As a shy, conflict-avoidant middle child I struggled to raise my voice and defend myself and what i believed in. Until, that is, I competed in my first ever debate. Terrified of public speaking let alone sharing my opinions to be open for criticism, I was shaking in my boots. Yet, I came to love debate and thinking critically about ideas. Debate was the channel that the Lord used to get me out of my shell in highschool and be a light for Him. Jesus tells believers not to keep their light under a bushel, but my anxiety of what people would think of me kept my love for Jesus and His creation hidden. Though debate was hard and took lots of practice and failures, it allowed me to find courage in Christ and tell others of my beliefs. I have always been very Pro-Life, but I was scared to tell my peers who often believed differently than me. But as I have grown in my walk with Jesus, He has given me the courage to express my deeply held beliefs in a kind and respectful manner. I am part of ministries on campus and consistently attend church at home and at college. In addition, I participated in my college's pro-life ministry for a semester. These experiences have allowed me to share my beliefs about abortion to others on my college campus and in my community. The Bible reveals that God formed us in our mother's wombs and He has good plans for us. I firmly believe that every unborn baby has a soul and should be protected. No Christian or human being should condone the evil practice of abortion. Yet, there is still mercy and grace for those who commit wrongs if they turn to the Lord. As deeply as I believe abortion is wrong, I still also have compassion for the scared mothers and I pray that they would realize their mistakes and turn to the Lord. My faith is the center of everything I do, especially my education. I am currently studying Business Economics with an intention to study law. Through law school I want to learn how I can best defend our nation's most innocent lives. Debate developed my skills of communication, critical thinking, and analysis but it also deepened my beliefs and my faith. Through a career in law the Lord has called me to harness those skills I learned and defend His truth. I believe that everything has a purpose. Hard tasks like public speaking or sharing Pro-Life views with my peers build character and draw me closer to Jesus every day. As a Christian I have the priviledge of showing His light and truth to the world. Rather than hide under a bushel, the Lord has taught me to speak and defend Him in a world increasing marked by sin. My Pro-Life convictions have only strengthened over the years and I hope to use this scholarship to continue my education and further God's truth through law to protect the unborn babies of America.

I have always been told I have a sweet, high voice. I cannot change the voice I was born with, but others refuse to take me seriously because it is too high, too feminine. In my debate league, it means my ideas are not as worthy of consideration as my male partner's arguments. The world of debate has opened my eyes to the residual gender disparity in all aspects of life. Simply because I am a girl, I have to fight harder to have my voice heard and my ideas considered. If I argue we should restrict deforestation, I'm told I care too much and it is not my place to address such challenges. When I present a case to improve our prison systems, I am told I am ignorant of the real world. Yet countless ideas, regardless of merit, are accepted when presented by male competitors. Similarly, the car mechanic will ignore my insight into the problem with my car, yet my brother is instantly trusted. They are viewed as more credible simply because of their gender or the pitch of their voice. Texas is not exempt from the gender gap. In politics, the world says we are too passionate, we care too much, and it is not our place to argue for change. I believe that we should be passionate, we should care about our causes, and we must advocate for change. Gender disparity is a residual problem that I hope to change through my career. I am pursuing a degree in international business. I then plan to enter law school and bridge the gender divide in the court system. Texas courtrooms are slowly including more women, but they are still predominantly male. According to the State Bar of Texas, from 2021-2022 62% of attorneys were male.1 I am determined to balance the scales of gender in law. I am passionate about upholding justice for all, regardless of gender. Women are powerful and deserve to have their voices heard. I desire to be a voice in the courtroom for women suffering from domestic abuse. Women suffer greatly every year because of domestic abuse and our court systems do not do enough to support them. I plan to be their voice as an attorney in Texas. I understand the gender disparity that affects women in all walks of life. This scholarship would empower me to advocate for those whose voices are suppressed. I have worked hard to allow my passions to be heard in debate. I will use my voice in my career, despite its high pitch, to empower others to be heard when no one else listens. 1. State Bar of Texas, "Women Attorneys: Attorney Statistical Profile (2021-22)." https://www.texasbar.com/AM/Template.cfm?Section=demographic_and_economic_trends&Template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=56199