Before my parents got engaged, my dad asked my mom to promise that they would name a future son after him. I’m that son and that promise kept, Johnny Mack Jones, Jr., but you can call me Mack. When I was fourteen years old, my Pops, my mom’s dad passed away, and our family moved from Tallahassee, Florida, to Collinsville, Mississippi, to help out my Mima. You see, even though I wasn't named after him, I inherited much of my personality and life’s passions from my Pops, and I felt a strong sense of responsibility to fill in for him. Like my Pops, I love the outdoors and I love to construct things. Since I can remember, I wanted to save every scrap of wood or metal and use any old nail or screw I could find to make creations that I had designed. In Tallahassee, I built a fort for my three siblings and me, and I erected a loft bunk bed so I would have more space in my bedroom. When we moved into the house where my Pops had lived, the construction resources and tools he had saved were abundant. I wanted to build all kinds of new inventions, and my love for engineering was solidified. My Pops was a civil engineer and by his own account had a great career. Like him, I want to pursue a degree in civil engineering with an emphasis on land and community development. Also like my Pops, I want to pursue my relationship with the Lord daily, and live a life of integrity. I want others know that I am a Christian by the way I show the love of Christ each day. I have been blessed to be plugged into amazing churches throughout my life, but I was able to truly grow my faith at our church Evangel Temple in Collinsville. I volunteered as an actor for “The Choice,” a dramatic presentation about the importance of becoming a Christian. We practiced for months. Over two weeks during morning and evening performances, we presented the play to seven high schools and the general public in the greater Meridian, Mississippi, area. The experience of seeing the impact of the drama on so many high schoolers affected me more than any other life event. Now, I am confident in sharing my faith with others and inviting anyone to church in our new hometown, Panama City Beach. When I attend college next year, my priority is finding a church home away from home. I want to make a difference on campus by becoming involved in outreach. I also hope to find or start a group Bible study where I can establish a core group of friends who will keep me accountable in my daily Christian walk. Today, I am dedicated to starting my day in prayer, and I am determined to study, work hard, and manage my time in order to succeed; I intend to follow the same plan during my college years. I am thankful for the opportunity to apply for this scholarship. Receiving this award would give me the opportunity to follow in my Pops’s footsteps, allowing me to complete internships for valuable work experience while focusing on earning a degree in civil engineering. I could concentrate on studying without worrying about finances.