsity tennis for three years and have been in marching band for five years. Growing up in the South, sports have always been a huge part of my life. My biggest entertainment growing up has been SEC football, and I take the energy of those games into every match I play and every competition I compete in. Playing tennis has been one of the most influential experiences of my high school career; it has taught me discipline, perseverance, and the importance of shoes with good arch support. For every success I've had in the sport, I had a hundred failures before it that got me to that point. I went into my sophomore season barely being able to make contact with the ball, and now--thanks to my coaches and my own hard work in and outside of practice--I had my first winning season last year. I hope to continue to play either at the collegiate level or intramurally. Similarly, being a part of band for five years has shaped my worldview and aspirations. Moving from an unassuming horn player to a section leader, then on to drum major, has made me realize that I can achieve my goals, no matter how difficult it initially seems. It has also made me more open to trying unfamiliar things. I am not naturally inclined to music, but as I have pushed myself, asked for help, and branched out in the music world, I have learned that I am capable of nearly anything I'm willing to pour myself into. Outside of sports, I am the principal horn player in my school's symphonic band and the editor of our yearbook, Tiger Tales. I volunteer through SGA, where I currently serve as executive secretary, Leo Club, and National Honor Society. I am very active in my school and love being involved, but even more important to me than my extracurriculars is my coursework. I have taken all AP courses for the past two years and received the AP Scholar with Distinction award this year after earning qualifying scores in Art History, Biology, English Language and Composition, US History, and Psychology. I have also earned the BigFuture Rural and Small Town Recognition Award and the Questbridge Quest for Excellence Award and was chosen as a Questbridge Scholar in 2023. Through marching and symphonic band, I have been recognized by the Alabama Bandmasters Association as a District Honor Band member in 2022, as well as attended the UAB, Troy University, University of Alabama, and Auburn University Honor Bands. Getting this scholarship would be monumental in my college and career journey. I want to go into policy, and plan to do so by getting my undergraduate degree in Political Science and then getting my law degree. As a first-generation college student, I find it stressful to apply to my dream colleges and even my "safe schools" without knowing I will be able to pay for my education. Scholarships like these empower me to make my educational decisions based on what I want, not just the price. It is also encouraging to know there are people (like the Kelly Family!) who are in my corner and care about my education and career goals.