My name is Manny Harrison, and I'm a musician and self-published author of the trilogy series The Tale of Naomi the Greatest Hero of Mai. I make my book stories to create worlds that don't already exist. Not just for myself, but for others to be engulfed in and have new experiences with. I make my music to create sounds that invoke feelings I feel all the time, but can't quite express with words alone. I've only been making music for three years. Still, I'm developing my own sound that I'm still working to further refine, and I plan to continue creating so that I'll eventually have contributed greatly to human art as a whole. I hope through my art I can inspire many people, from children just figuring the world out, to the elderly who may believe their opportunities have come and gone. "I want to inspire people" is such a generic thing to say, but I feel there's nothing wrong with genuinely wanting to bring people to believe they can achieve their wildest dreams by seeing what I've accomplished. I believe some of the most genuine, bare bones experiences I've had have been when people pursuing music or book writing have come to me, and tell me how I've inspired them to pursue their own passions, even if they aren't in music or literature. The truth is, with not a hint of pride, that I've started to see the impact of my efforts in small, but meaningful ways. I've published my music and books on most major music streaming services and major book sellers. I commonly post not only the outcome of my work, but the developing stages and my struggles, because I make it clear that high goals require effort. Helping others find their passion through my own works, and even helping people develop their own sense of self and what they want their future to look like makes me feel accomplished, as though I've served a purpose greater than myself. I want people to see how they can be outcast and still make it in life, because there will eventually be people along the way in life, who support you. Even if there weren't I want to press the belief that art should be made with no expectation of reward, because when you're not doing it for money or acknowledgement, the best art is then created.

I want to note that not all photographers have the resources or equipment to take pictures in 4k. That being said, take in mind that I took all of these photos on a Nokia c200. The quality itself may not be the highest, but the worth of the perspectives they give and the stories go beyond whatever worth we give to quality. The first picture, labeled Cloud Realm, was taken on my 13th birthday, when I celebrated by going on an airplane for the first time. This picture not only holds this first time experience, but shows a beautiful landscape of cloud formations on a large cloud platform. I couldn't help but to feel that there were battles going on in the clouds that I couldn't understand, and it looked really cinematic because while the sun was burning white, the higher clouds created shadows that darkened the cloud platform. The picture labeled Spirit of Halloween was, of course taken on Halloween. On a dark, ghoulish night, this picture takes place on the outskirts of a house glowing green and blue (It's likely haunted), and in in the distance, beyond the darkness we see the bright moon, illuminating the cascade of clouds, shining back for the average Trick or Treater to see, and know that Halloween night is still on. Halloween is my favorite holiday so I had to incorporate this one! The picture labeled Liminal Alley is one I took several years ago, in the back of a set of stores I often walk around. This picture captures the feeling of unease, not in a spooky Halloween fashion, but as a genuine disturbance. I also at the same time felt peace. The picture reminds me of a time when times were just a little simpler. The picture named Hero's Journey is a picture of a Lego figure of mines (Lloyd) that I positioned walking in the woods, off on an adventure that'll last him as long as he walks. It's the highest quality picture I've ever taken. It shows him walking into the light, because looking back isn't what a hero does on their journey. My final, called Lost, encapsulates the feeling of being stuck in a certain stage of life with no progress. Stuck in the fog, unable to see what's next. Still, there's no fear in this stage. There's a quiet understanding that this phase will eventually pass.

The problem of improving law enforcement agency relations with the African American population is a big and complex problem, that can't be solved over night. Law enforcement in the United States has had a long history of persecuting African Americans and being negligible when the African American community is in need of their help. Despite the size of this conflict, there are some small steps towards a better future that can be taken to improve relations. A big factor in the negative relations between African Americans and law enforcement is false incrimination and abruptly aggressive behavior towards African Americans in police interactions We all know about systemic racism, and how police officers falsely arrest African Americans for crimes they didn't commit based majorly on their race, or how police officers simply harass and assault African Americans because of their own racist beliefs. There are several cases, over decades, where an African American calls the police and the law enforcement either initially assumes the black person is the threat, falsely arrests the caller or even assaults or kills them. This problem is more so connected to individual officers who go beyond the regular set of prejudice their peer may or may not have, and decide to express their racism on duty. This could be solved with more in depth monitoring of police reports, and higher standards for police officer approaches to calls. I think harsher punishments for officers who abuse their power would also deter police officers from using their position for their own spite. I think this would show the African American community that law enforcement is making an effort to filter out police officers who aren't truly working fairly in the line of duty. While making sure law enforcement is in check is an important part of improving relations, it's also important to keep African Americans actively involved in their local law enforcement. This dives into early childhood education, where there could be opportunities for young black children to perform activities with police officers for a program built to clear out police stigmatization. Unfortunately, the reason for racist beliefs is often a lack of understanding or familiarity with the group of people the person is racist towards. It's important to create government funded events on casual levels that incorporate police officers for helping African Americans and police officers gain a sense of familiarity with one another. These events could help them to learn about each other as individuals, and once that understanding is gained, that a person is just as human as you are, it's hard to go back to treating them unfairly.

In February of my Junior year, my music teacher abruptly retired, leaving our class without a legitimate teacher. This posed a problem, not only for me, but for my whole guitar class as well. We were supposed to have a concert in May, but without the presence of our teacher we would not have a figure with the permissions to set up basic set up and managing details for the concert. Our class was without a leader and the whole idea of a concert happening in May dissolved. Most students didn't care anymore, and the vibe was off-putting. So I tried coming up with a solution to this problem with the time we had left, because March was already soon approaching. I tried asking the band director if there was any way we could have some form of concert and he told me if I could pull together people who wanted to perform and we had some level of form and structure then we could try finding some dates available. This was a piece of hope that showed if we just started working for the concert, knowing there was a chance it wouldn't even happen, we could potentially still have our event and our opportunity to perform. I tried getting people from the guitar class to participate but most didn't want to, so I had to reach out to other music departments, from band to orchestra to chorus, gathering people together as I formed a group of people who were collectively under my leadership. My method of leadership was Rapid Action. By the time I had enough people and we started listing songs, we only had a month and a half, if being late March. This may seem like a lot of time but many people weren't available to practice at the same time, and our substitute couldn't stay after school so practice time was limited to lunch, only when practice rooms were available, and during other classes, if our teacher allowed us to leave for practices I planned. Rapid Action meant I formed the set list as quickly as I could, taking the suggestions I got from the music group I formed, while putting some of my original songs in as well. This also meant that when a problem arose, like a student opting out of the concert, I'd find a replacement for them as soon as possible. This was for the sake of making everything seem as under control as I could even when I myself started doubting, because I knew how easily the people I was working with could be swayed by negative thoughts, especially coming from the leader of the concert. Usually the concert in May would be after school but our substitute couldn't stay after school so we were limited to lunch periods. The set list was too long for one so I got the band director to book two lunch dates for my group, creating two separate concerts I dubbed the "May Music Festival." In the end the concert went pretty well considering the limitations we had, and I can't help thinking to myself that had I not really put myself out there and pushed for what I wanted myself and everyone else to have, we would've still been sulking in our guitar class the rest of the year, taking an avoidable loss.

My name Herman Harrison and I'm pursuing a career in music. I think collaboration in music is actually one of the most important things for creating new art, helping one another progress in skill, and gaining new experiences. I'm a self taught guitarist, pianist, bassist and drummer. I make my own songs regularly and I'm a solo artist. From my description you'd think collaboration in music is something I'm not exactly always doing, but that's not true. I regularly perform at my school's guitar concerts, which almost always have different people performing in them, some of which aren't even in the guitar class. Mixing in with other music classes by temporarily trading instruments, talking about experiences in music and seeing where our instruments are similar to one another helped me to understand that though there are differences in the musicians from other classes, which are good and create a unique musician community, we all have some similarities if we look for them, whether they be career goals or reasons for starting out, or even music genre interest. When it comes to collaboration, I've also been the cause of collaboration, being the manager and host of several concerts in my school. I had to bring musicians, from varying music classes together to collaborate and form a setlist of songs and perform. Sometimes collaboration doesn't always work as you'd expect it to. Many people in the concerts I hosted opted out, or got discouraged. I assured them that the concert would go well, and some still left, which I simply had to accept, but the ones that stayed were there to stay to perform. Still, as a whole experience, collaborating with other musicians on a level where I have authority was not only interesting but inspiring. It revealed to me a potential additional pathway I could take in the music industry, and that's managing concerts for other artists by working on all the behind-the-scenes work that goes into pulling off a concert. Though I've always maintained a solo artist career, I've also been in several bands in the past. They came in went, some because people in the band had outside problems with each other, and some because people in the band weren't consistent and the band just quietly dissolved. These experiences with being in bands taught me that sometimes people will let their personal disagreements interfere with other aspects of their collaborations, which I'm careful to not do. It also taught me that you can't force something to work, and if people are consistently not showing up or changing level of dedication they have to a group effort to a needed amount, then it's better to let them go and make something new, than to try to keep something alive that was never thriving.

Hi! My name is Herman Harrison, though I go by Manny. I'm a musician, a music artist, an author and a skater. I'm a self taught guitarist and pianist of 6 years, and a self taught drummer and bassist of 3 years. Like many people, music has been a great part of my life - it helps to encapsulate so many moments, so many memories we all can collectively feel even through language/cultural barriers. I started making music in late 2023, to try to show the world my own voice, and I regularly perform my songs on acoustic guitar throughout my county to bring passerby to passerby a piece of joy. I want to make people happy, make them feel the feelings I feel all the time but can never truly find the words to express said feelings. Music is my way of connecting soul to soul, even in difficult times. I also regularly volunteer to perform for my school and other local school's annual events. When it comes to my author career, I started my author career in late 2023, when I started writing the draft for my trilogy series The Tale of Naomi the Greatest Hero of Mai (searchable on Google). It takes a long time to make a good book, and it takes years to finish a great story, which is why as of early 2026, I'm finishing the third and final book to the book series trilogy. My author career doesn't end with this series, however, as I have another book that's a compilation of short stories, called Wizard Quest. I have many book ideas waiting to flourish and become fully fledged stories. When it comes to my community, I've donated the first and second edition of my books to my local library, the Germantown Library in Montgomery County, Maryland. It wasn't too long after that they were suddenly missing, but they're still available in ebook form and despite this setback I still plan to continue giving to my community by putting in new copies once I release the third edition. I've been skating since 2020, but it wasn't until the summer of 2025 that I met friends that skated as well, and through my experience of meeting them, I've been able to influence others to join our local skating community. Skating isn't just a hobby or a pastime, it's a way to bring local youth outdoors and have fun communicating with others face to face and meeting new people. It also pushes you to work hard, be consistent, and to take risks, because skating isn't easy, and tricks take time to learn and perfect. Skating saves lives. Ever since the summer of 2025, skating has saved me from my series of sudden depressive episodes I'd periodically endure since late 2023. It's something about going out and being with people that collectively have the same goal as you (to get better at skating and have fun) that brings color into a mundane life. The Kalia D. Davis Memorial Scholarship would significantly help me in aiding my college pursuit, where I will major in music and get my bachelors. It would help me greatly because I live in a single parent home, with a mom who isn't able to work, which makes everything, from housing to food (SNAP), federally funded. My Student Aid Index is -1500, which shows the extreme financial need I'm in. I've received grants and scholarships, and even with this aid it's still not enough to get me into college just to get my bachelors. Thank you for reading, and for the opportunity!

I think most high school teachers are memorable to a degree. Some for being associated with hard classes like AP Precalculus, and some for being great human beings who are liked by all their students. Being a high school senior in the second semester, I've seen my fair share of teachers and have gotten along well with all of them, but the one that's had the most meaningful influence on me would be my guitar and piano teacher, who I'll be calling Mr. Watch for privacy's sake. I'm going to college to pursue a career in music, so I'm always interested in the stories of my music teachers, to see a potential sliver of my future options in music careers. My old guitar and piano teacher abruptly retired halfway throughout the school year for having allegations of having inappropriate relationships with his students for a teacher to have with his students. That being said, we can get to Mr. Watch. He just started my senior year of high school, but when I first met him at his meet and greet during my junior year I could already tell my music classes and the whole music department was gonna feel his presence. He came in, being charming and clever as ever, knowing how to laugh and just being a kind soul in general. When he started, he gave our guitar class much more freedom to run our own concert operations than our old teacher did. Mr. Watch is a music teacher, but he also has a band, and regularly performs at venues and even sung the national anthem for a Nationals Stadium football game in 2020. Seeing another musician's pursuit of their goals really inspired me to have faith that my music career can work well also. I can't count the amount of times I've heard difficult conversations students have come to Mr. Watch with, that most people just wouldn't know to help these students. Still, Mr. Watch always assures them and by the end of the conversation, even if they were balling tears in the start, they end it off with laughs and smiles. It's just something about his genuine spirit that shines on everyone he talks to that makes my school, and the world, a better place. Mr. Watch even helps other students who want their their future to be in music, and gives them advice on how they can move forward in their music careers after college, assures them when they're down but is honest and lets them know when there's improvement that needs to be made, whether it be regarding performance or mindset. Even though I've known him the shortest Mr. Watch has been such a big influence on not only me, but so many students and staff in the school. His new different teachings push me, and allow me to learn music theory concepts I never came close to learning and understanding before.

Hello, my name is Herman Harrison, though I go by Manny Harrison. I'm a left handed upside down guitarist and pianist of 6 years, and bassist and drummer of 3 years. I'm self taught in all of these instruments. I've been playing instruments for some time but I started making music in 2023, on an online DAW system called Bandlab. I was initially doing it for fun, because I'd enjoy the moments in my starting days when every now and then I'd make a song that I enjoyed listening to. Being a self taught guitarist/bassist, I never had any clear idea of how to progress or learn guitar, and being left handed, I naturally learned to play upside down. Many assume this would hinder my ability to play since it's not what most people do, but it's actually allowed me to play chord shapes I don't see anyone else using that sound mystical. I can still play everything a normal guitar player, and more. I asked for a guitar and piano as a 12th birthday gift, because I'd been messing around with my older sister's toy guitar with 4 broken strings, and 2 remaining, being able to play simple bass lines by ear. I've hosted an managed concerts at my school, giving myself experience with coordinating and managing others to accomplish one big musical goal. My experience in performing at school, and hosting concerts, has helped me to build confidence in my performance abilities even when mistakes are made, and my presence on stage. My sound, from what other people say, is jazz-funk, which I understand for some of my songs, but some leans into alternative rock as well. I got better with music composition over time, and eventually got my peers to learn my songs to perform them at school concerts. I've performed at multiple school concerts on all of the instruments I play, and I have experience busking in various settings, performing at talent shows and events for other schools. I make most of my songs from random ideas I create on my guitar, which I think are unique because of my flipped perception of the fret board, playing he guitar upside down. I worked in creating an artist identity on Spotify and other major streaming platforms to show my music. I knew I'd eventually want to replace the MIDI instruments with real ones, so in June I went to a music studio and recorded some of my songs and re-releasing them. With the experience and skill I've gained I was able to get a job working as a music instructor at a music store called Bach To Rock. I also have a 10 episode YouTube series where I teach my methods for playing guitar left handed upside down. After completing my degree I have several paths I could go down, because I know the world will change by the time I get out of college. The biggest goal is getting into the music industry and changing it for the better. I'd like to make sure AI music content doesn't become a dominating industry, and is destroyed. I want to make a living off my music and performing my own songs, but I'd also like to perform for other bands and artists. I plan on continuing to create compositions and using music licencing to get my compositions on forms of media. If these don't work out as well as I'd hope they would I could work in music education, teaching people how to play instruments. And of course I want to be great in my craft. Thank you

I don't watch movies often, so when I do, I either forget about them like a single isolated incident or remember them up to today. I'd say the movie that's had the greatest impact on my life would be Forrest Gump. This movie centers around a young man, Forrest, who lives throughout the changes in America in the latter half of the 20th century. Throughout his life he has successes, losses and many unique ventures most people wouldn't think to go on. Forrest got into college through his expertise in college football, then joined the army, made a friend (Bubba) and lossed him in the Vietnam War, a great loss in the movie. Then he goes from being a ping pong champion, competing against the communists, to founding the Bubba Shrimp company, and investing in apple. Forrest is an embodiment of the American dream, and he's a person that doesn't have any particular goal in life, yet he accomplishes so many great things in so many different fields. I watched the movie awhile back but after watching it, I was inspired and believed I could do anything in this life if I just work to accomplish my goals long enough. That's why, when my initial career path was being an engineer in my sophomore year in high school, I changed my direction to my true passion, that being music. I then grew another passion, that being book writing. When I think of Forrest Gump, I think of a character that can just persevere and accomplish someway, somehow, even when people don't understand it. I want to be like that, persevering and achieving everything I set out to do, no matter how long it may take, and regardless of how long it may take. I want to be an accomplished musician and author, and even turn my books into a fully animated series. Yes I'm at the start of my career, and I don't know exactly how to do everything I want to do. Still, I'm making decisions and taking risks to go in a direction that may not be right on the path of perfection, but is still ultimately bringing my closer to my goals. The thing with Forrest is, he never had an end goal. He was always onto the next thing even when it seemed like the end was just coming up. Because of that I've decided that once I'm living off of the music and books I create, and I create my animated series, that won't be the end of it. Further on in my life, I plan on adding another career path to my set of "I can do's," that being law. I want to eventually pass the bar exam and be a lawyer, and help the criminally prosecuted, specifically those who might not be guilty of their crimes, to be free of their charges. Forrest Gump went through hard times and persevered, and accomplished so much that I just can't help but to be inspired by him to achieve great things, not just one goal, but an array of journeys to live through and feel fulfilled by.

After reading the Jack Terry, and learning how despite his life starting off in the horrors of the Nazi camp, how he managed to live through all three he was sent to, and make his way to the United States through an American Army officer, I see how with perseverance like Jack Terry, I can make it through any struggle in my life if I have the willpower to. I see how he came to America with nothing but an elementary school education, and pushed his way all the way to accomplishing so many great things and that genuinely gave me a reality check that success is always an option, and this applies to me as I'm working to gain the financial aid I need to go to college. I think Jack Terry's story is truly amazing and I can understand why he was so important to the people in his life. I've grown up with a single, unemployed mother, living off of government aid to keep her and I under a roof and SNAP benefits to keep food on our table. Most of my life I didn't have the sense to see what type of situation I was in until my more recent years, when I had to start making real decisions. In 2025, I wanted to start the path to get my drivers licence, for a potential future where I own a vehicle. The problem was that the steps to getting a licence, like driver's education, isn't free. It costs hundreds of dollars, and practice hours need to be paid for, as I don't have any relatives that have the time to lend me their vehicle for practice. I didn't have the money, and so I spent the months of January and February, and March job searching, applying for hundreds of jobs on indeed and going to every store in my vicinity and beyond that I felt I might have a chance at getting hired by. On March 1st I passed the MVA permit test, and in late March I got my first job. It paid less than minimum wage, and hours were limited, but I worked and saved for months, until in June when the store got shut down due to the owner's poor management of the certifications required to keep the store open. I used the money to pay for Driver's Ed, took the classes, and now I'm currently in the process of taking my in person driving lessons provided by the driving school program. I'm still not entirely finished with what I set to accomplish, but I'm achieving, slowly but surely. After the store I used to work at closed, I started looking for a job again, and I kept looking until just in February of 2026, when I finally got a job offer working as a music teacher at a music store. I've had many more forms of adversity I've had to overcome in my life, and what I've learned from them all is that if I'm capable of setting a goal then I'm capable of accomplishing that goal, even if things don't go exactly the way I hope they will, with enough consistency and effort. I'm going to college to major in music, with a goal in mind to change how the music industry operates. Record labels pick artists off by offering them sums of money and don't tell them they'll need to repay them, leaving artists in heavy debt to the labels. I want to stop labels from using music, a beautiful art form, as a vice for business gains.

Our world's technology is always advancing, and it's improved now more than ever, due to technological breakthroughs and the use of AI. With AI, anything can be made, from pictures to videos, to answers to highly unique questions and finding sources. Our world is slowly being dominated by AI, taking over tasks we once did ourselves, like computer coding. AI is being used to complete tasks that humans find inconvenient, and that's likely a positive thing. The problem begins when AI is used to create art. In our world that's constantly being more accustomed to being managed by AI, counteracting AI art by not taking in content created by AI and not listening to AI music is something that needs to be done. It's also important to avoid using AI to make "art," like AI generated music and AI generated photos and video. This takes attention away from AI content, which may seem interesting because it's new, but holds no worth when looked at from face value. What we need to do as humans, to preserve authentic human connection, is go back to consuming works made by humans, and interacting with the creators and other consumers, and through that we can form communities and keep human connection alive. There is no good reason for AI to be able to create art of any form, whether it be music, video animation, paintings, and even stories. Art is something that was made by humans, not for the sake of efficiency or to further advance our society, but to express ourselves and interconnect on a level that goes beyond the base needs of a living being. As intelligent social creatures, we use the arts to express ourselves. We draw paintings and sculpt sculptures to encapsulate moments and feelings to be looked back by ourselves and others, and we judge it, interpret and praise what we see, and what we feel. We use the sounds music to convey feelings that can't be expressed properly with mere words. Authors write books to create worlds we can ponder on and decipher, and producers create shows to bring to life stories in ways so vibrant they lead us to talk about them, and watch them over and over, often with other people. AI is even used to try to replicate the base form of human interaction. It may be surprising, but many people actually talk to AI chatbots more often than they do the people in their lives. AI is easy to talk to because it agrees with everything you say, and that creates a dangerous false lens of what real human interactions are like, and when chronic AI chatbots users see what real relationships are like, (romantic ones, for instance), they get disappointed seeing that real human connection doesn't grow as smoothly as AI chatbots "connections." Art gives opportunity for individuals to express themselves, and for groups to bond over common liking (or even disliking) to what we take from the art. AI art is not truly art, and does not bring about the same level of intrigue a book or painting created by a human can bring, because it wasn't created for a purpose, it was created because it was given a command When the investors of AI see that we as humans would rather consume and talk to real people, rather than use AI bots and creators, the industry will crash, because without the people keeping it afloat via investors, who will put their money into something more of worth, AI will not be able to replace our humanity.

The performing arts has always been an essential part of my school's community. From scheduled marching band walks through the halls on Fridays to the annual winter concert, if you're in a music class, you're given an implied opportunity to perform. The guitar class is no different, as we had a yearly festival in May, known as the Coffeehouse which many students, both in and out of the guitar class, anticipated. It was March when my guitar teacher suddenly went on long term leave, with no given explanation or expected time of return. This was a major problem that would prevent the Coffeehouse from happening, because we needed our teacher to plan the event and manage behind the scenes things only teachers have the authority to determine. After this news, I was upset, like the rest of the class. Still, despite this major setback, I wanted to somehow make a new opportunity if we couldn't have the one we initially were anticipating. Most of the students in my guitar class didn't want to participate, because they had given up, and felt that a concert put on by a student wouldn't be the same. Despite this, I went around the entire music department, gathering student musicians from not only the guitar class, but the band, orchestra and chorus classes as well. With enough people that had hope for building a new opportunity to replace the one we suddenly lost, I went to the music director to discuss how I would be permitted to pull the concert together. Being a student, the decisions I could make were heavily limited. For instance, choosing the date and time of the concert was challenging, as we only had lunch times available to us, since no teacher was able to stay after school and monitor our operation. I also had to form a set list with songs that evenly matched the interests of everyone playing in the concert. Many opted out of the concert, and some were doubting the quality of the concert, but in the end, I was able to get them to go out on the stage and perform as we'd originally intended to do. In the aftermath of it all, many were glad that they participated, seeing the whole plan as a unique experience that helped them all to grow as musicians, and bring entertainment to their school's community.

I started making music in late 2023, to try to show the world my own voice, and I regularly perform my songs on acoustic guitar throughout Montgomery Country, Maryland to bring passerby to passerby a piece of joy. I want to make people happy, make them feel the feelings I feel all the time but can never truly find the words to express said feelings. Music is my way of connecting soul to soul, even in difficult times. I've performed for my school (Seneca Valley High) at several concert events, and I've taken advantage of the resources provided by my school to manage concerts myself, and to slip some of my original songs into the set lists. I've also volunteered to perform at multiple events, for elementary schools and even talent shows for the sake of bringing entertainment and gaining experience. My music journey has been interesting, to say the least. Being a left handed, upside down left handed guitarist has led me to recognize patterns few of my peers seem to understand, and create new chord shapes I can't find definitions for anywhere! I use these new concepts in my songs, which I can't seem to fit into any specific genre. I hope that through my uniqueness (or, quite frankly, weirdness), I can burn a hole into the music industry that can't be covered up. I'm definitely inspired by great Music Artists like Micheal Jackson and especially Prince when it comes to their performance outfit styles, though I've always aspired to be original as I possibly can, because I figure there's less competition if you're making something entirely new. I build off of the songs I've already made to create new concepts, like an ever-evolving chain of passion and expression. Though I know things rarely happen exactly the way they're planned, I like to plan my future as much as I can. I've been accepted to Lincoln University of PA, and I'm majoring in music. I plan to meet new people, gain more performance opportunities and dive into the world of the music industry to gain a better understanding of how music artists actually make it on top charts, and most notably, how to make a living off of my music and music knowledge (I already know about music licensing, so I'm just open to any more information I can get). This is what I'm planning to do throughout my four years of college, and by the time I'm done I'll be positioned to jump right into a position in the music industry with a jump start.

I'm a musician, a music artist, an author and a skater. I'm a self taught guitarist and pianist of 6 years, and a self taught drummer and bassist of 3 years. Like many people, music has been a great part of my life - it helps to encapsulate so many moments, so many memories we all can collectively feel even through language/cultural barriers. I started making music in late 2023, to try to show the world my own voice, and I regularly perform my songs on acoustic guitar throughout Montgomery Country, Maryland to bring passerby to passerby a piece of joy. I want to make people happy, make them feel the feelings I feel all the time but can never truly find the words to express said feelings. Music is my way of connecting soul to soul, even in difficult times. When it comes to my author career, I started my author career in late 2023, when I started writing the draft for my trilogy series The Tale of Naomi the Greatest Hero of Mai (searchable on Google). It takes a long time to make a good book, and it takes years to finish a great story, which is why as of early 2026, I'm finishing the third and final book to the book series trilogy. My author career doesn't end with this series, however, as I have another book that's a compilation of short stories, called Wizard Quest. I have many book ideas waiting to flourish and become fully fledged stories. When it comes to my community, I've donated the first and second edition of my books to my local library, the Germantown Library in Montgomery County, Maryland. It wasn't too long after that they were suddenly missing, but they're still available in ebook form and despite this setback I still plan to continue giving to my community by putting in new copies once I release the third edition. I highly consider skating a form of art, in a way like ballet or dance, because of the focus and skill, and constant practice and failure you have to put yourself through to barely accomplish your goals in the sport. I've been skating since 2020, but it wasn't until the summer of 2025 that I met friends that skated as well, and through my experience of meeting them, I've been able to influence others to join our local skating community. Skating isn't just a hobby or a pastime, it's a way to bring local youth outdoors and have fun communicating with others face to face and meeting new people. It also pushes you to work hard, be consistent, and to take risks, because skating isn't easy, and tricks take time to learn and perfect. Skating saves lives. Ever since the summer of 2025, skating has saved me from my series of sudden depressive episodes I'd periodically endure since late 2023. It's something about going out and being with people that collectively have the same goal as you (to get better at skating and have fun) that brings life into the life of a cold soul.

I'm a musician, a music artist, an author and a skater. I'm a self taught guitarist and pianist of 6 years, and a self taught drummer and bassist of 3 years. Like many people, music has been a great part of my life - it helps to encapsulate so many moments, so many memories we all can collectively feel even through language/cultural barriers. I started making music in late 2023, to try to show the world my own voice, and I regularly perform my songs on acoustic guitar throughout Montgomery Country, Maryland to bring passerby to passerby a piece of joy. I want to make people happy, make them feel the feelings I feel all the time but can never truly find the words to express said feelings. Music is my way of connecting soul to soul, even in difficult times. When it comes to my author career, I started my author career in late 2023, when I started writing the draft for my trilogy series The Tale of Naomi the Greatest Hero of Mai (searchable on Google). It takes a long time to make a good book, and it takes years to finish a great story, which is why as of early 2026, I'm finishing the third and final book to the book series trilogy. My author career doesn't end with this series, however, as I have another book that's a compilation of short stories, called Wizard Quest. I have many book ideas waiting to flourish and become fully fledged stories. When it comes to my community, I've donated the first and second edition of my books to my local library, the Germantown Library in Montgomery County, Maryland. It wasn't too long after that they were suddenly missing, but they're still available in ebook form and despite this setback I still plan to continue giving to my community by putting in new copies once I release the third edition. I've been skating since 2020, but it wasn't until the summer of 2025 that I met friends that skated as well, and through my experience of meeting them, I've been able to influence others to join our local skating community. Skating isn't just a hobby or a pastime, it's a way to bring local youth outdoors and have fun communicating with others face to face and meeting new people. It also pushes you to work hard, be consistent, and to take risks, because skating isn't easy, and tricks take time to learn and perfect. Skating saves lives. Ever since the summer of 2025, skating has saved me from my series of sudden depressive episodes I'd periodically endure since late 2023. It's something about going out and being with people that collectively have the same goal as you (to get better at skating and have fun) that brings life into the life of a cold soul. I believe that giving back to my community is important because, whether I truly think so or not, the community I've grown up in has had a great influence on me and in helping to shape me into who I am today. If I succeed far in life, I cannot go without acknowledging that my community helped put me in a position aligned with power, and thus the only sensible thing to do would be to put back into my community what they've put into me, and that's support and faith.

My personal experience with finances and financial education is still developing, but the lessons I have learned so far have already shaped how I think about money, responsibility, and my future. I didn't grow up with formal financial training, so most of my understanding has come from trial and error, and ultimately reflection. In March of last year, I got my first job. My motivation was not simply to earn money, but to fund a passion of mine, which is music production. I saved most of what I earned because I wanted to invest in studio time to record songs. At that time, I felt disciplined and purposeful, and I believed I had a good handle on my finances, with no real desire to use my money. However, in June, the store where I worked shut down, and I suddenly found myself without a source of income. Ironically, this was when my spending habits worsened. Without a paycheck coming in, I began spending my saved money on fast food and other unnecessary purchases. Looking back, I think this happened because I felt disconnected from the effort it took to earn that money. Without the routine of working, the value of each dollar became abstract, and I treated my savings carelessly. By August, I recognized that this pattern was unsustainable. I reflected on why I had started working in the first place and recommitted to being intentional with my money. I stopped spending unless it was necessary and decided that, until I had a stable income again, I would treat my savings as an investment in my future rather than a convenience fund. This experience taught me that financial discipline is not just about how much you earn, but about mindset, consistency, and self-control. Now, in February, I am preparing to begin a new job as a music teacher. This opportunity is meaningful to me not only because it pays better, but because it aligns directly with the field I want to pursue. Being paid for a skill I have developed reinforces my belief that investing in education and passion can create real financial opportunities. It has also motivated me to learn more about budgeting, saving, and long-term financial planning so that I can avoid repeating past mistakes. As I move forward, I plan to use financial education to build stability for myself and to support my creative and academic goals. I want to budget effectively in college, minimize unnecessary debt, and continue investing in my skills. Ultimately, I hope to use what I learn to build a career in music while maintaining financial responsibility, proving that creativity and financial literacy can coexist.

I think all of my life, the absence of a father has played a role in some of my feelings of emptiness, but my mental health really started to dwindle around 2023 after I got rejected by someone I greatly adored. Looking back, I don't think it was really about the girl I got rejected by, but the general feeling of loneliness and rejection. This, however, wasn't a typical period of sadness. I used to be in the 130s in terms of weight, but in the month that this happened (October) I lossed over 20 pounds. I remember the lowest I got was 118, and I'm a 17 year old male who's already under the normal weight range. I tried figuring out how to get rid of the great feeling of sadness I'd get all throughout my day, by trying to talk to more girls, which would just end in more rejections. Looking back, I should've tried focusing more on myself. These sort of decisions just made me look like a weird kid to everybody, and I felt like nobody around me could truly understand me, and look me in the eye and understand that I'm just another human being at the end of the day. It was in December of that same year, that I found my saving graces (though I didn't know it at the time,) making music. I'd already known how to play guitar and piano for some time, but I eventually learned drums and bass as well, so that I'd be able to make and perform my own compositions, which helped me to express parts of what I felt that I just didn't have the words to express. I also started writing my book series, The Tale of Naomi, the Greatest Hero of Mai, which is a fictional fantasy adventure trilogy series (currently editing the third book,) and through it I created my own world, that I could fall into and feel comforted in. All throughout high school waves of sadness would come and go, and it just felt like everything I did was the wrong choice, and I felt like I was on my own. It wasn't until the summer of 2025, when I met people who skated (I'd been skateboarding since 2020 on and off,) that my mental health started to actually improve. I finally had people who actually wanted to hang out with me, and wasn't just because I skated too, they liked who I was, and I felt seen and appreciated and part of a community. It just sucks because I didn't find these people until just before my senior year of high school. I'm not saying I'm all the way in the clear now. I still occasionally have periods where I have doubts and periods of sadness, like any other person. I'm just saying that I've found my way out of the cage of depression I'd been stuck in for years.

I'm a musician, a music artist, an author and a skater. I'm a self taught guitarist and pianist of 6 years, and a self taught drummer and bassist of 3 years. Like many people, music has been a great part of my life - it helps to encapsulate so many moments, so many memories we all can collectively feel even through language/cultural barriers. I started making music in late 2023, to try to show the world my own voice, and I regularly perform my songs on acoustic guitar throughout Montgomery Country, Maryland to bring passerby to passerby a piece of joy. I want to make people happy, make them feel the feelings I feel all the time but can never truly find the words to express said feelings. Music is my way of connecting soul to soul, even in difficult times. I started making music in late 2023, to try to show the world my own voice, and I regularly perform my songs on acoustic guitar throughout Montgomery Country, Maryland to bring passerby to passerby a piece of joy. I want to make people happy, make them feel the feelings I feel all the time but can never truly find the words to express said feelings. Music is my way of connecting soul to soul, even in difficult times. My music journey has been interesting, to say the least. Being a left handed, upside down left handed guitarist has led me to recognize patterns few of my peers seem to understand, and create new chord shapes I can't find definitions for anywhere! I use these new concepts in my songs, which I can't seem to fit into any specific genre. I hope that through my uniqueness (or, quite frankly, weirdness), I can burn a hole into the music industry that can't be covered up. I've always aspired to be original as I possibly can, because I figure there's less competition if you're making something entirely new. I build off of the songs I've already made to create new concepts, like an ever-evolving chain of passion and expression. Though I know things rarely happen exactly the way they're planned, I like to plan my future as much as I can. I've been accepted to Lincoln University of PA, and I'm majoring in music. Though I have a scholarship, due to my financial situation I still cannot attend college without further assistance from donors such as yourself. I plan to meet new people, gain more performance opportunities and dive into the world of the music industry to gain a better understanding of how music artists actually make it on top charts, and most notably, how to make a living off of my music and music knowledge (I already know about music licensing, so I'm just open to any more information I can get). This is what I'm planning to do throughout my four years of college, and by the time I'm done I'll be positioned to jump right into a position in the music industry with a decent jump start. Music is my passion, and it's also my goal. I want to pursue this career because I believe I could do great in it; I could make breakthroughs no one else can. Not because I'm better, because I'm certainly not, but because I am ME, and my uniqueness is something only I can truly express. The $1,000 Marlene Manning Scholarship would greatly help me pay for my ventures in not only following, but running for my goals in music. I deeply thank you for this opportunity, and your consideration of my essay.

I'm a musician, a music artist, an author and a skater. I'm a self taught guitarist and pianist of 6 years, and a self taught drummer and bassist of 3 years. Like many people, music has been a great part of my life - it helps to encapsulate so many moments, so many memories we all can collectively feel even through language/cultural barriers. I started making music in late 2023, to try to show the world my own voice, and I regularly perform my songs on acoustic guitar throughout Montgomery Country, Maryland to bring passerby to passerby a piece of joy. I want to make people happy, make them feel the feelings I feel all the time but can never truly find the words to express said feelings. Music is my way of connecting soul to soul, even in difficult times. When it comes to my author career, I started my author career in late 2023, when I started writing the draft for my trilogy series The Tale of Naomi the Greatest Hero of Mai (searchable on Google). It takes a long time to make a good book, and it takes years to finish a great story, which is why as of early 2026, I'm finishing the third and final book to the book series trilogy. My author career doesn't end with this series, however, as I have another book that's a compilation of short stories, called Wizard Quest. I have many book ideas waiting to flourish and become fully fledged stories. When it comes to my community, I've donated the first and second edition of my books to my local library, the Germantown Library in Montgomery County, Maryland. It wasn't too long after that they were suddenly missing, but they're still available in ebook form and despite this setback I still plan to continue giving to my community by putting in new copies once I release the third edition. I've been skating since 2020, but it wasn't until the summer of 2025 that I met friends that skated as well, and through my experience of meeting them, I've been able to influence others to join our local skating community. Skating isn't just a hobby or a pastime, it's a way to bring local youth outdoors and have fun communicating with others face to face and meeting new people. It also pushes you to work hard, be consistent, and to take risks, because skating isn't easy, and tricks take time to learn and perfect. Skating saves lives. Ever since the summer of 2025, skating has saved me from my series of sudden depressive episodes I'd periodically endure since late 2023. It's something about going out and being with people that collectively have the same goal as you (to get better at skating and have fun) that brings life into the life of a cold soul. It's a sin to limit art to one drawing, one page, or even one book. That's why I turned what started out as a short story assignment in my sophomore English class in late 2023 into a fully fledged trilogy series, the third one I'm editing and preparing for release. I'm an artist in many forms - I'm a music artist, I'm a photographer... but my favorite piece of art, that I believe to be my greatest creation holds itself firmly in the world of literature - my series, The Tale of Naomi the Greatest Hero of Mai. The original short story I wrote, The Tale of Naomi, the Hero of Mai, was a story I wrote about a tabby cat, whose name is Naomi, who travels to the fictional city of Tamiba in hopes of pursuing her drumming career (I implemented my music passion into the book). She goes into the city at the worst time possible - when the judgement and evils of the citizens of Tamiba City grow powerful enough to form into a giant entity that goes by many names. Some simply call him the embodiment of evil, others call it destruction, but it goes by Solituno Tali. For Naomi, Solituno is the embodiment of all her fears of rejection for taking risks and being passionate about her art of drumming, and she gets consumed, metaphorically AND literally by this fear and passes out. In her unconscious state, Naomi meets an entity that's a polar opposite to Solituno - Oritula Tali, the embodiment of all that is good. This being fuses with Naomi to bring her back to the waking world, and to have the strength to destroy Solituno, pulverizing him and bringing the entire land of Mai back to normalcy. This description may seem bulky, but this is only a summary of the first chapter of the first book. The world of Mai dives so much deeper into the odd, unbearable and unforeseen. The first chapter's partially inspired by the plot of the first and second seasons of the Lego animated series Ninjago, and I made sure to heavily implement my love for music into the series. Beyond the first chapter, this series was built to encapsulate weirdness. All of my life I've felt displaced, like I've never quite fit anywhere just right, so when I started this series I realized I had a great opportunity to build a world that I could say is my own, because I can't be excluded from what I create. This series isn't just a set of books, it's a part of my soul. I want to pursue the arts because I believe I could do great in it; I could turn this series into an animated series. Not because my book's better, but because my book's unique because it was made by ME. My uniqueness is something only I can express. The $1,400 Christian Fitness Association General Scholarship would greatly help me in pursuing my goals in the arts, not just with books, but with my music career as well. I deeply thank you for this opportunity, and your consideration of my essay.

CREATING CONNECTION, I'm a musician, a music artist, an author and a skater. I'm a self taught guitarist and pianist of 6 years, and a self taught drummer and bassist of 3 years. Like many people, music has been a great part of my life - it helps to encapsulate so many moments, so many memories we all can collectively feel even through language/cultural barriers. I started making music in late 2023, to try to show the world my own voice, and I regularly perform my songs on acoustic guitar throughout Montgomery Country, Maryland to bring passerby to passerby a piece of joy. I want to make people happy, make them feel the feelings I feel all the time but can never truly find the words to express said feelings. Music is my way of connecting soul to soul, even in difficult times. When it comes to my author career, I started my author career in late 2023, when I started writing the draft for my trilogy series The Tale of Naomi the Greatest Hero of Mai (searchable on Google). It takes a long time to make a good book, and it takes years to finish a great story, which is why as of early 2026, I'm finishing the third and final book to the book series trilogy. My author career doesn't end with this series, however, as I have another book that's a compilation of short stories, called Wizard Quest. I have many book ideas waiting to flourish and become fully fledged stories. When it comes to my community, I've donated the first and second edition of my books to my local library, the Germantown Library in Montgomery County, Maryland. It wasn't too long after that they were suddenly missing, but they're still available in ebook form and despite this setback I still plan to continue giving to my community by putting in new copies once I release the third edition. BOLDLY, UNAPOLOGETICALLY ME, When it comes to social life, I've always been the "weird kid," that everybody talks about, might be cool with but will never actually invite to an event or hangout. I'm saying that to say everything about what I do is already against the norms, and that conforming is something I've never opted to doing. In terms of specifics, however, I remember a particular time when my high school guitar teacher abruptly left with little explanation, leaving us with no teacher (not even a substitute) for a period of time. The main problem with this is that our class was supposed to have a concert planned in May, and it was late February when my teacher left. I figure most of the students in the class had a hard time finding joy in putting together a performance with no leader telling them what to do when to do, and they all were sulking around, complaining but doing nothing about it. So you know what I did? I said, "hey, I've got original songs that I've been wanting to perform ALL YEAR, and still no opportunity has landed. I'm not gonna let the last concert of my junior year also be of no use to me because it gets cancelled due to a missing teacher!" And so I gathered musicians, most of which weren't in my guitar class, few and far between who had faith in me to arrange two concerts during lunch. It wasn't easy, some complained and many dropped out of the concert and last minute problems came, but it still happened, and thought that I was able to express my love for music.

For the sake of authenticity, I will be choosing a paragraph from the final pages of the third (unpublished) book from my own, self published original series, The Tale of Naomi the Greatest Hero of Mai. "She said to you, 'I’ve grown out of being what everyone wants me to be. The rest of my days will be spent making my own decisions, and reaping the consequences of those decisions, whether they be good or bad. I do, genuinely recommend you do the same. Because at the end of the day, when the last page is turned in your story, you’ll want to see that your ending is not one curated by the judgments and instruction of those around you, but by your innate desires, hopes and dreams to do what you want to do in your life. As long as you're not hurting anyone in the process, of course.' She opened the door slightly, letting a warm, natural sunlight come out, and she said to you, 'Endings will come, so make sure your ending is really your ending.'" Though I created this work, I can confidentially analyze it as though it were written by another person. In this excerpt, Naomi's broken the fourth wall after she loses her battle to the main antagonist, The Monochrome, and the universe is wiped of all its contents. After this, she enters an interview room, where she talks to the narrator, and eventually turns to the reader. The subtle change in wording, "She said to you," makes it clear to the reader that Naomi's no longer talking with reference to the world of the fictional story she's been set in, rather she's communicating with the observer of the story. This makes her following message all the more impactful, because she's advising the reader on how to live their life. It’s significant that this sentiment arises after her defeat. The Monochrome, representing oppressiveness and, succeeds in wiping away the universe and, metaphorically, her agency. Still, this loss turns an opportunity of greater understanding of her own identity. Rather than allowing the defeat to drain Naomi of her hope for any good to come out of all that has been lost (literally everything because the universe got wiped out), Naomi’s perspective stays on the side of empowerment and hope. She recognizes that her story, by extension, any person’s narrative, will never be written purely by circumstance. Instead, it can be shaped by the deliberate decisions each individual makes, emphasizing the importance of personal responsibility and resilience in any given situation, regardless of the bumps in the road that may come and go. Naomi's powerful invitation to the reader to, "make sure your ending is really your ending," resonates deeply as a command to the reader to maintain autonomy. It's an encouragement to consider the multifaceted nature of one’s life choices and how they contribute to the overarching story of their own life. In a world often dominated by the voices of authority, whether they come from family, society, or culture, the call to assert one’s own desires is, in many ways, absurd. This aspect is especially relevant in our contemporary society, where conventional paths and expectations can overshadow personal dreams. Naomi urges readers to confront these societal scripts and consider what it means to write their narrative honestly, which is a statement that feels increasingly necessary in an age of determining your worth based on the likes you get on social media and the things people say about you. I'd say that ultimately, Naomi's transition from being a character to a messenger blurs the lines between fiction and reality, enriching the reader’s experience while imparting a valuable life lesson. The act of engaging directly with the audience sharpens the narrative’s focus on the theme of personal artistry, evolving the reader from a passive observer into an active participant. It’s a nice reminder that every individual possesses the capability to become the author of their own life story, much like Naomi. Close reading is a useful skill, and essential to being a great author. Authorship is my passion. I want to pursue this career because I believe I could do great in it; I could make breakthroughs no one else can. Not because I'm better, because I'm certainly not, but because I am ME, and my uniqueness is something only I can truly express. The $2,000 RonranGlee Literary Scholarship would greatly help me pay for my ventures in not only following, but running for my goals in book writing. I deeply thank you for this opportunity, and your consideration of my essay.

It's a sin to limit art to one drawing, one page, or even one book. That's why I turned what started out as a short story assignment in my sophomore English class in late 2023 into a fully fledged trilogy series, the third one I'm editing and preparing for release. I'm an artist in many forms - I'm a music artist, I'm a photographer... but my favorite piece of art, that I believe to be my greatest creation holds itself firmly in the world of literature - my series, The Tale of Naomi the Greatest Hero of Mai. The original short story I wrote, The Tale of Naomi, the Hero of Mai, was a story I wrote about a tabby cat, whose name is Naomi, who travels to the fictional city of Tamiba in hopes of pursuing her drumming career (I implemented my music passion into the book). She goes into the city at the worst time possible - when the judgement and evils of the citizens of Tamiba City grow powerful enough to form into a giant entity that goes by many names. Some simply call him the embodiment of evil, others call it destruction, but it goes by Solituno Tali. For Naomi, Solituno is the embodiment of all her fears of rejection for taking risks and being passionate about her art of drumming, and she gets consumed, metaphorically AND literally by this fear and passes out. In her unconscious state, Naomi meets an entity that's a polar opposite to Solituno - Oritula Tali, the embodiment of all that is good. This being fuses with Naomi to bring her back to the waking world, and to have the strength to destroy Solituno, pulverizing him and bringing the entire land of Mai back to normalcy. This description may seem bulky, but this is only a summary of the first chapter of the first book. The world of Mai dives so much deeper into the odd, unbearable and unforeseen. The first chapter's partially inspired by the plot of the first and second seasons of the Lego animated series Ninjago, and I made sure to heavily implement my love for music into the series. Beyond the first chapter, this series was built to encapsulate weirdness. All of my life I've felt displaced, like I've never quite fit anywhere just right, so when I started this series I realized I had a great opportunity to build a world that I could say is my own, because I can't be excluded from what I create. This series is not just a set of books, it's a part of my soul. I want to pursue the arts because I believe I could do great in it; I could turn this series into a fully animated series in time. Not because my book's better, but because my book's unique because it was made by ME, and my uniqueness is something only I can truly express. The $25,250 Isaac Yunhu Lee Memorial Arts Scholarship would greatly help me pay for my ventures in not only following, but running for my goals in the arts, not just with books, but with my music career as well. I deeply thank you for this opportunity, and your consideration of my essay.

My name is Herman Harrison (though I go by Manny). I'm a left handed upside down self taught guitarist and pianist of 6 years, and self taught drummer and bassist of 3 years. Like many people, music has been a great part of my life - it helps to encapsulate so many moments, so many memories we all can collectively feel even through language/cultural barriers. I've been playing for a while, but I just I started making music in late 2023, to try to show the world my own voice, and I regularly perform my songs on acoustic guitar throughout my local vicinity. I want to make people happy, make them feel the feelings I feel all the time but can never truly find the words to express said feelings. Music is my way of connecting soul to soul, even in difficult times. My music journey has been interesting, to say the least. Being a left handed, upside down left handed guitarist has led me to recognize patterns few of my peers seem to understand, and create new chord shapes I can't find definitions for anywhere! I use these new concepts in my songs, which I can't seem to fit into any specific genre. I hope that through my uniqueness (or, quite frankly, weirdness), I can burn a hole into the music industry that can't be covered up. I'm definitely inspired by great Music Artists like Micheal Jackson and especially Prince when it comes to their performance outfit styles, though I've always aspired to be original as I possibly can, because I figure there's less competition if you're making something entirely new. I build off of the songs I've already made to create new concepts, like an ever-evolving chain of passion and expression. Though I know things rarely happen exactly the way they're planned, I like to plan my future as much as I can. I've been accepted to Lincoln University of PA, and I'm majoring in music. I plan to meet new people, gain more performance opportunities and dive into the world of the music industry to gain a better understanding of how music artists actually make it on top charts, and most notably, how to make a living off of my music and music knowledge (I already know about music licensing, so I'm just open to any more information I can get). This is what I'm planning to do throughout my four years of college, and by the time I'm done I'll be positioned to jump right into a position in the music industry with a jump start. Music is my passion, and it's also my goal. I want to pursue this career because I believe I could do great in it; I could make breakthroughs no one else can. Not because I'm better, because I'm certainly not, but because I am ME, and my uniqueness is something only I can truly express. The $2,000 Neil Margeson Sound Scholarship would greatly help me pay for my ventures in not only following, but running for my goals in music. I deeply thank you for this opportunity, and your consideration of my essay.

I'm a musician, a music artist, an author and a skater. I'm a self taught guitarist and pianist of 6 years, and a self taught drummer and bassist of 3 years. Like many people, music has been a great part of my life - it helps to encapsulate so many moments, so many memories we all can collectively feel even through language/cultural barriers. I started making music in late 2023, to try to show the world my own voice, and I regularly perform my songs on acoustic guitar throughout Montgomery Country, Maryland to bring passerby to passerby a piece of joy. I want to make people happy, make them feel the feelings I feel all the time but can never truly find the words to express said feelings. Music is my way of connecting soul to soul, even in difficult times. When it comes to my author career, I started my author career in late 2023, when I started writing the draft for my trilogy series The Tale of Naomi the Greatest Hero of Mai (searchable on Google). It takes a long time to make a good book, and it takes years to finish a great story, which is why as of early 2026, I'm finishing the third and final book to the book series trilogy. My author career doesn't end with this series, however, as I have another book that's a compilation of short stories, called Wizard Quest. I have many book ideas waiting to flourish and become fully fledged stories. When it comes to my community, I've donated the first and second edition of my books to my local library, the Germantown Library in Montgomery County, Maryland. It wasn't too long after that they were suddenly missing, but they're still available in ebook form and despite this setback I still plan to continue giving to my community by putting in new copies once I release the third edition. I've been skating since 2020, but it wasn't until the summer of 2025 that I met friends that skated as well, and through my experience of meeting them, I've been able to influence others to join our local skating community. Skating isn't just a hobby or a pastime, it's a way to bring local youth outdoors and have fun communicating with others face to face and meeting new people. It also pushes you to work hard, be consistent, and to take risks, because skating isn't easy, and tricks take time to learn and perfect. Skating saves lives. Ever since the summer of 2025, skating has saved me from my series of sudden depressive episodes I'd periodically endure since late 2023. It's something about going out and being with people that collectively have the same goal as you (to get better at skating and have fun) that brings life into the life of a cold soul. If I could start my own charity, which I do genuinely hope to be able to do one day if I'm in the financial position to do so, my mission would be to help young black artists pursue their artistic goals. The world is a hard place to make your place in, especially when you've been born underprivileged and are pursuing a career that may not be financially consistent. I thank you for this opportunity.

My name is Herman Harrison (though I go by Manny). I'm a left handed upside down self taught guitarist and pianist of 6 years, and self taught drummer and bassist of 3 years. Like many people, music has been a great part of my life - it helps to encapsulate so many moments, so many memories we all can collectively feel even through language/cultural barriers. I think this is why there's an entire book in the bible of songs (Pslams), built to encapsulate an array of emotions, from joy, to depression, to struggling with faith and even love. Music is something God has ingrained in us all to understand. I'm on a mission. I'm not just another aspiring artist who wants to succeed in their career; I want to take down the evils of the music industry as well, that come in many forms. Many Christians believe that Satan had a form of directory over the Heaven's choir, and when you see the symbolic and even abrupt evils in the music industry, it's not hard to believe he was. In today's world, music has so many pieces of symbolism referencing to demonic entities and ungodly rituals that it's become normalized and people constantly overlook it, even you and I - because it's played everywhere, on shows, on adds... and it seemingly can't be avoided. There is another opponent that I seek to take down, and that is music created by AI. It's generic slop auto-generated to attempt to replicate the genuine works of a soul, but it is soulless. I want to not only make music that shows how worthless music AI slop is, but as well take legal action with accompanying musicians to destroy this industry of madness, once I'm in the power to be able to, if it gets to that point. My music journey has been interesting, to say the least. Being a left handed, upside down left handed guitarist has led me to recognize patterns few of my peers seem to understand, and create new chord shapes I can't find definitions for anywhere! I use these new concepts in my songs, which I can't seem to fit into any specific genre. I hope that through my uniqueness (or, quite frankly, weirdness), I can burn a hole into the music industry that can't be covered up. I'm definitely inspired by great Music Artists like Micheal Jackson and especially Prince when it comes to their performance outfit styles, though I've always aspired to be original as I possibly can, because I figure there's less competition if you're making something entirely new. I build off of the songs I've already made to create new concepts, like an ever-evolving chain of passion and expression. Music is my passion, and it's also my goal. I want to pursue this career because I believe I could do great in it; I could make breakthroughs no one else can. Not because I'm better, because I'm certainly not, but because I am ME, and my uniqueness is something only I can truly express. The $1,000 Michael Thomas Waples Memorial Scholarship would greatly help me pay for my ventures in not only following, but running for my goals in music. I deeply thank you for this opportunity, and your consideration of my essay.

My name is Herman Harrison (though I go by Manny). I started high school in late 2022, and I'm a left handed upside down self taught guitarist and pianist of 6 years, and self taught drummer and bassist of 3 years. If it's worth mentioning, I played trombone from 5th to 7th grade for band and played piano for 8th grade band. Like many people, music has been a great part of my life - it helps to encapsulate so many moments, so many memories we all can collectively feel even through language/cultural barriers. My music journey throughout high school has been interesting, to say the least. I think Being surrounded by other musicians in different parts of the music department, from jazz band to piano to chorus has helped push me to improve my fundamental skills and understanding of base music theory, which has in turn helped me to further improve my music compositions. Though I'd been playing instruments for a while, I started making music in late 2023, to try to show the world my own voice, and I regularly perform my songs on acoustic guitar throughout Montgomery Country, Maryland to bring passerby to passerby a piece of joy. I want to make people happy, make them feel the feelings I feel all the time but can never truly find the words to express said feelings. Music is my way of connecting soul to soul, even in difficult times. I've performed for my school (Seneca Valley High) at several concert events, and I've taken advantage of the resources provided by my school to manage concerts myself, and to slip some of my original songs into the set lists. I've also volunteered to perform at multiple events, for elementary schools and even talent shows for the sake of bringing entertainment and gaining experience. Being a left handed, upside down left handed guitarist has led me to recognize patterns few of my peers seem to understand, and create new chord shapes I can't find definitions for anywhere! I use these new concepts in my songs, which I can't seem to fit into any specific genre. I hope that through my uniqueness (or, quite frankly, weirdness), I can burn a hole into the music industry that can't be covered up. I'm definitely inspired by great Music Artists like Micheal Jackson and especially Prince when it comes to their performance outfit styles, though I've always aspired to be original as I possibly can, because I figure there's less competition if you're making something entirely new. I build off of the songs I've already made to create new concepts, like an ever-evolving chain of passion and expression. Music is my passion, and it's also my goal. I want to pursue this career because I believe I could do great in it; I could make breakthroughs no one else can. Not because I'm better, because I'm certainly not, but because I am ME, and my uniqueness is something only I can truly express. The $2,959 Nick Lindblad Memorial Scholarship would greatly help me pay for my ventures in not only following, but running for my goals in music. I deeply thank you for this opportunity, and your consideration of my essay!

My name is Herman Harrison (though I go by Manny). I'm a left handed upside down self taught guitarist and pianist of 6 years, and self taught drummer and bassist of 3 years. Like many people, music has been a great part of my life - it helps to encapsulate so many moments, so many memories we all can collectively feel even through language/cultural barriers. I started making music in late 2023, to try to show the world my own voice, and I regularly perform my songs on acoustic guitar throughout Montgomery Country, Maryland to bring passerby to passerby a piece of joy. I want to make people happy, make them feel the feelings I feel all the time but can never truly find the words to express said feelings. Music is my way of connecting soul to soul, even in difficult times. I've performed for my school (Seneca Valley High) at several concert events, and I've taken advantage of the resources provided by my school to manage concerts myself, and to slip some of my original songs into the set lists. I've also volunteered to perform at multiple events, for elementary schools and even talent shows for the sake of bringing entertainment and gaining experience. My music journey has been interesting, to say the least. Being a left handed, upside down left handed guitarist has led me to recognize patterns few of my peers seem to understand, and create new chord shapes I can't find definitions for anywhere! I use these new concepts in my songs, which I can't seem to fit into any specific genre. I hope that through my uniqueness (or, quite frankly, weirdness), I can burn a hole into the music industry that can't be covered up. I'm definitely inspired by great Music Artists like Micheal Jackson and especially Prince when it comes to their performance outfit styles, though I've always aspired to be original as I possibly can, because I figure there's less competition if you're making something entirely new. I build off of the songs I've already made to create new concepts, like an ever-evolving chain of passion and expression. Though I know things rarely happen exactly the way they're planned, I like to plan my future as much as I can. I've been accepted to Lincoln University of PA, and I'm majoring in music. I plan to meet new people, gain more performance opportunities and dive into the world of the music industry to gain a better understanding of how music artists actually make it on top charts, and most notably, how to make a living off of my music and music knowledge (I already know about music licensing, so I'm just open to any more information I can get). This is what I'm planning to do throughout my four years of college, and by the time I'm done I'll be positioned to jump right into a position in the music industry with a jump start. Music is my passion, and it's also my goal. I want to pursue this career because I believe I could do great in it in a way no one else can. Not because I'm better, because I'm certainly not, but because I am ME, and my uniqueness is something only I can truly express. The $3,000 William Smith Scholarship would greatly help me pay for my ventures in not only following, but running for my goals in music. I deeply thank you for this opportunity, and your consideration of my essay.

I'm a musician, a music artist, an author and a skater. I'm a self taught guitarist and pianist of 6 years, and self taught drummer and bassist of 3 years. Like many people, music has been a great part of my life - it helps to encapsulate so many moments, so many memories we all can collectively feel even through language/cultural barriers. I started making music in late 2023, to try to show the world my own voice, and I regularly perform my songs on acoustic guitar throughout Montgomery Country, Maryland to bring passerby to passerby a piece of joy. I want to make people happy, make them feel the feelings I feel all the time but can never truly find the words to express said feelings. Music is my way of connecting soul to soul, even in difficult times. When it comes to my author career, I started my author career in late 2023, when I started writing the draft for my trilogy series The Tale of Naomi the Greatest Hero of Mai (searchable on Google). It takes a long time to make a good book, and it takes years to finish a great story, which is why as of early 2026, I'm finishing the third and final book to the book series trilogy. My author career doesn't end with this series, however, as I have another book that's a compilation of short stories, called Wizard Quest. I have many book ideas waiting to flourish and become fully fledged stories. When it comes to my community, I've donated the first and second edition of my books to my local library, the Germantown Library in Montgomery County, Maryland. It wasn't too long after that they were suddenly missing, but they're still available in ebook form and despite this setback I still plan to continue giving to my community by putting in new copies once I release the third edition. I've been skating since 2020, but it wasn't until the summer of 2025 that I met friends that skated as well, and through my experience of meeting them, I've been able to influence others to join our local skating community. Skating isn't just a hobby or a pastime, it's a way to bring local youth outdoors and have fun communicating with others face to face and meeting new people. It also pushes you to work hard, be consistent, and to take risks, because skating isn't easy, and tricks take time to learn and perfect. Skating saves lives. Ever since the summer of 2025, skating has saved me from my series of sudden depressive episodes I'd periodically endure since late 2023. It's something about going out and being with people that collectively have the same goal as you (to get better at skating and have fun) that brings life into the life of a cold soul. These activities all came to me around 2020, when the pandemic hit, but as time has gone on I've slowly and steadily honed my skills in each one of them to not only benefit me as a person but to also help my friends and people in my community.