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Mercedes Ryan

1135

Bold Points

1x

Finalist

1x

Winner

Bio

Hello! My name is Mercedes. I am a senior that is enrolled in a public high school in Canton, PA. I am involved in quite a few activities out of school. I have planned various activities in my community including a Coat drive, making cards for people in the hospital, making goody bags for a kindergarten class, and volunteered with other local events in my community. My goal in life is to help as many people as possible and to become the therapist I needed growing up. Because of this, I have recently started therapy to make sure I am able to effectively communicate and better understand the people around me. This career path has encouraged me to organize and participate in different events that help people. I hope one day to be able to study psychology at an amazing university. I would love to become a therapist, and inspire people to talk, express their emotions, and not be ashamed of the way they feel.

Education

Canton Junior-Senior High School

High School
2019 - 2024

Miscellaneous

  • Desired degree level:

    Bachelor's degree program

  • Majors of interest:

    • Psychology, General
  • Not planning to go to medical school
  • Career

    • Dream career field:

      Mental Health Care

    • Dream career goals:

      Therapist or Psychologist

    • Cleaning

      Solaire Energy
      2022 – Present2 years

    Public services

    • Volunteering

      I created this opportunity. — Manager, creator, and distributer.
      2023 – 2023
    • Volunteering

      Coat drive — Helped organize and plan the drive.
      2023 – 2023
    • Volunteering

      Tutoring — I helped tutor school age children in their studies.
      2023 – 2023

    Future Interests

    Advocacy

    Volunteering

    Netflix and Scholarships!
    I have one word for you Bridgerton, you don't understand how much I love this show. Whether its a movie, show, or book romance is my favorite genre by far. One of my favorite things about this series is the diversity. This story is a period drama and they still opted to go for a diverse cast regardless of it not being historically accurate. Romance is always great with a little bit of drama and this show has just that. Throughout the numerous seasons we get to see all the characters love stories, it sounds simple but there is always some kind of drama which is what keeps your attention. It's one of those shows that you get completely immersed in and next thing you know you've finished it. In addition to this being a beautifully written romance it also perfectly showcases different relationships. We get to see sibling bonds that are surprisingly accurate to that of siblings off screen. Romantic relationships are also perfectly portrayed because we don't just see the same love story over and over again each season. While seeing great relationships are amazing we also get a view of some relationships that aren't the healthiest. This is why I think people love this show so much not everything is cheerful and because of that it is more accurate with the real world. Visuals are such an important component of a good show, they can quite literally make or break something. Bridgerton has elaborate costumes and beautiful sets that make you feel as though you have been thrown back into this time period. For me I love the color palette of the show, each character seems to have their signature colors that just perfectly embody their personalities. These small details are what I enjoy the most about this show because I just love observing all the differences that were put into each character. Music also happens to be something that I absolutely love. Actually as I'm writing this I'm listening to music, but since I enjoy music so much I love a good soundtrack. When first watching the show I didn't realize that the soundtrack was classical covers of pop songs, but after realizing this I fell in love with this soundtrack. The reason I am so fond of the music in this show is because I love how it still has that classical feeling with a bit of a modern twist. So, if you need a new show to watch I definitely recommend Bridgerton because if the plot doesn't captivate you the visuals and soundtrack will.
    Spider-Man Showdown Scholarship
    Spider-Man is somehow the perfect portrayal of being a teenager. Throughout the movies Peter struggles with self doubt and is nervous, but when he becomes Spider-Man he starts to believe in himself and stop doubting himself. This is why I love Tom Holland's version, he somehow manages to have that quiet awkward character and when the mask is on he manages to have the humor Spider-Man is supposed to have. Also, the emotions are what really do it for me because Tom Hollands Spider-Man is so easy to connect with. His character just has so much emotional depth, you can really relate and understand why his character feels the way he does. We also get to see him unite with other Marvel characters and I think this is an amazing dynamic. Peter Parkers dynamic with all the other superheroes is amazing because while they aren't related they have a family like relationship. Most of the characters in various movies have gone through some pretty traumatic things and Peter happens to be one of them, which makes me better connect with them because it shows that everyone goes through traumatic things but we don't have to let them define us. Overall I think the reason Tom Hollands version is my favorite is because he perfectly portrays a teenage boy that just found out they have superpowers. This version makes you feel like you feel like he's a kid growing up. I am a little biased though because my favorite Spider-Man movie is Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, but this is because I love the diversity and the visuals create a stunning animation.
    Women in STEM Scholarship
    STEM is such a broad field of education and we use it in our everyday lives. The STEM field is also made up of more males than females. I believe its important that I pursue this area of study because its so important that diversity is shown for our future leaders. On the other hand, I am planning to study psychology which is more female dominated but I also plan to study the brain. Neuroscience is the study of the brain and it happens to be a male dominated field. The brain is such a beautiful organ because its where we hold our intelligence, interpret senses, and control our behavior. By studying the brain I will be able to get a better understanding on why we do the things we do and this will help me to better understand peoples emotions. Most people are scared of entering a field dominated by men because it can be a little intimidating, but there won't be any innovation unless we start being the change. As a woman I want to show all the women after me that want to pursue something but are scared that they can succeed, even if some people believe we aren't supposed to. We all know gender bias is still very much alive in the workplace, but I have faced adversity in several aspects of my life so I am prepared for anything thrown at me. Hopefully after bringing some dedicated women into this field of study it will start to even the playing fields between genders. In addition to my following statements I also want to make a difference in how people view emotions. There are so many people that condemn their emotions whether its because they're a man or because that's what they were taught to do. I want to change this I believe that everyone has a right to emotions and shouldn't be made to feel bad for having them. Trust me I know this is easier said then done because I myself have struggled with voicing and expressing my emotions, but the reality is once you learn how to express your emotions it feels so much better than keeping them under lock and key. Therefore, the STEM field is not only going to change my life but also change others lives. This field is constantly evolving which means it could really bring some change into the world. My biggest aspiration for becoming involved in this field is to help people, I want to help people that struggle with their mental health and help them to better understand themselves.
    Hester Richardson Powell Memorial Service Scholarship
    Winner
    Resilience is the ability to adapt when in difficult situations. Being a resilient person has always been very important to me, this is because I have experienced various setbacks in my life whether it may be school, mentally, or family-wise. Instead of letting negative things take over my life, I have decided to use them to help people. After experiencing all of the negative I didn't know what to do, that was until I stumbled upon psychology. When I found this major I knew that it would be the thing I wanted to do for the rest of my life. It has always been really important that I help people in life it's the thing that brings me infinite joy. By studying psychology and becoming a therapist I can do just that. Although, I am studying psychology to help people I am also studying psychology to inspire people that life gets better. About a year ago I was the farthest from okay mentally I was convinced that I had no purpose in life and that I would be stuck in a constant state of depression. Overcoming my depression was a long process but I am beyond grateful that I finally did because I can now use my own experience to empathize and inspire people going through similar situations. Since, I haven't started studying psychology yet I have come up with different ways to help my community. I am currently running a coat drive to provide for the people in my community who don't have or are unable to afford coats this winter. This has been such a beautiful project to plan It is amazing to see the amount of people who love to help with different volunteer opportunities. By planning this event I hoped to inspire the people in my community to want to contribute to helping people in need and with the help of some local businesses and churches we are doing just that. Lastly, I believe that my resilience is one of the most important character traits I possess, this is because I believe by having this trait I can show and inspire my siblings to always work for the things they want and that they can achieve them. If you had told me a year ago that I applied to college and am running a coat drive I never would have believed you, but I did. I am so grateful that they have experienced my success and failure because without failure there would be no growth.
    Sean Carroll's Mindscape Big Picture Scholarship
    The universe includes space and all of the matter and energy that it contains, it is everything that exists. To understand the nature of our universe you have to understand that the universe includes time, you, and everything. Since the nature of the universe includes everything it would also include psychology. Psychology is the scientific study of behavior and mental processes. I believe psychology is a vital part of understanding the nature of our universe because "nature" refers to all of the genes and hereditary factors that influence who we are. Understanding how and why we behave the way we do helps us better understand ourselves and others. In this essay, I will be specifically talking about how we can better understand the universe through psychology. Moreover, I believe that a concept that would help us to better understand the nature of our universe is teaching people not to be afraid of their feelings. After experiencing bad mental health I realized there are so many people terrified of their feelings. If people were taught to express their feelings instead of being shamed for the way they feel communication would be amazing. Emotional awareness helps us to know what we want, and what we need, and it helps us to be able to build healthy relationships. In addition to my previous concept, there is another concept that I believe would help us understand the nature of the universe. This concept is to integrate the belief that it is okay to ask for help. When you talk to most people with different psychological disorders they are usually ashamed to admit that they have a psychological disorder. Most people who are ashamed to talk about it also aren't willing to ask for help because they would have to admit that they can't do something themselves. Some people are scared that if they ask for help it makes them incompetent or inferior. Individuals are usually surprised by how just talking about their problems with an unbiased individual helps them to process and get a handle on their thoughts. Hence, psychology being as important as it is, is why it's so important that we understand it. Psychology helps us to understand why people think, act, and feel the way they do. This area of study focuses on the different aspects of the human mind and behavior. The science of psychology benefits us as a whole and enhances our lives.
    Morgan Levine Dolan Community Service Scholarship
    The future has always been something that scared me because we don't know how our lives will end up. It took me a while to understand that it didn't matter because the only thing we can do is try our best and work towards our goals. This was hard for me to understand because I'm a big planner and like to know things ahead, but that's the beautiful thing about the future you find your way through life and it can be fun and hard but it's up to us to make it as enjoyable as possible. Another thing that always confused me is when people would say, "Everyone has a purpose." It wasn't that I didn't believe them I just thought maybe I was the only person without a purpose. After stumbling upon psychology I knew it wasn't the thing I wanted to do, but the thing I needed to do. Having struggled with my mental health I believe mental health is very important, and that sometimes we don't give it the attention it deserves. When people ask me why I want to study psychology I always say, "I want to help people." I know that this is a very common answer, but I want to make sure people have the resources they need when they need them because I didn't. Since I want to help people I have found ways to help the people in my community. I live in a small area so if you want an opportunity you have to take what you can get or make your own. So I made my own, I organized a coat drive for the people in my community and volunteered in different local events. Being involved in these different things is important to me because I'm not a therapist yet and I needed to find ways that I could help people. Something people are always surprised by is when I tell them I am the middle child of seven children. Being from a big family you learn how to work with people with all different opinions. Having grown up with siblings where no one is alike helped me though, it taught me that everyone has their own opinions and that is completely okay. Truthfully having this experience was great because I love to see the differences in people's personalities. As I previously talked about I happen to be from a big family that is also raised by a single mom, so this scholarship will help financially. This scholarship will help to pay for various college expenses like tuition or meal plan. Also, this scholarship will help me to be able to study psychology and fulfill my purpose to help as many people as possible.
    Autumn Davis Memorial Scholarship
    Hi, my name is Mercedes, I love to experience new things and drink peach tea. For the longest time I wasn't the girl who enjoyed these things I was the girl who hated herself and the idea of life. One of the biggest struggles I had was thinking I didn't have a purpose when I did have a purpose, I just didn't know what it was yet. Beliefs are something that you believe or accept as true. An example of a belief is when someone believes stealing is bad or that you shouldn't lie. After experiencing mental health I believe that we need to start treating this problem with more severity than we do. I also believe that people need to stop telling someone struggling with their mental health to suck it up and stop being lazy. Mental health isn't something you can put a bandaid on and get over it is a serious medical condition that can make you question even living. In addition, my struggle with mental health has also influenced my view on relationships. My whole life I have struggled to make meaningful relationships with other people. After struggling with my mental health it is important to me that I learn how to effectively communicate and understand other people's emotions. This is because I feel like in relationships you should be able to communicate and understand people's feelings that way your relationship lasts. Despite my mental health being terrible at some point I never thought I would appreciate it as much as I do. Don't get me wrong my depression wrecked me, but it's what made me realize I want to study psychology. My whole life I heard the question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" There was never a career that made me think I wanted to do that for the rest of my life, that was until I stumbled upon psychology. Now when I am asked that question I tell people that I want to study psychology and I can't wait. Having experienced bad mental health gives me some insight into what it's really like and that's why I want to pursue this career. I want to help people who need the help that I needed when no one was available. Believe me, I know I won't be able to help everyone but I hope to help as many people as possible. I just want to make a difference in people's lives and show that it's okay to have emotions and that you shouldn't be ashamed of them.
    Mental Health Importance Scholarship
    Mental health is the state of emotional, psychological, and social wellness. Mental health affects how we think, feel, and act. It also determines how we handle stress and make good choices. Our minds and bodies are connected which also means our mental health plays a major role in a our ability to maintain good physical health. Hence, this is why I believe my mental health is important because when I was going through a rough time mentally I also was not doing well health-wise. That's another reason I strongly believe that the mind and body are interconnected. Taking care of your mental health has so many benefits like helping lower stress, lower risk of illness, and increase your energy. When my mental health was struggling I was always upset, and tired, and my health was terrible. So I decided to work to better myself mentally and started implementing things into my life so that I would love life again. Furthermore, this is why I try so hard to take care of both my physical and mental health to the best of my ability. By making my mental health a priority I've started focusing on the positive and reminding myself to be grateful for even the smallest things. In addition to that, I also had to realize I'm allowed to take a break when it's needed and that it's okay to not be okay. When school gets to be too much I make sure to do something I enjoy like watching a movie or painting my nails. Balancing your mental health and life is all about finding a stable balance so that you can keep going. Since implementing this into my life I have been so much healthier mentally and physically. When I used to think about my academic career I would feel sick to my stomach but now I enjoy it. I was treating academics as something useless but in all actuality, this is one of the steps I have to complete to have my dream future. Believe me, I never thought I would be someone excited to further their education but I have never been more excited to do something in my life. This is all because I took the steps to prioritize my mental well-being and I'm beyond grateful I made this decision. Now I know that the same thing isn't going to work for everyone but everyone has to start somewhere.
    McClendon Leadership Award
    Leadership is defined as taking charge of a group or individual to achieve a goal through motivation. Leaders help to direct themselves and others to make the right decision. Often people look for a leader in hopes that they can offer proper guidance on how to achieve or be successful at something. To me, a leader is someone with self-awareness, and they are authentic and persistent. First, to have self-awareness is to know who you are including your personality, beliefs, values, emotions, and thoughts. Being self-aware helps us to become better decision-makers and understand things from multiple aspects. Self-awareness also releases us from biases, which is a personal judgment that is often unreasoned. When someone is authentic it means they're true to their personality and spirit, regardless of the pressure of others. Persistent people continue to try to accomplish things even after considering their difficulties. Since persistent people are consistent this means it allows them to overcome obstacles. Leaders take charge of situations this means they have to possess all of these qualities. This is because you can't help guide people if you can't respond effectively in difficult situations, act in a real, genuine and sincere way that is true to you individually, and persevere no matter the circumstances. Honestly, I think that leadership is so important to me because I have struggled with figuring out who I was and now in my teen years I have finally become a leader. This is because I realized all of the things that make me myself I know my values, beliefs, thoughts, and emotions. For forever I couldn't tell you the smallest thing about me because I was so scared of change. The truth is the leaders of the world are the people who are nothing like all the other people you meet. I think some people are scared of being a leader for fear of being rejected. The fear of rejection is very common and understandable but I've started reminding myself that we live on a floating rock and it doesn't matter. Therefore, if you want to be a leader you must learn who you are as an individual. You need to know how to handle stressful situations and stressful emotions. Also as a leader you can't be scared of being in charge of things you have to be able to direct yourself and others with ease. Another thing is you have to be open-minded and accept different ideas or approaches to something which quite a few people struggle with. It is also important that as a leader you are inclusive and accepting of people regardless of differing standpoints or personalities.
    Elizabeth Schalk Memorial Scholarship
    My name is Mercedes, I love to experience new things and drink peach tea, but for the longest time I wasn't the girl that loved these things I was the girl that hated herself. I used to wish I wouldn't wake up every morning. Trust me I never tried to harm myself but I used to think the world didn't need me. The problem was I genuinely thought this was normal, I thought everyone walked around just waiting for their time to come. To begin, I don't know what made me start thinking like this. Somewhere along the way, I started to believe that the world would be better off without me. For some reason, I thought I was a terrible person who deserved absolutely nothing. What made me think like this I wish I knew maybe it was the bullying, the lack of diversity, or something completely different. Generally, whenever you talk to someone they will tell you about how this is completely normal. Since, having bad mental health it made me realize that there are so many things that never occurred to me. For instance, I don't understand why if mental illness is so common why we don't have the proper resources to help people. Why is it that every year we talk about how the suicide rate has risen, but there is nothing to help fix that? Then when people realize they need help they try to get it and there are no resources. This is why I want to pursue the mental health field because I want to help fix that rate. Things changed because I wouldn't be planning on pursuing a career in mental health if they didn't. To be completely honest I think realizing that I wanted to help people with similar issues to me helped get me out of it. Without having that realization I know that I would still be stuck in that exasperating cycle. Everyone talks about how terrible mental illness is but that doesn't prepare you for it. When you experience mental illness you can convince yourself of anything that aids in helping destroy yourself. After experiencing this I have decided to not let myself get like that ever again. From this experience, I learned that I don't hate myself I just hate the things people have said about me. As a result of learning to not hate myself, I have learned all of the things I enjoy about myself. I learned that I love being in the sun, I love watching movies, and there are just so many things I've learned to like about myself. Honestly, I'm so thankful that I finally had this realization and I'm glad I'm able to use this as a learning experience, it helps me to have empathy for people going through similar situations.
    Mental Health Scholarship for Women
    Mental health is our emotional and social well-being. I think mental health can be compared to a rollercoaster, this is because you never know what to expect it could be the worst experience in your life, or you could be grateful for the experience. Last school year I had the worst time with my mental health, I didn't want to do anything and had no motivation. So when you look at my grades they aren't terrible but I know they could've been better. Since then my mental health has improved immensely, my grades are great at least I think so. First, something you should know about me is emotions have always been a hard subject for me to explain and comprehend. Feelings and emotions were always confusing to me because I believed everyone else had the right to express theirs, but I couldn't express my own. Whenever something bad happened I would always shut down and just become a shell of myself. Last year I had a lot of things going on mentally because of family and friends. So when the school year started last year it wasn't much of a surprise that my grades declined due to my mental health. After dealing with bad mental health for an extended period I tried many things like eating healthy, exercising, and trying to talk about my feelings. The only thing I found that helped was focusing on my future goals, and getting rid of the toxicity in my life. This may have affected my relationships with some people but I couldn't keep hurting myself for someone else's benefit. To make my mental health a priority I've started focusing on the positive and reminding myself to be grateful for even the smallest things. Honestly one of the most important things I have implemented into my everyday life is not caring about other people's negativity, because then I'm able to focus on my future. Another thing that I feel people forget is you're allowed to take a break and you need to. When school gets to be too much I make sure to do something that I enjoy, even just watching a movie or painting my nails. When it comes to mental health you have to find your perfect balance that way you can keep going. Selfishness is often perceived as a negative thing but it isn't always, you have to be selfish for yourself to keep that balance. Personally wanting to pursue a career in mental health I have to be selfish in the aspect that I can't help anyone until I help myself that's why I decided to get my mental health in order. Since, implementing all of this into my life I have been so much healthier mentally. The same thing isn't going to work for everyone but you just have to start somewhere. When I used to think about academics I would feel sick to my stomach but now I actually kind of enjoy them. I was treating them as something useless but in all actuality, this is one of the steps I have to complete to better my future. Believe me, I never thought I would be someone who was excited to further their education because I dreaded school, but I have never been more excited to do something in my life.
    Brian J Boley Memorial Scholarship
    This is probably a very common thing people say, but for the longest time, I never knew what I wanted to do with my future. It wasn't until I struggled with my mental health that I realized that I never wanted people to experience that by themself. Everyone always tells you that depression is terrible and that it will make you a shell of yourself, but that's not even the start of it no one should wake up every day thinking that they don't want to live to the end of the day. Since mental illness is as common as it is why is it that we don't have the proper materials to help people with the illness? Now don't get me wrong there are certain resources to use when someone is struggling with mental illness but not enough. Certain articles have shown that suicide rates have risen by another 2.6% in 2022. The problem isn't that we don't have the right idea it's that there aren't enough people in the profession. When I went to find a therapist or a counselor to talk to there was no availability and another organization said they would call back to set up an appointment and they never did. After experiencing this personally it made me realize that I wanted to help people with mental illnesses. I feel like when you experience something yourself you can empathize with people experiencing the same thing. Another reason I want to pursue this career is because I feel like there aren't enough therapists. Another reason I want to pursue this career is because I don't want people to struggle in silence. Something that I don't think people realize is that reaching out for help is hard because people don't like to be vulnerable. Opening up to people is hard because we think we will lose love, respect, and acceptance. That's another thing I want to change I don't want people to think that their feelings are a weakness and that it's not okay to be emotional. Truthfully the main reason I want this career so bad is because I want to help people. Every time a memorial scholarship application pops up on my dashboard I want to sob profusely because I wish I could've helped the people that lost their battle with mental illness. The amount of angels that have lost their battle is sickening because I just wish someone would've helped them fall in love with life again. Believe me, I know I won't be able to help everyone but even helping someone is a step in the right direction.
    Trever David Clark Memorial Scholarship
    Certain people believe that mental health is small and you can just snap out of it, but it's not as small as some people make it seem. Mental health disorders are a medical condition and they can even affect our physical health. Our minds and bodies are connected you could be depressed and experiencing fatigue, headaches, insomnia and other symptoms. Mental health is our psychological, emotional, and social well-being. Our mental health affects how we think, how we handle stress and make healthy choices. Beliefs are something that you believe or accept as true. An example of a belief is when someone believes stealing is bad or that you shouldn't lie. After experiencing mental health I believe that we need to start treating this problem with more severity than we do. I also believe that people need to stop telling someone struggling with their mental health to suck it up and stop being lazy. Mental health isn't something you can put a bandaid on and get over it is a serious medical condition that can make you feel worthless. In addition, my struggle with my mental health has also influenced my view on relationships. My whole life I have had trouble making meaningful relationships with other people. I feel like after struggling with my mental health I have an even harder time having relationships because I believe that you shouldn't suffer in silence with your mental health, but I'm also not going to beg someone to care about my mental well-being. Also, I have never been in a romantic relationship but I don't think I ever will until I feel mentally okay with myself. It feels selfish to expect someone to get into a relationship with me when I'm not fully okay with myself. Despite depression and mental health being terrible I never knew I would appreciate it as much as I do now. Don't get me wrong my depression steamrolled me but it's what made me realize I wanted to work towards becoming a therapist. My whole life I heard the question what do you want to be when you grow up and there was never an actual career I could imagine myself working towards. I am finally able to give people a real answer when they ask what I plan to do with my future and hopefully this time next year I will be pursuing my bachelor's in psychology. Having experienced bad mental health gives me some insight into what it's really like and that's why I want to pursue this career. When I went to reach out for help and no one was available it made me upset because that meant that other people who wanted to reach out for help also weren't getting any. Believe me, I know I'm not going to be able to help everyone but hopefully, I can make a difference with the people I do help. I can honestly say that I'm surprised that I'm excited to see what the future holds and I'm not overwhelmed with anxiety of not knowing what will happen, this is because for so long all I focused on was the negative.
    Fishers of Men-tal Health Scholarship
    Certain people believe that mental health is small and you can just snap out of it, but it's not as small as some people make it seem. Mental health disorders are a medical condition and they can even affect our physical health. Our minds and bodies are connected you could be depressed and experiencing fatigue, headaches, insomnia and other symptoms. Mental health is our psychological, emotional, and social well-being. Our mental health affects how we think, how we handle stress and make healthy choices. Beliefs are something that you believe or accept as true. An example of a belief is when someone believes stealing is bad or that you shouldn't lie. After experiencing mental health I believe that we need to start treating this problem with more severity than we do. I also believe that people need to stop telling someone struggling with their mental health to suck it up and stop being lazy. Mental health isn't something you can put a bandaid on and get over it is a serious medical condition that can make you feel worthless. In addition, my struggle with my mental health has also influenced my view on relationships. My whole life I have had trouble making meaningful relationships with other people. I feel like after struggling with my mental health I have an even harder time having relationships because I believe that you shouldn't suffer in silence with your mental health, but I'm also not going to beg someone to care about my mental well-being. Also, I have never been in a romantic relationship but I don't think I ever will until I feel mentally okay with myself. It feels selfish to expect someone to get into a relationship with me when I'm not fully okay with myself. Despite depression and mental health being terrible I never knew I would appreciate it as much as I do now. Don't get me wrong my depression steamrolled me but it's what made me realize I wanted to work towards becoming a therapist. My whole life I heard the question what do you want to be when you grow up and there was never an actual career I could imagine myself working towards. I am finally able to give people a real answer when they ask what I plan to do with my future and hopefully this time next year I will be pursuing my bachelor's in psychology. Having experienced bad mental health gives me some insight into what it's really like and that's why I want to pursue this career. When I went to reach out for help and no one was available it made me upset because that meant that other people who wanted to reach out for help also weren't getting any. Believe me, I know I'm not going to be able to help everyone but hopefully, I can make a difference with the people I do help.
    VonDerek Casteel Being There Counts Scholarship
    Hi, my name is Mercedes I am a sixteen-year-old from Pennsylvania and I want to study psychology in college. I'm hoping that this time next year I will be in college pursuing my bachelor's in psychology. You have to start with your bachelor's degree but I want to also pursue a master's degree in the future. Honestly, someone probably deserves this more than me. There is probably someone who took honors or AP classes and they've known what college and career they've wanted since they were ten but that wasn't the case for me. I didn't have someone telling me I had to go to a certain college and study something specific all my life, but I do know that having experienced bad mental health I can sympathize with what people are going through. This scholarship would benefit me immensely because I will be paying for college on my own seeing as my mother still has three more kids to raise and my father signed off on my birth certificate. After studying psychology I want to use my degree to become a therapist for young adults and teens. Young adults and teens are the people that I feel need the most guidance because their trying to get the hang of life and trying to learn who they are as an individual. I have struggled with my mental health and when I looked to find a therapist all of them were booked I never want someone to feel like there isn't help or guidance. I've talked with multiple people who have said that trying to get a therapist has been hard for them because there is simply no availability. Admitting that you can't do something on your own can be hard enough but then when you try to get help and you are told there isn't any is one of the worst feelings. Learning that it is okay to not be okay sometimes seems like one of the simplest tasks but it's one of the hardest because, in today's society, we have made it seem like admitting or showing emotion is a sin. Why have we decided that showing our raw emotions is so sacred and why aren't we allowed to do it all the time? In the future, I hope that I can use my career field to help people with different struggles but I also hope that I'm able to teach multiple people that you should never apologize for your emotions and to never let someone make you feel bad for showing them.
    "The Summer I Turned Pretty" Fan Scholarship
    First, to start this essay I feel like I need to tell you that I love romcoms, so much that me and my sister have a routine of calling each other and watching them together from eleven and a half hours away. My sister and I agree on a lot of things but, one thing we didn't agree on was what team we were on while watching the series "The Summer I Turned Pretty", She loved Jeremiah because he had such a beautiful personality and I loved Conrad because I believe that he loves her with his whole being. Conrad shows his love through glances and actions that go unnoticed by anyone not paying attention. Personally, I believe that Jeremiah was only interested in Isabella because Conrad showed interest in her it seemed as if he thought it was a competition. Whenever Conrad and Isabella were having an intimate moment Jeremiah would get upset with Isabella. Most people who love you would be happy that you were having fun or enjoying yourself. In season 2 episode 8 at the end of the episode, Conrad makes one of the hardest decisions to let Belly go. Conrad decides to be the bigger person and lets Belly go because he believes that she will be happier with Jeremiah. Susannah also made Conrad promise that after she passed away he would take care of and look after Jeremiah, By letting Isabella go he is doing exactly this he is putting his feelings aside so that he doesn't cause his brother any more pain. Conrad also lets Belly go because the idea of her being hurt and him having something to do with it physically pains him. Conrad and Belly seem to have a deeper bond and they are drawn to each other, you can feel the chemistry through the screen. I believe that Conrad and Belly need to take a step back and figure out what they want for themselves before they pursue a relationship. If they were to take a step back and work on themselves as individuals they would have such a successful relationship because of their deep connection and understanding of each other. Honestly, the reason I so strongly believe in Team Conrad is because I hope to find someone who loves me as much as Conrad loves Belly. There's the saying if you love something set it free, which is about surrendering something in the hopes that fate will bring it back. If I was ever in a relationship with someone and they believed that by letting me go I would be happier, I would want that because that just shows how much they genuinely love you.