When I was in fourth grade, I decided I wanted to become the first female President and prove to people that a woman could lead the country. My career goals have changed since then, but my urge to break down patriarchal standards and redefine the status quo has remained. Ever since I was young, I have recognized that I have the power to lead change for future generations and inform others about the value of feminism. Feminism has been seen by some as an inherently negative word that denotes an effort to put women above men. As a female teacher of mine once said, "feminism is seen as a word meaning 'against men' only because men cannot accept a word for equality that is rooted in the word female." But, feminism isn't about making women superior to men, it is about deconstructing the barriers that have historically placed men superior to women, as well as other dualistic modes of thinking. The feminist movement is an equalizer, not tipping the scale to the opposite side, and people must know that. Feminism is important because it not only encompasses the proper treatment of women but also the proper treatment of all other marginalized groups. Feminists speak about important issues such as the pay gap, disparities in healthcare, and oppressive social systems, which not only affect women but also affect people of color and the LGBTQ+ community. Feminism is important in our society because when those who are silenced raise their voices, others who are silenced feel empowered to raise theirs too. While one person can make a change, when we speak together we can create even more movement. Feminism is the gateway to improving the lives of several populations, not just females. We are here to raise our voices and speak out against the power that one group has held disproportionately for too long. One person who has especially empowered me to speak out against the oppression of women and other groups is my speech and debate coach. Knowledge is power, and my coach has taught us to think critically about societal structures and the way they hinder certain populations. We have spent countless hours in class analyzing Critical Feminist Theory and discussing major historical feminist events and their impacts. My coach has taught me to think deeper about feminism and better recognize patriarchal and misogynistic structures that are in place. My coach has inspired me to grow my feminist knowledge. Being a part of the speech and debate community, we have an elevated platform to speak about important issues and be heard by others. I have especially made it my goal to speak about feminist issues. I believe that the feminist movement is spread when people are informed about critical feminist issues and how to be a part of the change. My words are my prerogative; they are my tool to inspire action and contribute to the feminist movement. In my nearly weekly public speaking events, I have spoken about rape victim blaming, women’s bodily rights, the history of feminism and its progress, and the representation and value of women in the professional sphere. I even had the opportunity to present a gender pay gap speech to a national audience at Miss America's Outstanding Teen. But, I don’t just talk about challenging systems of patriarchy, I practice it. Through peer mentoring, I work to deconstruct gender-biased images of professionals, scientists, and doctors. Change doesn't come through being silent and stagnant, change comes through shattering the glass ceilings and amplifying the collective feminist voice through words and actions. I'm a proud feminist.

I am writing to talk about not my difficulty, but the difficulty of others. I am so sorry Ms. Sobaski battled cancer. I am sure you hate cancer, and I do too. For several years, I have been advocating for the tiniest cancer patients - children. People in my family had been affected by cancer; in fact, I lost both my grandmother and grandfather to this terrible disease. When I was little, I thought only adults could get cancer. I remember crying when I found out kids could get cancer and die from it too. I started having lemonade stands in my front yard when I was 8-years-old. I would donate every single bit of my earnings to non-profits that help sick children and their families. I started a "Red Shoe Crew" in my hometown where other youth could get involved in an annual snack drive for Ronald McDonald House. I also became the youngest team captain for Relay for Life in my community. Over the years I got involved in numerous charities that help cancer patients and their families as well as organizations that do cancer research. Through these efforts, I have individually raised more than $80,000 for pediatric cancer and recruited several students to also get involved through my team "Kids Crushing Cancer." Dubbed "Nevada's Golden Girl" for my #BeBoldGoGold - Childhood Cancer campaigns, I continue to hope that my efforts will make a difference toward a cancer-free world in the future. I am from a very small town (only 20,000 people) so it has been a lot of work to grow and expand my network across the state to be able to raise as much money and awareness as I have. A four-hour drive from Reno, and a 6.5-hour drive from Vegas, let's just say that people don't come to me but that I have to go to the people! I do not let this deter me. I have met with State elected officials to ensure funding was replaced in the state budget for a Teen Anti-Vaping/Anti-Smoking Cancer Prevention Campaign. I have worked with people across the state to help accomplish the missions of the American Cancer Society, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and the Northern Nevada Children's Cancer Foundation. A significant amount of my free time has been dedicated to working with these charities, and I don't have very much free time. I am an honors student with a heavy academic load. I am a two-sport varsity athlete, captain of the EHS Speech & Debate Team, and am also very involved in leadership roles in many extracurricular clubs at my school. It has honestly been a lot of work, and sometimes overwhelming. Just a few months ago, I lost a 17-year-old friend to cancer. This is just so sad, and I questioned whether anything I had done would make a difference at all. There is still so much to be done, and I know that what I have done so far is only a small drop in the ocean. I care so much though, that I do not mind spending the extra hours to make the world better for cancer patients. I maintain hope that if everyone just tried a little bit that together we can make a big difference. I hope to become a neurosurgeon in the future. I know I have a lot of expensive college and medical school in my future, so I am grateful for your consideration of my application for this scholarship.