The sting of sweat, the early mornings, and the discipline of every rep were part of my identity as a multi-sport athlete. I thrived on structure, progress, and hard work. But none of that fully prepared me for the biggest obstacle of my life. At fifteen, I tore my ACL and needed knee surgery, and just as I began to recover, I tore my PCL. Overnight, I lost the ability to play, train, or compete. It felt like I had lost who I was. At the time, I was captain of my varsity lacrosse team and part of a state championship soccer team. I had earned a spot on elite training squads and believed I was on a path toward success. When my knee gave out during a play, I felt everything I had worked for slip away. Starting over after the second injury was the hardest part but, I discovered the kind of person and leader I wanted to be. Two coaches had an incredible impact on me during my recovery: Coach Hos and Coach Mundy. During physical therapy and training, Coach Hos guided me through every workout and constantly reminded me that progress is built slowly and consistency is more important than perfection. He believed in me when I did not fully believe in myself. His encouragement changed my mindset. He showed me that great coaches do not just push you. They lift you. His support reminded me that leadership is showing up with integrity and resilience. Coach Mundy, my freshman track coach, was another source of strength. Even though track was not my main sport, he went out of his way to check on me. He asked about my recovery every time he saw me. He cared about me as a person, not just as an athlete. Even when I could not compete, he offered to help me condition and stay engaged with sports. That willingness to go above and beyond for an athlete who could not participate spoke volumes about his character and compassion. Both of these coaches taught me the importance of lifting others. Their support inspired me to give back through programs like Junior Firebirds and YMS Special Stars, where I coach children with disabilities in basketball and soccer. Their joy and determination remind me of what my coaches gave to me: belief, encouragement, and a sense of belonging. I try to create an environment where these kids feel valued and capable, focusing on their strengths rather than their limitations. Coaching them has helped me grow. I have learned to embody the same spirit that defined coaches like David Sutton, Coach Mundy, and Coach Hos. Coach Sutton was known for being tough but caring, demanding yet supportive, and always focused on helping athletes grow on and off the field. I want to live by those ideals. Strength is not only physical. It comes from showing up when things get hard, supporting others even when you are struggling, and turning setbacks into opportunities to grow. Now, after months of recovery and relentless effort, I am back on the field for my senior year. The journey reshaped how I see success. Winning is no longer just about scoring goals. It is about perseverance, teamwork, and the impact you have on others. Like David Sutton, I hope to continue leading with heart, humor, and resilience, always pushing others to be their best while helping them rise when they fall. Thank you Coaches!

Sometimes life shifts in an instant, and the things that once felt steady suddenly feel out of reach. I learned this when I tore my ACL and meniscus during a soccer game at only sixteen years old. One moment I was sprinting down the field, and the next, part of my identity was gone. Soccer had been more than a sport to me. Losing it left me feeling isolated and searching for purpose. Instead of letting that injury define me, I learned to redefine being part of a team and captain. I cheered from the sidelines, mentored younger players, and stayed committed even when I could not play. This taught me that being part of a team does not always mean being on the field. Sometimes leadership simply means showing up for others. Years earlier, my family faced something more profound: the passing of my younger brother Jackson, born with heart and brain defects. His life lasted only minutes, yet his memory lives on through family traditions and quiet moments of reflection. My parents, grandparents, and friends became a source of strength. In their embrace, I learned that community has the power to keep us moving forward. Jackson’s short life gave me a voice and a purpose. I want to stand up for those with disabilities. Healing often comes through love and service. During my recovery, I volunteered with Special Stars and Junior Firebirds, coaching children with disabilities and special needs. At first, I thought I would be helping the kids build confidence through sports. What I did not expect was how much they would teach me. Many faced challenges far greater than mine, yet their joy, determination, and courage inspired me daily. Watching them fall and try again reminded me that strength is not about avoiding hardship but about support and resilience. These experiences shaped my understanding of advocacy. It is not just about speaking for others. It is about listening, empowering, and helping people discover their own strength. Volunteering transformed my personal pain into purpose, showing me that community impact and personal growth are deeply connected. I have also learned that joy does not come only from winning games or reaching milestones. It comes from the little moments like laughing at practice, helping a younger teammate, or sharing at the dinner table. These experiences with both family and community have shaped how I understand community. My academic path in pre-law will give me the tools to turn this passion into action. Combined with the lessons I have learned so far, it will prepare me for a career in law. Through these experiences, I have developed communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills that I will carry forward into my academic and professional life I want to focus on disability rights, education, and healthcare access, working to ensure that all people are treated with dignity and fairness.

Dear Patane Family, My name is Mason, and I am grateful for the chance to apply for a scholarship that honors the legacy of your parents, Ed and Aline. As I read about their lives, I noticed how much their values of faith, family, kindness, service, and joy match the values my parents and I try to live out every day. I would like to share a little of my story and how I hope to carry those values forward in my own life. My youngest brother, Jackson, was born with multiple heart and brain defects. He lived only a few minutes, but those minutes changed me forever. I was young, but I remember the grief my family and I felt. Faith and prayer were important things that carried us through. Losing him taught me early on how fragile life is. It also gave me a purpose: to speak up and stand for people who cannot always stand for themselves. To this day, I write his initials, JPD, on the tags of my jerseys. It reminds me that everything I do should be done with compassion and strength. My faith and family guided me again when I tore my ACL, meniscus, and later my PCL as a fifteen year old. Recovering from surgeries and missing almost two years of sports was a challenge. I lost not just the games. I also lost the sense of belonging that came with being on a team but my parents told me to keep showing up anyway. I cheered from the sidelines, mentored younger players, and stayed committed even when I could not play. They taught me that leadership does not always mean being on the field. Sometimes it just means being there for others. I have also found purpose through service. During my recovery, volunteering with Special Stars and Junior Firebirds gave me the chance to work with children who have disabilities. Coaching them through drills, encouraging them, and celebrating their victories has been one of the best experiences of my life. These kids show up with determination and joy every single day. They inspire me to do the same. Service has taught me that it is not about doing something for people. It is being with them and making sure they feel seen, included, and valued. Family is the core of who I am. When Jackson passed, I leaned on my parents, grandparents, and siblings. They showed me what unconditional love really looks like. Even today, my family continues to shape me. We laugh together, share traditions, and support each other in everything. Family is the place where I learned how to love, how to care, and how to keep going even when things are hard. I have learned that joy does not come only from winning games or reaching big milestones. It comes from the little things too. I laugh at practice, help a younger teammate master a drill, or just sit around the dinner table with the people I love. Looking ahead, I plan to pursue a career in law, focusing on public interest or maybe government. I want to fight for children, families, and individuals with disabilities, making sure their voices are heard. This scholarship would support me as I begin that journey in college. It would help me stay true to the values that matter most: faith, kindness, family, service, and joy. I never met your parents, but from everything I have learned, I know they lived with love and purpose. I hope to honor them by carrying those same values into my own future. I want to serve others with compassion and live with joy. Thank you so much for considering me for this scholarship and for sharing your parents’ legacy. With gratitude, Mason DiEnna

When I tore my ACL, my world felt like it had come crashing down. Sports had always been central to my life, and my injury left me feeling sidelined from the one thing that had been my passion. While soccer and lacrosse were my main focus, it was my high school track coach who had an unexpectedly profound impact on me during this difficult time. He wasn’t my soccer coach, and track wasn’t even my primary sport, but his presence and support throughout my recovery helped me keep going. Like David Sutton, my track coach has a huge heart, and he made it clear that he cared about me beyond the field. Every time he saw me or my parents, he’d ask about my recovery, not just in a casual way, but genuinely wanting to know how I was doing both physically and mentally. His concern wasn’t limited to my athletic ability—he cared about me as a person. Even though I was unable to run track that season, he still offered to help me condition for a return to sports. He knew how much athletics meant to me and he was willing to help even if I couldn’t compete in meets. That willingness to go above and beyond for an athlete who wasn’t even able to participate fully spoke volumes about his character. His encouragement reminded me of the importance of lifting others up, something I try to emulate. Special Stars is a program where I help children with special needs develop soccer skills. Like my coach did with me, I’ve tried to create an environment of support and encouragement for the kids, focusing on their strengths rather than their limitations. When I’m with these children, I see the same potential in them that my coach saw in me. He taught me that it’s not just about pushing people to be better athletes, but about creating a space where they feel valued and capable, no matter what challenges they face. These experiences allow me to enjoy sports while recovering. It helps me deepen my understanding of resilience and the power of service. Working closely with these kids taught me valuable lessons in patience, empathy, and leadership, all of which shape my growth. My coach’s encouragement made an incredibly difficult time in my life easier to navigate. He showed me the power of compassion. I carry those lessons with me in everything I do, whether it’s in my recovery, in school, or through my volunteer work. Just like David impacted others, my coach helped me find strength when I felt weak, I now aim to be that source of encouragement for others. His impact continues to shape me, long after my time on the track has ended.

When my brother Jackson entered the world, he was already leaving it. His heart beat for only a few minutes, yet those brief moments altered the course of my life. Jackson was born with multiple brain defects, and although he never had the chance to grow, his life left me with a purpose. My youngest brother Jackson passed away a few years ago. Until October 13, 2015, I had never experienced or understood grief. That morning, we woke up early to go to the hospital, but instead of the excitement of meeting my brother, I was filled with worry and nerves. Jackson’s little life had not developed as it should, and though it was time to meet him, we already knew the heartbreak that awaited. The grief we felt wasn’t just about his passing, it stretched into the past and the future. We mourned not only his final breath but also the months leading up to that moment when we were told he wouldn’t develop properly. Along with that came the painful realization that all our dreams of park days, board games, and birthday celebrations would never come to be. It was an unbelievably hard day for me and my family. Although our time with him was brief it was full of love. Love for Jackson and also love for each other, from the comforting hug of my parents, to the support of my grandparents, and friends' condolence cards. In the embrace of those who cared for me, I found not only comfort but also the courage to continue forward. Although the pain is still present, all of these relationships helped me heal during the bereavement process. I want to be that love and comfort when others need support. Jackson's brief life instilled a passion for advocating for individuals with disabilities. Witnessing the challenges they face has ignited my desire to ensure all voices are heard and represented. I find meaning by volunteering with youth in programs like Special Stars and Create for Kids, which transformed my perspective on resilience and the importance of service. Special Stars engages children with special needs in developing soccer skills. I coached them through drills, offering guidance and encouragement. Watching these children experience the joy of learning new skills despite their challenges is humbling. I also enjoy thinking critically and constructing solid arguments, a skill I am working on in school. This passion aligns seamlessly with a career in law, where the ability to present clear, persuasive cases is crucial. I hope to use this skill to uplift and protect others. I plan to pursue a law degree, focusing on public interest law or civil rights, empowering myself with the knowledge to navigate and advocate for those who cannot advocate for themselves. I will apply for internships and volunteer opportunities that provide practical experience in legal advocacy, especially in supporting children and families facing challenges. My choice to pursue a career in government and law is personal. I hope to challenge injustices, ensuring fairness, especially those facing the greatest challenges. Jackson’s memory and the lessons I’ve learned through Special Stars and other volunteer experiences inspire me to fight for a world where every child can thrive.