One of my driving forces in my life has been community service, which was exemplified by a service trip I particpated in last summer, where I had the opportunity to travel to Michigan in partnership with Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries. An incredibly dedicated group, this organization has served Detroit’s addicted and homeless populations for decades by truly rebuilding people’s lives. After spending over five hours organizing clothing donations in a rehabilitation center on our first day, I felt like giving up. Participating in this tedious labor in the middle of a scorching July summer, I felt like the work I was doing was completely useless. That is, until I saw the elation on one of the manager's faces. Upon entering the room, she immediately broke into tears, sharing her story of growing up in a similar rehab center, and describing how seeing the clothes organized so nicely would make the residents feel so much more humane than the previous piles of dumped clothes. Our work last summer made me reflect heavily on the change that I’ve had in my community. Ultimately, it left me feeling disappointed–disappointed in myself for having done so little to help those around me despite being healthy and able. Since summer, I have been much more conscious about my actions and the impact they have, organizing and executing a food drive that brought in over 75 pounds of food and becoming an officer of the Rotary Club. At my future university, I hope to continue being an agent of change by growing myself holistically and dedicating myself to service through groups like student government, Roteract Club, and more, ensuring that I continue utilizing my strengths to put others before myself! Another way I hope to give back in the future is through mentorship. From my first overseas flight at the age of three to my first flight lesson at age thirteen, I’ve been fascinated by flying my entire life. However, as the only aviation enthusiast in my family, I initially lacked basic knowledge; I had no idea what steps I needed to take to proceed, and felt like it was impossible without familial connections. To combat my gap in aviation knowledge, I knew I had to think outside-the-box, especially considering that my school didn’t offer any aviation classes and I had no mentors to talk with. The solution was to research nonstop, and I’ve done everything I could to immerse myself in the aviation world, whether that be joining my local aviation post, actively attending EAA Airventure every year, or checking out every aviation book I could find from the local library. These vital basics were key to growing my confidence in aviation and lessen the feeling of not belonging, and eventually led me to discovering EAA Girlventure Camp! Held annually, the camp is a chance for young women to be exposed to possibilities in aviation and connect with female professionals. Through STEM activities and heart-to-hearts, I quickly formed a bond with mentors and the other girls in my group, and knowing I can contact them at any point reminds me that I am not alone in my aspirations. This experience led me to want to mentor aspiring young pilots in the future, so that I, too, can ensure that no young woman feels like her aviation dreams are too big for her to conquer. In the future, I hope to continue my work with programs such as Women in Aviation International and GirlVenture so that I can give back the invaluable mentorship I have received and never let anyone give up on their dreams!

One of my favorite parts of attending Maine East High School has been the opportunity to participate in the Gifted Lyceum Program. A four-year program for academically gifted students, the people in the group have formed an incredibly tight-knit community built on the idea of putting others before ourselves. The summer before senior year, we had the opportunity to participate in a service trip to Michigan in partnership with Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries. An incredibly dedicated group, this organization has served Detroit’s addicted and homeless populations for decades by truly rebuilding people’s lives. From renovating and reorganizing a rehabilitation center to aiding in the landscaping of a temporary housing facility intended for women and children, our work opened my eyes to the privileges I’ve had my whole life. Even though I have a single mom, she is fortunate to have a stable job and so our family has never wanted for anything. This summer trip made me much more aware of the struggles faced by certain populations, people who are not so different from me. At the beginning of the trip, we were very unsure of what to expect. Many of us, including me, had never done home improvement tasks before, and we were unsure whether we’d be able to organize ourselves efficiently. After we spent over five hours organizing clothing donations in the rehabilitation center on our first day, I felt like giving up. Participating in this tedious work in the middle of a scorching July summer, I felt like the work I was doing was completely useless. That is, until I saw the elation on one of the manager's faces. Upon entering the room, she immediately broke into tears, sharing her story of growing up in a similar rehab center, and describing how seeing the clothes organized so nicely would make the residents feel so much more humane than the previous piles of dumped donated clothes. The entire experience made me reflect heavily on the change that I’ve had in my community and ultimately left me feeling disappointed–disappointed in myself for having done so little to help those around me despite being healthy and able. Since summer, I have been much more conscious about my actions and the impact they have, organizing and executing a food drive that brought in over 75 pounds of food and becoming an officer of my school’s Rotary Interact. As a young, teenage girl, I know there is only so much impact I can have, but I am determined to do all I can to help everyone I can. Especially in big cities like Chicago, there are often too few organizations and charities to help the huge groups of individuals in need. At Purdue University, I hope to continue being an agent of change by growing myself holistically and dedicating my life to service through groups like Purdue Student Government, Rotaract Club, and more, ensuring that I continue utilizing my strengths to put others before myself!