Logic. Math is logical. Math has a correct answer. As someone who is studying geology, math is an integral part of understanding how the world works. One of the great things about math is that it gives a finite, understandable answer. For example, some geologists work for petroleum companies. When a petroleum company is going to drill for oil, the amount of oil a specific reserve may hold is important. As a result, geologists who work in the oil industry will use geostatistics to estimate how much oil might be found. This is important because it allows petroleum companies to focus their efforts on areas where more oil is present and discard drills that are not going to be cost effective. In another area, geologists can use statistics to assess risk. For example, people who live near a volcano would like to have fair warning if it is going to erupt. By using mathematical and seismic data, geologists are able to predict the likelihood of a specific volcano erupting. Without the use of math, many more Pompeii's might happen due to the lack of risk assessment. The earth is made up of different layers of sediment. By using mathematical modeling, geologists can analyze the different layers of the earth's sediment. So, mathematical models allow geologists to calculate the thickness and volume of sediment found in each layer. At the same time, geologists can use mathematical computations to figure out the rate at which each layer of sediment was deposited, which is important when figuring out the history of earth's sediment layers. As a student majoring in Geology at DePauw University, the Learner Math Lover Scholarship captures the importance of math in my chosen field. Because I am logical, I certainly love math as it pertains to the world of geology.

Many students let out a collective groan when anything about math is brought up. Students tell "war stories" to each other about taking a difficult math course with so-and-so and also complain about not understanding the value of understanding math in daily life. However, if one looks more deeply into understanding the depths of STEM, math, especially calculus, is extremely important. When I first started as a student at DePauw University, I was going to study the general area of Environmental Science. However, as I delved more deeply into what truly interested me, I found myself drawn to geology. I love being outdoors, and geology has been a big part of my life. Even though I was not "studying geology" as a kid, I was immersed in it. My parents took me on many camping trips where we would hike and take a close look at the scenery. I was always digging and looking at things I found in the environment. Little did I know at the time that I was beginning my love of the natural world through a cursory look at geology. As one looks at STEM and geology, specifically, it is important to remember that geology is the study of the earth itself. So, in terms of learning about the earth, one must be able to take a hard look at all of the ecosystems that make up the totality of existence on earth. So, one must be able to speak intelligently about ecosystems in a general way; however, more information can be gleaned about ecosystems when looking at the data points folded within. For example, ecosystems are not static. They change all of the time as external environmental factors naturally impact everything on earth. In order to understand the changes that happen to ecosystems over time, a geologist needs to understand calculus. Calculus allows geologists to measure the long term and short term changes that happen in ecosystems. Having the knowledge of what has happened prior and what is happening currently allows geologists to make "educated guesses" as to what is going to happen in the future. Without the use of Calculus, many of the data points used to understand how ecosystems work would almost seem magical, like spontaneous generation was once viewed as the way the world worked. Calculus allows each ecosystem to be broken down into data points. For example, calculus allows geologists to understand how a specific ecosystem is consuming resources. Geologists work with the environment and report about the environment. Therefore, it is important to understand if a specific ecosystem is going to be able to survive based upon the resources available for it. At the same time, if humans are slowly wrecking an ecosystem, geologists can use calculus to discuss specific stressors that humans can change to help the ecosystem last longer. So, using calculus as a geologist can help all of us understand the fragility of ecosystems in terms of the environment. At the same time, calculus is at the heart of understanding climate change and how conservation efforts can have a positive impact. By being awarded the Learner Calculus Scholarship, I will be able to continue my geological studies at DePauw University and use calculus to help "lay persons" better understand the fragility of earth's ecosystems.

When I was in sixth grade, I had an extremely difficult time juggling academics and sports. I felt that I was letting everyone down on all counts...academically and sports wise. I felt that life was being "squeezed" out of me and I could not sleep. One night, not understanding what was happening to me, I broke down in tears. My mother came back to my bedroom, and I confided in her that I felt like I was letting everyone down and I felt depressed and anxious. I also told my mother that I had considered self harm. Alarmed, my mother immediately told my father; even though it was after 10 PM, my father immediately called Jami, the school's social worker. Because it was so late, my father kept apologizing for interrupting Jami's evening, but he was assured that he had done the right thing. (My parents are public educators, so they know whom to contact in emergencies.) Since Jami had worked with my parents for such a long time, she agreed to take me on as a client in her personal practice even though her client list was full. When I started seeing Jami, we would just talk about how I felt and how my days were going. We built a rapport so that I felt comfortable opening up to her about my problems. After a time, Jami suggested that I start journaling, so I did. At the same time, Jami insisted that I write down three or four positive things about each day. So, I did that, too. Even though I have not been Jami's client for years now, I still write down three or four positive things about each day. I find this helps me stay positive and focused on what I need to accomplish. When I was floundering, feeling like I had let everyone down, I was in a state of paralysis. At that point, everything in which I was interested suffered. Since I have dealt with mental health issues myself, I am acutely aware of others' problems. In terms of my friend group, I am always concerned with how other people are doing and feeling. In fact, my best friend from high school had a difficult time adjusting to collegiate life. I went to visit her, and I noticed right away that something "wasn't right." I asked her about it, and we started a dialogue about how she felt and how she was coping with her problems and her stress. At this point, my best friend is now seeing a therapist and has been put on medication to deal with her depression and anxiety. Being someone who has dealt with this myself, I am happy that I was able to help her out. As so many of us who have faced mental health issues can attest, we may "look fine" on the outside, but on the inside we are in a state of tumult. In terms of myself, I continue to journal each and every day. I have made it a habit to write down three or four things each day because it helps me see the world in a more positive light. I have learned that I am not disappointing anyone, and the feelings of stress are imaginary because I am putting pressure on myself. My parents emphasize that they love me for who I am, which also relieves stress. I would be proud to be awarded the Elizabeth Schalk Memorial Scholarship because it will allow me to keep making positive inroads with others who might be facing mental health issues, just as I did.

When I was not yet born, my parents would read books out loud, hoping it would have a positive impact on me. When I was born, my parents continued to read to me on a daily basis. Even as I went off to school, I would still beg my parents to read to me. Yes, I was quite capable of reading on my own. However, I just loved when my parents would read aloud. When I was very young, my parents would take me on an annual camping trip during the summer. Unlike most girls, I was fascinated with the natural world. I would pick up rocks and study them. I would look at the different types of soil around a lake or a pond. I would notice the variations found in natural formations as we traipsed through the woods. Because I took all of this in, my father encouraged me to read his extremely outdated Peanuts Encyclopedia set, which he had received as a gift in 1976. The encyclopedias were most entertaining. I still vividly remember the volume that discussed the natural world in terms of plants and animals. I reread that volume many times! So, even though my father's Peanuts Encyclopedias were terribly outdated, they opened up a world of wonder and imagination. I started to think about what treasures might be hidden under the earth and how new artifacts would give humans a better understanding of the past and how it informs the present and future. So, I started reading my parents' backlog of National Geographic magazines. I read with awe the article about the Egyptian pyramids. I was dumbfounded by the issue my father kept from the mid-1980s about the Titanic and the exploration that was going on in terms of that wreck. Once again, my love of the natural world and the secrets it hides was piqued. Of course, I gravitated toward books that dealt with exploration, archaeology, and geology. After I was introduced to the National Geographic expansive coverage of Egyptian tombs, I remember reading An Egyptian Tomb by Brian Moses. I was excited to read about what is found inside a tomb, what the hieroglyphs mean, and how some inscriptions found in tombs gave hints about other tombs in the area. I was hooked at a young age, and I knew that I wanted to be someone who explores the world finding what has been lost to the sands of time. My love of the ancient world has continued to this day. I am now a Geology major at DePauw University, and I hope to become someone who studies the ancient world. I, of course, have continued to ravenously read about the ancient world. I do not remember the whole title, but I really enjoyed The Complete Valley of the Kings. As one can see, my love of reading has added fuel to my passion for the study of geology and finding the ancient world. I am excited as I take steps to fulfill my passion through my studies. By being awarded the Barbara Cain Literary Scholarship, I will be able to continue my education in geology at DePauw University. It will also allow me to chase my dream of becoming a geologist who helps others understand how the past informs the present and the future. And to think, the 1976 Peanuts Encyclopedia sparked a curiosity and fire that is burning bright within me to this day!

As a young child, my parents would take me on an annual camping trip. Unlike other girls, I would fully enjoy my time picking up rocks, studying the different types of mud around lakes, and taking in the natural scenery on long hikes. Through my parents’ love of the outdoors, I, too, came to love being outdoors. As I stated above, I gained an appreciation for the outdoors through my parents’ excursions in the natural world. As I grew up, I would read books about the outdoors. My father even encouraged me to read his “slightly” outdated Peanuts Encyclopedia, which was published in the mid-1970s. Imagine my surprise when I was flipping through options on Discovery Plus, and I ran across a television show titled Expedition Unknown. The show’s host, Josh Gates, spends his time traveling around to different sites helping people solve mysteries from the past. One of the episodes that really caught my attention was the one trying to determine where Alexander the Great is actually buried. If Alexander the Great’s tomb is ever found, there is rumored to be treasure beyond what has ever been discovered at one time. I sat with rapt attention watching Josh Gates and a crew track down ancient stories to try to find where Alexander the Great’s tomb actually is. No lead was too small or too big; the crew spent an inordinate amount of time combing through Alexander the Great’s royal quarter. Josh Gates even helped tunnel under the current city of modern Alexandria. As a young girl who loves the outdoors and loves exploring, I was hooked! Because of my love of the outdoors and the influence of Expedition Unknown, I declared Geology as my major this past semester. I want to be a person who studies the earth and finds the secrets hidden within. In order to do this, the types of technology used must become more advanced than what is currently used during exploration. I think of the great explorers who created new and better technology to explore the earth, ocean, and sky more deeply. I want to be the geologist who created a machine that allows full pictures to be created from a mile under the earth. I am painfully aware that I am going into a field that is dominated by men. The Elevate Women in Technology Scholarship will help me achieve my ambitious dreams.

As someone who has grown up hearing about the threat climate change and disappearing ecosystems will bring to our way of life, I want to study geology to help others better understand how humans inadvertently negatively impact the environment. Because of our world of mass consumption, urgent action is needed to safeguard the future of ecosystems and humanity. As a kid I read a backlog of National Geographic magazines my parents had lying around the house. Being educators, my parents fully believe that education is THE tool when it comes to combating environmental challenges. So, I would sit down and read all of these old National Geographic magazines. One of the issues that impacted me greatly was the coverage about the reintroduction of gray wolves into Yellowstone. When this happened, old ecosystems that were nearly gone made a comeback because the gray wolves put nature back into balance, which caused various plants and animals to once again flourish as well. Reading articles such as these piqued my interest in terms of how humans inadvertently impact the natural world. Being a student at DePauw University will afford me a deeper understanding of how human activity influences the natural world. The academic foundation built at DePauw will give me the critical skills to analyze the history of the Earth, analyze what has happened in the past, and create strategies to help address current and future environmental problems. Having said that, I aim to take what I learn and bring it to a larger audience by offering my services to high schools to help students understand the underpinnings of our world and how our actions directly impact the ecosystems around us. By sharing this knowledge, I hope to influence others to understand the impact humans have on the environment and the impact the environment has on humans. As a geologist, I aim to focus on projects which minimize overall environmental impact, which, in turn, will automatically help with the life-sustaining conservation of biodiversity. I hope to have a hand in habitat restoration projects, which are vital when it comes to supporting natural wildlife. Going back to what I learned about gray wolves being reintroduced into Yellowstone, I would love to be a part of efforts reintroducing animals into their original, natural habitat, which will also enable all of us to better understand how species play a crucial role in the web of life. By prioritizing biodiversity in my career, I will contribute to creating a more sustainable future where human activities complement the Earth’s natural ecosystems. All of this leads to my greatest hope, which is to get others involved in studying climate change, pollution, and biodiversity. Hopefully my work will inspire other women to study geology, adding a wider perspective and more depth to the field.

I am the daughter of two public educators. When I was in sixth grade, I had a difficult time juggling school and sports. I felt that I was being "squeezed," and I found myself unable to sleep. One night I finally broke down in tears. My mother came back to my room to talk to me, and I confided in her about my depression and anxiety. I also told her that I had considered self harm. Alarmed, my mother immediately told my father; even though is was after 10 PM, my father immediately called Jami, the school's social worker. My father kept apologizing for calling so late, but Jami told my father that he had done the right thing. Since my parents had worked with Jami for such a long time, she agreed to take me on as a client, even though her client list was full. When I started seeing Jami, I we would just talk about how things were going. I did most of the talking. After a time, Jami suggested that I start a journal, so I did. Jami also insisted that I write down three or four positive things about each day. So, I did that, too. Even though I have not seen Jami as a client in years, I still write down at least three positive things about my day. I find that this helps keep me positively focused. When I was facing mental health issues, I was in a state of paralysis. I could not get anything done, and everything in which I was interested suffered. Since I have dealt with mental health issues myself, I am acutely aware about others' problems. In terms of my friend group, I am always concerned with how other people are doing and/or feeling. I know that people who are having mental health issues can mask the symptoms quite well; so, I am always asking my friends how they are doing. One of the biggest things I do to help others is LISTEN. When I first started seeing Jami, she would just sit and listen to me, not rudely interrupting as I rambled on. Later, as she had me focus in on the root problem to my shaky mental health, she had me keep a journal which included positive affirmations and three or four positive observations. This helped me a great deal; so, when anyone in my friend group is having difficulty, I suggest that they change the way they view the world, which begins with changing the way one thinks about the world. So, instead of working hard to tell other people how my day is going, I always ask the following question, "How are you doing?" I am not looking for the usual glib answer; I am genuinely interested in how a person is doing. I want to know that my peers are actually doing well physically and mentally. By taking care of the physical and mental aspect of life, the overall experience of living is much more fulfilling. (And I know from experience.)

As a female going into the male dominant world of science, I know that I will be a small voice within the context of environmental geoscience. I am most excited to become a part of the small sorority of women who dare step foot into a discipline dominated by men. As my parents have told me, I will have to be strong and show my worth through intellectualism and work ethic. I am going to DePauw University to study environmental geoscience. From a young age, I have always been fascinated with the earth. As a child, I would collect rocks to bring home and study. Even though I was pretty young, my parents gave me a small hammer and safety glasses so I could open up rocks and see what they looked like on the inside. I remember one time I brough home a pocket full of crushed gravel, and my parents found it amusing. Whenever we would go on family vacations, my parents would make sure we spent plenty of time in the outdoors. When we went to Turkey Run State Park, my parents and I spent hours hiking on the trails, and I was allowed to spend a great deal of time studying different rock formations. When I went out to Utah to visit my aunt, she took me into the mountains, and I was content because I saw many beautiful rock formations on our hikes. So, the earth has always "talked" to me. In terms of where I see myself in the future, I see environmental geoscience as a vehicle to help us (humans) live more harmoniously with the earth. I know that we need the raw materials the earth so that mankind can live a more comfortable life; but, I believe that we can get the materials we need in a more environmentally friendly way. I plan on being on the forefront of helping corporations get the needed raw materials in a much more eco-friendly way. By doing so, we should be able to sustain ourselves much longer, fulfilling lives without causing further damage to the earth. In terms of how this scholarship will help me, DePauw is an expensive school. My parents have sacrificed much so I can go to DePauw. One day I came into the house, and I did not know what they were doing; but, they were in a deep, serious conversation. Later, my mother told me that she and my father were discussing what conveniences to cut out. To my knowledge, my parents have cut out about three hundred dollars per month, which is huge. I feel it is my duty to help cover the cost of my education, and applying for scholarships is one way to do so.

The world around us is a beautiful, wondrous, living, breathing being. We are linked to the earth and need to treat it with the utmost respect. To this end, I try to make decisions that will impact earth the least. One of the things I do to help reduce my carbon footprint is to ride my bicycle whenever possible. Instead of using a vehicle that needs to be refueled with gas all of the time, I try to use "pedal power." Does it take a little more time to get to places? It absolutely does; however, there are some great benefits to using "pedal power." First, the streets I ride my do not feel as much wear and tear. If everyone rode bicycles around town as opposed to driving cars and trucks, the roads would not need to be repaired as often. So, by riding my bicycle, I am helping drive sustainability. The next thing is my car. I have a Honda HRV, which is a small car and does not use much gas. At the same time, I always carpool with my friends when we go to work or go out for fun. Each weekend my friends and I plot who is going to be driving us for the next week. In this way, we help minimize the number of cars on the street. By carpooling, we are also reducing the amount of gasoline used, which is important because of the pollution found in gasoline fumes. Besides biking and carpooling, I have all of my bills paid online, and I do not receive paper copies of anything. In this way, the pollution associated with creating paper and delivering mail is completely reduced. Since I, and many others, use the internet to take care of our daily business (banking, checking, investing, etc.), much of the paper needed to sustain the communication no longer needs to be made, which is a relief in terms of the environment. Online banking is extremely convenient, but it also helps reduce the amount of energy used to create all of the paperwork associated with the banking industry. It may not seem like much, but as more people move their banking online, the amount of paper needed to sustain the banking industry is reduced by quite a bit. Small, individual steps have a huge impact across the whole of society. So, as I move toward the rest of my life, I take small steps to help better the environment. If everyone would be so conscious about helping the environment, earth would be in a much better place.

Before discussing technology and the way it can make the world a better place, I first wish to quote Carl Sagan from his book, The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark, "I have a foreboding of an America in my children's or grandchildren's time -- when the United States is a service and information economy; when nearly all the manufacturing industries have slipped away to other countries; when awesome technological powers are in the hands of a very few, and no one representing the public interest can even grasp the issues; when the people have lost the ability to set their own agendas or knowledgeably question those in authority; when, clutching our crystals and nervously consulting our horoscopes, our critical faculties in decline, unable to distinguish between what feels good and what's true, we slide, almost without noticing, back into superstition and darkness...." When Smart Phones came into existence and Mark Zuckerberg successfully monetized social media, the world as we know it changed. As a result, some have used social media platforms to "install" chaos in the world, hoping to sow the seeds of doubt in different populations, thus causing societies to implode from the inside. However, the advent of social media is something that can be used for the good of humanity. First off, information is now instantaneous. For example, I am able to get information about storms, people wielding guns, etc. in real time. If I waited for an article in the newspaper about any of this information, print information is at least two days old. So, social media holds great potential to keep everyone abreast of what is going on in real time. So, smart phones and social media platforms allow for the free flow of information. If these platforms were used responsibly, the amount of verifiable information at the world's fingertips would be limitless. So, the potential of smart phones and social media could be a boon for society. However, we need to learn how to efficiently use both of these technologies for the betterment of mankind.

I am the daughter of two public educators. When I was in sixth grade, I had a difficult time juggling school and sports. I felt that I was being "squeezed," and I found myself unable to sleep. One night I finally broke down in tears. My mother came back to my room to talk to me, and I confided in her about my depression and anxiety. I also told her that I had considered self harm. Alarmed, my mother immediately told my father what I had said. Even though is was after 10 PM, my father immediately called the school's social worker, Jami. My father kept apologizing for calling so late, but he relayed what had just happened. Jami told my father that he had done the right thing. Since my parents had worked with Jami for such a long time, she agreed to take me on as a client, even though her client list was full. When I started seeing Jami, I we would just talk about how things were going. I did most of the talking. After a time, Jami suggested that I start a journal, so I did. Jami also insisted that I write down three or four positive things about each day. So, I did that, too. Even though I have not seen Jami as a client in years, I still write down at least three positive things about my day. I find that this helps keep me grounded, focused, and positive. Because of my personal experience with failing mental health, I truly believe that mental health is important. Speaking from experience, it is quite difficult to function if your mind is not right. So, as I get ready to go to DePauw University this fall, I have already asked about the school's psychologists and psychiatrists. Since I am going to DePauw as a student-athlete, I get access to a psychologist who solely works with athletes. This will get great as I make the transition from high school life to college life. Being able to function in a new environment will help me be successful, and working with a sports psychologist as I make this transition will be most beneficial. So, mental health is of the utmost importance in one's life. When I was facing mental health issues, I was in a state of paralysis. I could not get anything done, and everything in which I was interested suffered. Even if someone thinks that things are going to go well all of the time, s/he needs to know what resources are available if things do not go well. I hope everyone who faces mental health issues is able to find a therapist like Jami. Because of her input, I still write down three or four positive things about each day. And this has had a great impact on my overall frame of mind! Since I have dealt with mental health issues myself, I am acutely aware about others' problems. In terms of my friend group, I am always concerned with how other people are doing and/or feeling. I know that people who are having mental health issues can mask the symptoms quite well; so, I am always asking my friends how they are doing. One of the biggest things I do to help others is LISTEN. When I first started seeing Jami, she would just sit and listen to me, not rudely interrupting as I rambled on. Later, as she had me focus in on the root problem to my shaky mental health, she had me keep a journal which included positive affirmations and three or four positive observations. This helped me a great deal; so, when anyone in my friend group is having difficulty, I suggest that they change the way they view the world, which begins with changing the way one thinks about the world. When I was a kid, my father would talk about Coach Sellers once in awhile. According to my father, Coach Sellers would always make his students and athletes say that they were having a "great day." Is someone did not say they were having a "great day," Coach Sellers would add mileage to an athlete's workout. Even though my father thought that adding mileage to an athlete's workout was silly, he did admit that physically saying that you were having a "great day" really made a different. He said that talking in a positive manner taught him how to think in a positive manner, and if anyone needed to change his/her perspective, s/he just needed to speak in a more positive way. This may not fully change one's perspective, but it would help to some degree. So, instead of working hard to tell other people how my day is going, I always ask the following question, "How are you doing?" I am not looking for the usual glib answer; I am genuinely interested in how a person is doing. I want to know that my peers are actually doing well physically and mentally. By taking care of the physical and mental aspect of life, the overall experience of living is much more fulfilling. (And I, unfortunately, know from experience.)

I am the daughter of two public educators. When I was in sixth grade, I had a difficult time juggling school and sports. I felt that I was being "squeezed," and I found myself unable to sleep. One night I finally broke down in tears. My mother came back to my room to talk to me, and I confided in her about my depression and anxiety. I also told her that I had considered self harm. Alarmed, my mother immediately told my father what I had said. Even though is was after 10 PM, my father immediately called the school's social worker, Jami. My father kept apologizing for calling so late, but he relayed what had just happened. Jami told my father that he had done the right thing. Since my parents had worked with Jami for such a long time, she agreed to take me on as a client, even though her client list was full. When I started seeing Jami, I we would just talk about how things were going. I did most of the talking. After a time, Jami suggested that I start a journal, so I did. Jami also insisted that I write down three or four positive things about each day. So, I did that, too. Even though I have not seen Jami as a client in years, I still write down at least three positive things about my day. I find that this helps keep me grounded, focused, and positive. Because of my personal experience with failing mental health, I truly believe that mental health is important. Speaking from experience, it is quite difficult to function if your mind is not right. So, as I get ready to go to DePauw University this fall, I have already asked about the school's psychologists and psychiatrists. Since I am going to DePauw as a student-athlete, I get access to a psychologist who solely works with athletes. This will get great as I make the transition from high school life to college life. Being able to function in a new environment will help me be successful, and working with a sports psychologist as I make this transition will be most beneficial. So, mental health is of the utmost importance in one's life. When I was facing mental health issues, I was in a state of paralysis. I could not get anything done, and everything in which I was interested suffered. Even if someone thinks that things are going to go well all of the time, s/he needs to know what resources are available if things do not go well. I hope everyone who faces mental health issues is able to find a therapist like Jami. Because of her input, I still write down three or four positive things about each day. And this has had a great impact on my overall frame of mind!

Being the daughter of two public educators, I have seen how selfless my parents are when it comes to their time. If there is someone who is having difficulty in school, my parents will get on a Zoom meeting and help out an individual until s/he understands the assignment. I have watched my parents spend countless weekend hours helping other people's children and not ask for a penny in return. At the same time, my parents give to causes they think are worthy even though we are far from rich. My father keeps telling me that "money is not our driver." So, I have watched two find examples of what it means to be selfless, and I try to embody the same spirit my parents exhibit on a daily basis. One of the things I was taught is that one must be satisfied with life as it stands, not keep chasing a lifestyle that is out of reach for most. What that means is that my parents taught me to save money and not go into debt chasing a version of the American Dream that is depicted on Instagram or TikTok. My parents adamantly insist that lives shown on social media are mostly inflated snapshots that do not capture the essence of true life. So, I have had two examples of what it means to be selfless. When I turned sixteen, my parents bought my grandparent's car, a 2016 Honda HRV. Since I am an athlete and have early morning practice, I would get up early, pick up other athletes on my team, and take them to practice without charging them. First, I knew that it was a burden for these athletes' parents to get them to practice by 6 AM because they had to be at work. Second, I also knew that these parents did not have much money to pay for someone to drive their kids to practice and to school. So, in the tradition that my parents taught me, I dutifully provided transportation at no cost. I was more concerned that my teammates had the opportunity to get in two practices a day in order to make the team better; it was not a chance for financial gain. As a member of the Rotary Club, I got to work on a Habitat for Humanity house. This was a great experience. I remember the first day I showed up at the worksite. First, I had to have my parents sign off on working on this house because I was under eighteen years old. After my parents had signed that they approved of me working on a Habitat for Humanity house, I got to the worksite at 7:30 AM. Then, I spent the next twelve hours siding a house! Not only did I learn a skill which will come in handy later in life, but I got to work alongside like-minded people--those who do community service because they enjoy helping others in need. As I enter DePauw University this fall, I fully intend to get involved with community service groups in Greencastle. My parents have taught me to leave a positive mark wherever I go, and I intend to continue to help those in need.

Throughout high school I was an engaged student-athlete. My father has been a high school coach since I can remember; so, I naturally got involved with athletics. I started competitive swimming before my fifth birthday. As I prepare to attend DePauw University this fall, I am going to continue being a student-athlete. I am going to study Environmental Geoscience, and I am going to continue my throwing career on the track team. My entire life I have had an extremely busy schedule. Besides being an academic and a swimmer, I participated in cross country and track. In terms of school, I took many Honors, AP, ACP, and Dual Credit classes, which means I was taking classes that had a much heavier workload than a regular class. Most of the classes I took were for college credit, and the workload was pretty stressful. One of the classes I really enjoyed was AP Photography. In terms of this class, there was no set calendar, which means I had to have twenty photos done by the end of the entire school year. Armed with this task, I had two full semesters to create a portfolio. This portfolio would not only be graded by my photography teacher, but it would also be graded by a group of local college professors. So, I set up a schedule so that I would get my portfolio completed by the time it was going to be reviewed by the grading committee. Although this was a difficult class because of the complete freedom associated with the time schedule, I am happy that I did it because it will be much more like how a college schedule is run. So, I have a head start because I already understand how to create a schedule and stick with it. In terms of all of the classes I took in high school, I am most proud of the AP Photography class. I earned an A in the class, which means I was most successful in the schedule I set up. This class taught me how to set up a schedule, how to stick to the schedule, and how to find success by being organized while completing a difficult class. Besides being heavily involved as a student-athlete, I also spent a lot of time with National Honor Society (NHS), Rotary Club, Future Famers of America (FFA), and Move2Stand. In terms of NHS, I would have to get up extremely early twice a month to attend a meeting before school. This took a great deal of planning, and our sponsor, Mr. Miller, would task us with coming up with creative ways to earn money for different dances. Also, I completed sixty-two hours of community service, which was more than what was necessary. As a member of Rotary Club, I had to have a tight schedule. Because my peers and I were so involved in many other things, our Rotary Club meetings took place a couple of times a month during the evening. As one might guess, I also did more community service through Rotary Club. The most fun I had on a community service project was helping finish a Habitat for Humanity house. I spent twelve hours siding a house. It was fulfilling working alongside so many people who enjoyed giving back to a worthy cause. Another thing I did as a member of Rotary Club was go with a group to Costa Rica and worked on painting a library for ten days. This was also quite fulfilling, and the locals kept thanking us for the amount of time we spent on this project.

I live in Elkhart, Indiana, and I have always been surrounded by live music. When I was a young child, I would go to the Jazz Festival, which happens every summer. Even though my family did not have too much money, we would go to the free performances that were offered by the Elkhart Jazz Festival. It was always a great time. Now that I am older, the Jazz Festival is a great way to spend a date night. My date and I would go out to watch different bands play, and we always end up dancing the night away. My parents, being music lovers themselves, allow me to extend my curfew on these nights so that I can enjoy the music longer. I spent most of my time dancing at this year's Jazz Festival, and I had a great time! Even though I have been going to concerts for quite some time, I am most excited about when I saw The Bleachers this year. First off, I had to get my parents' permission to attend this concert because it was in Chicago. I had to ask for permission because I was going with a young man and no other friends. Since my parents know this young man and trust him, they allowed me to attend this concert. We left mid-morning and spent the day and afternoon in Chicago. We went to Grant Park, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Field Museum. We had a great time, although we were anticipating having a great time watching The Bleachers that night. I had a blast at The Bleachers concert. Once again, as has always been the case, I danced the night away. The band was really in sync with each other, and I do enjoy watching a group who is clean and tight when playing live. So, we spent the entire evening at The Bleachers concert, and then we had the drive home. I was actually amazed that my parent let me go to this concert because I was not going to get home until 3 AM. When I came in the door, my father was awake, and he asked me if I had had a good time. Exhausted, I said, "Yes," and then I collapsed in my bed. The next concert I am looking forward to is Aerosmith. I was supposed to see them last year, but Steven Tyler was experiencing throat and vocal problems. I was disappointed, to say the least; however, Steven Tyler's voice seems to be doing better now, and I am eagerly awaiting for when I get to see this concert. This experience is going to be even more awesome because my best friend, Dorothy, will be attending the concert with me. It is going to be a great time!

As the child of public educators, I have lived a relatively blessed life. I was a three sport athlete in high school and was named captain of the track team once and the swimming team. Besides being an athlete, I took my academics seriously, earning a 4.0 weighted GPA, meaning I took many Honors, AP, ACP, and Dual Credit classes. I enjoyed my time as an Elkhart High School student, and I was involved in NHS, Rotary Club, and FFA, just to name a few. As a student-athlete, I had the reputation of being outgoing and friendly, but friends of mine who suffered mentally had an invisible stigma that surrounded them. Speaking to the mental health stigma, I faced mental health problems in sixth grade. I had not slept for days on end, and I had a breakdown one night. My mother hurried back to my bedroom, and I tearily told her that I was unable to deal with the high expectations attached to academics and athletics. I also confided in her that I had considered self harm. Alarmed, my mother told my father what I had said, and he immediately called a psychologist friend of his. Because it was late at night, my father kept apologizing for calling so late. Jami kept telling my father that it was okay to have called her in this instance. Even though her client list was full, Jami agreed to take me on as a client. When I would go see Jami, we talked about how I was feeling, how athletics were going, how my academics were going, and how my peer relationships were going. The first month Jami and I would meet a few times a week, and she would allow me to talk about anything. As I became more accustomed to talking about my feelings, Jami suggested that I start keeping a journal and to be sure to write down at least three positive things I learned each day. I took her advice, and when I started writing down three positive things a day, I found that my outlook became much more positive! Since writing down three positive things a day made a world of difference for me, I continue this habit to this day. Being educators, my parents did not ascribe to the usual stigmas attached to mental health. When I told them about my feelings, they sat down and listened to me, and my father immediately got me help when I was at my lowest point. And, here is how the stigma attached to mental health can be changed--people need to actually communicate and listen to one another in a face-to-face environment (not through any form of social media). The first thing that comes in terms of dropping a stigma is education. When we drive through our town, my father emphasizes that most of the homeless have mental health issues which directly impacts all facets of their lives. As a society, we need to get to this level of understanding and empathy so that we can really attack the root problems that we have. Just writing someone off because s/he does not fit into society and seems inept at being able to accomplish anything makes the problem worse. So, the first thing we need to do is recognize people who have mental health issues. Next, we need to actually LISTEN to what these people have to say and show empathy. Finally, we need to have a way for those with mental health issues to find help so that they may once again be a productive member of society.

As a high school student, I have really enjoyed my science classes. Being someone who loves being out in nature, I have decided to study environmental geoscience. This will bring my two loves together--the environment and science. When I was a child, my parents would take me and my brother on at least one camping trip each summer. We would do something called "dry camping," meaning we were not hooked up to water or sewer. When we would come into a state park, my parents would get out and fill our camper's fifty-two gallon water tank. My father would insist that we had to be frugal in terms of using the water; otherwise, my brother and I would be tasked with going to a spigot and using a five gallon container with water until the water tank was full again. When we went camping, many people would just stay by their campers and not do much throughout the day. However, my family, being nature lovers, would be out of the camper by mid-morning and would not return until dinnertime. We would hike over many nature trails, and my brother and I would make comments about the weird things we would see in nature. It was amazing to see a tree that had split itself around a fence. Once we came to a huge clearing and watched at least twenty-five deer interact with one another. I also had two awesome experiences in high school that relate to environmental geoscience. First, I went on the Colorado Trip. After two weeks of classwork, my classmates, teachers, and I went on a two week hiking trip in the Rockies. Part of what we did was look at rock formations. At the same time, we also looked at abandoned gold and silver mines. Our teachers would have us study the rocks around an abandoned mining town to see if the rocks indicated that there was a cache of gold or silver in the ground. This was a great experience, and I truly enjoyed it! Second, I went on the Maine Trip. Much like the Colorado Trip, we spent two weeks in the classroom before we departed for Maine. Once we got to Maine, we pitched our tents in a local KOA Campground for two weeks and spent the days studying marine life. One day we went out with a local scientist and caught fish, made notes about them, and released them back into the wild. This was a great experience in terms of seeing science in action. I am starting my journey at DePauw University this fall, and I am going to study environmental geoscience because I want to help humanity understand how to better live in harmony with the earth in order to combat climate change. As one looks at the challenges facing mankind in terms of natural resources, we need to be able to extract needed materials from the earth in a way that does not at undo stress to the environment. We also need to fully understand how to work in such a way as to not cause any other damage in terms of climate change. I am most excited about where I am going, and I certainly cannot wait to get started!

As a high school student, I have really enjoyed my science classes. Being someone who loves being out in nature, I have decided to study environmental geoscience. This will bring my two loves together--the environment and science. When I was a child, my parents would take me and my brother on at least one camping trip each summer. We would do something called "dry camping," meaning we were not hooked up to water or sewer. When we would come into a state park, my parents would get out and fill our camper's fifty-two gallon water tank. My father would insist that we had to be frugal in terms of using the water; otherwise, my brother and I would be tasked with going to a spigot and using a five gallon container with water until the water tank was full again. When we went camping, many people would just stay by their campers and not do much throughout the day. However, my family, being nature lovers, would be out of the camper by mid-morning and would not return until dinnertime. We would hike over many nature trails, and my brother and I would make comments about the weird things we would see in nature. It was amazing to see a tree that had split itself around a fence. Once we came to a huge clearing and watched at least twenty-five deer interact with one another. I also had two awesome experiences in high school that relate to environmental geoscience. First, I went on the Colorado Trip. After two weeks of classwork, my classmates, teachers, and I went on a two week hiking trip in the Rockies. Part of what we did was look at rock formations. At the same time, we also looked at abandoned gold and silver mines. Our teachers would have us study the rocks around an abandoned mining town to see if the rocks indicated that there was a cache of gold or silver in the ground. This was a great experience, and I truly enjoyed it! Second, I went on the Maine Trip. Much like the Colorado Trip, we spent two weeks in the classroom before we departed for Maine. Once we got to Maine, we pitched our tents in a local KOA Campground for two weeks and spent the days studying marine life. One day we went out with a local scientist and caught fish, made notes about them, and released them back into the wild. This was a great experience in terms of seeing science in action. I am starting my journey at DePauw University this fall, and I am going to study environmental geoscience because I want to help humanity understand how to better live in harmony with the earth in order to combat climate change. I am most excited about where I am going, and I certainly cannot wait to get started!

My personality has changed over time. I am a daughter to two very different personality types. My mother is reserved and does not like to be the center of attention. She would be happy standing on the sidelines watching events as they unfold. On the other hand, my father is a ham. He loves being the center of attention, and has no problem with leading conversations, no matter the content. I have worked on my personality through high school. I started out being pretty reserved, but now I am the one person who is the glue that holds the friend group together. So, if I want to do things with my friends, I am the one who will decide what we will doing, If I decide that we all need a lake day, I will call up Dorothy, the one who has a lake house, get the lake day cleared with her parents, and use Instagram to let the friend group know what the plans are. So, I have become more like my father, which is not a bad thing at all. When I was in sixth grade, I had a pretty rough time. Unbeknownst to my parents at the time, I was sleeping very little. At one point, I just could not function anymore. So, I broke down one night, and my mother came back to my room one night and asked me what was troubling me. That question gave me permission to spill my heart out. I let my mother know that I was extremely tired, but I could not focus on my academics and sports. I told my mother that I had considered harming myself. Alarmed, my mother immediately told my father the situation. Even though it was past eleven o'clock at night, my father called the school psychologist, Jami, and she agreed to see me at her private practice the next day. My father kept apologizing for calling so late, and Jami told him that it was fine because he was looking out for his daughter, who was under mental duress. So, Jami said that it was no big deal that my father called her late at night. Under Jami's direction, I slowly regained my confidence and mental sanity. Jami had me write about my feelings in a journal and told me to "let out" the negative thoughts. So, I was to write down three positive things in my life each day. Doing this exercise slowly changed my outlook, and I did not view life through a negative lens anymore. Now, because of my success through positive affirmation, I continue to write down three positive things about every day of my life. I have come a long way as a student-athlete. I am truly excited for the next chapter of my life! I am most excited to combat my negative thoughts with positive affirmations. I am ready to have a positive impact on my peers, and my journey's next steps await me as I become a student at DePauw University.

As I get ready to go off to college, I am excited to undertake my field of study, environmental geoscience. My parents always said that I could accomplish anything. It did not matter my sex, my parents fully supported anything I chose to explore, always telling me that I would be successful. My parents are both teachers; my father teaches English and my mother is a certified Special Education teacher who now makes sure high school students in the trades earn their needed certifications. Armed with the knowledge that my parents fully supported my course of study, I found that I really enjoy science, and I want to help make the world a better place through science. Therefore, I honed in on studying environmental geoscience in college because it is a field that can have an enormously positive impact on mankind. However, I fully understand that historically I am fighting gender stereotypes. Typically, the sciences have been dominated by men, and too few women have had a voice in the process of making life more bearable for humanity. However, the positive affirmation my parents always told me whispers in my ears, and I am determined to become one of the best in my chosen field of study. I dream of using science to slow the negative effects of climate change. I am passionate about the earth. I am passionate about people keeping up their standard of living. In terms of combating climate change, I want to be on the forefront of helping humanity live harmoniously with the earth. Throughout my life, my parents have taken me on many camping trips to Indiana's state parks. When my family goes camping, we do not spend much time at our campsite. We are always out on hikes, some of which take hours. I have always found it peaceful being immersed in nature. A feeling of peace and calm overcomes me, and I feel like I am centered. I want the generations that follow mine to have the same opportunity to go out and experience nature, not hear what nature used to be like. Being an environmental geoscientist will allow me to follow two of my passions: (1) being out in nature and (2) helping others to live in harmony with nature. By learning how to use natural resources in a more efficient way, I will be helping all of humanity be able to maintain an acceptable standard of living, and I will also be helping to help slow the impact of climate change.

As a child my parents always said that I could accomplish anything. It did not matter my sex, my parents fully supported anything I chose to explore, always telling me that I would be successful. My parents are both teachers; my father teaches English and my mother is a certified Special Education teacher who now makes sure high school students in the trades meet their needed certifications in order to graduate. Armed with the knowledge that my parents fully supported my course of study, I found that I really enjoy science, and I want to help make the world a better place through science. Therefore, I honed in on studying Environmental GeoScience in college because it is a field that can have an enormous positive impact on mankind. However, I fully understand that historically I am fighting gender stereotypes. Typically, the sciences have been dominated by men, and too few women have had a voice in the process of making life more bearable for humanity. However, the positive affirmation my parents always told me whispers in my ears, and I am determined to become one of the best in my chosen field of study. I dream of using science to slow the negative effects of climate change. Looking at today's car market, it is quite evident that we need to find different ways to power cars that will cause less chaos in the environment. However, my father argues that creating electric vehicles actually causes more environmental damage. At the same time, he points out that the United States does not have the infrastructure for electric vehicles. Another thing my father says is that it takes longer for electric cars to get charged, meaning charging stations will have to be much more plentiful than gas stations. To me, this seems like an interesting problem. How do we wean ourselves off of gasoline while finding an alternative that will fully power our needs? So, one of the things I see myself doing as an environmental geoscientist is helping find new ways to create the power the world needs to keep up the current standard of living. I see myself as being a part of the solution as the world finds itself facing raw material shortages. We need to find new ways to create power that causes the least amount of environmental damage. Even if gasoline is here to stay as a power source, I truly believe that we can find other sources of energy that lessen the reliance on fossil fuels. I want to be on the cusp of this research because it will have a huge impact on all of humanity.

K-Pop is something my generation gets excited about! My parents, on the other hand, just shake their heads, not understanding why K-Pop has taken America by storm. To that end, BTS is my favorite K-Pop band. Not only is their music excellent, but they strive to be much more than "just a band." I have sat down with my father and watched how The Beatles took their power seriously as they influenced American culture, and BTS is cut from the same cloth. Besides being as popular as The Beatles early in their career, BTS works hard to have a positive global influence on society. In terms of looking to be a positive influence globally, BTS has worked hard to help curb Anti-Asian rhetoric and ideas. However, besides speaking about this issue publicly, BTS has spoken directly with President Joe Biden to come up with ideas to combat Anti-Asian rhetoric. BTS is using its platform as way to have a reach that goes beyond music. At the same time, BTS has worked with UNICEF to help promote positivity in terms of children and young people's mental health. On a personal note, as someone who faced a mental health crisis in sixth grade, BTS's focus on self-discovery, societal pressure, and mental health is important to me. When I relayed to my mother that I was unable to sleep and was considering self harm, she immediately told my father. He called the school social worker right away, even though it was at eleven at night. Through much work learning how to see the world in a positive light, I worked with the school's social worker. I still write down three positive affirmations a day, a habit that reminds me to see the positive in the world. So, as I said, the focus BTS puts on mental health is important to me. At the same time, BTS has brought much attention to the concept of inclusive living environments. This makes sense because they have faced Anti-Asian rhetoric throughout their career, and facing this type of discrimination allows BTS to fully understand how we all need to be able to work together in a friendly way. It is not important to fully understand how someone else feels, but it is important to be empathetic and work together for a better world. Through their work of trying to make others understand that differences can be a strength, BTS is trying to make society more open and forgiving. BTS has brought K-Pop to a much wider audience. If BTS had only had one successful song, no one would know about K-Pop because it would have receded back into anonymity. However, because of BTS's success, they have brought other K-Pop bands into the mainstream media, opening a whole new genre of music for American consumption. Lucky for us, BTS has also given all K-Pop bands the blueprint on how to be politically active.

As I think of "The Summer I Turned Pretty," I am definitely Team Conrad all of the way. There are a few reasons that Conrad is a much better choice for Belly. First and foremost, Conrad is really deeply in love with Belly. Even though he makes missteps along the way, he always has Belly's best interest at heart, and his intention is to make her happy. However, this does not always work out too well because they are both extremely inexperienced. Belly is just sixteen years old, and Conrad is just nineteen years old. As a side note, I have been in two long term relationships, and I can attest to the fact that each side is trying to determine what the line is when it comes to dating. I am young for my age (seventeen), and navigating the world of relationships as a teenager has been rewarding yet confusing. In a flashback during episode three of season two, Conrad has a panic attack and is not able to hold himself together. Belly, being an egotistical teenager, truly believes that she is the center of the universe. Not understanding what is going on, Belly is hurt when Conrad tries to get some air and expresses the need for some space so that he can get some air. Belly, as an inexperienced teenager would, sees this sequence as a rejection of who she is. Because she does not fully understand what is going on, Belly loses confidence in herself and sees Conrad's need for air as rejection. Because she is insecure and lacks confidence, Belly breaks up with Conrad over this situation, which is caused by basic miscommunication. Jeremiah is an interesting character, and he is Conrad's brother, but he is not the best choice for Belly. First off, Jeremiah is more immature, even though he has good looks and a disarming sense of humor. However, there always seems to be trouble boiling just below the surface of Jeremiah's skin. Yes, Jeremiah always treats Belly well; however, there is always chaos boiling just below the surface of his skin. At the same time, Jeremiah is even handed with everyone, meaning he does not treat Belly as special, meaning he puts on a brave face for everyone when trouble rears its ugly head. This type of false bravado is not able to be sustained, which means Jeremiah's world will come tumbling down, and Belly would be swept away in the ensuing chaos. Going back to the little squabble Conrad and Belly had when Conrad needed air because of his panic attack, he drives away from the situation because he truly believes that this is what Belly wanted him to do. Is this an immature reaction to this situation? Absolutely. However, over time, Conrad will learn that these types of disagreements should not be an end game in a relationship. Both parties will have to maturely sit down and listen to the other person's point of view. Conrad does things right now because he believes it is what Belly would want him to do. Conrad has put Belly at the center of his universe and is much more mature than Jeremiah, which is why I am Team Conrad all the way. At this point Jeremiah wants to please everyone, which is not sustainable and will ultimately hurt many others along the way.

As a child my parents always said that I could accomplish anything. It did not matter my sex, my parents fully supported anything I chose to explore, always telling me that I would be successful. My parents are both teachers; my father teaches English and my mother is a certified Special Education teacher. Even though I come from an extremely supportive home, my educational journey was not without adversity. When I was in fifth grade, I became stressed out and was unable to sleep for days at a time. I confided in my mother that I did not know whether or not I could take this type of stress and that I harbored thoughts of hurting myself. My mother told my father this information, and even though it was late at night, my father immediately called the school's social worker who had an outside psychology practice. Even though she already had a full client list, the psychologist agreed to see me the next day, and she even gave my parents a discount for her services. In the beginning, I would see her a couple of times a week, and we would discuss how things were going and how I could change my perspective in order to lessen the stress in my life. After the first two weeks, I started keeping a journal of what was going on in my life, and I was tasked with finding positives in everything that I was experiencing. Over time, my feelings of inadequacy dissipated, and I would see the psychologist once every two months. After a year and a half, I was able to deal with life on my own and no longer needed the services of the psychologist. However, I still write three positive affirmations each day, which is a habit I plan on doing throughout my life. Armed with the knowledge that my parents fully support me in every way possible, I found that I really enjoy science, and I want to help make the world a better place through science. Therefore, I am going to study Environmental GeoScience at DePauw University because it is a field that can have an enormous positive impact on mankind. However, I fully understand that historically I am fighting gender stereotypes. Typically, the sciences have been dominated by men, and too few women have had a voice in the process. However, the positive affirmation my parents always told me whispers in my ears, and I am determined to become one of the best in my chosen field of study. I dream of using science to slow the negative effects of climate change. I want to help humanity with the same drive with which my parents helped me so many years ago. At this point, my parents have flatly told me that I am not to take out student loans to cover the cost of college because of how student loan debt can be a lifelong endeavor to pay off. I know my parents have done some financial finagling to make things work because I walked in on one of their budgeting sessions, but I am expected to come up with $5,500 each year. Yes, I have been given a work study job, but it only covers about half of what my parents expect me to contribute to my educational costs. So, this scholarship will help me cover the amount my parents expect me to bring to the table in terms of paying for my college education.

When I first came into this world, my parents would read to me constantly. Being public educators, my parents understood the importance of reading. My father would spend hours reading Freddy the Pig books to me. I learned to love Freddy and all of the entertainment that happened in his life, and I really enjoyed seeing how he would outwit those who wanted to cause trouble for others. As I grew up, I found many books that tickled my fancy. I read The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe series, most of J. R. R. Tolkien's books, and the Harry Potter series. Although these books are dubbed as being fantasy, they actually have a great deal to do with what it takes to succeed in life. My parents encouraged me to be the best version of myself no matter what I was doing; to that end, Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy is most encapsulates what life is like. In order to be successful, things can be quite difficult. And, as my father pointed out, there are people who do not want to see others succeed and show a fatal flaw of humanity, taking the easy way out. For example, Saruman sees no hope when the evil of Sauron is seemingly taking hold of the world, and Saruman wants to be on the winning side. (Deep down inside he wants power and the one ring that controls all of the other rings.) Because Saruman does not see the hobbits being successful in their quest to destroy The Ring in Mount Doom, he sides with Sauron and tries to win favor and power, secretly coveting the ring for himself. Against all odds, Frodo is ultimately successful in his quest to destroy the ring. However, he lost (and gained) much on his journey. One of the major things he learned was that he needed the help of friends in order to be successful; he would not have been able to withstand the power of the ring without those who surrounded him. At the same time, Frodo lost part of himself to the ring and became "stretched," just like Bilbo and Gollum before him. Frodo had to fight himself and an outside power in order to reach his ultimate goal, defeating a power that would have been most tempting to wield but would ultimately lead to the downfall of mankind. However, the ring's power, as frightening as it was, beckoned each "master" with the lure of being able to control it and being the most powerful person alive. And, what did Frodo's quest teach me? Well, most people know the correct thing to do in most situations. However, it is much easier to go along with the crowd and fit in, hoping to look "cool" and gain a little bit of "power" in terms of popularity. As my parents have pointed out time and time again, the most correct things to do are usually the most difficult because most people do not do what is right, they do what is easy. As I strike out on my own, my parents' words whisper in my ears. Many I know will take the easy way out because it is easy, even though they know what really ought to be done. I will follow the rules and ethics my parents taught me, and I plan on doing things the right way each and every time. Doing so may not make me popular, but I am not about gaining favor with others. I want to sleep well at night knowing that I did things the correct way.

When I was a kid, my father kept raving about how he enjoyed life outdoors. My father went on running camp trips from fifth grade through eleventh grade. He would spend weeks with other runners in Grand Marais, Michigan. There is an old logging camp there, and the director of the camp had full use of this area. At the same time, there was another running camp that went out west. The runners would be gone for two full weeks. My father told stories of running up Dead Indian Mountain for eight miles, gaining one thousand feet each mile. When I got to high school, I finally got to have one of the experiences my father holds most dear. I got to go on the Colorado Trip. The Colorado Trip has students spend a little over a week in the classroom learning about earth science. What follows is a glorious two weeks of backpacking in the Rockies, looking at rock formations and abandoned mines. It was a fantastic experience, but also very tiring. We would hike for ten miles or so each night and set up camp. Then, we would go out and look at various lakes, formations, and abandoned mines. I had a great time! Another experience I had when I was young happened when we took a family trip to Salt Lake City to see my Aunt Malaika. Malaika is really into nature and spends her days hiking through the mountains. When we got to Salt Lake, Aunt Malaika had a full week of hikes planned. I really remember this trip because we got to stand on top of snow on a mountain on the Fourth of July! As a young child, this was a surreal experience because I come from Indiana, and there certainly is no snow on the fourth of July! This is another experience that left an indelible mark on me in terms of being connected to nature. I am going to DePauw University this fall, and I am going to study environmental geosciences. I want to have an positive impact on how humans get what they need from the earth, but I also want to learn how to help mankind and earth. As the climate changes, I want to be on the forefront of environmental geoscience to help protect earth and, in the process, help humans as well. Being a person who has been linked to nature from a young age, I want my children and my children's children to the ability to see and do the same sorts of things I was able to. I want my children to be able to go backpacking in the Rockies and be able to see the same peaceful, placid places I did. However, in order to do this, humankind is going to have to find ways to work more harmoniously with nature, and I want to be on the forefront of this through environmental geoscience.

As a child my parents always said that I could accomplish anything. It did not matter my sex, my parents fully supported anything I chose to explore, always telling me that I would be successful. My parents are both teachers; my father teaches English and my mother is a certified Special Education teacher. Armed with the knowledge that my parents fully supported my course of study, I found that I really enjoy science, and I want to help make the world a better place through science. Therefore, I honed in on studying Environmental GeoScience in college because it is a field that can have a positive impact on mankind. However, I fully understand that historically I am fighting gender stereotypes. Typically, the sciences have been dominated by men, and too few women have had a voice in the sciences. However, the parents' positive affirmation whispers in my ears, and I am determined to become one of the best in my chosen field of study. I dream of using science to slow the negative effects of climate change. I understand to some that this may seem like a stretch in terms of what Environmental GeoSciences will allow me to accomplish; however, I like to dream big and impact others in a positive way. My dream is being able to study Environmental GeoScience as a female, which is a feat unto itself. The second part of my dream is using what I learn being an environmental geoscientist to impact the societal greater good. My goals capture the essence of what a dream is–the ability to follow one's dreams without societal interference based on others' misconceptions and one’s sex. As I think about my past seventeen years, my parents wanted me to be well rounded and successful. When I had a tough time in elementary school, my parents sought a therapist to help me deal with my feelings of inadequacy and doubt. It is through this therapist that I learned to write at least three instances of positivity each day. Through this practice, I learned to work hard in school to earn a high grade point average, became an integral part of athletics, and am now in the process of chasing my dream of becoming an environmental geoscientist. As to my dream, I am leaving the safety of my parents’ world and will forge my own path. I aim to be a strong female voice in the world of environmental geoscience. I see environmental geoscience as a way to help mankind get what it needs while still attending to the earth’s needs. Being educators, my parents also embody the spirit of helping others seek out their dream. And, as they have told me multiple times, each student is unique, and each student’s dream varies based upon background and needs. I have just started my path. I am excited to explore and grow on my own. My parents are proud of me in terms of my progress so far; however, my version of the American Dream begins this fall at DePauw University.

As the daughter of two public educators, I have had much pressure to achieve in school. My parents sat me down at a young age and explained how important good grades were in terms of getting into college. So, when I did poorly on an assignment or a test, my parents would know about it. At the same time, however, I have watched my parents pour their hearts and souls into other people's children. Besides being an English teacher, my father is a coach. We come from a school where half of the students come from disadvantaged homes. I have watched my father raise money so that anyone who wants to be involved in his teams does not have to worry about paying the athletic fee. My father also spends our money to make sure that student-athletes have the proper equipment. At the same time, I have seen my parents have google meets with student-athletes to help them reach their academic goals. My drive to help others comes from watching my parents help other people's children on a regular basis. As a result of watching my parents give back to the community in various ways, I have taken up the reigns and have immersed myself in helping others who are not as fortunate. As a National Honor Society member, I completed over sixty hours of community service. Besides working with different community service projects, I also spent much of my time helping my peers do better academically. I found myself acting like my parents--I spent a great deal of time tutoring students in math and science. At the same time, one of the most fun community service projects I have been involved with has been working with Habitat for Humanity through Rotary Club. One of the great things is that I learned how to build walls and hang siding. It is always fun to drive around the area and look at the houses I have helped build. I will tell my brother, who is five years younger than me, about the houses I have worked on and what part of the house I worked on. It also has been pretty awesome working with Habitat for Humanity because some of the people who were earning their homes were some of my parents' former students. On a side note, my parents are always happy when former students have good things happen to them. One of the most fun projects I have worked on happened in Costa Rica. A group of seven of us went to Costa Rica and helped paint a library for ten days. It was quite gratifying because the locals kept coming up to us, expressing their thanks for what we were doing. I forget that I am lucky because libraries are plentiful in the United States. However, they are not as plentiful in Costa Rica. As I move on to DePauw University to study Environmental Geoscience, I have been exploring ways to get involved in the Greencastle community.

My parents tell me that I can accomplish anything, which is amazing because my parents were born in the 1970s. My parents are both teachers; my father teaches English and my mother is a certified Special Education teacher who now makes sure high school students in the trades meet their needed certifications. Armed with the knowledge that my parents fully support my course of study, I found that I really enjoy science, and I want to help make the world a better place through science. Therefore, I honed in on studying Environmental GeoScience in college because it is a field that can have an enormously positive impact on mankind. However, I fully understand that historically I am fighting gender stereotypes. Typically, the sciences have been dominated by men, and too few women have had a voice in the process of making life more bearable for humanity. However, the positive affirmation my parents always tell me whispers in my ears, and I am determined to become one of the best in my chosen field of study. I dream of using science to slow the negative effects of climate change. I understand to some that this may seem like a stretch in terms of what Environmental GeoSciences will allow me to accomplish; however, I like to dream big and impact others in a positive way. My dream is to be immersed in Environmental GeoScience studies as a female, which is a feat unto itself. The second part of my dream is using what I learn being an environmental geoscientist to impact the society for the greater good. My goal captures the essence of what all dreams should be–the ability to follow your dreams without societal interference based on others' misconceptions and one’s sex. As I think about my past seventeen years, my parents wanted me to be well rounded and successful, so I was given the chance to be a part of multiple activities as a child. When I had a tough time in elementary school, my parents sought a therapist to help me deal with my feelings of inadequacy and doubt. It is through this therapist that I learned to write at least three instances of positivity each day. I also am part of my parents’ dream because I worked hard in school and earned a high grade point average, was an integral part of athletics, and am now in the process of chasing my dream of becoming an environmental geoscientist. As to my journey as I forge my own path, I am leaving the safety of my parents’ world. I aim to be a strong female voice in the world of environmental geoscience. I also plan on being someone who helps humankind and the earth coexist more harmoniously. I see environmental geoscience as a way to help mankind get what it needs while still attending to the earth’s needs. And, as my parents have told me multiple times, each person is unique, and each student’s version of the his/her dream varies based upon background and needs. I have just started my path. I am excited to explore and grow on my own. My parents are proud of me; however, my version of my dream begins this fall at DePauw University.

I was lucky enough to be a three sport athlete in high school. I was drawn to sports as a way to stay mentally and physically sharp. In terms of swimming, I was the captain my junior and senior year. I was also the captain of the track team my senior year. Through sports I have learned how to be a leader and how to help others. As a junior, there was a senior on the swim team who was doing things that she should not be doing (skipping practice to hang out with her boyfriend, etc.). Since my parents have taught me to deal with problems in a direct but sensitive manner; I talked to the swimmer in question, and I also talked to the coach about the problem. However, this coach has never been good at handling face-to-face confrontations when things are not going well. To this end, the entire team was split into two camps...the camp that wanted this young lady to do things correctly and the camp who sided with this young lady because of popularity. Things got nasty, and I was indirectly targeted by this young lady's mother on social media. My parents discussed the situation with the athletic director, and he indicated that my parents and I had done the right thing by not posting public rebuttals. I was also told that I was behaving in a mature way in terms of the situation. He also said that he understood that I had acted as an adult because the swim coach was not willing to do part of her job, which is to stop conflicts that negatively impact the team. I have taken what I have learned through this incident and use it regularly in my life. I am a Head Lifeguard for the local parks department, and I support others while dealing with conflicts on a regular basis. For example, one would not believe the number of parents who are not too happy when their kids are told not to engage in horseplay. When parents get up in the face of another lifeguard, I dutifully go over and diffuse the situation. Melanie, the person in charge of the pools for the parks department, is happy with me because I deal with problems before they get to her. So, I end up supporting two separate people in each instance: the lifeguard who is having the conflict with a member of the public and Melanie. Once again, the skills I gained through being a captain of the swim team have helped me be able to deal with others who are facing a conflict through no fault of their own. As I start my athletic and academic career at DePauw University, I know that the skills I have gained in conflict resolution will come in handy. I plan on using my ability to diffuse conflicts throughout my life, especially when I am helping others who are not armed with the ability to do so.

As a child my parents always said that I could accomplish anything. It did not matter my sex, my parents fully supported anything I chose to explore, always telling me that I would be successful. My parents are both teachers; my father teaches English and my mother is a certified Special Education teacher who now makes sure high school students in the trades earn their required certifications. Armed with the knowledge that my parents fully supported my course of study, I found that I really enjoy science, and I want to help make the world a better place through science. Therefore, I honed in on studying Environmental GeoScience in college because it is a field that can have an enormously positive impact on mankind. However, I fully understand that historically I am fighting gender stereotypes. Typically, the sciences have been dominated by men, and too few women have had a voice in the process of making life more bearable for humanity. However, the positive affirmation my parents always told me whispers in my ears, and I am determined to become one of the best in my chosen field of study. I dream of using science to slow the negative effects of climate change. I understand to some that this may seem like a stretch in terms of what Environmental GeoSciences will allow me to accomplish; however, I like to dream big and impact others in a positive way. My dream is immersed in being able to study Environmental GeoScience as a female, which is a feat unto itself. The second part is using what I learn being an environmental geoscientist to impact the societal greater good. My goals capture the essence of what the American Dream is–the ability to follow your dreams without societal interference based on others' misconceptions and one’s sex. As I think about my past seventeen years, I am an integral part of who I have am right now and who I will become. I am leaving the safety of my parents’ world and will forge my own path. I aim to be a strong female voice in the world of environmental geoscience. I also plan on being someone who helps humankind and the earth coexist more harmoniously. I see environmental geoscience as a way to help mankind get what it needs while still attending to the earth’s needs. My parents are a living example of the “typical” concept of the American Dream which was defined by the Baby Boomers. However, being educators, my parents also embody the spirit of helping others seek out their dream. And, as they have told me multiple times, each student is unique, and each student’s dream varies based upon background and needs. I have just started my path. I am excited to explore and grow on my own. My parents are proud of me, and I get to follow my own dream this fall at DePauw University.

As a member of a team, I have learned that each and every person has a specific job to complete. Some are better leaders; others are better followers. However, when one looks at any team that is completely successful, the members seem to have a synergistic relationship...being able to help one another through a seeming invisible understanding of one another. It is the type of relationship a happily married couple of 20 years or more has...being able to finish each other's thoughts. So, if there was a new type of supernatural evil that needed to be fought, I would choose the following characters because they complement each other: Eleven, Chief Jim Hopper, and Steve Harrington. Eleven, a mysterious and powerful character with psychokinetic abilities, would play an most important role in a supernatural battle. Her character has faced and overcome a multitude of otherworldly threats. This makes her a most important asset when it comes to facing a new supernatural threat. Eleven has proven her mettle and determination when she has had to confront evil forces. As can be seen in anyone, Eleven starts as a timid young girl, unsure of her true power. However, as she matures and grows with experience, she becomes a formidable force who is able to adapt when facing new challenges. Chief Jim Hopper, the sheriff of Hawkins who has a wealth of real world experience, is strong in a much different way than Eleven. Because he is a veteran of the Vietnam War and a police officer, Hopper understands how to gain a tactical advantage and seems to fully understand how to combat human and supernatural threats. He is a most important ally because he will do anything it takes to protect those he cares about. At the same time, Hopper has an uncanny ability to make quick decisions under duress, which is a crucial skill. Hopper is important because he would be able to fully understand how to combat a new supernatural enemy. Steve Harrington, who used to "slay" women with his good looks, has honed his skills throughout the series and is now a dangerous fighter. Even though he can be egotistical at times, he has shown much growth and a great deal of bravery as he character gained experience. So, as he becomes more responsible, Steve uses his nail-studded baseball bat to fervently defend his friends and allies. At the same time, Steve has gained valuable experience through different battles, and his ability to come up with solutions that is outside of the box are important when dealing with supernatural evil confrontations. So, Eleven, Chief Hopper, Steve Harrington would make a fantastic team. Each has strengths that complement one another, and together they would be able to fight in a synergistic way that would effectively beat any new supernatural evil they might have to face.

Taylor Swift...some love her...some hate her. I am what one might consider a "Swiftie." As I have watched in awe as the Eras Tour has broken record after record, I have been amazed at some people who seem angry when Taylor speaks out about injustices in American Society. My father loves watching football, and even though he is not a Kansas City fan, he admires the athleticism of Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. As the Kansas City Chiefs started their playoff journey last season, my father said, "No one is going to be Mahomes and Kelce." As the playoffs ramped up, Taylor Swift would end up on the screen more times than not. When my father's friends complained about her being a camera hog, he would say that the NFL was using her to expand football's fan base. At the same time, those who are more conservative in American society were complaining that Swift was going to denounce the Republican leaders and tell her fan base to lean more toward the Democratic party. Now, doing something like this would be career suicide for many; however, Taylor Swift has such a loyal fan base that inserting herself into the political arena would not diminish her popularity. So, even though there could have been a negative impact on her career, Taylor started endorsing Democratic nominees. And, this is where the Eras Tour has been hugely influential in my life. Taylor Swift put aside her fears about what might happen to her career when she started speaking about politics and voiced her opinion. As one can tell by the success of the Eras Tour, becoming political has not had an adverse impact on her career. In fact, one might argue that she has become more popular because she showed intelligence, strength, and compassion. Because of her strength, Taylor Swift has given me the strength to stand up when things are not right. For example, I usually kept my opinions to myself as a female. However, Taylor's strength in voicing her opinion has helped me find my voice. When males are sexist or do things that are inappropriate, I am no longer afraid to tell them that what they are doing makes me feel highly uncomfortable. I am kind and keep eye contact when I have these discussions, but I am no longer afraid to broach these subjects. Taylor Swift's willingness to risk her career to speak her mind has impacted me in a most positive way. I, too, am now willing to tell people what I truthfully think, even if there are going to be negative repercussions in terms of what I am able to do.

As DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince would say, "Summer, Summer, Summertime!" As a student, summertime is my most favorite season. Being a serious academic during the school year, I am ready to relax and enjoy my summers. Even though I sometimes do some enrichment classes during the summer, most of my time is spent with friends. So, when summertime finally rolls around, I hang out with my friend Dorothy quite a bit. We usually end up over at her grandmother's lake house, and we can be found lolling about on the dock or slowly taking the boat out on the lake. What Starbucks drink captures these lazy, sunny, fun days? Well, that would be the Summer Berry Lemonade, of course! On hot, sweltering summer days, I love slipping into the spring fed lake and swimming about a bit. I also enjoy the feel of wind in my face as I stand at the front of the boat as we zoom across the water. The refreshing feeling is completely encapsulated by the Summer Berry Lemonade. When most think about lemonade, they think about that old television commercial where people are enjoying Country Time Lemonade "one sip at a time." To me, this is what Summer Berry Lemonade represents. As I slowly enjoy Summer Berry Lemonade, time slows down, and I am able to fully enjoy the time with my friends. As I am drinking this, it means that I am with people whose company I enjoy. Because Dorothy and I are so busy during the school year, the summertime is when everything is allowed to slow down, and we are finally able to enjoy our time together. At the same time, Dorothy and I will invite other friends to come over and enjoy the lake life as well. When we all get together, time slows down and we reminisce. And, this moves into the next part of what the Summer Berry Lemonade drink means to me. This drink captures the good times in the past and captures the good times in the present. So, Summer Berry Lemonade is the drink that is almost like a time machine for nostalgia. When I have been drinking this, I have never had a bad time. I am around with friends I care about. I am in an environment most would love to be in. I am able to slow down and take in what is around me, meaning I can watch clouds, enjoy swimming, enjoy boating, etc. The Summer Berry Lemonade drink encapsulates everything positive about my summers.

As a child my parents always said that I could accomplish anything. It did not matter my sex, my parents fully supported anything I chose to explore, always telling me that I would be successful. My parents are both teachers; my father teaches English and my mother is a certified Special Education teacher who now makes sure high school students in the trades meet their needed certifications in order to graduate. Armed with the knowledge that my parents fully supported my course of study, I found that I really enjoy science, and I want to help make the world a better place through science. Therefore, I honed in on studying Environmental GeoScience in college because it is a field that can have an enormous positive impact on mankind. However, I fully understand that historically I am fighting gender stereotypes. Typically, the sciences have been dominated by men, and too few women have had a voice in the process of making life more bearable for humanity. However, the positive affirmation my parents always told me whispers in my ears, and I am determined to become one of the best in my chosen field of study. I dream of using science to slow the negative effects of climate change. As I have worked through my high school years, I have been a leader at every step. First, I am a three-sport athlete. I was a leader in each of my sports, being named the PRIDE winner three consecutive years and captain two consecutive years in swimming and being named a captain two consecutive years in track. It is obvious that a team's captain is one who has the respect of teammates and can lead others in a positive direction. But, the PRIDE Award is given to the person who is a natural leader but also is the most trusted by a coach. The PRIDE Award winner is someone a coach could give his/her keys to without having to worry about the individual doing something inappropriate. I have always been a leader when it comes to sports, but I am the leader when it comes to my friend group. I am the glue that holds together the bond of friendship, including those students who are now in college. So, when colleges go on break, I am the one who makes sure that we all get together and have a great time. I have kept the group together as we go out to movies and bowling as a group; I have also organized outings on the lake, etc. I pride myself in keeping all of us together as a friend group. I do realize that it will not last forever, but I take great pride in being the person who is able to keep the friend group together. I am going to DePauw University to study environment geosciences. I am interested in finding better ways to use earth's natural resources that will not increase the negative impact of climate change. I am looking to be a strong female voice that will be an advocate for a more responsible way to deal with fulfilling the needs of mankind while balancing the needs of nature. I know that I will have to work to get the respect of my peers in this field, but I look to using my natural gifts as a leader to help me become a leading voice in the field of environmental geosciences as I diligently work with others to use earth's resources in a more environmentally conscience way.

My parents loved "That 70s Show"; I have fallen in love with "That 90s Show." Why? It captures the essence of what it is to be a teenager. I will be quite honest, the first season of "That 90s Show" started pretty slowly. It seemed as though the writers and characters had trouble finding their footing. As I watched the first season, the jokes were strained, and everyone seemed to be looking at Red and Kitty to make scenes work. The first season did end much better than it started; however, it still seemed pretty forced to me. However, the second season of "That 90s Show" is excellent! First, the characters seemed to have found their voice and now are a well oiled machine in terms of comedic timing. Red and Kitty are still part of the main focus, but the other actors now have found their footing in terms of interacting with one another. Even my father guffawed when Ozzie did the Mentos commercial. I also thought it was awesome that so many 90s icons were involved in the show: Lisa Loeb, Carmen Electra, and Jay and Silent Bob, just to name a few. Even though the show is aimed at teenagers, my father watched all of the binge watched all of the episodes with me, which does not happen too often. One of the more serious subject that was dealt with in a humorous way was when Nikki was afraid she was pregnant. This subject is quite delicate when a teenager tells him mother or father that they are pregnant; of course, Nikki, being a driven individual, finds the possibility that she might be pregnant absolutely scary. She turns to Kitty, who mentions that she had a daughter, Laurie, who needed pregnancy tests on a regular basis. So, Kitty, being the surrogate mother in this case, has Nikki use one of the old pregnancy tests. Nikki, of course, shows positive for pregnancy. Ozzie then points out that the pregnancy tests are out of date and have a picture of a mother smoking a cigarette on them. So, Kitty, Nikki, and Ozzie all take pregnancy tests. And, lo and behold, they are all pregnant! Although this is a hilarious scene, it touches upon a serious topic--teenage sex. This topic is extremely hard to discuss this with a mother or father, and That 90s Show encapsulates the problem with telling teenagers to "just say no" to sex. Hormones are pumping through a teenager's body, and it is difficult to stop one's urges. Nate and Nikki break up, and quite literally come back together again and again. They keep telling themselves that they will not have sex anymore, but they seem unable to stop because they are good at it! Gwen, Leia, and Nikki go and shop for Wonderbras. In a funny exchange in a changing room, the characters discuss what the new bra has done for their figures. They then discuss that they don't have any money, and Gwen has the idea of stealing the bras. Of course, Gwen, being the African-American character, gets caught stealing. What follows is a humorous but serious look at racism. The mall security officer makes her realize that she was stopped because of the color of her skin. When Gwen and her mother, Sherri, discuss what has happened later, Gwen tells her that she won't ever understand because she is white. Sherri tells Gwen that she is willing to discuss anything...even if she does not understand it. Everyone should watch That 90s Show. It captures serious subjects in a most amusing way!

Taylor Swift...the best artist ever (although my father argues that she cannot touch The Beatles or Led Zeppelin). However, each generation has an artist that stands out, and I even catch my father humming Taylor Swift tunes from time to time! Anyhow, as I move on from high school to college, I am really enjoying Taylor Swift's "I Know Places." After being in a bad relationship for a couple of years, I finally had the strength to move on, and the new relationship came completely out of nowhere! This young man and I went to prom as friends, and that is all I saw him as. However, we went on informal dates with my friend group, and he (Matthew) seemed to fit in quite well. At this point, my friends asked if we were a "thing," and I retorted that we were not. However, after a time, I noticed that Matthew was respectful and treated me as an equal, not as an object to be admired by others and then locked away. So, when Matthew finally asked if we could go out on a "proper date," I immediately agreed. He even picked me up at my house and had a nice talk with my parents! The thing with a relationship is this--many will be jealous at someone else's happiness. So, Taylor's song, "I Know Places," fits perfectly with my new relationship. "I can hear them whisper as we pass by it's a bad sign, bad sign" captures what other girls want. When girls see someone who is happy in a relationship, they automatically want to "chase down" the boy in question and try to take him away from someone else. It is not a "bad sign, bad sign" that people are talking about the relationship; it is a "bad sign, bad sign" because girls are plotting on how to insert themselves into the relationship and become the girl who is receiving the attention. Going along with girls going after another person's man, the lines "Just grab my hand and don't ever drop it My love They are the hunters, we are the foxes," encapsulates exactly what happens. The couple has to run like foxes to stay ahead of the foxes, the people who want to insert themselves into the relationship. "Baby, I know place we won't be found...." Keeping jealous girls at bay can be tiring, and the couple in question needs to find a place in which they can hide and stay away from the "vultures circling, dark clouds." It is a sad fact of life that those who are not happy will try to bring others down to their level; as my father has often told me, "Misery loves company." And finally, after being a unit with a single purpose. "They take their shots, but we're bulletproof...." By working together and navigating the difficult life of a happy couple amidst the sad and jealous of society, a couple does become "bulletproof." As my relationship with Matthew has strengthened, "I Know Places" is constantly sounding in my brain. Because, as the song says at the end, "I know for you, it's always me."

As a child my parents always said that I could accomplish anything. It did not matter my sex, my parents fully supported anything I chose to explore, always telling me that I would be successful. My parents are both teachers; my father teaches English and my mother is a certified Special Education teacher who now makes sure high school students in the trades meet their needed certifications in order to graduate. I have been immersed in sports since I was born. My father is a high school cross country and track field. At the same time, both of my parent were athletes through high school. My father was a collegiate athlete during his undergraduate years. When I was young, my father would bring me to his practices, which was fantastic. I was given the opportunity to explore at a young age, and my father would let me wander around while his practice was in session. The local high school where my father coaches has a huge wooded area that has multiple paths and a huge pond. I would wander back into this area during my father’s practices, feeling the joy of freedom. My parents got me involved in organized swimming at the age of five, and this has molded much of the way I view the world. I have always been known as an athlete all of my life. Being a high school athlete has given me many opportunities to work on my personal growth. As a teammate, I learned how to be empathetic and just listen to people, which is a lost art. At the same time, when I became a captain, my coaches trusted me to work with teammates who were having personality conflicts with others on the team. Instead of having a coach deal with those problems, I was seen as mature enough to deal with whatever the situation might be. So, because I am a pretty good mediator, I got to help others come to compromises. In high school I was a manager for my father’s cross country team, and I competed in swimming and track. In terms of swimming, I earned the highest award three years in a row–the PRIDE award. The PRIDE award is given to an individual who is a leader and is someone a coach can count on and give his/her keys to. I also was a captain of swimming as a junior and senior. At the same time, I competed as a thrower in track. As a thrower I worked to improve my distances. At the same time, I was named captain my junior and senior year. I learned how to listen and help people work through problems as a a captain. A kind, quiet word here or there helped diffuse many volatile situations, which was beneficial to the team. Because of my experiences as a captain, I have confidence when I act as a mediator between parties. I am attending DePauw University this fall, and I am excited to continue my athletic career as a thrower. My coach and I are excited to see what I can accomplish in college as a student-athlete. The skills I learned through sports will invariably help me in the classroom. My ability to listen fully to what someone is saying, working through a positive outcome, and dealing with differing personalities will undoubtedly be most useful as I undertake my collegiate journey. In short, everything I have experienced has turned me into the leader that I am today.

As a child, my parents always said that I could accomplish anything. It did not matter my sex, my parents fully supported anything I chose to explore, always telling me that I would be successful. My parents are both teachers; my father teaches English and my mother is a certified Special Education teacher who now makes sure high school students in the trades earn their certifications. I have been immersed in sports since birth. My father is a high school cross country and track field. When I was young, my father would bring me to his practices, which was fantastic. I was given the opportunity to explore at a young age, and my father would let me wander around while practice was in session. The local high school where my father coaches has a huge wooded area that has multiple paths and a huge pond. I would wander back into this area during my father’s practices, feeling the joy of freedom. My parents got me involved in organized swimming at the age of five, and this has molded much of the way I view the world. I have always been known as an athlete all of my life. Being a high school athlete has given me many opportunities to work on my personal growth. As a teammate, I learned how to be empathetic and just listen to people, which is a lost art. At the same time, when I became a captain, my coaches trusted me to work with teammates who were having personality conflicts with others on the team. Instead of having a coach deal with those problems, I was seen as mature enough to deal with whatever the situation might be. So, because I am a pretty good mediator, I got to help others come to compromises. In high school I was a manager for my father’s cross country team, and I competed in swimming and track. In terms of swimming, I earned the highest award three years in a row–the PRIDE award. The PRIDE award is given to an individual who is a leader and is someone a coach can count on and give his/her keys to. I also was a captain of swimming as a junior and senior. At the same time, I competed as a thrower in track. As a thrower I worked to improve my distances. At the same time, I was named captain my junior and senior year. I learned how to listen and help people work through problems as a a captain. A kind, quiet word here or there helped diffuse many volatile situations, which was beneficial to the team. Because of my experiences as a captain, I have confidence when I act as a mediator between parties. Besides being involved in sports, I earned a 4.0 weighted GPA in high school, taking many AP, ACP, and Dual Credit classes. I worked extremely hard to earn a high GPA so I could be a true student-athlete. Finally, I did much community service through FFA, Rotary Club, NHS, and athletics. My most favorite community service project was working on a Habitat for Humanity build. I will DePauw University this fall and am excited to continue my athletic career as a thrower. My coach and I are excited to see what I can accomplish in college as a student-athlete. The skills I learned through sports will help me in the classroom. My ability to listen fully to what someone is saying, working through a positive outcome, and dealing with differing personalities will undoubtedly be most useful as I undertake my collegiate journey.

To begin with, my name is Madelyn Homo. As I have grown up, both of my parents are public educators who value education’s importance. My parents have worked with countless students, and they have poured their effort into other people’s children. There are many times my father will be online with students helping them finish an essay. My father helps students who are no longer his students; he even edits essays for former students who are working on a graduate degree! Because of seeing my parents selflessly help others, I have this character trait. When I got into high school, I proudly carried the torch of helping others. So, I decided to get involved with community service projects. For instance, I served breakfast to community members and helped with Halloween at the Farm through FFA. The breakfast we served was for those who were less fortunate; I ended up being one of the serving people for this endeavor. So, I would take people’s orders and bring the food they ordered. This, of course, was done at no charge to those who were eating. Besides helping serve breakfast for FFA, I helped with Halloween at the Farm. We had a hayride for kids; we created a small corn maze; we even dressed up as well-known scary characters and did a haunted trail ride. It was great fun, and the members of the community really seemed to enjoy it. As a National Honor Society member, I spent many hours volunteering my time to worthy causes. First, I spent much of my time tutoring students struggling with their classes. The coaches at my school decided that student-athletes who were not doing well academically would have to stay after practice to work on schoolwork. They asked NHS to get tutors, and I readily agreed to be one. I saw it as a way to be like my mother and father. So, I would tutor student-athletes who were having academic problems twice a week. I found this to be satisfying, and the people I worked with were so grateful for the help. I also spent much of my time ringing bells for the Salvation Army. Every year I would sign up for various shifts and would ring a bell for hours, helping raise money for those in need. I really enjoyed doing this because I knew the money was going to a great cause. Finally, as a member of the Rotary Club, I was involved with two major community service projects. First, I helped on a Habitat for Humanity build. I was most pleased with the project because I learned how to put siding on a house, which is a handy skill to have. It was wonderful to work with the future homeowner as we put the finishing touches on the outside of the house. There is something quite wonderful about instantly seeing the fruits of your labor. Besides helping at a Habitat for Humanity build, I went to Costa Rica with Rotary members, and we worked on helping paint a library for ten days. Unfortunately, it rained more often than normal, so we were limited to the inside of the library. We spent a great deal of time painting walls and shelves. This was a fun project, although the paint fumes could be overwhelming at times. In order to combat this problem, we painted in shifts. All of these community service projects have given the recipients a newfound sense of hope. I always get excited when having a positive impact on other people’s lives, and I plan on continuing this as a collegiate student-athlete.

As a child my parents always said that I could accomplish anything. It did not matter my sex, my parents fully supported anything I chose to explore, always telling me that I would be successful. My parents are both teachers; my father teaches English and my mother is a certified Special Education teacher who now makes sure high school students in the trades meet their needed certifications in order to graduate. Armed with the knowledge that my parents fully supported my course of study, I found that I really enjoy science, and I want to help make the world a better place through science. Therefore, I honed in on studying Environmental GeoScience in college because it is a field that can have an enormous positive impact on mankind. However, I fully understand that historically I am fighting gender stereotypes. Typically, the sciences have been dominated by men, and too few women have had a voice in the process of making life more bearable for humanity. However, the positive affirmation my parents always told me whispers in my ears, and I am determined to become one of the best in my chosen field of study. I dream of using science to slow the negative effects of climate change. I understand to some that this may seem like a stretch in terms of what Environmental GeoSciences will allow me to accomplish; however, I like to dream big and impact others in a positive way. My dream is immersed in being able to study Environmental GeoScience as a female, which is a feat unto itself. The second part of my dream is using what I learn being an environmental geoscientist to impact the societal greater good. My goals capture the essence of what the majority of Americans believe in–the ability to follow your dreams without societal interference based on others' misconceptions and one’s sex. As I think about my past seventeen years, I was given the chance to be a part of multiple activities as a child, but I ended up loving swimming. On the outside, everything always looked like it was going well; however, when I had a tough time in elementary school, my parents sought a therapist to help me deal with my feelings of doubt and inadequacy. It is through this therapist that I learned to write at least three instances of positivity each day. As I gained confidence in my personal skills, I worked hard in school and earned a high grade point average, was an integral part of athletics, and am now in the process of chasing my dream of becoming an environmental geoscientist. As to my dream, I am leaving the safety of my parents’ world and will forge my own path. I aim to be a strong female voice in the world of environmental geoscience. I also plan on being someone who helps humankind and the earth coexist more harmoniously. I see environmental geoscience as a way to help mankind get what it needs while still attending to the earth’s needs. My parents are a living example of the “typical” concept of the American Dream which was defined by the Baby Boomers. However, being educators, my parents also embody the spirit of helping others seek out their dream. And, as they have told me multiple times, each student is unique, and each student’s dream varies based upon background and needs. My parents have poured their heart and soul into other people's children. My parents have been unselfish throughout my life, and I want to be a part of paying for my college. My parents have put aside some money to help cover the costs associated with college. I have just started my path; I am excited to explore and grow on my own. My parents are proud of me because I am independent and responsible. We are all excited because my dream truly begins this fall at DePauw University.

As a child my parents always said that I could accomplish anything. It did not matter my sex, my parents fully supported anything I chose to explore, always telling me that I would be successful. My parents are both teachers; my father teaches English and my mother is a certified Special Education teacher who now makes sure high school students in the trades meet their needed certifications in order to graduate. Armed with the knowledge that my parents fully supported my course of study, I found that I really enjoy science, and I want to help make the world a better place through science. Therefore, I honed in on studying Environmental GeoScience in college because it is a field that can have an enormous positive impact on mankind. However, I fully understand that historically I am fighting gender stereotypes. Typically, the sciences have been dominated by men, and too few women have had a voice in the process of making life more bearable for humanity. However, the positive affirmation my parents always told me whispers in my ears, and I am determined to become one of the best in my chosen field of study. I dream of using science to slow the negative effects of climate change. I understand to some that this may seem like a stretch in terms of what Environmental GeoSciences will allow me to accomplish; however, I like to dream big and impact others in a positive way. I want to use what I learn about being an environmental geoscientist to impact the societal greater good. As to my dream, I aim to be a strong female voice in the world of environmental geoscience. I also plan on being someone who helps humankind and the earth coexist more harmoniously. I see environmental geoscience as a way to help mankind get what it needs while still attending to the earth’s needs. When I had a tough time in elementary school, my parents sought a therapist to help me deal with my feelings of inadequacy and doubt. It is through this therapist that I learned to write at least three instances of positivity each day. Being educators, my parents embody the spirit of helping others succeed in life. And, as they have told me multiple times, each student is unique. I have just started my path. I am excited to explore and grow on my own. My parents are proud of me, and I my journey as I study environmental geoscience begins this fall at DePauw University.

As a child my parents always said that I could accomplish anything. It did not matter my sex, my parents fully supported anything I chose to explore, always telling me that I would be successful. My parents are both teachers; my father teaches English and my mother is a certified Special Education teacher who now makes sure high school students in the trades meet their needed certifications in order to graduate. I have been immersed in sports since I was born. My father is a high school cross country and track field. At the same time, both of my parent were athletes through high school. My father was a collegiate athlete during his undergraduate years. When I was young, my father would bring me to his practices, which was fantastic. I was given the opportunity to explore at a young age, and my father would let me wander around while his practice was in session. The local high school where my father coaches has a huge wooded area that has multiple paths and a huge pond. I would wander back into this area during my father’s practices, feeling the joy of freedom. My parents got me involved in organized swimming at the age of five, and this has molded much of the way I view the world. I have always been known as an athlete all of my life. Being a high school athlete has given me many opportunities to work on my personal growth. As a teammate, I learned how to be empathetic and just listen to people, which is a lost art. At the same time, when I became a captain, my coaches trusted me to work with teammates who were having personality conflicts with others on the team. Instead of having a coach deal with those problems, I was seen as mature enough to deal with whatever the situation might be. So, because I am a pretty good mediator, I got to help others come to compromises. I am attending DePauw University this fall, and I am excited to continue my athletic career as a thrower. My coach and I are excited to see what I can accomplish in college as a student-athlete. The skills I learned through sports will invariably help me in the classroom. My ability to listen fully to what someone is saying, working through a positive outcome, and dealing with differing personalities will undoubtedly be most useful as I undertake my collegiate athletic journey.

As a child my parents always said that I could accomplish anything. It did not matter my sex, my parents fully supported anything I chose to explore, always telling me that I would be successful. My parents are both teachers; my father teaches English and my mother is a certified Special Education teacher who now makes sure high school students in the trades meet their needed certifications in order to graduate. Armed with the knowledge that my parents fully supported my course of study, I found that I really enjoy science, and I want to help make the world a better place through science. Therefore, I honed in on studying Environmental GeoScience in college because it is a field that can have an enormous positive impact on mankind. However, I fully understand that historically I am fighting gender stereotypes. Typically, the sciences have been dominated by men, and too few women have had a voice in the process of making life more bearable for humanity. However, the positive affirmation my parents always told me whispers in my ears, and I am determined to become one of the best in my chosen field of study. I dream of using science to slow the negative effects of climate change. I understand to some that this may seem like a stretch in terms of what Environmental GeoSciences will allow me to accomplish; however, I like to dream big and impact others in a positive way. I want to use what I learn about being an environmental geoscientist to impact the societal greater good. As to my dream, I aim to be a strong female voice in the world of environmental geoscience. I also plan on being someone who helps humankind and the earth coexist more harmoniously. I see environmental geoscience as a way to help mankind get what it needs while still attending to the earth’s needs. When I had a tough time in elementary school, my parents sought a therapist to help me deal with my feelings of inadequacy and doubt. It is through this therapist that I learned to write at least three instances of positivity each day. Being educators, my parents embody the spirit of helping others succeed in life. And, as they have told me multiple times, each student is unique. I have just started my path. I am excited to explore and grow on my own. My parents are proud of me, and I my journey as I study environmental geoscience begins this fall at DePauw University.

As a child my parents always said that I could accomplish anything. It did not matter my sex; my parents fully supported anything I studied, always telling me that I would be successful. My parents are both public school teachers; my father teaching English and my mother teaching Special Education who now makes sure students in the trades meet their needed certifications. Armed with the knowledge that my parents fully supported my course of study, I found that I enjoy science, and I want to help make the world a better place through science. Therefore, I honed in on studying Environmental GeoScience in college because it is a field that can have an enormously positive impact on mankind. However, I fully understand that historically I am fighting gender stereotypes. Typically, the sciences have been dominated by men, and too few women have had a voice in the process of making life more bearable for humanity. However, the positive affirmation my parents always told me whispers in my ears, and I am determined to become one of the best in my chosen field of study. I dream of using science to slow the negative impact of climate change. To some that this may seem like a stretch in terms of what Environmental GeoSciences will allow me to accomplish; however, I like to dream big and positively impact others. My dream is immersed in being able to study Environmental GeoScience as a female, which is a feat unto itself. The second part of my dream is using what I learn to impact the societal greater good. My goals capture the essence of science–the ability to follow a hypothesis to completion in hopes of finding an answer that will help society as a whole. As I think about my past seventeen years, my parents wanted me to be a well rounded individual; so, I was given the chance to be a part of multiple activities as a child. I ended up loving science. My parents also helped me learn to be positive, no matter the circumstances. Therefore, I have made it a point to write at least three instances of positivity each day. I am part of my parents’ dream because I worked hard in school and earned a high grade point average, was an integral part of athletics, and am now in the process of chasing my dream of becoming an environmental geoscientist. My goal is to do myself and my parents proud by becoming an environmental geoscientist of import. As public educators, my parents put their time and effort into other people’s children. Despite this, they have saved some money for me to go to college, but it certainly is not going to cover the full cost of attending DePauw University. At the same time, I have been working the past three years and plan on taking a work study job on campus to help defray the overall cost. If needed, I will take out student loans. Finally, Heavy Metal music has been ingrained in me since a young age. My father, who is straight-laced in public, lets loose when it comes time to relax or do chores around the house. As my father slaves over cleaning a bathroom, he will blare “Breaking the Law” by Judas Priest. Whenever he has to focus on an intellectual task, he has Metallica playing. I have listened to Thin Lizzy, Ozzy, Led Zeppelin, Van Halen (or Van Hagar), Twisted Sister, and so many more. When I was working on getting my driver’s license, my father would always go with me when I had to drive at night, and we would rock out to “War Pigs” and “Iron Man” by Black Sabbath. And, this is the joy of Heavy Metal music. Even though I am going off to college, I will always have my father there because I just need to dial up one of his favorite Metal songs, and he will be looking over my shoulder…headbanging all of the way!

As a child my parents always said that I could accomplish anything. It did not matter my sex, my parents fully supported anything I chose to explore, always telling me that I would be successful. My parents are both teachers; my father teaches English and my mother is a certified Special Education teacher who now makes sure high school students in the trades meet their needed certifications in order to graduate. Armed with the knowledge that my parents fully supported my course of study, I found that I really enjoy science, and I want to help make the world a better place through science. Therefore, I honed in on studying Environmental GeoScience in college because it is a field that can have an enormously positive impact on mankind. However, I fully understand that historically I am fighting gender stereotypes. Typically, the sciences have been dominated by men, and too few women have had a voice in the process of making life more bearable for humanity. However, the positive affirmation my parents always told me whispers in my ears, and I am determined to become one of the best in my chosen field of study. I dream of using science to slow the negative effects of climate change. I understand to some that this may seem like a stretch in terms of what Environmental GeoSciences will allow me to accomplish; however, I like to dream big and impact others in a positive way. My dream is immersed in being able to study Environmental GeoScience as a female, which is a feat unto itself. The second part of my dream is using what I learn being an environmental geoscientist to impact the societal greater good. My goals capture the essence of science–the ability to follow a hypothesis to completion in hopes of finding an answer that will help society as a whole. As I think about my past seventeen years, I am an integral part of who I have become. My parents wanted to have children with a well rounded understanding of the world; at the same time, my parents went into education because they wanted to positively impact America’s youth. Because my parents wanted me to be a well rounded individual, I was given the chance to be a part of multiple activities as a child, but I ended up loving science. My parents also helped me learn to be positive, no matter the circumstances. Therefore, I have made it a point to write at least three instances of positivity each day. I am part of my parents’ dream because I worked hard in school and earned a high grade point average, was an integral part of athletics, and am now in the process of chasing my dream of becoming an environmental geoscientist. My goal is to do myself and my parents proud by becoming an environmental geoscientist of import.