I have always been inspired to make a difference in an impactful way and serve my community. At age 10, I remember having a conversation with my parents about a way that I could raise money. There were 3 areas that I felt led to give to at that time, Hagerstown Area Pregnancy Center, St. Jude’s, and a local young lady who had a very intense medical condition that often had substantial financial needs. I decided to set up a lemonade stand and sell bracelets that I handmade at my brother’s football games. A family friend made the lemonade stand making it even more special. Each week I would set it up and all money went towards these areas. By the end of the season I was able to raise $750. I split the money between these 3 areas. I often reflect on how grateful I am to have been able to do that. In November of 2025, I visited Liberty University with my family and we were able to hear their Liberty Worship Collective lead worship at their weekly worship gathering called Convocation. The worship team blew my mind with their talent, but even more their passion to lead thousands of college students in worship. I knew this was something that I was interested in and with the encouragement of my parents, they challenged me to press past my fear and to participate in open auditions that were being held the weekend that we visited. This was a true leap of faith and I had no idea what this was gonna look like. I auditioned the next day at 4:30 p.m, singing What a Beautiful Name. I was truly encouraged by the responses of those that I auditioned in front of. I made multiple calls that afternoon sharing the news with those that had been cheering me on and continued to dream what this would look like in the future. Advance to about 3 weeks later, where I received an email from Liberty Worship Collective saying that I was advancing in the audition process. The excitement that I had was unmatched, other than from my family members who shared the excitement as well. I had to record a “callback video” and had a lot of help from Chris Clugh and all of his expertise. I waited for another 2 weeks and was constantly checking my email, in anticipation of a result. I was sitting in my classroom and an email pops through, the excitement that rushed through me was unrivaled. I open it and see an email saying that they were no longer moving along with my audition. My heart sank immediately and tears welled up in my eyes. I struggled for many days understanding and feeling like I wasn’t good enough. I gave myself space to feel all the emotions but was reminded by friends and family that I am not defined by a moment. I believe that nothing is ever wasted so I choose to continue to be full of anticipation to see how the Lord continues to weave together my story.

My life has been filled with laughter, as my family and I truly believe that laughter is the absolute best medicine that is healing in more ways then we realize. There have been many stories over the years that I can tell of hilarious moments that I will forever cherish with my friends and family. Something that we especially find funny is when people trip or fall (obviously without them getting hurt). There have been many times when this occurs and we end up in tears because of how hard we are crying, after making sure they are ok first. Recently there was a situation where there was an attractive young man walking across our school parking lot. I mentioned to my cousin that he went to my church and that there have been many times when we have made eye contact but never had a conversation. I then proceeded to mention his attractiveness and I pretended to call out his name. As I was doing that and trying to watch the reaction of my cousin, I obviously wasn’t paying attention to what I was doing and I missed a step. And, my knee locked up, which may sound very painful, but it was actually so funny. On top of that I was also wearing flip flops which added some comedy to it as well. My cousin looked at me with those eyes of wanting to laugh but knowing she should probably check to be sure that I was ok. So, she was very gracious and proceeded to immediately ask if I was ok. In the middle of me busting up at myself, I was able to get the words out to share with her that I was in fact ok. Once she heard that I was ok she then proceeded to laugh hysterically, not to mention that my brother who was also a witness to my episode, was also busting a gut. This is one was one that will go down in history for sure. I am always someone who loves to make jokes out of people falling. When it happens to me I normally find it even more hysterical. Instead of being embarrassed in these moments I believe that it is important to look for opportunities to laugh at yourself. Laughing at yourself reminds you that making mistakes is ok. I have also heard that is helps to reduce stress. Both of these are important no matter your age. So, cheers to making people laugh!!

I cannot remember a time when I wasn’t singing. Whether it was in front of my parents, my grandparents, or even in front of a “pretend audience”, singing has been something that has made me come alive, feel a sense of purpose. Ever since I was little, singing has always been my passion and a huge part of who I am. The first church that I remember attending as a young girl, I was a part of their kids choir called Kingdom Kids. As part of Kingdom Kids, we would perform “special music” on a monthly basis as well as participate in different competitions. This ministry also provided me an opportunity to be part of several church plays, often in a role that I was able to use my gift of singing. Fast forward a few years, and the church that I currently attend I find myself once again frequently participating on the worship team and have really enjoyed every moment of it. I have been told many times that I have a calling on my life to lead worship and that my voice has an anointing. One of the most impactful opportunities I recall recently was during a community event called, Old Home Week. During this week, our church held an event on Kaley Field at our local High School, Greencastle- Antrim High School. The event was called Field of Praise. This event was one that changed my life, in that I helped to lead over 1,000 people in worship. Another piece of why this event was so meaningful to me was it was a dream of my parents for years to have a worship night on our local football field. Knowing that I got to be a part of one of the visions they have had in our community was truly an honor. All of these experiences have only grown my love for worship and encouraged me to go to the next level as I attend Liberty University, starting in the Fall of 2026. In November of 2025, I visited Liberty University with my family and we were able to hear their Liberty Worship Collective lead worship at their weekly worship gathering called Convocation. The worship team blew my mind with their talent, but even more their passion to lead thousands of college students in worship. After graduating, I plan to attend Liberty University and major in Elementary Education. I have a true passion to serve others and love well and so this career is one that I see as a perfect fit. I aspire to be able to make a difference in the lives of many, just as my elementary teachers have done in my life. I believe that receiving this scholarship would help to relieve some of the financial needs and help to provide me with the support I need to further my education. I believe that nothing is ever wasted so I choose to continue to be full of anticipation to see how the Lord continues to weave together my story.

From a young age, I remember playing like I was a teacher. Whether my parents, grandparents, or my brother were my students, or even at times I had a room full of pretend students. What sparked this interest for me was from when I was in third grade and found myself looking to build friendships and yet at times feeling unseen, Mrs. Moyer saw me, spoke life over me, and made it part of her mission to believe in me until I could start to believe in myself. I often reflect back over my elementary years with a heart full of gratitude for those individuals in my life, Mrs. Moyer being just one of those who made an everlasting impact on my life. I am well aware that not every child is able to say the same, and that not every child has someone in their corner that they can trust. I want to be one of the individuals who sees the potential in others when they may not see it in themselves, whether that be due to doubt, fear, family situations, words that have been spoken over them before. As a teacher I have a dream to create a space where my students will believe they are valued, loved, seen, and known. I will provide opportunities for them to dream. In order to get to this place, within this past semester of my senior year, I have been interning at the middle school of our community school. I have had the opportunity to gain knowledge from mentors within my workplace and have seen growth within the students that I have had the honor of working with. I am continuing this internship for the next semester to finish out my senior year. I am hard working, organized, determined, flexible, coachable, and passionate about helping the younger generation reach their full potential. I believe that I am most deserving of this scholarship because I am determined to do the work that it takes to make the most of my educational experience at Liberty University and then use those skills to make an everlasting difference in the life of others. I plan to use this scholarship to help with the financial pressure of attending Liberty University and to ease the stress of the finances that come with this dream. I am planning to then get a job as an elementary teacher and truly make this dream a reality.

I cannot remember a time when I wasn’t singing. Whether it was for my parents, my grandparents, or a pretend audience, singing has always made me feel alive and given me a strong sense of purpose. From a young age, music has been more than a hobby—it has been a defining part of who I am. One of my earliest memories of singing was at the first church I attended, where I was part of the children’s choir called Kingdom Kids. Through this ministry, I regularly performed special music during services and participated in competitions. I was also given opportunities to take part in church plays, often in roles that allowed me to use my gift of singing. These experiences helped shape my confidence and confirmed that worship through music was something I deeply loved. Years later, at the church I currently attend, I continue to serve on the worship team, an experience I cherish. I have been told many times that I have a calling to lead worship and that my voice carries an anointing, which has only strengthened my desire to pursue this path. One of the most impactful moments of my life came during a community event called Old Home Week. As part of this week, my church hosted an event called Field of Praise at Kaley Field at Greencastle-Antrim High School. During this event, I had the opportunity to help lead over 1,000 people in worship. This experience was incredibly meaningful, not only because of the scale of the event, but because it fulfilled a long-time dream of my parents to hold a worship night on our local football field. Being part of a vision they had carried for years was an honor I will never forget. Moments like this have deepened my love for worship and encouraged me to pursue the next level of growth as I prepare to attend Liberty University in the fall of 2026. In November of 2025, I visited Liberty University with my family and attended Convocation, where the Liberty Worship Collective led worship. I was amazed not only by their musical talent, but by their passion and ability to lead thousands of college students in worship. I knew immediately that this was something I wanted to be part of. With encouragement from my parents, I decided to step outside of my comfort zone and audition during open auditions held that same weekend. This decision required me to push past fear and take a leap of faith. I auditioned the following day, singing What a Beautiful Name, and was encouraged by the feedback I received. Three weeks later, I received an email stating that I had advanced in the audition process. The excitement I felt was overwhelming, and my family shared in that joy. I then recorded a callback video with the help of Chris Clugh, whose expertise was invaluable. After submitting the video, I waited anxiously for two weeks, constantly checking my email. When I finally received the decision, I was sitting in my classroom. Opening the email, I learned that I would not be moving forward in the process. My heart sank, and I struggled for days with disappointment and self-doubt. However, through the support of friends and family, I was reminded that I am not defined by a single moment. I believe nothing is ever wasted, and I remain hopeful and expectant as I trust the Lord to continue weaving my story together.

Basketball has been one of those activities in my life that has taught me more than I realized it would when I started in 5th grade. I remember hearing stories of how my dad played basketball when he was little, and continued his whole way through high school, even getting a scholarship to play in college. He has always been open and shared his journey with my brother and I. When he got to college he got involved with the wrong crowd and it cost him his scholarship. He has been vocal with us, encouraging us to stay focused and the importance of the people that you are around. As a result of hearing his story, he has inspired me, and my brother to pick up the love of the game. Basketball has been a way for me to connect with my dad and allow him space to speak into my life. When I was younger, I found myself often feeling like I wasn't good enough in a variety of areas of my life. I was raised with parents who loved me and told me often, but for some reason in school I didn't see myself the way my parents saw me. My dad often reminded me that we shouldn't give others the power to make us feel a certain way. He said, "do you enjoy the sport, then go out on the court, and give your best." And it has been a journey ever since. Being a team player has been more than just scoring points in a game for me. Although that is important, a few of what I would consider as "life lessons" that basketball has taught me deal with discipline, teamwork, failure, determination, hard work, perseverance and the need to show up even when you may not feel like it. Character and confidence have also been something that has been build in me as a result of basketball. Following rules, respecting others, and overcoming adversity has helped me build self-assurance and strong character, which has been helpful for me to then carry over to school and work. In order to win in basketball, it takes a team. And that is often true in life as well. Each player has to rely on other players to show up and do their part to work towards the common goal of winning the game. Communication between teammates is essential and the words you speak within your team have power. I hope to be remembered on my high school team as a girl who spoke life. One that believed the best in others. One that showed up and gave 100% no matter what. One that the team could count on. And one that challenged others to be the best version of themselves on and off the court as well.

Community is defined as "a group of people who share a common characteristic, location, identity, or interest, creating a sense of belonging and connection, often involving shared values, norms, culture, and mutual support, whether in a physical place like a town or virtually online, forming social units like neighborhoods, professions, or fandoms". I have been blessed to be part of several communities throughout my educational experience so far and am looking forward to even more as I further my education at Liberty University. One of the ways that I have made an impact in my community through youth sports is being a part of a community based basketball program called Upward as well as being on several school sports teams. Being a part of this community has given me a sense of belonging and has fostered connection and built relationships. When youth come together in areas that they find joy in, such as community sports, in my experience, they "let their guard down" and as relationship and trust is built on the court, it leads into other areas off the court or field as well. In my experience having young adults who have believed in me when I didn't believe in myself was extremely valuable. When others see value in you, something inside of you comes alive and you can come above what you may be feeling and grow as a person and team player. Believing in someone empowers them, it can boost their self-esteem and increase their motivation, which creates a positive cycle that strengthens the entire community through increased engagement, resilience, and collective achievement, turning potential into action and fostering a supportive environment where individuals feel valued and inspired to contribute! It has challenged me in some regard to know that others are now looking up to me as I had once did to those young adults who went before. The power of belief is defined as "the profound ability of our convictions to shape our thoughts, actions, and ultimately, our reality, driving high performance, resilience, and goal achievement by influencing mindset and behavior". I believe it to be an incredible honor to be given space in the youth within our communities to be able to impact them in a way that will continue to fuel future decisions that they make with hopes that they too will then choose to be individuals who pass on the positive impact that they had been given.

Throughout my childhood, every teacher that I had made a positive impact on my life . I am well aware that not every child is able to say the same, and that not every child has someone in their corner that they can trust. My “Pie in the Sky”, big dream of my life would be to be a teacher that makes a difference in the life of every child that I encounter. I would love to be an elementary school teacher and work with kiddos every day. What sparked this dream was from when I was in third grade and found myself looking to build friendships and yet at times feeling unseen, Mrs. Moyer saw me, spoke life over me, and made it part of her mission to believe in me until I could start to believe in myself. I often reflect back over my elementary years with a heart full of gratitude for those individuals in my life, Mrs. Moyer being just one of those who made an everlasting impact on my life. I want to be one of the individuals who sees the potential in others when they may not see it in themselves, whether that be due to doubt, fear, family situations, words that have been spoken over them before. As I teacher I have a dream to create a space where my students will believe they are valued, loved, seen, and known. I will provide opportunities for them to dream. In order to get to this place, within this past semester of my senior year, I have been interning at the middle school of our community school. I have had the opportunity to gain knowledge from mentors within my workplace and have seen growth within the students that I have had the honor of working with. I am continuation this internship for the next semester to finish out my senior year. I chose Liberty University as my top pick due to the faith based community that it provides. One of my dreams while attending Liberty University as a college student is to be part of Worship Collective team. This is a select group of students that lead worship for major university events. Members of this team can write, record, and release original worship songs. Not only do they lead college students in worship on the campus, there is also an incredible opportunity for global outreach. They have been known to take the ministry worldwide. This absolutely feels like a "pie in the sky" opportunity and dream to be part of an faith based team that is called to deliver the Truth on college campuses and potentially around the world. I have been a part of our local church worship team for several years. I have learned a lot through that experience and it would be a dream come true to lead in this capacity.

Throughout my childhood, every teacher that I had made a positive impact on my life . I am well aware that not every child is able to say the same, and that not every child has someone in their corner that they can trust. My “Pie in the Sky”, big dream of my life would be to be a teacher that makes a difference in the life of every child that I encounter. I would love to be an elementary school teacher and work with kiddos every day. What sparked this dream was from when I was in third grade and found myself looking to build friendships and yet at times feeling unseen, Mrs. Moyer saw me, spoke life over me, and made it part of her mission to believe in me until I could start to believe in myself. I often reflect back over my elementary years with a heart full of gratitude for those individuals in my life, Mrs. Moyer being just one of those who made an everlasting impact on my life. I want to be one of the individuals who sees the potential in others when they may not see it in themselves, whether that be due to doubt, fear, family situations, words that have been spoken over them before. As I teacher I have a dream to create a space where my students will believe they are valued, loved, seen, and known. I will provide opportunities for them to dream. In order to get to this place, within this past semester of my senior year, I have been interning at the middle school of our community school. I have had the opportunity to gain knowledge from mentors within my workplace and have seen growth within the students that I have had the honor of working with. I am continuation this internship for the next semester to finish out my senior year. I chose Liberty University as my top pick due to the faith based community that it provides. One of my dreams while attending Liberty University as a college student is to be part of Worship Collective team. This is a select group of students that lead worship for major university events. Members of this team can write, record, and release original worship songs. Not only do they lead college students in worship on the campus, there is also an incredible opportunity for global outreach. They have been known to take the ministry worldwide. This absolutely feels like a "pie in the sky" opportunity and dream to be part of an faith based team that is called to deliver the Truth on college campuses and potentially around the world. I have been a part of our local church worship team for several years. I have learned a lot through that experience and it would be a dream come true to lead in this capacity.