The dinosaur I drew is an ankylosaurus. I learned about this species while watching one of my favourite shows, Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous. Bumpy, a dinosaur friend of the antagonist, was an ankylosaur who served as a protector of the crew. The ankylosaurus quickly became my favorite dinosaur because of its mighty tail and heavily armored body. While the ankylosaurus was relatively low to the ground, its power was underestimated. That rock-hard tail can knock anything over, and archaeologists have yet to find T. rex bites on an ankylosaurus skeleton. As a digital animation major, I have to take many art classes. I chose to draw this dinosaur piece because I had multiple artistic urges to draw it. First, I was very interested in dinosaurs at the time I drew this. This seemed like the perfect time to actually draw one. This ankylosaurus drawing is my first time not only drawing a dinosaur using a reference photo, but my first time successfully drawing a dinosaur. In my drawing classes, we practiced drawing what was right in front of us. I improved in that area a lot, and this dino was the perfect practice. Secondly, I rediscovered the use of crayons for this piece. For our final in my drawing class, we could do anything we wanted. I chose to use crayons to see how my creativity has changed since I was a kid to now. Same medium, new skillsets. After that, I always carried crayons in my backpack so I could color whenever I pleased. Finally, I wanted to challenge myself. Other than humans or ponies, I had never really taken the time to draw a dinosaur. Each dinosaur has different anatomy, and I wanted to test my skills by drawing something I'd never drawn before. I especially enjoyed working on perspective when creating this piece. This single ankylosaur piece sparked my interest and led me to draw 7 other dinosaurs. I drew a Stegosaurus, Brachiosaurus, Pterodactyl, T. rex, and a Dilophosaurus. I also drew Buddy the T. rex and Mr. Conductor the Troodon from the PBS kids show Dinosaur Train. Each drawing was a unique experience to create because they all look so different. Usually, I struggle with artist statements because my pieces don't usually have a heavily interesting backstory. However, this piece is one of the few that I can confidently say represent an important stage in my life. This piece represents how the ankylosaur became my favorite dinosaur because I liked its power, not its popularity; my improvement in drawing since I started taking drawing classes in college, and my ability to let loose and draw something NOT in a sketchbook. While I wouldn't consider this drawing a portfolio piece, it definitely marks a pivotal moment in my art career.

Art is something that has inspired me. Admiring different art styles and trying them challenged me. Whenever inspiration struck, I would always have art materials with me. In middle school, one of my friends taught me about animation. I knew cartoons existed, but I did not know how to bring them to life. Once I found apps to create animations, I practiced. Whenever someone would ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would say "artist." However, I did not know what category I wanted to do. Learning about animation gave me a clear Idea. My love for the art was still young in high school. In my computer class, we learned coding. My teacher thought I was pretty good and wanted me to enter the Technology Fair for my county. I entered the fair, but I chose the animation competition over the coding one. I animated story about a girl exploring the internet. The animation I made received 1st place in the Technology Fair for my county. I was in 11th grade then and I will be a Junior in college in the fall. Animation is still my passion. One piece of work that has influenced me is Disney’s Frozen 2. As an animator, I admire how different animators combine their knowledge to create something beautiful. Disney also has a show about the making of Frozen 2, and the animators went into detail on how they made the water look real and how they added touch-ups to the animations to make it come to life. The Frozen 2 crew also has a storyboard artist to create an outline for the movie. Seeing the entire animation process inspired me and opened my eyes to the many opportunities I can achieve. For example, even if I don't become an animator, I can become a storyboard artist. Either way, I want to help make movies that changes peoples lives. Frozen 2 was my comfort movie and I want to help make someone else comfort movie. Animation brings joy to peoples lives. Whether it is a comedic cartoon or a grocery store commercial, I want to bring joy to people's lives. Laughing is the best medicine, and I can help make people laugh one animation at a time. Thank you for allowing me to apply for this art scholarship and I will be forever grateful if I receive it.

Art is something that has inspired me. Admiring different art styles and trying them challenged me. Whenever inspiration struck, I would always have art materials with me. In middle school, I made many artist friends. One of my friends taught me about animation. I knew cartoons existed, but I did not know how to bring them to life. Once I found apps to create animations, I practiced. Whenever someone would ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would say "artist." However, I did not know what category I wanted to do. Learning about animation gave me a clear Idea. I was in 8th grade when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. I was stuck at home and I had to find things to do to keep me occupied. I got TikTok and followed every animator I came across. I then started to create and post my animations. I watched videos on how to animate smoothly and how layers worked. My love for the art was still young. In high school, the world began to change in my eyes. In my computer class, we would code in Scratch. My teacher thought I was pretty good and wanted me to enter the Technology Fair for my county. I entered the fair, but I chose the animation competition over the coding one. I animated a 58-second animation about a girl exploring the internet. The animation I made received 1st place in the Technology Fair for my county. I was in 11th grade then and I knew had to start looking for colleges. One piece of work that has influenced me is Disney’s Frozen 2. Aside from the amazing plot, the animation is beautiful. As a future animator, I admire how different animators combine their knowledge to create something beautiful. Disney also has a show about the making of Frozen 2, and the animators went into detail on how they made the water look real and how they added touch-ups to the animations to make it come to life. The Frozen 2 crew also has a storyboard artist to create an outline for the movie. Seeing the entire animation process inspired me and opened my eyes to the many opportunities I can achieve. For example, even if I don't become an animator, I can become a storyboard artist. While the work can be stressful, the animators had fun in the process. The animation for a Technology Fair I entered was 58 seconds and over 700 frames, I cannot begin to fathom how many frames Frozen 2 was, and that doesn’t count deleted scenes. I learned how tedious animation is, and the beautiful nature of the entire film inspired me to be a part of something great. I want to be part of the process that makes animation beautiful, and the beauty of Frozen 2 gave me a new perspective on the making of films. I want to go to school for animation. Whether it is a comedic cartoon or a grocery store commercial, I want to bring joy to people's lives. Laughing is the best medicine, and I can help make people laugh one animation at a time. Thank you for allowing me to apply for this art scholarship and I will be forever grateful if I receive it.

Art is something that has inspired me. Admiring different art styles and trying them challenged me. Whenever inspiration struck, I would always have art materials with me. In middle school, I made many artist friends. One of my friends taught me about animation. I knew cartoons existed, but I did not know how to bring them to life. Once I found apps to create animations, I practiced. Whenever someone would ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would say "artist." However, I did not know what category I wanted to do. Learning about animation gave me a clear Idea. I was in 8th grade when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. I was stuck at home and I had to find things to do to keep me occupied. I got TikTok and followed every animator I came across. I then started to create and post my animations. I watched videos on how to animate smoothly and how layers worked. My love for the art was still young. In high school, the world began to change in my eyes. In my computer class, we would code in Scratch. My teacher thought I was pretty good and wanted me to enter the Technology Fair for my county. I entered the fair, but I chose the animation competition over the coding one. I animated a 58-second animation about a girl exploring the internet. The animation I made received 1st place in the Technology Fair for my county. I was in 11th grade then and I knew had to start looking for colleges. One piece of work that has influenced me is Disney’s Frozen 2. Aside from the amazing plot, the animation is beautiful. As a future animator, I admire how different animators combine their knowledge to create something beautiful. Disney also has a show about the making of Frozen 2, and the animators went into detail on how they made the water look real and how they added touch-ups to the animations to make it come to life. The Frozen 2 crew also has a storyboard artist to create an outline for the movie. Seeing the entire animation process inspired me and opened my eyes to the many opportunities I can achieve. For example, even if I don't become an animator, I can become a storyboard artist. While the work can be stressful, the animators had fun in the process. The animation for a Technology Fair I entered was 58 seconds and over 700 frames, I cannot begin to fathom how many frames Frozen 2 was, and that doesn’t count deleted scenes. I learned how tedious animation is, and the beautiful nature of the entire film inspired me to be a part of something great. I want to be part of the process that makes animation beautiful, and the beauty of Frozen 2 gave me a new perspective on the making of films. I want to go to school for animation. Whether it is a comedic cartoon or a grocery store commercial, I want to bring joy to people's lives. Laughing is the best medicine, and I can help make people laugh one animation at a time. Thank you for allowing me to apply for this art scholarship and I will be forever grateful if I receive it.

Art is something that has inspired me. Admiring different art styles and trying them challenged me. Whenever inspiration struck, I would always have art materials with me. In middle school, I made many artist friends. One of my friends taught me about animation. I knew cartoons existed, but I did not know how to bring them to life. Once I found apps to create animations, I practiced. Whenever someone would ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would say "artist." However, I did not know what category I wanted to do. Learning about animation gave me a clear Idea. I was in 8th grade when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. I was stuck at home and I had to find things to do to keep me occupied. I got TikTok and followed every animator I came across. I then started to create and post my animations. I watched videos on how to animate smoothly and how layers worked. My love for the art was still young. In high school, the world began to change in my eyes. In my computer class, we would code in Scratch. My teacher thought I was pretty good and wanted me to enter the Technology Fair for my county. I entered the fair, but I chose the animation competition over the coding one. I animated a 58-second animation about a girl exploring the internet. The animation I made received 1st place in the Technology Fair for my county. I was in 11th grade then and I knew had to start looking for colleges. One piece of work that has influenced me is Disney’s Frozen 2. Everyone who worked on bringing the movie to life would be considered my favorite artist. Aside from the amazing plot, the animation is beautiful. As a future animator, I admire how different animators combine their knowledge to create something beautiful. Disney also has a show about the making of Frozen 2, and the animators went into detail on how they made the water look real and how they added touch-ups to the animations to make it come to life. The Frozen 2 crew also has a storyboard artist to create an outline for the movie. Seeing the entire animation process inspired me and opened my eyes to the many opportunities I can achieve. For example, even if I don't become an animator, I can become a storyboard artist. While the work can be stressful, the animators had fun in the process. The animation for a Technology Fair I entered was 58 seconds and over 700 frames, I cannot begin to fathom how many frames Frozen 2 was, and that doesn’t count deleted scenes. I learned how tedious animation is, and the beautiful nature of the entire film inspired me to be a part of something great. I want to be part of the process that makes animation beautiful, and the beauty of Frozen 2 gave me a new perspective on the making of films. I want to go to school for animation. Whether it is a comedic cartoon or a grocery store commercial, I want to bring joy to people's lives. Laughing is the best medicine, and I can help make people laugh one animation at a time. Thank you for allowing me to apply for this art scholarship and I will be forever grateful if I receive it.

A crossover between two Disney Channel shows that would be epic is a crossover between The Owl House and Amphibia. The crossover would be called “When Realms Meet.” The Owl House is about a young girl perceived as “weird” by her peers, Luz, who loves witches. With a seemingly unknown magic source, Luz becomes trapped in a different universe filled with magic and witches called the Boiling Isles. Luz becomes more than excited. She learns magic and battles antagonists in the show with her new friends. Amphibia is a show about a girl named Anne who is magically teleported to a universe of frogs. She also learns to love the new world that she has traveled to. She stays with the Plantar family, a family of frogs. They go on a plethora of adventures together. The Owl House and Amphibia would be an amazing crossover because the main protagonists would be good friends and they would work well solving magical mysteries. First, I believe that Luz from The Owl House and Anne from Amphibia are from the same human world. In the final season of the Owl House, a newspaper can be seen in Luz's house when she teleports back to the human realm. The newspaper has a picture of Anne on it and she is labeled as "missing." As someone who watched Amphibia, I know that Anne is in Wartwood Swamp in the frog realm. Luz has figured out how to travel between the witch and human realm, use magic, and think quickly. Thanks to this, she saved a different realm from ongoing disaster. After Luz battles her problems, she can discover new things peacefully. How the two meet and combine their knowledge is the plot and crossover. The crossover begins with Luz wandering around the house looking for a gift her friend Amity from the witch realm gave her. While searching, she comes across the newspaper with Anne’s missing poster on it. She reads it and Anne is described as having “randomly vanished.” Luz thinks nothing of it at first, but the newspaper article also mentions a “crazy man” who believes that Anne is “living among the human frogs.” Luz becomes curious and asks her mom about the crazy man. Her mom agrees that the man is crazy, but Luz thinks he is not. Luz then goes on a search to find the man and questions him. When she finally finds him, the man seems demented. He repeats “Box! Magic Box! To the frogs and beyond.” Luz is confused, but something tells her that a frog realm may exist just like the witch realms exist. Luz has a magical ball where she can call her witch friends in the witch realm, so she tries to call Anne with it in the frog realm in which she is faithful that the frog realm is real so the call works. While watching videos of her mom back home, Anne’s phone begins to glitch. Anne then calls Sprig Planter, her frog brother, to help her determine what is wrong. Luz then appears on Anne’s phone screen, explaining that she was once trapped in another world and wants to help her escape. Anne is bombarded with emotions and is very excited. From there, the two explain everything they know about realms and try to devise a solution to get Anne home. Anne explains that she was teleported to the frog realm through a mysterious box or chest. Which would explain the old man's logic. Luz traveled through an invisible portal. The two combining their knowledge of magic help Anne get back home.

An aspect of Zendaya's multifaceted career that I admire most is her ability to remain drama-free and poiseful. I started being a fan of Zendaya when KC Undercover premiered on Dinsey Chanel. Not only did I appreciate a woman being a spy, but I also loved seeing a black family being represented. I loved the show so much, that I even named my goldfish after Zendaya. Not only does representation matter on screen, it matters off-screen as well. The entire time the show aired, I never heard news of drama on set or drama with any of the cast members. As I child, I didn't know how rare that was. As time went on, Zendaya continued to do great things. Furthermore, I appreciate that Zendays is a team player. Taylor Swift's music video "Bad Blood" featured Zendaya and Selena Gomez in the background. At first, I just thought they were just thrown in the video, but Zendaya, Selena, and Taylor all all role models for many young girls. Simply seeing inspirational women work together and in peace had a strong impact on me. Additionally, I have never seen Zendaya in any messy celebrity drama. I hear a lot about people going downhill after becoming famous and losing themselves, but not Zendaya. From a random magazine in the store or an Instagram reel, I only hear positive things about Zendaya. She looks good and confident in every photo too. If I ever become famous, I'd be scared of the pressure of the world on my shoulders. However, Zendaya seemingly effortlessly inspires people and gives 100% effort in everything she does. To be honest, I do care what people think about me. That doesn't mean I should change who I am though. I do my best in whenever I do, I don't associate myself with drama, and I want to set a good example for the youth. As a woman of color, I enjoy seeing other women of color like Zendaya set a good example for millions of people. In my opinion, your ability to set a good example is just as important as your talent, and Zendaya is talented, drama-free, and poised in everything she does.

Art is something that has inspired me. Admiring different art styles and trying them challenged me. Whenever inspiration struck, I would always have art materials with me. In middle school, I made many artist friends. One of my friends taught me about animation. I knew cartoons existed, but I did not know how to bring them to life. Once I found apps to create animations, I practiced. Whenever someone would ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would say "artist." However, I did not know what category I wanted to do. Learning about animation gave me a clear Idea. I was in 8th grade when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. I was stuck at home and I had to find things to do to keep me occupied. I got TikTok and followed every animator I came across. I then started to create and post my animations. I watched videos on how to animate smoothly and how layers worked. My love for the art was still young. In high school, the world began to change in my eyes. In my computer class, we would code in Scratch. My teacher thought I was pretty good and wanted me to enter the Technology Fair for my county. I entered the fair, but I chose the animation competition over the coding one. I animated a 58-second animation about a girl exploring the internet. The animation I made received 1st place in the Technology Fair for my county. I was in 11th grade then and I knew had to start looking for colleges. One piece of work that has influenced me is Disney’s Frozen 2. Aside from the amazing plot, the animation is beautiful. As a future animator, I admire how different animators combine their knowledge to create something beautiful. Disney also has a show about the making of Frozen 2, and the animators went into detail on how they made the water look real and how they added touch-ups to the animations to make it come to life. The Frozen 2 crew also has a storyboard artist to create an outline for the movie. Seeing the entire animation process inspired me and opened my eyes to the many opportunities I can achieve. For example, even if I don't become an animator, I can become a storyboard artist. While the work can be stressful, the animators had fun in the process. The animation for a Technology Fair I entered was 58 seconds and over 700 frames, I cannot begin to fathom how many frames Frozen 2 was, and that doesn’t count deleted scenes. I learned how tedious animation is, and the beautiful nature of the entire film inspired me to be a part of something great. I want to be part of the process that makes animation beautiful, and the beauty of Frozen 2 gave me a new perspective on the making of films. I want to go to school for animation. Whether it is a comedic cartoon or a grocery store commercial, I want to bring joy to people's lives. Laughing is the best medicine, and I can help make people laugh one animation at a time. Thank you for allowing me to apply for this art scholarship and I will be forever grateful if I receive it.

When I was in 3rd grade, I was told that I'd have to finish 4th and 5th grade at another school. I had to leave my best friends and meet new people; I was scared. Along the way, I made new friends, and I loved learning from the art teacher. However, I was bullied and struggled academically and socially. At my old school, I had been bullied before, but not as bad as I was in 4th grade. People would pick on me about everything. I was accused of things I didn't do, my school supplies were mistreated by my classmates when I wasn't around, and I was called childish because of my interest. My school had an anti-bullying pledge that we recited everyday, and I memorized it. The pledge mentioned to go and tell a teacher if someone or someone you knew was being bullied, so I told my teacher multiple times that I was being picked on, especially by one particular kid. My teacher did nothing, no matter how many times I told him. From that point on, I resented asking for help because I felt like I wasn't heard. Even when I would ask for help on an assignment, he would tell me to ask my peers. While asking peers is a good thing to get familiar with, I often needed extra help in math. Since then, I would ask the same person for help on the work I didn't understand because I thought my teachers wouldn't help me. Even to this day, I have to mentally prepare myself to ask questions to someone I am unfamiliar with because of fear of being ignored. Since then, I have been working on gaining confidence and courage because of what happened in 4th grade. After that experience, I knew I had to take matters into my own hands. I knew I was a quiet and shy kid, so I decided to try to be a safety patrol. Safety Patrols helped guide kids through the hallway and make sure other kids were following the rules. That would force me to speak up more. When the teacher picked kids to be a safety patrol, I raised my hand. Almost the entire class was rooting for me, but my teacher didn't pick me because I had a bad point on an app called Class Dojo and I was upset. However, art was a safe space for me and helped me cope. My old school and new school had one thing in common; I had a good relationship with the art teacher. Art was therapeutic for me and I drew while happy or sad. I would also sing "Stronger" by Kelly Clarkston in my head to push through. In 5th grade grade, things were slightly different. I felt comfortable talking to my teacher and I was bullied less. I also achieved my dream of becoming a safety patrol, my teacher even assigned me to a crowded hallway so I could get used to crowds. From 5th grade on, I learned that I will always be different, and nothing is wrong with that. I went on a journey to be unapologetically myself. While I was still picked on, I learned that there's nothing wrong with taking a small plush to school to hold when you're sad, there's nothing wrong with still watching cartoons, and nothing is wrong with enjoying my childhood. While being the new kid came with a lot of struggles, the change in environment made me a stronger person. Like Kelly Clarkston once said, "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger."

If my year had a soundtrack, Taylor Swift’s song “Bad Blood” would be on it because it lets me know that I am not alone in my struggles. It is human nature for people not to get along, and many people get hurt. “Bad Blood” shows me that humans are more alike than we think. When Bad Blood came out, I was too young to understand the lyrical genius of it, but when I got older, I understood what Taylor meant more. For example, when Taylor said “Bandaids don’t fix bullet holes”, I originally thought she was being literal. While a bandaid cannot fix a bullet hole, Taylor meant that once you hurt someone, it is not easy to fix it. The bullet hole refers to pain and the bandaid refers to someone failing to make amends with someone. Taylor perfectly described the pain many people, including myself, feel in one line, and that one line helped me understand the emotions I was feeling. Furthermore, the music video for “Bad Blood” has many strong women in it. Some include Zendaya and Selena Gomez. While I used to see them as some of my favorite Disney actresses, I now see them as strong role models. Taylor, Zendaya, and Selena stay strong and it motivates me to stay strong as well. Seeing women work together in the “Bad Blood” music video reminds me that women are truly powerful and magical. As a young woman, it is good to see women lift each other up and not bring each other down. Moreover, Taylor says how it is "sad to think about the good times." After you fall out with someone close to you, those bright and vivid memories turn grey. Memories that once brought you joy now make you upset, and Taylor sings about that exact feeling. No matter how long ago it was when someone loses a friend, the hole never completely heals. The good memories fade as life goes on, leaving a scar. I recently lost someone who I thought was my best friend, and "Bad Blood" represents the healing part of my life. "Bad Blood" would definitely be on the soundtrack of my year because it demonstrates hurt and loss, which is perfectly normal. Everyone gets hurt, no matter how good of a person they try to be. Taylor's song "Bad Blood" lets me know that I am not alone in my struggles, I am a strong woman, and most importantly, the song helped me understand my emotions.

I live near Atlanta and I love driving through the city. The art and creative billboards catch my attention the most. The creativity in the city distracts my mind from all of the violence that happens in the world, and I want to inspire people through creativity. I want to be an animator and help create TV shows and funny commercials. I would also enjoy designing characters for billboard ads. A little humor can go a long way, and I want to make people smile one creative piece at a time. In my school, I am a part of a youth group called Ladies of Columbia. Our group and Men of Columbia host events and go to other events to better ourselves. As part of the club, I had the opportunity to interview the owner of a Cereal Ice Cream shop. A news anchor guided me through the process of interviewing and I had a segment on the news. Many kids I know saw the segment and were inspired by it, and I knew I wanted to inspire more people. I already knew I wanted to be an animator for a TV show, but learning more about how news stories are made made me think. The little cloud icons and news logo weren't made from dirt, they had to be made by someone. I then realized that working at a news station is a possibility to pursue my animation talent. From the experience overall, I inspired the youth and learned more information that will influence my decision-making in the future. I will pursue animation in college, and I will not forget my main goal: to inspire and provide comedic relief. The world is extremely scary, and I know I can't do much about it. However, I can help people get through it. Cartoons can be extremely hilarious and they can make people laugh, and knowing that I could be a part of creating the work inspires me to work hard to get a job where I can do that. I would love to work with a team of fellow artists to help bring together a story that inspires. Working on a humorous insurance company ad is preferable too. I want my work to reach as many people as I can; the more people I can make laugh, the better. I will make the world less depressing one laugh at a time.

Art is something that has always attracted me. Admiring different art styles and trying them for myself challenged me. I would always have a pen and paper in my bag whenever inspiration would strike. It was not until middle school that I learned what I wanted to do with my art. When I was in middle school, I made many art friends. One of my friends taught me about animation. I knew cartoons existed, but I did not know the process used to bring them to life. Once I found apps to create animations on, I practiced and practiced. Whenever someone would ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would say "an artist." However, I did not know what category I wanted to do. Learning about animation gave me a clear Idea. I was in 8th grade when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. I was stuck at home and I had to find things to do to keep me occupied. I then got TikTok and followed almost every animator I came across. I then started to create and post my animations. I watched videos on how to make animated characters move smoothly and how layers worked. My love for the art, however, was still young. Later in high school, the world began to change in my eyes. I knew I would have to build my resume. In my computer science class, we would code in Scratch. My teacher thought I was pretty good and she wanted me to enter the Technology Fair for my county. I entered the fair, but I chose the animation competition over the coding one. I animated a 58-second animation, and the protagonist in my story was voiced by my little brother. The 58-second animation I made got 1st place in the Technology Fair for my county. I was in 11th grade then. I knew I had to start looking for colleges. I want to go to school for animation, but many art schools are expensive. However, one of the more popular schools in my state has Animation as a major and I got accepted. After I graduate, I want to inspire people through animation. Whether it is a comedic cartoon or a grocery store commercial, I want to bring joy to people's lives. Laughing is the best medicine, and I can help make people laugh one animation at a time. Thank you for allowing me to apply for this art scholarship and I will be forever grateful if I receive it.