As a senior looking back on Lake Orion High School’s graduation requirement of completing 20 hours of community service, I am very thankful for it. I am not only thankful for LOHS pushing their students to achieve better chances of getting accepted to their colleges, but for the volunteering experience, connections, and life skills I have received from completing this requirement. Starting my service hour journey as a freshman, the then 40-hour requirement seemed impossible. I ended up finishing my senior year with over 60 hours and a desire to do even more beyond high school. Something that used to seem like such a chore to me ended up feeling like a fun activity to look forward to. For instance, I used to volunteer at the Pomeroy Assisted Living center to help orchestrate interactive holiday activities for the elderly. From playing St. Patrick’s Day bingo, to decorating Valentine’s Day Cards, the feeling of bringing fun company and smiles to the seniors was irreplaceable. Acting as relief to the employees by setting up tables and food also made me feel helpful and productive. Though I will no longer be able to assist at this home when I move to Florida for school, Flagler College, I will strive to seek out new locations in St. Augustine to assist at. My strongest sense of empathy, leadership, and selflessness have all originated from volunteering. Besides the fact that volunteering can make you feel productive, accomplished, and gain a sense of leadership, the people or place that you are assisting can improve emotionally and physically. This leads to a domino effect of gratitude and relief. When I am volunteering, I am helping myself, others, and inspiring other people to join me in making our world more illuminating and hospitable. The connections and friendships that I formed along the way make the hard work worth every minute. My family and I now have a relationship with the staff at the Orion Township Public Library because of our involvement in their volunteering opportunities. When you view community service through a selfless lens, you and everyone around you develop an increased quality of life. Apart from continuing to volunteer at various events and locations, I have major plans for the future that will undoubtedly change the world for the better. I have always dreamt of owning and operating my own cosmetics business. This started as an idea when I began experimenting with makeup over five years ago, and I have built a strong presence on social media and in person since then. I have racked up thousands of followers across Instagram and TikTok alongside millions of views and likes. My dream has grown more and more vivid with every passing day. Recently, I have realized that many of today’s prominent makeup lines have one common issue that I want to fix– A lack of diversity. Companies rarely put customer’s shade ranges, skin types, and financial situations in mind when launching new products. I want to make it my mission to provide colors, finishes, and prices that can please any type of customer. In an ever-growing world filled with unique individuals, representation in the beauty world is necessary. Whether it be through model photoshoots, sales and deals, or gender and identity-friendly morals, diversity, empathy, and inclusion will be represented. My revolutionary brand will make the world a much more loving and illuminating place.

I am planning on majoring in Graphic Design and minoring in Marketing or Advertising at Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida. I have been obsessed with art for as long as I can remember, more specifically beauty and special effects makeup in the last five years. I have gained the reputation on social media and at school of being “the makeup girl”. My large audience on Instagram and TikTok has inspired me to continue to build on my online presence and get serious about monetizing my content. I have taken several art classes throughout high school, most recently, AP Art. In this class I began to explore the world of graphic design and advertising through my gruesome portfolio of satire body modifications. I combined special effects makeup with stereotypical advertising techniques to create this portfolio, resulting in winning five major awards from the prestigious Scholastic Art & Writing competition. I received a Gold regional medal and a Silver national medal as well as a feature in my school’s art show. This success has driven me to further explore the realms of art and business and aim to creatively combine them. I recently secured an internship with a local marketing company to gain more experience that will be beneficial for me in college. I have major plans for the future that will undoubtedly change the world for the better. I have always dreamt of owning and operating my own cosmetics business. This started as an idea when I began experimenting with makeup over five years ago, and I have built a strong presence on social media and in person since then. I have racked up thousands of followers across Instagram and TikTok alongside millions of views and likes. My dream has grown more and more vivid with every passing day. Recently, I have realized that many of today’s prominent makeup lines have one common issue that I want to fix– A lack of diversity. Companies rarely put customer’s shade ranges, skin types, and financial situations in mind when launching new products. I want to make it my mission to provide colors, finishes, and prices that can please any type of customer. In an ever-growing world filled with unique individuals, representation in the beauty world is necessary. Whether it be through model photoshoots, sales and deals, or gender and identity-friendly morals, diversity, empathy, and inclusion will be represented. My revolutionary brand will make the world a much more loving and illuminating place. I believe that focusing on graphic design and business at college will be the perfect mix of creativity and professionalism, opening many opportunities for my future career. I see my future as an entrepreneur as a win-win situation. I am beyond excited to mesh the realms of art and business together because I get to be as creative and experimental as I want, as well as help bring products to people that I wish I could have had as a young artist.

I have major plans for the future that will undoubtedly change the world for the better. I have always dreamt of owning and operating my own cosmetics business. This started as an idea when I began experimenting with makeup over five years ago, and I have built a strong personality on social media and in person since then. I have racked up thousands of followers across Instagram and TikTok alongside millions of views and likes. My dream has grown more and more vivid with every passing day. Recently, I have realized that many of today’s prominent makeup lines have one common issue that I want to fix– A lack of diversity. Companies rarely put customers’ shade ranges, skin types, and financial situations in mind when launching new products. I want to make it my mission to provide colors, finishes, and prices that can please any type of customer. In an ever-growing world filled with unique individuals, representation in the beauty world is necessary. Whether it be through model photoshoots, sales and deals, or gender and identity-friendly morals, diversity, empathy, and inclusion will be represented. Even though I do not have a deep complextion or sensitive skin or mobility issues, my heart breaks every single time I see someone not being able to use makeup and feel beautiful, which everyone should be able to do. I plan to major in graphic design and minor in advertising/marketing at Flagler College in St. Augustine, FL. Meshing the realms of art and business has always been a dream, and I feel like I am getting closer and closer to achieving that at Flagler. I have been planning for this since I was a freshman in high school, deliberately taking Personal Finance, Career Foundations, Intro to Business, Graphic Design, Business and Entrepreneurship, AP Art, Photography 1 & 2, and many more art classes. In AP Art, I won several regional and national awards for my portfolio which centered around marketing and advertising. Over the past three months, I have been working as a marketing intern at a local financial firm to gain experience before even get to college. I sacrificed my last summer as a teenager for this 9-5 because of how valuable this experience is to me. With the help of my internship, my booming presence on TikTok and Instagram, previous business and entrepreneurship high school classes, and a business-oriented future at Flagler, I will build a revolutionary brand that will make the world a much more loving and illuminating place.

Looking back on my high school's graduation requirement of completing 20 hours of community service, I am very thankful for it. I am not only thankful for my school pushing their students to achieve better chances of getting accepted to their colleges, but for the volunteering experience, connections, and life skills I have received from completing this requirement. Starting my service hour journey as a freshman, the then 40-hour requirement seemed impossible. I ended up finishing my senior year with over 60 hours and a desire to do even more beyond high school. Something that used to seem like such a chore to me ended up feeling like a fun activity to look forward to. For instance, I used to volunteer at my local assisted living home to help orchestrate interactive holiday activities for the senior citizens. From playing St. Patrick’s Day bingo, to decorating Valentine’s Day Cards, the feeling of bringing fun company and smiles to the seniors was irreplaceable. Acting as relief to the employees by setting up tables and food also made me feel helpful and productive. Though I will no longer be able to assist at this home when I move to Florida for school, Flagler College, I will strive to seek out new locations in St. Augustine to assist at. My strongest sense of empathy, leadership, and selflessness have all originated from volunteering. Besides the fact that volunteering can make you feel productive, accomplished, and gain a sense of leadership, the people or place that you are assisting can improve emotionally and physically. This leads to a domino effect of gratitude and relief. When I am volunteering, I am helping myself, others, and inspiring other people to join me in making our world more illuminating and hospitable. The connections and friendships that I formed along the way make the hard work worth every minute. My family and I now have a relationship with the staff at the Orion Township Public Library because of our involvement in their volunteering opportunities. When you view community service through a selfless lens, you and everyone around you develop an increased quality of life. Apart from continuing to volunteer at various events and locations, I have major plans for the future that will undoubtedly change the world for the better. I have always dreamt of owning and operating my own cosmetics business. This started as an idea when I began experimenting with makeup over five years ago, and I have built a strong presence on social media and in person since then. I have racked up thousands of followers across Instagram and TikTok alongside millions of views and likes. My dream has grown more and more vivid with every passing day. Recently, I have realized that many of today’s prominent makeup lines have one common issue that I want to fix– A lack of diversity. Companies rarely put customer’s shade ranges, skin types, and financial situations in mind when launching new products. I want to make it my mission to provide colors, finishes, and prices that can please any type of customer. In an ever-growing world filled with unique individuals, representation in the beauty world is necessary. Whether it be through model photoshoots, sales and deals, or gender and identity-friendly morals, diversity, empathy, and inclusion will be represented. Though I do not have a deep complexion or sensitive skin or mobility issues, it breaks my heart seeing others not be able to simply wear makeup to feel beautiful, which everyone deserves. My revolutionary brand will make the world a much more loving and illuminating place.

I have always seen leadership as being inspirationally independent. Being unconditionally you while staying helpful and influential to others is what I stand by. Staying true to yourself and your beliefs while maintaining an empathetic mindset is what sets apart trend setters from trend followers. Gradually composing my signature art style has made me stand apart from the sea of stolen and recycled designs. Apart from doing the bare minimum of offering assistance with any form of art and taking initiative in projects throughout and outside of school, I have always attempted to serve as a form of motivation for other artists. I have had countless people in person and online telling me how illuminating my art and work ethic has been to them. It is something as simple as when I posted my art on Instagram, and someone commented that I made them physically get up and grab some paper to start their own artwork that makes me believe I can be revolutionary. I have moved people artistically on a subconscious level. In addition, I have completed over 65 hours of community service, despite my high school's 20-hour requirement. I led countless food and clothing drives, parties and activities for senior citizens at my local assisted living home, and even sea turtle research in Florida! I have found that the most authentic form of leadership should happen without trying to change others. Leadership should not be done through begging and persuasion, but rather by being yourself and seeing who happens to gravitate toward your magnetic influence. I have made a promise to myself to do things because I wanted to – not because I know it would please others. Getting out of the mindset of creating based on what others might like has changed my art career for the better. Unlike my middle school self, being another sheep in a herd is no longer on my agenda. As I have progressed through high school, maturing and skipping the pointless drama has certainly strengthened my sense of leadership as well. I will continue to be an artistic leader at Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida, where I have just accepted my offer. Flagler stands with students making history and being independent yet guiding. Apart from continuing to volunteer at various events and locations, I have major plans for the future that will undoubtedly change the world for the better. I have always dreamt of owning and operating my own cosmetics business. I know that to be an entrepreneur, becoming a leader is not optional. This started as an idea when I began experimenting with makeup over five years ago, and I have built a strong presence on social media and in person since then. I have racked up thousands of followers across Instagram and TikTok alongside millions of views and likes. My dream has grown more and more vivid with every passing day. Recently, I have realized that many of today’s prominent makeup lines have one common issue that I want to fix– A lack of diversity. Companies rarely put customer’s shade ranges, skin types, and financial situations in mind when launching new products. I want to make it my mission to provide colors, finishes, and prices that can please any type of customer. In an ever-growing world filled with unique individuals, representation in the beauty world is necessary. Whether it be through model photoshoots, sales and deals, or gender and identity-friendly morals, diversity, empathy, and inclusion will be represented. My revolutionary brand will make the world a much more loving and illuminating place.

For the past five years, I have experimented with makeup – beauty and special effects. I post my gruesome creations on social media, which has resulted in thousands of loyal followers and millions of views and likes. I could not have built my presence as well without the many art and business classes I completed throughout high school. These include AP Art, Graphic Design, and Entrepreneurship & Business Management. I have gotten much more serious about graphic design in the past year, my most recent project being making fake movie posters for The Beatles’ Instagram, but my greatest artistic achievement is a result of the Scholastic Art & Writing competition. I completed my portfolio in AP Art and created insane, eye-popping body modifications, and it was a balance between special effects makeup and Photoshop. I also enjoy utilizing unorthodox materials in my pieces such as sea shells, needles, metal rings and clips, plastic eyeballs, acrylic paint, thread and wire, thumbtacks, air-dry clay, and more. I received five prestigious awards, including a Gold Regional Portfolio medal and a rare Silver National Portfolio medal. I have always had a distant, lingering dream of owning and operating a unique makeup business, but with the sudden success I have received, I am becoming much more serious about achieving this goal. I am currently working as an intern at a local marketing company to gain graphic design and advertising experience. I will be attending Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida to pursue my dreams of meshing the realms of art and business. I have realized that my passion for art lies in getting a reaction out of people. Whether it be fascinatingly futuristic, horribly grotesque, or mesmerizingly angelic, making statements with my art is what I was born to do. My long-term goal is to become a cosmetic entrepreneur, forming my own unique and inclusive makeup company. Recently, I have realized that many of today’s prominent makeup lines have one common issue that I want to fix– A lack of diversity. Companies rarely put customers’ shade ranges, skin types, and financial situations in mind when launching new products. I want to make it my mission to provide colors, finishes, and prices that can please any type of customer. In an ever-growing world filled with unique individuals, representation in the beauty world is necessary. Whether it be through model photoshoots, sales and deals, or gender and identity-friendly morals, diversity, empathy, and inclusion will be represented. My revolutionary brand will make the world a much more loving and illuminating place.

I would have never thought four years ago that community service would give me so much experience with humanitarianism and gain such valuable life-long skills. Good citizenship entails selflessness, not feeling entitled to receiving financial awards for doing basic humanitarian activities, and prioritizing safety and hospitality. I have strived to do my part in keeping all my small communities, whether it be my school, neighborhood, or even my family, civil with these simple principles. In school, I would always alert an adult when I knew of something violent or illegal happening, online or in the halls. The bullying, drug use, and overall hostility, especially after the catastrophic shootings and threats in America, that occasionally arises at school has made me realize that if no one else is stepping in to protect their peers and school, I can. Being a good citizen means simply speaking up about suspicious activities, which can easily prevent disasters and disorder. Community service throughout high school has played a colossal role in building my selfless attitude and love for volunteering. As I have matured, I’ve realized that humans are very selfish and money-hungry creatures, and it is the simplicity of completing a task for the main purpose of wanting to just help someone that draws a line between a great civilian and the average person. Lake Orion High School has a graduation requirement of completing 20 service hours, so I decided to triple it and rack up over 60 hours. Volunteering at various locations has taught me so much about generosity, gratitude, and empathy, something I think everyone should be working on. The activities I helped with included setting up fun holiday parties at the Pomeroy Assisted Living homes, aiding sea turtle researchers in Florida gather data about nests, and donating food, clothes, holiday presents, and more at LOHS. I plan on continuing to voluntarily serve my community when I move to Florida for college at any chance I get. These small tasks can make a large impact on someone’s life, and the satisfaction of making someone’s life easier is what keeps me going. Selfless people will continue to make the world a more loving and warmer place, and I will continue to do my part to achieve that. Besides the fact that volunteering can make you feel productive, accomplished, and gain a sense of leadership, the people or place that you are assisting can improve emotionally and physically. This leads to a domino effect of gratitude and relief. When I am volunteering, I am helping myself, others, and inspiring other people to join me in making our world more illuminating and hospitable. The connections and friendships that I formed along the way make the hard work worth every minute. My family and I now have a relationship with the staff at the Orion Township Public Library because of our involvement in their volunteering opportunities. When you view community service through a selfless lens, you and everyone around you develop an increased quality of life.

I have always seen leadership as being inspirationally independent. Being unconditionally you while staying helpful and influential to others is what I stand by. Staying true to yourself and your beliefs while maintaining an empathetic mindset is what sets apart trend setters from trend followers. Gradually composing my signature art style has made me stand apart from the sea of stolen and recycled designs. Apart from doing the bare minimum of offering assistance with any form of art and taking initiative in projects throughout and outside of school, I have always attempted to serve as a form of motivation for other artists. I have had countless people in person and online telling me how illuminating my art and work ethic has been to them. It is something as simple as when I posted my art on Instagram, and someone commented that I made them physically get up and grab some paper to start their own artwork that makes me believe I can be revolutionary. I have moved people artistically on a subconscious level on my end. I have found that the most authentic form of leadership should happen without trying to change others. Leadership should not be done through begging and persuasion, but rather by being yourself and seeing who happens to gravitate towards your magnetic influence. I have made a promise to myself to do things because I wanted to – not because I know it would please others. Getting out of the mindset of creating based on what others might like has changed my art career for the better. Unlike my middle school self, being another sheep in a herd is no longer on my agenda. As I have progressed though high school, maturing and skipping the pointless drama has certainly strengthened my sense of leadership as well. I will continue to be an artistic leader at Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida, where I have just accepted my offer. Flagler stands with students making history and being independent yet guiding. With my life-long dream of starting up a cosmetics company, continuing to practice my authoritative abilities will be vital to my business’s success. In my eyes, another vital part of leadership is simply being a good citizen. My high school has a graduation requirement of completing 20 service hours, so I decided to triple it and rack up over 60 hours. Volunteering at various locations has taught me so much about generosity, gratitude, and empathy, something I think everyone should be working on. The activities I helped with included setting up fun holiday parties at local assisted living homes, aiding sea turtle researchers in Florida gather data about nests, and donating food, clothes, holiday presents, and more to schools in my city. I plan on continuing to voluntarily serve my community when I move to Florida for college at any chance I get. These small tasks can make a large impact on someone’s life, and the satisfaction of making someone’s life easier is what keeps me going. Selfless people will continue to make the world a more loving and warmer place, and I will continue to do my part to achieve that.

If Adobe Photoshop was not invented, I would not be sitting where I am today. On January 20th and March 22nd, 2023, I finally got to experience the sweet feeling of winning meaningful awards and being recognized for my talents. I was in my high school's AP Art course during the entirety of my senior year, painstakingly (physically and mentally) working on an expansive portfolio. This portfolio consists of a mixture of photography, digital art, and gruesome special effects makeup that is centered around satirical and extreme body modifications. My teacher urged my classmates and I to submit our portfolios, which were works in progress at the time, to a well-known art competition – The Scholastic Art & Writing Competition. Thinking nothing of it, I submitted my six finished pieces. Nearly forgetting about the competition months later, I got an email saying I won five prestigious awards. In that moment… I thought it was spam mail! Upon closer examination, I did in fact receive an Honorable Mention, a Bronze Medal, Silver Medal, Gold Medal, and most importantly, a rare Gold Portfolio award. From that moment on, my social media engagement soared above levels I never even dreamt of. I posted videos of my creations from my portfolio on TikTok, some videos reaching over 3 million views in days. I recently hit 20k followers and 3 million likes on TikTok and reached a thousand followers on Instagram. On February 13th, I attended a ceremony for my region’s winners at the DIA, where I was recognized and congratulated on stage. My portfolio was then featured at the College for Creative Studies, who has offered me over $140,000 to attend their school. My success did not stop there… I won a National Silver Medal for my portfolio, which put me in the top 1% of submissions. My pieces were also featured in my school's art show, where they ended up becoming the center of attention for days. From there on, colleges that I have not even applied to began offering me thousands of dollars to attend their school. In April, I secured an internship with a local marketing company where I was scouted out to assist in creating social media graphics. I am using my hour break to write this essay that will hopefully help relieve the financial burden that college will undoubtedly be. These events have largely inspired me to pursue graphic design at Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida. 5 years ago, I would have never thought that my recreational artistic hobbies would give me thousands of loyal followers, recognition, money, and land me a spot at my dream school. With the help of computer programming and editing software, I was able to share my art with the world and greatly change my life for the better.

For the past five years, I have experimented with makeup – beauty and special effects. I post my gruesome creations on social media, which has resulted in thousands of loyal followers and millions of views and likes. I could not have built my presence as well without the many art and business classes I completed throughout high school. These include AP Art, Graphic Design, and Entrepreneurship & Business Management. I have gotten much more serious about graphic design in the past year, my most recent project being making fake movie posters for The Beatles’ Instagram, but my greatest artistic achievement is a result of the Scholastic Art & Writing competition. I completed my portfolio in AP Art and created insane, eye-popping body modifications, and it was a balance between special effects makeup and Photoshop. I also enjoy utilizing unorthodox materials in my pieces such as sea shells, needles, metal rings and clips, plastic eyeballs, acrylic paint, thread and wire, thumbtacks, air-dry clay, and more. I received five prestigious awards, including a Gold Regional Portfolio medal and a rare Silver National Portfolio medal. I have always had a distant, lingering dream of owning and operating a unique makeup business, but with the sudden success I have received, I am becoming much more serious about achieving this goal. I am currently working as an intern at a local marketing company to gain graphic design and advertising experience. I will be attending Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida to pursue my dreams of meshing the realms of art and business. I have realized that my passion for art lies in getting a reaction out of people. Whether it be fascinatingly futuristic, horribly grotesque, or mesmerizingly angelic, making statements with my art is what I was born to do. My long-term goal is to become a cosmetic entrepreneur, forming my own unique and inclusive makeup company. Recently, I have realized that many of today’s prominent makeup lines have one common issue that I want to fix– A lack of diversity. Companies rarely put customers’ shade ranges, skin types, and financial situations in mind when launching new products. I want to make it my mission to provide colors, finishes, and prices that can please any type of customer. In an ever-growing world filled with unique individuals, representation in the beauty world is necessary. Whether it be through model photoshoots, sales and deals, or gender and identity-friendly morals, diversity, empathy, and inclusion will be represented. My revolutionary brand will make the world a much more loving and illuminating place.

I have major plans for the future that will undoubtedly change the world for the better. I have always dreamt of owning and operating my own cosmetics business. This started as an idea when I began experimenting with makeup over five years ago, and I have built a strong presence on social media and in person since then. I have racked up thousands of followers across Instagram and TikTok alongside millions of views and likes. My dream has grown more and more vivid with every passing day. Recently, I have realized that many of today’s prominent makeup lines have one common issue that I want to fix– A lack of diversity. Companies rarely put customers’ shade ranges, skin types, and financial situations in mind when launching new products. I want to make it my mission to provide colors, finishes, and prices that can please any type of customer. In an ever-growing world filled with unique individuals, representation in the beauty world is necessary. Whether it be through model photoshoots, sales and deals, or gender and identity-friendly morals, diversity, empathy, and inclusion will be represented. My revolutionary brand will make the world a much more loving and illuminating place.

I have been in love with unconventional and special effects makeup, acrylic paint, and colored pencils for as long as I can remember. Nearly every picture of me as a kid shows me wearing my favorite light blue eyeshadow. The countless sketchbooks in my room are filled with sketches and paintings from now and as far back as when I was in fifth grade. I never questioned why my life has always been centered around art until I was vacationing in Florida one day. I have never been very close with my grandparents, cousins, etc. because my family and I always moved from state to state, landing in Michigan, where none of my family lives. Last summer, my family decided to travel to Venice, Florida to visit my mom's dad. I have only ever been around them a few times in my life when I lived in Florida as a seven-year-old. I barely knew anything about my grandpa, besides that he is in a band and served in WWII. From this unassuming 3-day trip, my whole perception of myself being an artist changed. I learned that my grandpa was a high school art teacher for tens of years. From jewelry making and welding to painting and drawing, he did it all - and was amazing at it! I got to see some of his pieces and even found out that he met my grandma because she was one of his students. Knowing that there is someone else in my family, even though we are not close in any way, felt great. I found that my family seemed to alienize me at times because art never crossed their mind as a good hobby or career - they are much more focused on finance and marketing. Seeing my grandpa displaying similar personality traits, artistic abilities, and overall creative and interesting vibe felt comforting and inspiring. He has inspired me to venture out into the art world and use odd mediums, experiment with concepts and perspective, and continue to pursue art at Flagler College in Florida, only a few hours away from him. I also learned that most of my art supplies as a child were given to me by him and the countless Michael's and Joanne's gift cards. A few days ago, I received a $1,000 check from him as a graduation gift to get a suitable laptop for graphic design, my newly found passion. Knowing there is someone related to you that is as weird and artsy as you enlightened me more than any other famous artist.

Nature is one of the most inspiring things in the world to me. Nature shows no mercy. Nature has perfected its craft over billions of years. Nature is what makes Earth the beautiful, habitable place we know. As a special effects makeup artist, acrylic painter, and sculpturist, I have found that the human body, the ocean, and animals are my main sources of motivation. The natural world's trinkets and creatures, whether they are symmetrical, colorful, or creepy, deserve to be praised because they cannot see their beauty themselves.

I am planning on majoring in graphic design at Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida. Flagler has been my dream school since I toured it while living in Jacksonville over eight years ago. My life has been art oriented for as long as I can remember. I draw, paint, photograph, and make jewelry, but I have been concentrating on experimenting with special effects makeup for the past 3 years. I post my self-taught gruesome creations on TikTok and Instagram, resulting in gaining a large following and a strong reputation online and in person. I started becoming very interested in graphic design last year when I started my AP Art and Graphic Design classes. I began developing a digital art portfolio where I combined my outrageous makeup looks (centered around satirical body modifications) with elements of graphic design through Photoshop. I love using interesting materials for my looks including attaching metal trinkets to my face with nail glue, thread, air-dry clay, sea shells, acrylic paint, chopsticks, and much more, not including the extravagant headpieces I make to compliment my makeup looks. I then delved deeper into the business side of graphic design where I then explored marketing and advertising. I used stereotypical advertising techniques to add to the satirical aspect of the portfolio. My finished portfolio ended up winning five major awards, including a gold regional and silver national medal, in the prestigious Scholastic Art & Writing competition! I got invited to a ceremony at the Detriot Institute of Art and the College of Creative Studies. I also had several TikTok videos blow up overnight with millions of views, likes, 18,000 new followers, and reaction videos. These events are my reason for wanting to continue meshing art and business together at Flagler. I recently began a social media marketing internship at a local advertising company to gain knowledge and experience (and money) for when I am in college. My main long-term goal is to become a cosmetics entrepreneur. I have dreamt of starting my own unique and inclusive makeup brand for years, and I believe this intern experience and art knowledge will help me tremendously to make that a reality. I am also in the process of starting a few side-hustle jobs, such as designing and selling greeting cards and monetizing my online content for even more experience in the business side of art. I have had various schools reach out and offer me very generous scholarships, but I believe Flagler College is the best fit for me!

On January 20th and March 22nd, 2023, I finally got to experience the sweet feeling of winning meaningful awards and being recognized for my talents. I was in LOHS’s AP Art course during the entirety of my senior year, painstakingly (physically and mentally) working on an expansive portfolio. This portfolio consists of a mixture of photography, digital art, and gruesome special effects makeup that is centered around satirical and extreme body modifications. My teacher urged my classmates and I to submit our portfolios, which were works in progress at the time, to a well-known art competition – The Scholastic Art & Writing Competition. Thinking nothing of it, I submitted my six finished pieces. Nearly forgetting about the competition months later, I got an email saying I won five prestigious awards. In that moment… I thought it was spam mail! Upon closer examination, I did in fact receive an Honorable Mention, a Bronze Medal, Silver Medal, Gold Medal, and most importantly, a rare Gold Portfolio award. From that moment on, my social media engagement soared above levels I never even dreamt of. I had posted videos of my creations from my portfolio on TikTok, some videos reaching over 3 million views in days. I hit over 15k followers on TikTok and recently reached a thousand on Instagram. On February 13th, I attended a ceremony for my region’s winners at the DIA, where I was recognized and congratulated on stage. My portfolio was then featured at the College for Creative Studies, who has offered me over $140,000 to attend their school. My success did not stop there… I won a National Silver Medal for my portfolio, which put me in the top 1% of submissions. My pieces were also featured in LOHS’s art show, where they ended up becoming the center of attention for days. From there on, colleges that I have not even applied to began offering me thousands of dollars to attend their school. These events have largely inspired me to pursue graphic design at Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida. 5 years ago, I would have never thought that my recreational artistic hobbies would give me thousands of loyal followers, recognition, money, and land me a spot at my dream school. The power of digital art has greatly changed my life for the better. I am choosing to pursue art because of all the opportunities and windows that may open. With my experience in photography, cosmetics, video and image editing, and traditional art skills (such as acrylic painting and charcoal drawing), there are so many careers that I could choose to do. The endless excitement and wonder that art fills the world with inspires me every day. The abstractness of art and inevitable advances in digital art keep me engaged. I will continue to edit my makeup creations and other projects, such as fake movie posters and promotional videos, in the digital space throughout college. Social media will always be a huge part of my life and I am planning to begin monetizing my Instagram posts and TikTok videos as a side hustle going into college.

I am planning on majoring in Graphic Design and minoring in Marketing or Advertising at Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida. I have been obsessed with art for as long as I can remember, more specifically beauty and special effects makeup in the last five years. I have gained the reputation on social media and at school of being “the makeup girl”. My large audience on Instagram and TikTok has inspired me to continue to build on my online presence and get serious about monetizing my content. I have major plans for the future that will undoubtedly change the world for the better. I have always dreamt of owning and operating my own cosmetics business. This started as an idea when I began experimenting with makeup over five years ago, and I have built a strong presence on social media and in person since then. I have racked up thousands of followers across Instagram and TikTok alongside millions of views and likes. My dream has grown more and more vivid with every passing day. Recently, I have realized that many of today’s prominent makeup lines have one common issue that I want to fix– A lack of diversity. Companies rarely put customer’s shade ranges, skin types, and financial situations in mind when launching new products. I want to make it my mission to provide colors, finishes, and prices that can please any type of customer. In an ever-growing world filled with unique individuals, representation in the beauty world is necessary. Whether it be through model photoshoots, sales and deals, or gender and identity-friendly morals, diversity, empathy, and inclusion will be represented. My revolutionary brand will make the world a much more loving and illuminating place. Receiving this scholarship would take me one huge step closer to being able to attend my dream school. Though I have received the maximum merit award amount at Flagler ($5000/yr), I am far from being at ease financially, especially if I am planning to start a business. Though working a 40-hour work week at in internship to make money before college starts, I have a long way to go. Cappex.com lists Flagler as one of the most affordable private colleges, but with a steep price tag at $46,000 per year, my parents will have to take out a hefty loan for me to eventually pay back, and I also have two college-bound siblings. Scholarships such as this one will be a necessity to ease this financial burden. The art field is not known for having high-paying, entry-level jobs, but my happiness will always depend on creating statements with artwork. Any financial assistance awarded to me is greatly appreciated to propel my career. Flagler College is the perfect fit for me because of its focus on business and the arts. I will need all the assistance I can get to attend this school and build my brand! As for a weakness I have overcome, I would have to choose the relentless cyberbullying I have faced in the past five years. Being a young girl with a unique sense of style and being very present on social media, cyberbullies are bound to attack you. From the countless mean comments on my facial structure and body type to the rude video responses to my makeup looks and artwork, I have had my fair share of hate. I am still receiving daily idiotic comments on a viral TikTok from a year ago. Fortunately for me, I have never let these comments stop me from expressing myself and creating art. The love I get will always overpower my hate.

I am planning on majoring in graphic design at Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida. Flagler has been my dream school since I toured it while living in Jacksonville over eight years ago. My life has been art oriented for as long as I can remember. I draw, paint, photograph, and make jewelry, but I have been concentrating on experimenting with special effects makeup for the past 3 years. I post my self-taught gruesome creations on TikTok and Instagram, resulting in gaining a large following and a strong reputation online and in person. I started becoming very interested in graphic design last year when I started my AP Art and Graphic Design classes. I began developing a digital art portfolio where I combined my outrageous makeup looks (centered around satire body modifications) with elements of graphic design through Photoshop. This led me to delve into the business side of graphic design where I then explored marketing and advertising. I used stereotypical advertising techniques to add to the satirical aspect of the portfolio. My finished portfolio ended up winning five major awards, including a gold regional and silver national medal, in the prestigious Scholastic Art & Writing competition! This event is my reason for wanting to continue meshing art and business together at Flagler. I recently began a social media marketing internship at a local advertising company to gain knowledge and experience (and money) for when I am in college. My main long-term goal is to become a cosmetics entrepreneur. I have dreamt of starting my own unique and inclusive makeup brand for years, and I believe this intern experience and art knowledge will help me tremendously to make that a reality. Receiving this scholarship would take me one huge step closer to being able to attend my dream school. Though I have received the maximum merit award amount at Flagler ($5000/yr), I am far from being at ease financially, especially if I am planning to start a business. Though working a 40-hour work week at in internship to make money before college starts, I have a long way to go. Cappex.com lists Flagler as one of the most affordable private colleges, but with a steep price tag at $46,000 per year, my parents will have to take out a hefty loan for me to eventually pay back, and I also have two college-bound siblings. Scholarships such as this one will be a necessity to ease this financial burden. The art field is not known for having high-paying, entry-level jobs, but my happiness will always depend on creating statements with artwork. Any financial assistance awarded to me is greatly appreciated to propel my career. Flagler College is the perfect fit for me because of its focus on business and the arts. I will need all the assistance I can get to attend this school and build my revolutionary brand!

I am planning on majoring in graphic design and minoring in marketing or advertising at Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida. Flagler has been my dream school since I toured it while living in Jacksonville over eight years ago. My life has been art oriented for as long as I can remember. I draw, paint, photograph, and make jewelry, but I have been concentrating on experimenting with special effects makeup for the past 3 years. I post my self-taught gruesome creations on TikTok and Instagram, resulting in gaining a large following and a strong reputation online and in person. I started becoming very interested in graphic design last year when I started my AP Art and Graphic Design classes. I began developing a digital art portfolio where I combined my outrageous makeup looks (centered around satire body modifications) with elements of graphic design through Photoshop. This led me to delve into the business side of graphic design where I then explored marketing and advertising. I used stereotypical advertising techniques to add to the satirical aspect of the portfolio. My finished portfolio ended up winning five major awards, including a gold regional and silver national medal, in the prestigious Scholastic Art & Writing competition! This event is my reason for wanting to continue meshing art and business together at Flagler. I recently began a social media marketing internship at a local advertising company to gain knowledge and experience (and money) for when I am in college. My main long-term goal is to become a cosmetics entrepreneur. I have dreamt of starting my own unique and inclusive makeup brand for years, and I believe this intern experience and art knowledge will help me tremendously to make that a reality. I am also in the process of starting a few side-hustle jobs, such as designing and selling greeting cards and monetizing my online content for even more experience in the business side of art. I have had various schools reach out and offer me very generous scholarships, but I believe Flagler College is the best fit for me! Receiving this scholarship would take me one huge step closer to being able to attend my dream school. Though I have received the maximum merit award amount at Flagler ($5000/yr), I am far from being at ease financially, especially if I am planning to start a business. Though working a 40-hour work week at in internship to make money before college starts, I have a long way to go. Cappex.com lists Flagler as one of the most affordable private colleges, but with a steep price tag at $46,000 per year, my parents will have to take out a hefty loan for me to eventually pay back, and I also have two college-bound siblings. Scholarships such as this one will be a necessity to ease this financial burden. The art field is not known for having high-paying, entry-level jobs, but my happiness will always depend on creating statements with artwork. Any financial assistance awarded to me is greatly appreciated to propel my career. Flagler College is the perfect fit for me because of its focus on business and the arts. I will need all the assistance I can get to attend this school and build my revolutionary brand!

I would have never thought four years ago that community service would give me so much experience with humanitarianism and gain such valuable life-long skills. I have completed over 60 hours of service throughout high school, and I will not stop there. I am hoping to find events and locations for volunteers when I move to St. Augustine, Florida for college. I was involved in many different activities such as, setting up holiday games for the seniors at Pomeroy Assisted Living, gathering data for sea turtle research in Venice, Florida, and donating food, clothing, presents, and more to the families of Lake Orion High School. There are many lessons and skills I have learned during these activities that helped in the moment and could also be applied to situations later in life. For instance, my sense of efficiency, empathy, and patience were greatly improved and will assist me in my college journey. Besides the fact that volunteering can make you feel productive, accomplished, and gain a sense of leadership, the people or place that you are assisting can improve emotionally and physically. This leads to a domino effect of gratitude and relief. When I am volunteering, I am helping myself, others, and inspiring other people to join me in making our world more illuminating and hospitable. The connections and friendships that I formed along the way make the hard work worth every minute. My family and I now have a relationship with the staff at the Orion Township Public Library because of our involvement in their volunteering opportunities. When you view community service through a selfless lens, you and everyone around you develop an increased quality of life. Apart from continuing to volunteer at various events and locations, I have major plans for the future that will undoubtedly change the world for the better. I have always dreamt of owning and operating my own cosmetics business. This started as an idea when I began experimenting with makeup over five years ago, and I have built a strong presence on social media and in person since then. I have racked up thousands of followers across Instagram and TikTok alongside millions of views and likes. My dream has grown more and more vivid with every passing day. Recently, I have realized that many of today’s prominent makeup lines have one common issue that I want to fix– A lack of diversity. Companies rarely put customer’s shade ranges, skin types, and financial situations in mind when launching new products. I want to make it my mission to provide colors, finishes, and prices that can please any type of customer. In an ever-growing world filled with unique individuals, representation in the beauty world is necessary. Whether it be through model photoshoots, sales and deals, or gender and identity-friendly morals, diversity, empathy, and inclusion will be represented. My revolutionary brand will make the world a much more loving and illuminating place.