I am a very quiet, reserved person. I am not very outgoing. I am not a thrill seeker. I hate public speaking, so I am the last person that wants to get up on stage and speak to a crowd. Even class discussions can be scary sometimes. However, I am smart. I know the answers to most questions in class. I listen intently to class discussions. I pick things up incredibly quickly. Academics were a huge part of my junior year of high school. I took 4 AP classes. They were AP Calculus AB, AP English Language, AP US History, and AP Spanish Language and Culture. I spent all my time outside of extracurriculars learning content, studying and taking practice exams on the weekends. It wasn’t all for nothing. I was able to achieve a 5 in calculus, 4s in History and English and a 3 in Spanish. College board awarded me the AP Scholar Award with Honor, and the National Recognition Program Award. My course load this year is even more rigorous than last year. In addition to AP classes, my school also offers dual credit College in the High School classes as well. I am taking English Literature, Politics, Statistics, Leadership, and Physics at the college level. Despite all that, I still maintain a 4.0 GPA. This year I was honored with the award of Spokane Scholar of English. My school nominated me as its top English student this year and I was featured on TV and in the newspaper. My smiling face hangs on the walls of my school with a Spokane Scholar plaque. Other awards that I have received include AP Scholar with honor, and I have been nationally recognized by College Board for my academic achievement. My intelligence makes me feel out of place. Sometimes I feel like it is looked down upon to go above and beyond in everything that I do. I know that some students may want me to feel this way because it gets them out of doing exceptional work for a good grade. Deep down, I still feel like I am set apart from other students. Now I have come to the realization that being set apart is a good thing. One of my good friends told me that "the world does not need more copies of everyone else. It needs people who aren't afraid to be uniquely themselves, and I have decided that the world needs me to be uniquely me.

Online platforms, tools and resources have helped me further my understanding of what I am studying by allowing me more opportunity to practice. These things have certainly increased my grade and made me a better student. The platform that I use the most for learning is Quizlet! I love how the technology has a "learn" function that really helps me memorize things. Quizlet also has a feature called "spell" that I have found exceptionally helpful in my Spanish class. The application says the vocabulary word and sometimes shows a picture, depending on the word set. Then I have to type it out. Finally it shows me a definition. This function helps me to know how a word is said as well as how to spell it. I am a visual learner, so being able to type it out offers me a better understanding of the word. Another tool that I use is my calendar to keep me on track. It helps me to set time aside for school work to ensure that I get it done in a timely manner. I can keep track of major tests, projects, and assignments. It is especially helpful to budget out days that I have to have certain things done by. For example, I can look at a project that has multiple parts and is due in a week. I can do part one by Monday, part two by Wednesday, and so on. This tool is a great help. Finally, one resource I use to help me learn is my peers around me. Especially in English class, it is very helpful to run ideas by them, whether it be editing an essay, explaining a text, or simply trying to understand a confusing topic (I am in AP Literature. There are a lot of those confusing topics). I value my peers' opinions and understanding. I may have helped them as much as they have helped me. Collaboration is an important resource. I have found that by using my peers, they can help me achieve clarity which makes me a better writer. I believe that by using Quizlet, a calendar, and my peers, I have become a better and more knowledgeable student. Each of these devices has created a space for me to learn outside of school, thereby increasing my engagement with the topic in a way that I would not have without them. They have made me a better student and allowed me to achieve a 4.0 GPA in high school!

My adversity in life has come from my parents' divorce in the summer after my 3rd grade year. Toward the end of the school year, things were getting heated at home. It didn’t affect me much; I was a little kid, and I didn’t really understand what was going on. Finally, my parents separated. I can clearly remember snapshots of the day. My mother walked down the front walk with a laundry bin of her clothes. She told my sister and I to get into the car. We drove away and ended up at my grandma’s house. I also remember the relief of being at my grandma’s house. All the inconsistencies ended when we arrived. My grandparents were still happy to see us, their hugs still felt the same. The dogs still jumped on us and barked like they always do. After that summer, my mom, sister and I moved to the city. I was so excited! We only ever drove into the city for two occasions, school shopping, and taking pictures with Santa downtown. I could hardly believe it. The city had always been such a special place for me and now I got to live there. Though my sister and I escaped the small town, we never really escaped the challenges that come with divorced parents. Since we moved, my dad’s house changed from down the road to an hour and a half drive. Weekends with him became increasingly difficult, and I could never see my friends whenever it was his weekend. My one lifeline through all the challenges has been my sister. She is my best friend, gives the best advice, and helped me through the tough experiences in life. Having gone through all the same experiences, she really gets me. We are practically attached at the hip. Furthermore, there have been a lot of good things that have come out of the divorce. Since we moved to the city, I got the opportunity to go to private school. Though I only attended for two years, it was the greatest blessing in my life. Coming out of the divorce, I certainly was not ready to enter public school. The class sizes were probably about double what I was used the previous year. I would have been a small drop in a big ocean of people. My sister and I truly needed the small intimate environment that private school was able to provide us to cope and heal from our family tragedy. I think about what my life would look like if my parents had never divorced. I would not go to the same school, have the same friends, live in the same house, and have all the same opportunities available to me. My stepdad would not be a part of my family, and neither would his extended family by default. I even may not like the same things or be the same person. That may all be speculation, but there is one thing that I know for sure. There has been an outstanding amount of good to come from something so bad. I believe that a lot can be learned from my experience. Sometimes, life throws challenges at us. We have no control over them; they simply happen, and they are not easy. However, what we do have control over is how we react to those challenges. We can choose to make the most of them, or we can choose to shut down, and the greatest things can happen to us if we choose to make the most of them.

A few weeks ago, my cross-country team ran our last meet of the season. After the meet, I noticed one of the younger girls on my team, away from everyone else, disengaged from the situation, staring at the ground. I left the majority of my team to walk over to her and ask her if she was okay. She said she didn’t meet her goals and continued to look down. I could tell she was sad and disappointed in herself. I told her that I didn’t reach all my goals either and offered her a hug. She accepted and I comforted her. Another girl on the team was nearby and joined in. Through my act of kindness, I comforted a friend and inspired others to do the same. Giving her a hug and comforting her felt right, and she cheered up afterward. I was proud of the difference I made. I resisted pressure to conform when I decided to take 4 AP tests in the fall. The culture at my school and of my generation is to be lazy, to do the least amount of work possible, and to get by. Many kids in my class chap GPT assignments instead of do them themselves. I have never use Chat GPT on an assignment. Last year, I took 4 AP tests, meaning I dedicated a lot of time to studying. I never had time for football games or mixers. I was at home, studying. I am proud of my performance on my exams. I passed them all with high scores. I work to create a sense of belonging for students with disabilities at my school through my leadership class at school. My focus in class is to serve the students with special needs While I consider myself a generally positive happy person, no one exemplifies positive or happy like those kids. They live every day with really difficult challenges. Some cannot speak or hear; others are not mobile or can’t participate in life the way most of us consider normal. My heart goes out to them, and through that I have developed a passion for helping and caring for people. This passion has fueled events with and for the special end department. Halloween celebrations, community service events, and events to facilitate better relationships between general ed and special ed students to name a few. These events were all designed to serve. Additionally, they have been very successful in creating that sense of belonging.

A few weeks ago, my cross-country team ran our last meet of the season. After the meet, I noticed one of the younger girls on my team, away from everyone else, disengaged from the situation, staring at the ground. I left the majority of my team to walk over to her and ask her if she was okay. She said she didn’t meet her goals and continued to look down. I could tell she was sad and disappointed in herself. I told her that I didn’t reach all my goals either and offered her a hug. She accepted and I comforted her. Another girl on the team was nearby and joined in. Through my act of kindness, I comforted a friend and inspired others to do the same. Giving her a hug and comforting her felt right, and she cheered up afterward. I was proud of the difference I made. I resisted pressure to conform when I decided to take 4 AP tests in the fall. The culture at my school and of my generation is to be lazy, to do the least amount of work possible, and to get by. Many kids in my class chap GPT assignments instead of do them themselves. I have never use Chat GPT on an assignment. Last year, I took 4 AP tests, meaning I dedicated a lot of time to studying. I never had time for football games or mixers. I was at home, studying. I am proud of my performance on my exams. I passed them all with high scores. I work to create a sense of belonging for students with disabilities at my school through my leadership class at school. My focus in class is to serve the students with special needs While I consider myself a generally positive happy person, no one exemplifies positive or happy like those kids. They live every day with really difficult challenges. Some cannot speak or hear; others are not mobile or can’t participate in life the way most of us consider normal. My heart goes out to them, and through that I have developed a passion for helping and caring for people. This passion has fueled events with and for the special end department. Halloween celebrations, community service events, and events to facilitate better relationships between general ed and special ed students to name a few. These events were all designed to serve. Additionally, they have been very successful in creating that sense of belonging.

It is my dream to become a nurse and to serve my community in a meaningful way because I believe that nurses make a large impact on the patients they humbly serve and the lives they touch. My inspiration for becoming a nurse comes from my mother, who is a registered nurse herself. She makes a difference by advocating for registered nurses and patient safety. By becoming a nurse, I want to follow in her footsteps while I work at the bedside. My short-term career plan is to attend Carroll College in Helena, obtain my BSN, and become a registered nurse. I am especially excited to attend Carroll because they offer a unique direct admit nursing program with a Spanish nursing minor. I achieved the seal of biliteracy from the 5 years of Spanish that I took in high school. The program at Carroll will build on that knowledge by teaching me Spanish medical vocabulary and common conditions facing Hispanic populations so that I will be able to give more accessible care to all patients. In the long term, I hope to work at a hospital in pediatrics, devoting my time to helping children and families. I believe that I have a lot of strengths that will help me achieve this dream with excellence. With my determination, leadership skills, empathy, and mission, I will fit the need perfectly and provide care in the best way possible. My passion for caring for people will help me go above and beyond for patients and offer them quality care. My hard-working attitude, ability to work in a team, listening and communication skills, and empathy will allow me to go far in any field, but specifically in nursing because these skills are vital to the job. Finally, my humility will keep me caring for patients for the right reasons. I don't want to be rich or famous; I want to improve the lives of those around me. A few of my greatest accomplishments include being recognized by my city and awarded Spokane Scholar for English, achieving AP Scholar with Honor, and being Nationally recognized by College Board through their National Recognition Program. These awards speak to my hard working attitude, grit, and ability to continue on when times become stressful of difficult. Another experience I've had, though not directly related to the medical field, that I believe will help me to be a better nurse is my job at Safeway. I have been working at Safeway for almost 3 months, since the beginning of November 2025. I work as a cashier, and also in Drive Up and Go as an in-store shopper. Though it is not anything special, I see my job as a simple way to serve my community. I strive every day to make a difference in the lives of the shoppers visiting my store and providing good quality service. I see my job as one that will help me in my future as a nurse, because both jobs have a lot in common. They both require patience, leadership, humility, and dedication to the good of others. A scholarship would allow me to achieve my dreams. I want nothing more than to give back to my community and help those who have helped me. Obtaining a college degree will allow me to become a nurse so that I can continue to serve my community in a very tangible way. Every day I will be helping people, tending to the sick, and saving lives. There is no better way to serve the community more humbly and selflessly than the way that nurses do.

It is my dream to become a nurse and to serve my community in a meaningful way because I believe that nurses make a large impact on the patients they humbly serve and the lives they touch. My inspiration for becoming a nurse comes from my mother, who is a registered nurse herself. She makes a difference by advocating for registered nurses and patient safety. By becoming a nurse, I want to follow in her footsteps while I work at the bedside. My short-term career plan is to attend Carroll College in Helena, obtain my BSN, and become a registered nurse. I am especially excited to attend Carroll because they offer a unique direct admit nursing program with a Spanish nursing minor. I achieved the seal of biliteracy from the 5 years of Spanish that I took in high school. The program at Carroll will build on that knowledge by teaching me Spanish medical vocabulary and common conditions facing Hispanic populations so that I will be able to give more accessible care to all patients. In the long term, I hope to work at a hospital in pediatrics, devoting my time to helping children and families. I believe that I have a lot of strengths that will help me achieve this dream with excellence. With my determination, leadership skills, empathy, and mission, I will fit the need perfectly and provide care in the best way possible. My passion for caring for people will help me go above and beyond for patients and offer them quality care. My hard-working attitude, ability to work in a team, listening and communication skills, and empathy will allow me to go far in any field, but specifically in nursing because these skills are vital to the job. Finally, my humility will keep me caring for patients for the right reasons. I don't want to be rich or famous; I want to improve the lives of those around me. A few of my greatest accomplishments include being recognized by my city and awarded Spokane Scholar for English, achieving AP Scholar with Honor, and being Nationally recognized by College Board through their National Recognition Program. These awards speak to my hard working attitude, grit, and ability to continue on when times become stressful of difficult. Another experience I've had, though not directly related to the medical field, that I believe will help me to be a better nurse is my job at Safeway. I have been working at Safeway for almost 3 months, since the beginning of November 2025. I work as a cashier, and also in Drive Up and Go as an in-store shopper. Though it is not anything special, I see my job as a simple way to serve my community. I strive every day to make a difference in the lives of the shoppers visiting my store and providing good quality service. I see my job as one that will help me in my future as a nurse, because both jobs have a lot in common. They both require patience, leadership, humility, and dedication to the good of others. A scholarship would allow me to achieve my dreams. I want nothing more than to give back to my community and help those who have helped me. Obtaining a college degree will allow me to become a nurse so that I can continue to serve my community in a very tangible way. Every day I will be helping people, tending to the sick, and saving lives. There is no better way to serve the community more humbly and selflessly than the way that nurses do.

It is my dream to become a nurse and to serve my community in a meaningful way because I believe that nurses make a large impact on the patients they humbly serve and the lives they touch. My inspiration for becoming a nurse comes from my mother, who is a registered nurse herself. She makes a difference by advocating for registered nurses and patient safety. By becoming a nurse, I want to follow in her footsteps while I work at the bedside. My short-term career plan is to attend Carroll College in Helena, obtain my BSN, and become a registered nurse. I am especially excited to attend Carroll because they offer a unique direct admit nursing program with a Spanish nursing minor. I achieved the seal of biliteracy from the 5 years of Spanish that I took in high school. The program at Carroll will build on that knowledge by teaching me Spanish medical vocabulary and common conditions facing Hispanic populations so that I will be able to give more accessible care to all patients. In the long term, I hope to work at a hospital in pediatrics, devoting my time to helping children and families. I believe that I have a lot of strengths that will help me achieve this dream with excellence. With my determination, leadership skills, empathy, and mission, I will fit the need perfectly and provide care in the best way possible. My passion for caring for people will help me go above and beyond for patients and offer them quality care. My hard-working attitude, ability to work in a team, listening and communication skills, and empathy will allow me to go far in any field, but specifically in nursing because these skills are vital to the job. Finally, my humility will keep me caring for patients for the right reasons. I don't want to be rich or famous; I want to improve the lives of those around me. A few of my greatest accomplishments include being recognized by my city and awarded Spokane Scholar for English, achieving AP Scholar with Honor, and being Nationally recognized by College Board through their National Recognition Program. These awards speak to my hard working attitude, grit, and ability to continue on when times become stressful of difficult. Another experience I've had, though not directly related to the medical field, that I believe will help me to be a better nurse is my job at Safeway. I have been working at Safeway for almost 3 months, since the beginning of November 2025. I work as a cashier, and also in Drive Up and Go as an in-store shopper. Though it is not anything special, I see my job as a simple way to serve my community. I strive every day to make a difference in the lives of the shoppers visiting my store and providing good quality service. I see my job as one that will help me in my future as a nurse, because both jobs have a lot in common. They both require patience, leadership, humility, and dedication to the good of others. A scholarship would allow me to achieve my dreams. I want nothing more than to give back to my community and help those who have helped me. Obtaining a college degree will allow me to become a nurse so that I can continue to serve my community in a very tangible way. Every day I will be helping people, tending to the sick, and saving lives. There is no better way to serve the community more humbly and selflessly than the way that nurses do.

It is my dream to become a nurse and to serve my community in a meaningful way because I believe that nurses make a large impact on the patients they humbly serve and the lives they touch. My inspiration for becoming a nurse comes from my mother, who is a registered nurse herself. She makes a difference by advocating for registered nurses and patient safety. By becoming a nurse, I want to follow in her footsteps while I work at the bedside. My short-term career plan is to attend Carroll College in Helena, obtain my BSN, and become a registered nurse. I am especially excited to attend Carroll because they offer a unique direct admit nursing program with a Spanish nursing minor. I achieved the seal of biliteracy from the 5 years of Spanish that I took in high school. The program at Carroll will build on that knowledge by teaching me Spanish medical vocabulary and common conditions facing Hispanic populations so that I will be able to give more accessible care to all patients. In the long term, I hope to work at a hospital in pediatrics, devoting my time to helping children and families. I believe that I have a lot of strengths that will help me achieve this dream with excellence. With my determination, leadership skills, empathy, and mission, I will fit the need perfectly and provide care in the best way possible. My passion for caring for people will help me go above and beyond for patients and offer them quality care. My hard-working attitude, ability to work in a team, listening and communication skills, and empathy will allow me to go far in any field, but specifically in nursing because these skills are vital to the job. Finally, my humility will keep me caring for patients for the right reasons. I don't want to be rich or famous; I want to improve the lives of those around me. A few of my greatest accomplishments include being recognized by my city and awarded Spokane Scholar for English, achieving AP Scholar with Honor, and being Nationally recognized by College Board through their National Recognition Program. These awards speak to my hard working attitude, grit, and ability to continue on when times become stressful of difficult. Another experience I've had, though not directly related to the medical field, that I believe will help me to be a better nurse is my job at Safeway. I have been working at Safeway for almost 3 months, since the beginning of November 2025. I work as a cashier, and also in Drive Up and Go as an in-store shopper. Though it is not anything special, I see my job as a simple way to serve my community. I strive every day to make a difference in the lives of the shoppers visiting my store and providing good quality service. I see my job as one that will help me in my future as a nurse, because both jobs have a lot in common. They both require patience, leadership, humility, and dedication to the good of others. A scholarship would allow me to achieve my dreams. I want nothing more than to give back to my community and help those who have helped me. Obtaining a college degree will allow me to become a nurse so that I can continue to serve my community in a very tangible way. Every day I will be helping people, tending to the sick, and saving lives. There is no better way to serve the community more humbly and selflessly than the way that nurses do.

It is my dream to become a nurse and to serve my community in a meaningful way because I believe that nurses make a large impact on the patients they humbly serve and the lives they touch. My inspiration for becoming a nurse comes from my mother, who is a registered nurse herself. She makes a difference by advocating for registered nurses and patient safety. By becoming a nurse, I want to follow in her footsteps while I work at the bedside. My short-term career plan is to attend Carroll College in Helena, obtain my BSN, and become a registered nurse. I am especially excited to attend Carroll because they offer a unique direct admit nursing program with a Spanish nursing minor. I achieved the seal of biliteracy from the 5 years of Spanish that I took in high school. The program at Carroll will build on that knowledge by teaching me Spanish medical vocabulary and common conditions facing Hispanic populations so that I will be able to give more accessible care to all patients. In the long term, I hope to work at a hospital in pediatrics, devoting my time to helping children and families. I believe that I have a lot of strengths that will help me achieve this dream with excellence. With my determination, leadership skills, empathy, and mission, I will fit the need perfectly and provide care in the best way possible. My passion for caring for people will help me go above and beyond for patients and offer them quality care. My hard-working attitude, ability to work in a team, listening and communication skills, and empathy will allow me to go far in any field, but specifically in nursing because these skills are vital to the job. Finally, my humility will keep me caring for patients for the right reasons. I don't want to be rich or famous; I want to improve the lives of those around me. A few of my greatest accomplishments include being recognized by my city and awarded Spokane Scholar for English, achieving AP Scholar with Honor, and being Nationally recognized by College Board through their National Recognition Program. These awards speak to my hard working attitude, grit, and ability to continue on when times become stressful of difficult. Another experience I've had, though not directly related to the medical field, that I believe will help me to be a better nurse is my job at Safeway. I have been working at Safeway for almost 3 months, since the beginning of November 2025. I work as a cashier, and also in Drive Up and Go as an in-store shopper. Though it is not anything special, I see my job as a simple way to serve my community. I strive every day to make a difference in the lives of the shoppers visiting my store and providing good quality service. I see my job as one that will help me in my future as a nurse, because both jobs have a lot in common. They both require patience, leadership, humility, and dedication to the good of others. A scholarship would allow me to achieve my dreams. I want nothing more than to give back to my community and help those who have helped me. Obtaining a college degree will allow me to become a nurse so that I can continue to serve my community in a very tangible way. Every day I will be helping people, tending to the sick, and saving lives. There is no better way to serve the community more humbly and selflessly than the way that nurses do.

It is my dream to become a nurse and to serve my community in a meaningful way because I believe that nurses make a large impact on the patients they humbly serve and the lives they touch. My inspiration for becoming a nurse comes from my mother, who is a registered nurse herself. She makes a difference by advocating for registered nurses and patient safety. By becoming a nurse, I want to follow in her footsteps while I work at the bedside. My short-term career plan is to attend Carroll College in Helena, obtain my BSN, and become a registered nurse. I am especially excited to attend Carroll because they offer a unique direct admit nursing program with a Spanish nursing minor. I achieved the seal of biliteracy from the 5 years of Spanish that I took in high school. The program at Carroll will build on that knowledge by teaching me Spanish medical vocabulary and common conditions facing Hispanic populations so that I will be able to give more accessible care to all patients. In the long term, I hope to work at a hospital in pediatrics, devoting my time to helping children and families. I believe that I have a lot of strengths that will help me achieve this dream with excellence. With my determination, leadership skills, empathy, and mission, I will fit the need perfectly and provide care in the best way possible. My passion for caring for people will help me go above and beyond for patients and offer them quality care. My hard-working attitude, ability to work in a team, listening and communication skills, and empathy will allow me to go far in any field, but specifically in nursing because these skills are vital to the job. Finally, my humility will keep me caring for patients for the right reasons. I don't want to be rich or famous; I want to improve the lives of those around me. A few of my greatest accomplishments include being recognized by my city and awarded Spokane Scholar for English, achieving AP Scholar with Honor, and being Nationally recognized by College Board through their National Recognition Program. These awards speak to my hard working attitude, grit, and ability to continue on when times become stressful of difficult. Another experience I've had, though not directly related to the medical field, that I believe will help me to be a better nurse is my job at Safeway. I have been working at Safeway for almost 3 months, since the beginning of November 2025. I work as a cashier, and also in Drive Up and Go as an in-store shopper. Though it is not anything special, I see my job as a simple way to serve my community. I strive every day to make a difference in the lives of the shoppers visiting my store and providing good quality service. I see my job as one that will help me in my future as a nurse, because both jobs have a lot in common. They both require patience, leadership, humility, and dedication to the good of others. A scholarship would allow me to achieve my dreams. I want nothing more than to give back to my community and help those who have helped me. Obtaining a college degree will allow me to become a nurse so that I can continue to serve my community in a very tangible way. Every day I will be helping people, tending to the sick, and saving lives. There is no better way to serve the community more humbly and selflessly than the way that nurses do.

It is my dream to become a nurse and to serve my community in a meaningful way because I believe that nurses make a large impact on the patients they humbly serve and the lives they touch. My inspiration for becoming a nurse comes from my mother, who is a registered nurse herself. She makes a difference by advocating for registered nurses and patient safety. By becoming a nurse, I want to follow in her footsteps while I work at the bedside. My short-term career plan is to attend Carroll College in Helena, obtain my BSN, and become a registered nurse. I am especially excited to attend Carroll because they offer a unique direct admit nursing program with a Spanish nursing minor. I achieved the seal of biliteracy from the 5 years of Spanish that I took in high school. The program at Carroll will build on that knowledge by teaching me Spanish medical vocabulary and common conditions facing Hispanic populations so that I will be able to give more accessible care to all patients. In the long term, I hope to work at a hospital in pediatrics, devoting my time to helping children and families. I believe that I have a lot of strengths that will help me achieve this dream with excellence. With my determination, leadership skills, empathy, and mission, I will fit the need perfectly and provide care in the best way possible. My passion for caring for people will help me go above and beyond for patients and offer them quality care. My hard-working attitude, ability to work in a team, listening and communication skills, and empathy will allow me to go far in any field, but specifically in nursing because these skills are vital to the job. Finally, my humility will keep me caring for patients for the right reasons. I don't want to be rich or famous; I want to improve the lives of those around me. A few of my greatest accomplishments include being recognized by my city and awarded Spokane Scholar for English, achieving AP Scholar with Honor, and being Nationally recognized by College Board through their National Recognition Program. These awards speak to my hard working attitude, grit, and ability to continue on when times become stressful of difficult. Another experience I've had, though not directly related to the medical field, that I believe will help me to be a better nurse is my job at Safeway. I have been working at Safeway for almost 3 months, since the beginning of November 2025. I work as a cashier, and also in Drive Up and Go as an in-store shopper. Though it is not anything special, I see my job as a simple way to serve my community. I strive every day to make a difference in the lives of the shoppers visiting my store and providing good quality service. I see my job as one that will help me in my future as a nurse, because both jobs have a lot in common. They both require patience, leadership, humility, and dedication to the good of others. A scholarship would allow me to achieve my dreams. I want nothing more than to give back to my community and help those who have helped me. Obtaining a college degree will allow me to become a nurse so that I can continue to serve my community in a very tangible way. Every day I will be helping people, tending to the sick, and saving lives. There is no better way to serve the community more humbly and selflessly than the way that nurses do.

It is my dream to become a nurse and to serve my community in a meaningful way because I believe that nurses make a large impact on the patients they humbly serve and the lives they touch. My inspiration for becoming a nurse comes from my mother, who is a registered nurse herself. She makes a difference by advocating for registered nurses and patient safety. By becoming a nurse, I want to follow in her footsteps while I work at the bedside. My short-term career plan is to attend Carroll College in Helena, obtain my BSN, and become a registered nurse. I am especially excited to attend Carroll because they offer a unique direct admit nursing program with a Spanish nursing minor. I achieved the seal of biliteracy from the 5 years of Spanish that I took in high school. The program at Carroll will build on that knowledge by teaching me Spanish medical vocabulary and common conditions facing Hispanic populations so that I will be able to give more accessible care to all patients. In the long term, I hope to work at a hospital in pediatrics, devoting my time to helping children and families. I believe that I have a lot of strengths that will help me achieve this dream with excellence. With my determination, leadership skills, empathy, and mission, I will fit the need perfectly and provide care in the best way possible. My passion for caring for people will help me go above and beyond for patients and offer them quality care. My hard-working attitude, ability to work in a team, listening and communication skills, and empathy will allow me to go far in any field, but specifically in nursing because these skills are vital to the job. Finally, my humility will keep me caring for patients for the right reasons. I don't want to be rich or famous; I want to improve the lives of those around me. A few of my greatest accomplishments include being recognized by my city and awarded Spokane Scholar for English, achieving AP Scholar with Honor, and being Nationally recognized by College Board through their National Recognition Program. These awards speak to my hard working attitude, grit, and ability to continue on when times become stressful of difficult. A scholarship would allow me to achieve my dreams. I want nothing more than to give back to my community and help those who have helped me. Obtaining a college degree will allow me to become a nurse so that I can continue to serve my community in a very tangible way. Every day I will be helping people, tending to the sick, and saving lives. There is no better way to serve the community more humbly and selflessly than the way that nurses do.

It is my dream to become a nurse and to serve my community in a meaningful way because I believe that nurses make a large impact on the patients they humbly serve and the lives they touch. My inspiration for becoming a nurse comes from my mother, who is a registered nurse herself. She makes a difference by advocating for registered nurses and patient safety. By becoming a nurse, I want to follow in her footsteps while I work at the bedside. My short-term career plan is to attend Carroll College in Helena, obtain my BSN, and become a registered nurse. I am especially excited to attend Carroll because they offer a unique direct admit nursing program with a Spanish nursing minor. I achieved the seal of biliteracy from the 5 years of Spanish that I took in high school. The program at Carroll will build on that knowledge by teaching me Spanish medical vocabulary and common conditions facing Hispanic populations so that I will be able to give more accessible care to all patients. In the long term, I hope to work at a hospital in pediatrics, devoting my time to helping children and families. I believe that I have a lot of strengths that will help me achieve this dream with excellence. With my determination, leadership skills, empathy, and mission, I will fit the need perfectly and provide care in the best way possible. My passion for caring for people will help me go above and beyond for patients and offer them quality care. My hard-working attitude, ability to work in a team, listening and communication skills, and empathy will allow me to go far in any field, but specifically in nursing because these skills are vital to the job. Finally, my humility will keep me caring for patients for the right reasons. I don't want to be rich or famous; I want to improve the lives of those around me. A few of my greatest accomplishments include being recognized by my city and awarded Spokane Scholar for English, achieving AP Scholar with Honor, and being Nationally recognized by College Board through their National Recognition Program. These awards speak to my hard working attitude, grit, and ability to continue on when times become stressful of difficult. A scholarship would allow me to achieve my dreams. I want nothing more than to give back to my community and help those who have helped me. Obtaining a college degree will allow me to become a nurse so that I can continue to serve my community in a very tangible way. Every day I will be helping people, tending to the sick, and saving lives. There is no better way to serve the community more humbly and selflessly than the way that nurses do. I found this scholarship through Bold.org.

It is my dream to become a nurse and to serve my community in a meaningful way because I believe that nurses make a large impact on the patients they humbly serve and the lives they touch. My inspiration for becoming a nurse comes from my mother, who is a registered nurse herself. She makes a difference by advocating for registered nurses and patient safety. By becoming a nurse, I want to follow in her footsteps while I work at the bedside. My short-term career plan is to attend Carroll College in Helena, obtain my BSN, and become a registered nurse. I am especially excited to attend Carroll because they offer a unique direct admit nursing program with a Spanish nursing minor. I achieved the seal of biliteracy from the 5 years of Spanish that I took in high school. The program at Carroll will build on that knowledge by teaching me Spanish medical vocabulary and common conditions facing Hispanic populations so that I will be able to give more accessible care to all patients. In the long term, I hope to work at a hospital in pediatrics, devoting my time to helping children and families. I believe that I have a lot of strengths that will help me achieve this dream with excellence. With my determination, leadership skills, empathy, and mission, I will fit the need perfectly and provide care in the best way possible. My passion for caring for people will help me go above and beyond for patients and offer them quality care. My hard-working attitude, ability to work in a team, listening and communication skills, and empathy will allow me to go far in any field, but specifically in nursing because these skills are vital to the job. Finally, my humility will keep me caring for patients for the right reasons. I don't want to be rich or famous; I want to improve the lives of those around me. A few of my greatest accomplishments include being recognized by my city and awarded Spokane Scholar for English, achieving AP Scholar with Honor, and being Nationally recognized by College Board through their National Recognition Program. These awards speak to my hard working attitude, grit, and ability to continue on when times become stressful of difficult. Another experience I've had, though not directly related to the medical field, that I believe will help me to be a better nurse is my job at Safeway. I have been working at Safeway for almost 3 months, since the beginning of November 2025. I work as a cashier, and also in Drive Up and Go as an in-store shopper. Though it is not anything special, I see my job as a simple way to serve my community. I strive every day to make a difference in the lives of the shoppers visiting my store and providing good quality service. I see my job as one that will help me in my future as a nurse, because both jobs have a lot in common. They both require patience, leadership, humility, and dedication to the good of others. A scholarship would allow me to achieve my dreams. I want nothing more than to give back to my community and help those who have helped me. Obtaining a college degree will allow me to become a nurse so that I can continue to serve my community in a very tangible way. Every day I will be helping people, tending to the sick, and saving lives. There is no better way to serve the community more humbly and selflessly than the way that nurses do.

My involvement in sports has put me in an important position to lead; this year I have been given the honor and opportunity of being the team captain on the cross-country team. Going into my senior year, I knew that I would have my last cross-country season, and I was determined to get the most out of it. My motto, like my coach always says, was “last one, best one”. When I thought about executing this, I thought about huge PRs, and that success would be on Athletic.net, in the times that I ran that the places I earned. However, reflecting on my season, I believe that I fulfilled my “last one, best one” goal, though not in the way that I thought I would. When I think about the successes of my season, I don’t think of my times or races, I think of the time I spent with my teammates and the memories that we shared. Maya Angelo once said, “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” This quote reminds me of all the upperclassmen that have inspired me over the 4 years I have been running. I don’t remember their PRs, but I do remember the joy of running with them in practice and the desire to be like them. This leads me to the first lesson that I have learned from doing sports: a leader is a role model to their followers, so they must set a good example. With the importance of setting a good example and the inspirational upperclassmen in my mind, I have set my focus on fostering a positive team culture this year. I did everything that I could to increase the number of athletes on our small team. Starting in late spring I reached out to incoming freshman who thought they might want to run cross country and personally invited them to summer conditioning. As new faces came, I made an effort to really get to know each of the girls’ stories. What motivates them and what are they scared of? What are they passionate and excited about? I have helped create a tight knit team that celebrates everyone's victories, however big or small. We win as a team, and we lose as a team. This is the second lesson that I have learned: no one runs alone! When we work as a team we can go farther than if we work alone. Finally, in getting to know my teammates and their strengths and weaknesses, I have learned that the best way to lead is to listen to the people you are leading. We all have unique talents, and giving people the opportunity to use them makes them feel special and important. Furthermore, if a leader can understand their followers’ unique challenges, then they will be better able to support every member of the group and build a better team.

My involvement in sports has put me in an important position to lead; this year I have been given the honor and opportunity of being the team captain on the cross-country team. Going into my senior year, I knew that I would have my last cross-country season, and I was determined to get the most out of it. My motto, like my coach always says, was “last one, best one”. When I thought about executing this, I thought about huge PRs, and that success would be on Athletic.net, in the times that I ran that the places I earned. However, reflecting on my season, I believe that I fulfilled my “last one, best one” goal, though not in the way that I thought I would. When I think about the successes of my season, I don’t think of my times or races, I think of the time I spent with my teammates and the memories that we shared. Maya Angelo once said, “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” This quote reminds me of all the upperclassmen that have inspired me over the 4 years I have been running. I don’t remember their PRs, but I do remember the joy of running with them in practice and the desire to be like them. This leads me to the first lesson that I have learned from doing sports: a leader is a role model to their followers, so they must set a good example. With the importance of setting a good example and the inspirational upperclassmen in my mind, I have set my focus on fostering a positive team culture this year. I did everything that I could to increase the number of athletes on our small team. Starting in late spring I reached out to incoming freshman who thought they might want to run cross country and personally invited them to summer conditioning. As new faces came, I made an effort to really get to know each of the girls’ stories. What motivates them and what are they scared of? What are they passionate and excited about? I have helped create a tight knit team that celebrates everyone's victories, however big or small. We win as a team, and we lose as a team. This is the second lesson that I have learned: no one runs alone! When we work as a team we can go farther than if we work alone. Finally, in getting to know my teammates and their strengths and weaknesses, I have learned that the best way to lead is to listen to the people you are leading. We all have unique talents, and giving people the opportunity to use them makes them feel special and important. Furthermore, if a leader can understand their followers’ unique challenges, then they will be better able to support every member of the group and build a better team. My relationship with me cross country teammates has played an important role in my life. Not only have they taught me a lot about what it means to be a leader and a part of a team, but also about myself and how to be a great friend.

Math is intricately intertwined in everyday life. It is all around us and can be used in an infinite number of applications. From physics to finance, math has become a tool that we cannot live without. To start off, there are many practical uses for math. Realistically, all college degrees require some sort of math requirement. I plan on becoming a nurse in the future, so statistics will be my focus. However, some jobs require more in-depth knowledge such as engineering, architecture, computer science, finance, and research. For these areas, math is more than a helpful tool to have; it becomes a vital skill. I have taken many advanced high school math courses, including AP Calculus, AP Statistics, and AP Physics. Each of these courses has allowed me to broaden my view of the world around me. I remember when I started AP Calculus, my teacher asked me if it would be possible to find the rate of change at any given instant in time. I told her no, that would be impossible (when in fact that is what calculus is all about!). I spent the next 8 months realizing how wrong I had been. My math classes challenge me to think outside the box. Math is not about formulas, variables, and solving for x. It is about critical thinking, problem solving, and the real-world applications. Finally, I believe that math brings people together. The math world is also a community. Who doesn’t love eating a slice of pie on pi day? Unless you celebrate tau day, the twenty-eighth of June (two slices of pie!). It doesn’t matter if someone is good at the subject, likes it or dislikes it; math is something that people can agree on and are familiar with. Two plus two will always equal four. Everyone remembers learning the quadratic formula. Since math is considered a core subject in school, people across the country and across the world can relate to each other through what they were taught in math class. Math is uniquely different from any other subject. History can be told from many different sides, not every country speaks English, however math will always remain the same. Math is more than a subject. It is a tool with many practical applications, a way to challenge thinking, and math brings people together.

It is my dream to become a nurse and to serve my community in an impactful way. Nurses play an important vital role in the way our society functions. People need the support of nurses across their entire life span, from birth to death. It doesn’t matter what type of nursing I choose whether it be pediatrics, critical care, cardiology, geriatrics, oncology and more, there will always be a need for smart, well-trained nurses who know what they are doing and how best to serve those around them. I can fill that position, and I take comfort in knowing that I can humbly make a difference. I also believe that I have a lot of strengths that will help me achieve this dream with excellence. With my determination, leadership skills, empathy, and mission, I will fit the need perfectly and provide care in the best way possible. My passion for caring for people will help me go above and beyond for patients and offer them quality care. My hard-working attitude, ability to work in a team, listening and communication skills, and empathy will allow me to go far in any field, but specifically in nursing because these skills are vital to the job. Finally, my humility will keep me caring for patients for the right reasons. I don't want to be rich or famous; I want to improve the lives of those around me. This is my biggest dream. My short-term career plan is to attend Carroll College in Helena, obtain my BSN, and become a registered nurse. I am especially excited to attend Carroll because they offer a unique direct admit nursing program with a Spanish nursing minor. I achieved the seal of biliteracy from the 5 years of Spanish that I took in high school. The program at Carroll will build on that knowledge by teaching me Spanish medical vocabulary and common conditions facing Hispanic populations so that I will be able to give more accessible care to all patients. In the long term, I hope to work at a hospital in pediatrics, devoting my time to helping children and families. A scholarship would allow me to achieve my dreams. I want nothing more than to give back to my community and help those who have helped me. Obtaining a college degree will allow me to become a nurse so that I can continue to serve my community in a very tangible way. Every day I will be helping people, tending to the sick, and saving lives. There is no better way to serve the community more humbly and selflessly than the way that nurses do.

I believe I am called to become a nurse. My personal relationship with God affects my faith in that He is present in everything that I do, from interactions with friends to decisions that I make. I chose to pray about important decisions in my life that will affect my future, so that through his guidance I may make the right decision. First, I prayed about my vocation in life. I considered all aspects, from what job I would have, to if I was being called to marriage or religious life. Ultimately, I decided that God was calling me to become a nurse. This realization was heavily influenced by my relationship with the Lord and my beliefs as a Catholic. I thought that the best way that I could serve the Lord would be to help his children in their illness, whether that be physical, mental, or spiritual. In the bible, Jesus healed countless people through working miracles. Though I won't be able to work any miracles, I believe that He is calling me to follow in His footsteps, by dedicating my life to the service of others. After I found my career path, I prayed about the institution that I should go to. I know that college is an important time of life, and I wanted to make sure that I found a college that would affirm my Christian beliefs and bring me closer to God. I searched for a variety of public and private colleges and determined Carroll College as my best match. Carroll is an ecumenical private Catholic College in Helena, MT. When I visited campus, I could tell that God lives on campus. The students and staff there would support my journey and growth in faith. Pope Leo said that a Catholic education “forms citizens capable of serving and believers capable of bearing witness — men and women who are freer, not more isolated." Since faith is so intricately tied to identity, when we have an in-depth understanding our relationship with God can impact how we view ourselves, our neighbors, and world events. I want to have a firm knowledge of my faith because I understand the importance of it and value living a devout, Christian life. On campus, I plan to become a part of campus ministry to help spread Christianity. One of the things that Carroll does is "service Sundays." Each Sunday, a team of students goes out to the community and volunteers wherever needed: at food banks, homeless shelters etc. I am excited to join something bigger than myself. My decision to become a nurse was also heavily influenced my mother, who is a registered nurse herself. She makes a difference by advocating for registered nurses and patient safety. By becoming a nurse, I want to follow in her footsteps while I work at the bedside, helping children and families. I believe that God worked through my mother in leading me to my future career path. I believe that I am called to become a nurse. (As for social media handles, I would love to share them, but I do not use social media since it is so unhealthy)

My adversity in life has come from my parents' divorce in the summer after my 3rd grade year. Toward the end of the school year, things were getting heated at home. Eventually, my mother walked down the front walk with a laundry bin of her clothes and asked my sister and I to get into the car. We arrived at my grandparent's house. My grandparents were happy to see us, their hugs still felt the same, and the dogs jumped on us and barked like they always do. That summer ended up being the most fun summer of my life. There were some things that I had to adjust to. My sister and I started going back and forth from mom’s to dad’s every other weekend. We also started going out to dinner to spend time with my dad. And, I got to spend all day every day with my grandparents. They lived on a farm, so we got to bottle feed baby calves and take care of the animals. My grandparents spoiled us rotten; my sister and I got endless ice cream – mint chocolate chip flavor, since that was the only kind my grandpa didn’t eat. It was like a dream. We never really escaped the challenges that come with divorced parents. Since we moved to the city, my dad’s house changed from down the road to an hour and a half drive. Weekends with him became increasingly difficult, and I could never see my friends whenever it was his weekend. My one lifeline through all the challenges has been my sister. She is my best friend, gives the best advice, and helped me through the tough experiences in life. Having gone through all the same experiences, she really gets me. We are practically attached at the hip. It was not long after that my mother met my soon-to-be stepfather, and since then I truly believe that he changed the course of my life. He influenced me in so many profound ways and shaped me into who I am today. For one, he introduced me to cross country running and track, sports which have been central to my high school career. He challenges me to be the best person that I can be. I believe that a lot can be learned from my experience. Sometimes, life throws challenges at us. We have no control over them; they simply happen, and they are not easy. However, what we do have control over is how we react to those challenges. We can choose to make the most of them, or we can choose to shut down, and the greatest things can happen to us if we choose to make the most of them. Additionally, know that my struggle isn't unique. Unfortunately, many people like me go through the same issues. I believe that my experience has allowed me to become a more empathetic and socially conscious. I plan on using the lessons that I have learned from my blended background in my career: nursing. I think that they will help me to be a better nurse. I chose to make the most of my situation. I made new friends after the move, and I didn’t let my circumstances ruin my summer. Today, I still deal with struggles from the nature of my family structure, and I will for the rest of my life. However, I remain resilient. I continue to move forward despite the struggles, and I am a better person for it. I will forever believe in the light at the end of the tunnel.

My passion for becoming a nurse comes from many my life experiences. I have become a leader is through my leadership class at school. My focus in class is to serve the students with special needs. The students in the special ed program have given me lessons on what it means to be a leader. While I consider myself a generally positive happy person, no one exemplifies positive or happy like those kids. They live every day with really difficult challenges. Some cannot speak or hear; others are not mobile or can’t participate in life the way most of us consider normal. My heart goes out to them, and through that I have developed a passion for helping and caring for people. This passion has fueled events with and for the special end department. Halloween celebrations, community service events, and events to facilitate better relationships between general ed and special ed students to name a few. These events were all designed to serve. This leads me to focus on my career aspirations. It is my dream to become a nurse and to serve my community in a meaningful way because I believe that nurses make a large impact on the patients they humbly serve and the lives they touch. My inspiration for becoming a nurse comes from my mother, who is a registered nurse herself. She makes a difference by advocating for registered nurses and patient safety. By becoming a nurse, I want to follow in her footsteps while I work at the bedside. My short-term career plan is to attend Carroll College in Helena, obtain my BSN, and become a registered nurse. I am especially excited to attend Carroll because they offer a unique direct admit nursing program with a Spanish nursing minor. I achieved the seal of biliteracy from the 5 years of Spanish that I took in high school. The program at Carroll will build on that knowledge by teaching me Spanish medical vocabulary and common conditions facing Hispanic populations so that I will be able to give more accessible care to all patients. In the long term, I hope to work at a hospital in pediatrics, devoting my time to helping children and families. I don't want to be rich or famous; I want to improve the lives of those around me. I hope to work at a hospital in pediatrics, devoting my time to helping children and families. This is my biggest dream. A scholarship would allow me to achieve my dreams. I want nothing more than to give back to my community and help those who have helped me. Obtaining a college degree will allow me to become a nurse so that I can continue to serve my community in a very tangible way. Every day I will be helping people, tending to the sick, and saving lives. There is no better way to serve the community more humbly and selflessly than the way that nurses do.

It is my dream to become a nurse and to serve my community in an impactful way. Nurses play an important vital role in the way our society functions. People need the support of nurses across their entire life span, from birth to death. It doesn’t matter what type of nursing I choose whether it be pediatrics, critical care, cardiology, geriatrics, oncology and more, there will always be a need for smart, well-trained nurses who know what they are doing and how best to serve those around them. I can fill that position, and I take comfort in knowing that I can humbly make a difference. I also believe that I have a lot of strengths that will help me achieve this dream with excellence. With my determination, leadership skills, empathy, and mission, I will fit the need perfectly and provide care in the best way possible. My passion for caring for people will help me go above and beyond for patients and offer them quality care. My hard-working attitude, ability to work in a team, listening and communication skills, and empathy will allow me to go far in any field, but specifically in nursing because these skills are vital to the job. Finally, my humility will keep me caring for patients for the right reasons. I don't want to be rich or famous; I want to improve the lives of those around me. This is my biggest dream. My short-term career plan is to attend Carroll College in Helena, obtain my BSN, and become a registered nurse. I am especially excited to attend Carroll because they offer a unique direct admit nursing program with a Spanish nursing minor. I achieved the seal of biliteracy from the 5 years of Spanish that I took in high school. The program at Carroll will build on that knowledge by teaching me Spanish medical vocabulary and common conditions facing Hispanic populations so that I will be able to give more accessible care to all patients. In the long term, I hope to work at a hospital in pediatrics, devoting my time to helping children and families. A scholarship would allow me to achieve my dreams. I want nothing more than to give back to my community and help those who have helped me. Obtaining a college degree will allow me to become a nurse so that I can continue to serve my community in a very tangible way. Every day I will be helping people, tending to the sick, and saving lives. There is no better way to serve the community more humbly and selflessly than the way that nurses do.

Over the past four years of high school, I have been involved in a variety of extracurriculars and community service activities. These activities have shaped me and have influenced my career choice as well as my dream for my future. My involvement in sports has put me in an important position to lead; this year I have been given the honor and opportunity of being the team captain on the cross-country team. Going into my senior year, I knew that I would have my last cross-country season, and I was determined to get the most out of it. My motto, like my coach always says, was “last one, best one”. When I thought about executing this, I thought about huge PRs, and that success would be on Athletic.net, in the times that I ran that the places I earned. However, reflecting on my season, I believe that I fulfilled my “last one, best one” goal, though not in the way that I thought I would. When I think about the successes of my season, I don’t think of my times or races, I think of the time I spent with my teammates and the memories that we shared. Maya Angelo once said, “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” This quote reminds me of all the upperclassmen that have inspired me over the 4 years I have been running. I don’t remember their PRs, but I do remember the joy of running with them in practice and the desire to be like them. This leads me to the first lesson that I have learned from doing sports: a leader is a role model to their followers, so they must set a good example. With the importance of setting a good example and the inspirational upperclassmen in my mind, I have set my focus on fostering a positive team culture this year. I did everything that I could to increase the number of athletes on our small team. Starting in late spring I reached out to incoming freshman who thought they might want to run cross country and personally invited them to summer conditioning. As new faces came, I made an effort to really get to know each of the girls’ stories. What motivates them and what are they scared of? What are they passionate and excited about? I have helped create a tight knit team that celebrates everyone's victories, however big or small. We win as a team, and we lose as a team. This is the second lesson that I have learned: no one runs alone! When we work as a team we can go farther than if we work alone. Finally, in getting to know my teammates and their strengths and weaknesses, I have learned that the best way to lead is to listen to the people you are leading. We all have unique talents, and giving people the opportunity to use them makes them feel special and important. Furthermore, if a leader can understand their followers’ unique challenges, then they will be better able to support every member of the group and build a better team. My experiences in sports and community service have shaped me into the person that I am today. I want nothing more than to give back to my community and help those who have helped me by becoming a nurse. A scholarship would allow me to achieve my dreams.

I have taken many advanced high school math courses, including AP Calculus, AP Statistics, and AP Physics. Each of these courses has allowed me to broaden my view of the world around me. I remember when I started AP Calculus, my teacher asked me if it would be possible to find the rate of change at any given instant in time. I told her no, that would be impossible (when in fact that is what calculus is all about). I spent the next 8 months realizing how wrong I had been. My math classes challenge me to think outside the box. Math is not about formulas, variables, and solving for x. It is about critical thinking, problem solving, and the real-world applications. It is my dream to become a nurse and to serve my community in an impactful way. Nurses play a vital role in the way our society functions. People need the support of nurses across their entire life span, from birth to death. My knowledge of math will help me in my career because my education has shaped me into who I am. With my determination, leadership skills, empathy, and mission, I will fit the need perfectly and provide care in the best way possible. My passion for caring for people will help me go above and beyond for patients and offer them quality care. My hard-working attitude, ability to work in a team, listening and communication skills, and empathy will allow me to go far in any field, but specifically in nursing because these skills are vital to the job. Finally, my humility will keep me caring for patients for the right reasons. I don't want to be rich or famous; I want to improve the lives of those around me. This is my biggest dream. A scholarship would allow me to achieve my dreams. I want nothing more than to give back to my community and help those who have helped me. Obtaining a college degree will allow me to become a nurse so that I can continue to serve my community in a very tangible way. Every day I will be helping people, tending to the sick, and saving lives. There is no better way to serve the community more humbly and selflessly than the way that nurses do.cited to attend Carroll because they offer a unique direct admit nursing program with a Spanish nursing minor. I achieved the seal of biliteracy from the 5 years of Spanish that I took in high school. The program at Carroll will build on that knowledge by teaching me Spanish medical vocabulary and common conditions facing Hispanic populations so that I will be able to give more accessible care to all patients. In the long term, I hope to work at a hospital in pediatrics, devoting my time to helping children and families. A scholarship would allow me to achieve my dreams. I want nothing more than to give back to my community and help those who have helped me. Obtaining a college degree will allow me to become a nurse so that I can continue to serve my community in a very tangible way. Every day I will be helping people, tending to the sick, and saving lives. There is no better way to serve the community more humbly and selflessly than the way that nurses do.

My first language is English; however, I have always had an interest in learning other languages. I have taken 5 years of Spanish (the maximum available at my school, and I started my first year when I was in 7th grade. Now I am working on broadening my American Sign Language vocabulary. I believe that knowing multiple languages opens doors for people. Life is about connection. Jackie Robinson once said, "A life is not important except in the impact that it has on other lives." Knowing multiple languages allows us to communicate with a wider range of people, and language links us together. It is my dream to become a nurse and to serve my community in an impactful way. Nurses play an important vital role in the way our society functions. People need the support of nurses across their entire life span, from birth to death. It doesn’t matter what type of nursing I choose whether it be pediatrics, critical care, cardiology, geriatrics, oncology and more, there will always be a need for smart, well-trained nurses who know what they are doing and how best to serve those around them. I can fill that position, and I take comfort in knowing that I can humbly make a difference. I also believe that I have a lot of strengths that will help me achieve this dream with excellence. With my determination, leadership skills, empathy, and mission, I will fit the need perfectly and provide care in the best way possible. My passion for caring for people will help me go above and beyond for patients and offer them quality care. My hard-working attitude, ability to work in a team, listening and communication skills, and empathy will allow me to go far in any field, but specifically in nursing because these skills are vital to the job. Finally, my humility will keep me caring for patients for the right reasons. I don't want to be rich or famous; I want to improve the lives of those around me. Especially in nursing, knowing multiple languages can be a tremendous benefit. My short-term career plan is to attend Carroll College in Helena, obtain my BSN, and become a registered nurse. I am especially excited to attend Carroll because they offer a unique direct admit nursing program with a Spanish nursing minor. I achieved the seal of biliteracy from the 5 years of Spanish that I took in high school. The program at Carroll will build on that knowledge by teaching me Spanish medical vocabulary and common conditions facing Hispanic populations so that I will be able to give more accessible care to all patients. In the long term, I hope to work at a hospital in pediatrics, devoting my time to helping children and families. A scholarship would allow me to achieve my dreams. I want nothing more than to give back to my community and help those who have helped me. Obtaining a college degree will allow me to become a nurse so that I can continue to serve my community in a very tangible way. Every day I will be helping people, tending to the sick, and saving lives. There is no better way to serve the community more humbly and selflessly than the way that nurses do.

Jackie Robinson once said, "A life is not important except in the impact that it has on other lives." I plan to make a positive impact on the world through my career aspiration of becoming a nurse. First, my experiences at school have shaped me into who I am. I have become a leader is through my leadership class at school. My focus in class is to serve the students with special needs. The students in the special ed program have given me lessons on what it means to be a leader. While I consider myself a generally positive happy person, no one exemplifies positive or happy like those kids. They live every day with really difficult challenges. Some cannot speak or hear; others are not mobile or can’t participate in life the way most of us consider normal. My heart goes out to them, and through that I have developed a passion for helping and caring for people. This passion has fueled events with and for the special end department. Halloween celebrations, community service events, and events to facilitate better relationships between general ed and special ed students to name a few. These events were all designed to serve, and through them I have learned that I am happiest when helping people. This leads me to my career aspirations. It is my dream to become a nurse and to serve my community in a meaningful way because I believe that nurses make a large impact on the patients they humbly serve and the lives they touch. My inspiration for becoming a nurse comes from my mother, who is a registered nurse herself. She makes a difference by advocating for registered nurses and patient safety. By becoming a nurse, I want to follow in her footsteps while I work at the bedside. My short-term career plan is to attend Carroll College in Helena, obtain my BSN, and become a registered nurse. I am especially excited to attend Carroll because they offer a unique direct admit nursing program with a Spanish nursing minor. I achieved the seal of biliteracy from the 5 years of Spanish that I took in high school. The program at Carroll will build on that knowledge by teaching me Spanish medical vocabulary and common conditions facing Hispanic populations so that I will be able to give more accessible care to all patients. In the long term, I hope to work at a hospital in pediatrics, devoting my time to helping children and families. I chose nursing to be my career because I believe that nurses directly make the world a better place. By becoming a nurse, I can make a positive impact on the world every day for every patient.

Jackie Robinson once said, "A life is not important except in the impact that it has on other lives." I plan to make a positive impact on the world through my career aspiration of becoming a nurse. First, my experiences at school have shaped me into who I am. I have become a leader is through my leadership class at school. My focus in class is to serve the students with special needs. The students in the special ed program have given me lessons on what it means to be a leader. While I consider myself a generally positive happy person, no one exemplifies positive or happy like those kids. They live every day with really difficult challenges. Some cannot speak or hear; others are not mobile or can’t participate in life the way most of us consider normal. My heart goes out to them, and through that I have developed a passion for helping and caring for people. This passion has fueled events with and for the special end department. Halloween celebrations, community service events, and events to facilitate better relationships between general ed and special ed students to name a few. These events were all designed to serve, and through them I have learned that I am happiest when helping people. This leads me to my career aspirations. It is my dream to become a nurse and to serve my community in a meaningful way because I believe that nurses make a large impact on the patients they humbly serve and the lives they touch. My inspiration for becoming a nurse comes from my mother, who is a registered nurse herself. She makes a difference by advocating for registered nurses and patient safety. By becoming a nurse, I want to follow in her footsteps while I work at the bedside. My short-term career plan is to attend Carroll College in Helena, obtain my BSN, and become a registered nurse. I am especially excited to attend Carroll because they offer a unique direct admit nursing program with a Spanish nursing minor. I achieved the seal of biliteracy from the 5 years of Spanish that I took in high school. The program at Carroll will build on that knowledge by teaching me Spanish medical vocabulary and common conditions facing Hispanic populations so that I will be able to give more accessible care to all patients. In the long term, I hope to work at a hospital in pediatrics, devoting my time to helping children and families. I chose nursing to be my career because I believe that nurses directly make the world a better place. By becoming a nurse, I can make a positive impact on the world every day for every patient.

The biggest academic goal thus far in school has been taking 4 AP classes (and tests!) at once. My junior year I took AP Calculus AB, AP US History, AP Spanish Language, and AP English Language. I was not worried about such a large load because I was overly confident in my abilities. I thought that I could pass all those tests, no problem, and that I didn’t really need to study. School had come so naturally for me in years past, so I thought, why should I do anything different? My parents were my saving grace, because they taught me what it was like to take a real college class. They stressed the importance of making a study plan, sticking to it and working to understand content, not just being able to repeat it. I realized that they were right; I was in over my head and I was going to have to work really hard. I went online and bought a study guide for each course. I LIVED by them. Using the curriculum in my study guides, I printed off calendars from google starting in November all the way to May and scheduled when I would study what. This became a rigid plan that I made few acceptations for. I took many practice tests at home, attended extra study sessions with my classmates that my teachers provided, and used every resource available to me to learn. One of my favorite ways to study was by writing things on a miniature whiteboard. The pen on board motion helped me remember things much easier. I made a lot of sacrifices during my junior year. I gave up time with my family to study, which was really hard for me. Everyone had the understanding that these tests were important, and my family members supported me in my academic journey, but that didn't stop me from feeling like I was missing out. I had to stay on top of time management, so that I could maximize time dedicated to different things, whether it be academics, family, or sports. By the time the week of the tests came, I was ready. I sat for each 3-hour test and poured my knowledge onto the pages (or computer applications, since some of the tests were online). I could hardly think after each one. When the time was up, I would go home, cram for the next one and arrive back at school in the morning ready to repeat. It was draining. The anticipation for test results was the worst I have ever felt. When the scores finally came, it was the happiest day of my life. I passed them all for starters. I earned 4s in US History and English Language and a 5 in Calculus. I celebrated my success with my family and ice cream. I was very proud of the work that I had put in and the result. Furthermore, I was proud of my determination and strength to stick to a long-term goal.

Jackie Robinson once said, "A life is not important except in the impact that it has on other lives." I plan to make a positive impact on the world through my career aspiration of becoming a nurse. My junior and senior year, I joined the Leadership class. At my school, the leadership class plays a vital role in the way that the student body views the school culture, school events, and so much more. I saw the opportunity to make a difference in the high school experience of the special ed students. We planned Fall Fest is an inclusion event that Leadership puts on every year to give special ed kids the opportunity to mix with general ed kids and build friendships and community. On the day of the event, the kids had so much fun. They danced, played cornhole, colored, and bumped the beachball around. I was really proud of the way that my classmates worked to include the special ed kids. Everyone had a fun time. Afterward, we even heard positive feedback from the teachers. They agreed that this year’s Fall Fest was much better than in years past. While Fall Fest was a success, the year is not over and my group of classmates and I have more plans. As we believe that true inclusion comes from deep understanding of one another, we think that the student body would be more open to the students with intellectual disabilities if they understood who they were, and what they were like. Honestly, I think that I have learned more from the few short interactions with the special ed kids that I have from any of my other friends. They really know how to teach someone how to be happy all the time, and how to not let little things get in the way of self-determination and work. For this reason, we have begun brainstorming ways to introduce them to the rest of the student body. We think that using interviews in the school news, SPTV, would be beneficial but we have also thought about holding an assembly on mental disabilities for the whole student body to familiarize themselves with specific conditions facing their fellow Shadle Park classmates. While I consider myself a generally positive happy person, no one exemplifies positive or happy like those kids. They live every day with really difficult challenges. Some cannot speak or hear; others are not mobile or can’t participate in life the way most of us consider normal. My heart goes out to them, and through that I have developed a passion for helping and caring for people. This passion has fueled events with and for the special end department. Halloween celebrations, community service events, and events to facilitate better relationships between general ed and special ed students to name a few. These events were all designed to serve, and through them I have learned that I am happiest when helping people. This leads me to my career aspirations. It is my dream to become a nurse and to serve my community in a meaningful way because I believe that nurses make a large impact on the patients they humbly serve and the lives they touch. My inspiration for becoming a nurse comes from my mother, who is a registered nurse herself. She makes a difference by advocating for registered nurses and patient safety. By becoming a nurse, I want to follow in her footsteps while I work at the bedside. My short-term career plan is to attend Carroll College in Helena, obtain my BSN, and become a registered nurse. I am especially excited to attend Carroll because they offer a unique direct admit nursing program with a Spanish nursing minor. I achieved the seal of biliteracy from the 5 years of Spanish that I took in high school. The program at Carroll will build on that knowledge by teaching me Spanish medical vocabulary and common conditions facing Hispanic populations so that I will be able to give more accessible care to all patients. In the long term, I hope to work at a hospital in pediatrics, devoting my time to helping children and families. I chose nursing to be my career because I believe that nurses directly make the world a better place. By becoming a nurse, I can make a positive impact on the world every day for every patient. My experiences at school with the students of the special ed program have ignited this fire within me to help others. I want to continue to help those in need.

It is my dream to become a nurse and to serve my community in an impactful way. Nurses play an important vital role in the way our society functions. People need the support of nurses across their entire life span, from birth to death. It doesn’t matter what type of nursing I choose whether it be pediatrics, critical care, cardiology, geriatrics, oncology and more, there will always be a need for smart, well-trained nurses who know what they are doing and how best to serve those around them. I can fill that position, and I take comfort in knowing that I can humbly make a difference. I also believe that I have a lot of strengths that will help me achieve this dream with excellence. With my determination, leadership skills, empathy, and mission, I will fit the need perfectly and provide care in the best way possible. My passion for caring for people will help me go above and beyond for patients and offer them quality care. My hard-working attitude, ability to work in a team, listening and communication skills, and empathy will allow me to go far in any field, but specifically in nursing because these skills are vital to the job. Finally, my humility will keep me caring for patients for the right reasons. I don't want to be rich or famous; I want to improve the lives of those around me. This is my biggest dream. My short-term career plan is to attend Carroll College in Helena, obtain my BSN, and become a registered nurse. I am especially excited to attend Carroll because they offer a unique direct admit nursing program with a Spanish nursing minor. I achieved the seal of biliteracy from the 5 years of Spanish that I took in high school. The program at Carroll will build on that knowledge by teaching me Spanish medical vocabulary and common conditions facing Hispanic populations so that I will be able to give more accessible care to all patients. In the long term, I hope to work at a hospital in pediatrics, devoting my time to helping children and families. A scholarship would allow me to achieve my dreams. I want nothing more than to give back to my community and help those who have helped me. Obtaining a college degree will allow me to become a nurse so that I can continue to serve my community in a very tangible way. Every day I will be helping people, tending to the sick, and saving lives. There is no better way to serve the community more humbly and selflessly than the way that nurses do.

My adversity in life has come from my parents' divorce in the summer after my 3rd grade year. Toward the end of the school year, things were getting heated at home. Eventually, my mother walked down the front walk with a laundry bin of her clothes and asked my sister and I to get into the car. We arrived at my grandparent's house. My grandparents were happy to see us, their hugs still felt the same, and the dogs jumped on us and barked like they always do. That summer ended up being the most fun summer of my life. There were some things that I had to adjust to. My sister and I started going back and forth from mom’s to dad’s every other weekend. We also started going out to dinner to spend time with my dad. And, I got to spend all day every day with my grandparents. They lived on a farm, so we got to bottle feed baby calves and take care of the animals. My grandparents spoiled us rotten; my sister and I got endless ice cream – mint chocolate chip flavor, since that was the only kind my grandpa didn’t eat. It was like a dream. We never really escaped the challenges that come with divorced parents. Since we moved to the city, my dad’s house changed from down the road to an hour and a half drive. Weekends with him became increasingly difficult, and I could never see my friends whenever it was his weekend. My one lifeline through all the challenges has been my sister. She is my best friend, gives the best advice, and helped me through the tough experiences in life. Having gone through all the same experiences, she really gets me. We are practically attached at the hip. It was not long after that my mother met my soon-to-be stepfather, and since then I truly believe that he changed the course of my life. He influenced me in so many profound ways and shaped me into who I am today. For one, he introduced me to cross country running and track, sports which have been central to my high school career. He challenges me to be the best person that I can be. I believe that a lot can be learned from my experience. Sometimes, life throws challenges at us. We have no control over them; they simply happen, and they are not easy. However, what we do have control over is how we react to those challenges. We can choose to make the most of them, or we can choose to shut down, and the greatest things can happen to us if we choose to make the most of them. Additionally, know that my struggle isn't unique. Unfortunately, many people like me go through the same issues. I believe that my experience has allowed me to become a more empathetic and socially conscious. I plan on using the lessons that I have learned from my blended background in my career: nursing. I think that they will help me to be a better nurse. I chose to make the most of my situation. I made new friends after the move, and I didn’t let my circumstances ruin my summer. Today, I still deal with struggles from the nature of my family structure, and I will for the rest of my life. However, I remain resilient. I continue to move forward despite the struggles, and I am a better person for it. I will forever believe in the light at the end of the tunnel.

Jackie Robinson once said, "A life is not important except in the impact that it has on other lives." I plan to make a positive impact on the world through my career aspiration of becoming a nurse. First, my experiences at school have shaped me into who I am. I have become a leader is through my leadership class at school. My focus in class is to serve the students with special needs. The students in the special ed program have given me lessons on what it means to be a leader. While I consider myself a generally positive happy person, no one exemplifies positive or happy like those kids. They live every day with really difficult challenges. Some cannot speak or hear; others are not mobile or can’t participate in life the way most of us consider normal. My heart goes out to them, and through that I have developed a passion for helping and caring for people. This passion has fueled events with and for the special end department. Halloween celebrations, community service events, and events to facilitate better relationships between general ed and special ed students to name a few. These events were all designed to serve, and through them I have learned that I am happiest when helping people. This leads me to my career aspirations. It is my dream to become a nurse and to serve my community in a meaningful way because I believe that nurses make a large impact on the patients they humbly serve and the lives they touch. My inspiration for becoming a nurse comes from my mother, who is a registered nurse herself. She makes a difference by advocating for registered nurses and patient safety. By becoming a nurse, I want to follow in her footsteps while I work at the bedside. My short-term career plan is to attend Carroll College in Helena, obtain my BSN, and become a registered nurse. I am especially excited to attend Carroll because they offer a unique direct admit nursing program with a Spanish nursing minor. I achieved the seal of biliteracy from the 5 years of Spanish that I took in high school. The program at Carroll will build on that knowledge by teaching me Spanish medical vocabulary and common conditions facing Hispanic populations so that I will be able to give more accessible care to all patients. In the long term, I hope to work at a hospital in pediatrics, devoting my time to helping children and families. I chose nursing to be my career because I believe that nurses directly make the world a better place. By becoming a nurse, I can make a positive impact on the world every day for every patient.

My personal relationship affects my faith in that he is present in everything that I do, from interactions with friends to decisions that I make. I chose to pray about important decisions in my life that will affect my future, so that through his guidance I may make the right decision. First, I prayed about my vocation in life. I considered all aspects, from what job I would have, to if I was being called to marriage or religious life. Ultimately, I decided that God was calling me to become a nurse. This realization was heavily influenced by my relationship with the Lord and my beliefs as a Catholic. I thought that the best way that I could serve the Lord would be to help his children in their illness, whether that be physical, mental, or spiritual. In the bible, Jesus healed countless people through working miracles. Though I won't be able to work any miracles, I believe that He is calling me to follow in His footsteps, by dedicating my life to the service of others. After I found my career path, I prayed about the institution that I should go to. I know that college is an important time of life, and I wanted to make sure that I found a college that would affirm my Christian beliefs and bring me closer to God. I searched for a variety of public and private colleges and determined Carroll College as my best match. Carroll is an ecumenical private Catholic College in Helena, MT. When I visited campus, I could tell that God lives on campus. The students and staff there would support my journey and growth in faith. Pope Leo said that a Catholic education “forms citizens capable of serving and believers capable of bearing witness — men and women who are freer, not more isolated." Since faith is so intricately tied to identity, when we have an in-depth understanding our relationship with God can impact how we view ourselves, our neighbors, and world events. It is my dream to become a nurse and to serve my community in a meaningful way because I believe that nurses make a large impact on the patients they humbly serve and the lives they touch. My inspiration for becoming a nurse comes from my mother, who is a registered nurse herself. She makes a difference by advocating for registered nurses and patient safety. By becoming a nurse, I want to follow in her footsteps while I work at the bedside. My short-term career plan is to attend Carroll College in Helena, obtain my BSN, and become a registered nurse. I am especially excited to attend Carroll because they offer a unique direct admit nursing program with a Spanish nursing minor. I achieved the seal of biliteracy from the 5 years of Spanish that I took in high school. The program at Carroll will build on that knowledge by teaching me Spanish medical vocabulary and common conditions facing Hispanic populations so that I will be able to give more accessible care to all patients. In the long term, I hope to work at a hospital in pediatrics, devoting my time to helping children and families. A scholarship would allow me to achieve my dreams. I want nothing more than to follow God's plan for my life and answer his call. Obtaining a college degree will allow me to become a nurse so that I can continue to serve in a very tangible way.

My passion for becoming a nurse comes from many my life experiences. I have become a leader is through my leadership class at school. My focus in class is to serve the students with special needs. The students in the special ed program have given me lessons on what it means to be a leader. While I consider myself a generally positive happy person, no one exemplifies positive or happy like those kids. They live every day with really difficult challenges. Some cannot speak or hear; others are not mobile or can’t participate in life the way most of us consider normal. My heart goes out to them, and through that I have developed a passion for helping and caring for people. This passion has fueled events with and for the special end department. Halloween celebrations, community service events, and events to facilitate better relationships between general ed and special ed students to name a few. These events were all designed to serve. This leads me to my career aspirations. It is my dream to become a nurse and to serve my community in a meaningful way because I believe that nurses make a large impact on the patients they humbly serve and the lives they touch. My inspiration for becoming a nurse comes from my mother, who is a registered nurse herself. She makes a difference by advocating for registered nurses and patient safety. By becoming a nurse, I want to follow in her footsteps while I work at the bedside. My short-term career plan is to attend Carroll College in Helena, obtain my BSN, and become a registered nurse. I am especially excited to attend Carroll because they offer a unique direct admit nursing program with a Spanish nursing minor. I achieved the seal of biliteracy from the 5 years of Spanish that I took in high school. The program at Carroll will build on that knowledge by teaching me Spanish medical vocabulary and common conditions facing Hispanic populations so that I will be able to give more accessible care to all patients. In the long term, I hope to work at a hospital in pediatrics, devoting my time to helping children and families. My experiences in sports and community service have shaped me into the person that I am today. A scholarship would allow me to achieve my dreams. I want nothing more than to give back to my community and help those who have helped me. Obtaining a college degree will allow me to become a nurse so that I can continue to serve my community in a very tangible way. Every day I will be helping people, tending to the sick, and saving lives. There is no better way to serve the community more humbly and selflessly than the way that nurses do.

My passion for becoming a nurse comes from many my life experiences. I have become a leader is through my leadership class at school. My focus in class is to serve the students with special needs. The students in the special ed program have given me lessons on what it means to be a leader. While I consider myself a generally positive happy person, no one exemplifies positive or happy like those kids. They live every day with really difficult challenges. Some cannot speak or hear; others are not mobile or can’t participate in life the way most of us consider normal. My heart goes out to them, and through that I have developed a passion for helping and caring for people. This passion has fueled events with and for the special end department. Halloween celebrations, community service events, and events to facilitate better relationships between general ed and special ed students to name a few. These events were all designed to serve. This leads me to my career aspirations. It is my dream to become a nurse and to serve my community in a meaningful way because I believe that nurses make a large impact on the patients they humbly serve and the lives they touch. My inspiration for becoming a nurse comes from my mother, who is a registered nurse herself. She makes a difference by advocating for registered nurses and patient safety. By becoming a nurse, I want to follow in her footsteps while I work at the bedside. My short-term career plan is to attend Carroll College in Helena, obtain my BSN, and become a registered nurse. I am especially excited to attend Carroll because they offer a unique direct admit nursing program with a Spanish nursing minor. I achieved the seal of biliteracy from the 5 years of Spanish that I took in high school. The program at Carroll will build on that knowledge by teaching me Spanish medical vocabulary and common conditions facing Hispanic populations so that I will be able to give more accessible care to all patients. In the long term, I hope to work at a hospital in pediatrics, devoting my time to helping children and families. My experiences in sports and community service have shaped me into the person that I am today. A scholarship would allow me to achieve my dreams. I want nothing more than to give back to my community and help those who have helped me. Obtaining a college degree will allow me to become a nurse so that I can continue to serve my community in a very tangible way. Every day I will be helping people, tending to the sick, and saving lives. There is no better way to serve the community more humbly and selflessly than the way that nurses do.

It has been said that “the only true disability is the inability to accept and respect differences.” In my life, I have been exposed to a lot of people who are different from me. Some of them are family members, others are friends and neighbors. Whether I know them well or don’t, I have always treated everyone that I meet with a tremendous amount of respect. Furthermore, I believe that everyone at heart is a good person, and where we all fall short is in understanding one another for who we are. I value others for who they are, their stories, and where they came from, and I think that if we knew more about one another, there would be a lot fewer hurt feelings, struggles and heartache. The community service activity that I helped initiate, put together and execute has to do with understanding each other. Of the 1,600 students at my school, about 80 of them are enrolled full time in the special education department. The students don't often get the chance to mix in with the general student body. In many ways they were separated from the rest of the school. My junior and senior year, I joined the Leadership class. At my school, the leadership class plays a vital role in the way that the student body views the school culture, school events, and so much more. I saw the opportunity to make a difference in the high school experience of the special ed students. We planned Fall Fest is an inclusion event that Leadership puts on every year to give special ed kids the opportunity to mix with general ed kids and build friendships and community. On the day of the event, the kids had so much fun. They danced, played cornhole, colored, and bumped the beachball around. I was really proud of the way that my classmates worked to include the special ed kids. Everyone had a fun time. Afterward, we even heard positive feedback from the teachers. They agreed that this year’s Fall Fest was much better than in years past. While Fall Fest was a success, the year is not over and my group of classmates and I have more plans. As we believe that true inclusion comes from deep understanding of one another, we think that the student body would be more open to the students with intellectual disabilities if they understood who they were, and what they were like. Honestly, I think that I have learned more from the few short interactions with the special ed kids that I have from any of my other friends. They really know how to teach someone how to be happy all the time, and how to not let little things get in the way of self-determination and work. For this reason, we have begun brainstorming ways to introduce them to the rest of the student body. We think that using interviews in the school news, SPTV, would be beneficial but we have also thought about holding an assembly on mental disabilities for the whole student body to familiarize themselves with specific conditions facing their fellow Shadle Park classmates. Through community service activities such as Fall Fest, I have addressed problems at my school amongst the student body, and I have helped my school become a more unified environment where everyone can feel like they belong at school. Furthermore, my event has helped people to understand each other for who they are and to get to know each other more closely. By building understanding, we can begin integration and inclusion.

It has been said that “the only true disability is the inability to accept and respect differences.” Of the 1,600 students at my school, about 80 of them are enrolled full time in the special education department. Over the 4 years that I have been at Shadle Park High School, I have become close with a few of the students in the program, but I regret to say that there are some that, only until recently, I had never met or even seen before. The program, though it is one of the best in Spokane, felt very secluded and separate from the rest of Shadle. The students didn’t often get the chance to mix in with the general student body, and when they did get the chance, they weren’t always welcomed. In many ways they were separated from the rest of the school. My junior and senior year, I joined the Leadership class. At my school, the leadership class plays a vital role in the way that the student body views the school culture, school events, and so much more. I noticed that there were other kids withing the leadership class who shared the same ideas as I did and they told me about Fall Fest. Fall Fest is an inclusion event that Leadership puts on every year to give special ed kids the opportunity to mix with general ed kids and build friendships and community. In years past though, it had been a letdown. People kept to their clicks and didn’t integrate. Together with my team, we aimed to make Fall Fest better than ever before. The kids had so much fun. They danced, played cornhole, colored, and bumped the beachball around. I was really proud of the way that my classmates worked to include the special ed kids. Everyone had a fun time. Afterward, we even heard positive feedback from the teachers. They agreed that this year’s Fall Fest was much better than in years past. While Fall Fest was a success, the year is not over and my group of classmates and I have more plans. As we believe that true inclusion comes from deep understanding of one another, we think that the student body would be more open to the students with intellectual disabilities if they understood who they were, and what they were like. Honestly, I think that I have learned more from the few short interactions with the special ed kids that I have from any of my other friends. They really know how to teach someone how to be happy all the time, and how to not let little things get in the way of self-determination and work. For this reason, we have begun brainstorming ways to introduce them to the rest of the student body. We think that using interviews in the school news, SPTV, would be beneficial but we have also thought about holding an assembly on mental disabilities for the whole student body to familiarize themselves with specific conditions facing their fellow Shadle Park classmates. Through community service activities such as Fall Fest, I have addressed problems at my school amongst the student body, and I have helped my school become a more unified environment where everyone can feel like they belong at school.

I have become a leader is through my leadership class at school. My focus in class is to serve the students with special needs. The students in the special ed program have given me lessons on what it means to be a leader. While I consider myself a generally positive happy person, no one exemplifies positive or happy like those kids. They live every day with really difficult challenges. Some cannot speak or hear; others are not mobile or can’t participate in life the way most of us consider normal. My heart goes out to them, and through that I have developed a passion for helping and caring for people. This passion has fueled events with and for the special end department. Halloween celebrations, community service events, and events to facilitate better relationships between general ed and special ed students to name a few. These events were all designed to serve. This leads me to my career aspirations. It is my dream to become a nurse and to serve my community in a meaningful way because I believe that nurses make a large impact on the patients they humbly serve and the lives they touch. My inspiration for becoming a nurse comes from my mother, who is a registered nurse herself. She makes a difference by advocating for registered nurses and patient safety. By becoming a nurse, I want to follow in her footsteps while I work at the bedside. My short-term career plan is to attend Carroll College in Helena, obtain my BSN, and become a registered nurse. I am especially excited to attend Carroll because they offer a unique direct admit nursing program with a Spanish nursing minor. I achieved the seal of biliteracy from the 5 years of Spanish that I took in high school. The program at Carroll will build on that knowledge by teaching me Spanish medical vocabulary and common conditions facing Hispanic populations so that I will be able to give more accessible care to all patients. In the long term, I hope to work at a hospital in pediatrics, devoting my time to helping children and families. My experiences in community service have shaped me into the person that I am today. A scholarship would allow me to achieve my dreams. I want nothing more than to give back to my community and help those who have helped me. Obtaining a college degree will allow me to become a nurse so that I can continue to serve my community in a very tangible way. Every day I will be helping people, tending to the sick, and saving lives. There is no better way to serve the community more humbly and selflessly than the way that nurses do.

It is my dream to become a nurse and to serve my community in an impactful way. Nurses play an important vital role in the way our society functions. People need the support of nurses across their entire life span, from birth to death. It doesn’t matter what type of nursing I choose whether it be pediatrics, critical care, cardiology, geriatrics, oncology and more, there will always be a need for smart, well-trained nurses who know what they are doing and how best to serve those around them. I can fill that position, and I take comfort in knowing that I can humbly make a difference. I also believe that I have a lot of strengths that will help me achieve this dream with excellence. With my determination, leadership skills, empathy, and mission, I will fit the need perfectly and provide care in the best way possible. My passion for caring for people will help me go above and beyond for patients and offer them quality care. My hard-working attitude, ability to work in a team, listening and communication skills, and empathy will allow me to go far in any field, but specifically in nursing because these skills are vital to the job. Finally, my humility will keep me caring for patients for the right reasons. I don't want to be rich or famous; I want to improve the lives of those around me. This is my biggest dream. My short-term career plan is to attend Carroll College in Helena, obtain my BSN, and become a registered nurse. I am especially excited to attend Carroll because they offer a unique direct admit nursing program with a Spanish nursing minor. I achieved the seal of biliteracy from the 5 years of Spanish that I took in high school. The program at Carroll will build on that knowledge by teaching me Spanish medical vocabulary and common conditions facing Hispanic populations so that I will be able to give more accessible care to all patients. In the long term, I hope to work at a hospital in pediatrics, devoting my time to helping children and families. A scholarship would allow me to achieve my dreams. I want nothing more than to give back to my community and help those who have helped me. Obtaining a college degree will allow me to become a nurse so that I can continue to serve my community in a very tangible way. Every day I will be helping people, tending to the sick, and saving lives. There is no better way to serve the community more humbly and selflessly than the way that nurses do.

It is my dream to become a nurse and to serve my community in an impactful way. Nurses play an important vital role in the way our society functions. People need the support of nurses across their entire life span, from birth to death. It doesn’t matter what type of nursing I choose whether it be pediatrics, critical care, cardiology, geriatrics, oncology and more, there will always be a need for smart, well-trained nurses who know what they are doing and how best to serve those around them. I can fill that position, and I take comfort in knowing that I can humbly make a difference. I also believe that I have a lot of strengths that will help me achieve this dream with excellence. With my determination, leadership skills, empathy, and mission, I will fit the need perfectly and provide care in the best way possible. My passion for caring for people will help me go above and beyond for patients and offer them quality care. My hard-working attitude, ability to work in a team, listening and communication skills, and empathy will allow me to go far in any field, but specifically in nursing because these skills are vital to the job. Finally, my humility will keep me caring for patients for the right reasons. I don't want to be rich or famous; I want to improve the lives of those around me. This is my biggest dream. My short-term career plan is to attend Carroll College in Helena, obtain my BSN, and become a registered nurse. I am especially excited to attend Carroll because they offer a unique direct admit nursing program with a Spanish nursing minor. I achieved the seal of biliteracy from the 5 years of Spanish that I took in high school. The program at Carroll will build on that knowledge by teaching me Spanish medical vocabulary and common conditions facing Hispanic populations so that I will be able to give more accessible care to all patients. In the long term, I hope to work at a hospital in pediatrics, devoting my time to helping children and families. A scholarship would allow me to achieve my dreams. I want nothing more than to give back to my community and help those who have helped me. Obtaining a college degree will allow me to become a nurse so that I can continue to serve my community in a very tangible way. Every day I will be helping people, tending to the sick, and saving lives. There is no better way to serve the community more humbly and selflessly than the way that nurses do.

Over the past four years of high school, I have been involved in a variety of extracurriculars and community service activities. These activities have shaped me and have influenced my career choice as well as my dream for my future. My involvement in sports has put me in an important position to lead; this year I have been given the honor and opportunity of being the team captain on the cross-country team. Going into my senior year, I knew that I would have my last cross-country season, and I was determined to get the most out of it. My motto, like my coach always says, was “last one, best one”. I thought success would mean huge PRs. However, when I think about the successes of my season, I don’t think of my times or races, I think of the time I spent with my teammates and the memories that we shared. Maya Angelo once said, “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” This quote reminds me of all the upperclassmen that have inspired me over the 4 years I have been running. I don’t remember their PRs, but I do remember the joy of running with them in practice and the desire to be like them. A leader is a role model to their followers, so they must set a good example. I have set my focus on fostering a positive team culture this year. Starting in late spring I reached out to incoming freshman who thought they might want to run cross country and personally invited them to summer conditioning. I helped create a tight knit team that celebrates everyone's victories, however big or small. We win as a team, and we lose as a team. Additionally, when we work as a team we can go farther than if we work alone. The best way to lead is to listen to the people you are leading. We all have unique talents, and giving people the opportunity to use them makes them feel special and important. Furthermore, if a leader can understand their followers’ unique challenges, then they will be better able to support every member of the group and build a better team. This leads me to my career aspirations. It is my dream to become a nurse and to serve my community in a meaningful way because I believe that nurses make a large impact on the patients they humbly serve and the lives they touch. My inspiration for becoming a nurse comes from my mother, who is a registered nurse herself. She makes a difference by advocating for registered nurses and patient safety. By becoming a nurse, I want to follow in her footsteps while I work at the bedside. I hope to work at a hospital in pediatrics, devoting my time to helping children and families. My experiences in sports and community service have shaped me into the person that I am today. A scholarship would allow me to achieve my dreams. I want nothing more than to give back to my community and help those who have helped me. Obtaining a college degree will allow me to become a nurse so that I can continue to serve my community in a very tangible way. Every day I will be helping people, tending to the sick, and saving lives. There is no better way to serve the community more humbly and selflessly than the way that nurses do.

Over the past four years of high school, I have been involved in a variety of extracurriculars and community service activities. These activities have shaped me and have influenced my career choice as well as my dream for my future. My involvement in sports has put me in an important position to lead; this year I have been given the honor and opportunity of being the team captain on the cross-country team. Going into my senior year, I knew that I would have my last cross-country season, and I was determined to get the most out of it. My motto, like my coach always says, was “last one, best one”. I thought success would mean huge PRs. However, when I think about the successes of my season, I don’t think of my times or races, I think of the time I spent with my teammates and the memories that we shared. Maya Angelo once said, “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” This quote reminds me of all the upperclassmen that have inspired me over the 4 years I have been running. I don’t remember their PRs, but I do remember the joy of running with them in practice and the desire to be like them. A leader is a role model to their followers, so they must set a good example. I have set my focus on fostering a positive team culture this year. Starting in late spring I reached out to incoming freshman who thought they might want to run cross country and personally invited them to summer conditioning. I helped create a tight knit team that celebrates everyone's victories, however big or small. We win as a team, and we lose as a team. Additionally, when we work as a team we can go farther than if we work alone. The best way to lead is to listen to the people you are leading. We all have unique talents, and giving people the opportunity to use them makes them feel special and important. Furthermore, if a leader can understand their followers’ unique challenges, then they will be better able to support every member of the group and build a better team. This leads me to my career aspirations. It is my dream to become a nurse and to serve my community in a meaningful way because I believe that nurses make a large impact on the patients they humbly serve and the lives they touch. My inspiration for becoming a nurse comes from my mother, who is a registered nurse herself. She makes a difference by advocating for registered nurses and patient safety. By becoming a nurse, I want to follow in her footsteps while I work at the bedside. I hope to work at a hospital in pediatrics, devoting my time to helping children and families. My experiences in sports and community service have shaped me into the person that I am today. A scholarship would allow me to achieve my dreams. I want nothing more than to give back to my community and help those who have helped me. Obtaining a college degree will allow me to become a nurse so that I can continue to serve my community in a very tangible way. Every day I will be helping people, tending to the sick, and saving lives. There is no better way to serve the community more humbly and selflessly than the way that nurses do.

It has been said that “the only true disability is the inability to accept and respect differences.” One of the most underrepresented groups at my school is the students of the special ed program. This year through my leadership class, I made it my goal to create a more inclusive school environment. With the help of my classmates, I planned Fall Fest: an event designed to facilitate interaction between students in the adapted special needs programs and general education students. We planned a variety of activities that everyone could do. On the day of the event, everyone had so much fun. Participants danced, played cornhole, colored, and bumped a beachball around. Afterward, we even heard positive feedback from the teachers. Through community service activities such as Fall Fest, I have addressed problems at my school amongst the student body, and I have helped my school become a more unified environment where everyone can feel like they belong. Furthermore, my event has helped people to understand each other for who they are and to get to know each other more closely. By building understanding, we work to build equity and inclusion. Previous successes aside, there is a lot to be done still at my school that could expand this project greatly. In the future, my team and I are planning "Together Thursdays" where students in class would go to special ed classrooms on Thursdays to help teachers and work with students. This would further the goal of Fall Fest! Additionally, Spring Fest is in the works.

Over the past four years of high school, I have been involved in a variety of extracurriculars and community service activities. These activities have shaped me and have influenced my career choice as well as my dream for my future. Another way that I have become a leader is through my leadership class at school. My focus in class is to serve the students with special needs. Like the cross-country girls, the students in the special ed program have given me lessons on what it means to be a leader. While I consider myself a generally positive happy person, no one exemplifies positive or happy like those kids. They live every day with really difficult challenges. Some cannot speak or hear; others are not mobile or can’t participate in life the way most of us consider normal. My heart goes out to them, and through that I have developed a passion for helping and caring for people. This passion has fueled events with and for the special end department. Halloween celebrations, community service events, and events to facilitate better relationships between general ed and special ed students to name a few. These events were all designed to serve. This leads me to my career aspirations. It is my dream to become a nurse and to serve my community in a meaningful way because I believe that nurses make a large impact on the patients they humbly serve and the lives they touch. My inspiration for becoming a nurse comes from my mother, who is a registered nurse herself. She makes a difference by advocating for registered nurses and patient safety. By becoming a nurse, I want to follow in her footsteps while I work at the bedside. My short-term career plan is to attend Carroll College in Helena, obtain my BSN, and become a registered nurse. I am especially excited to attend Carroll because they offer a unique direct admit nursing program with a Spanish nursing minor. I achieved the seal of biliteracy from the 5 years of Spanish that I took in high school. The program at Carroll will build on that knowledge by teaching me Spanish medical vocabulary and common conditions facing Hispanic populations so that I will be able to give more accessible care to all patients. In the long term, I hope to work at a hospital in pediatrics, devoting my time to helping children and families. My experiences have shaped me into the person that I am today. A scholarship would allow me to achieve my dreams. I want nothing more than to give back to my community and help those who have helped me. Obtaining a college degree will allow me to become a nurse so that I can continue to serve my community in a very tangible way. Every day I will be helping people, tending to the sick, and saving lives. There is no better way to serve the community more humbly and selflessly than the way that nurses do.

I have become a leader is through my leadership class at school. My focus in class is to serve the students with special needs. While I consider myself a generally positive happy person, no one exemplifies positive or happy like those kids. They live every day with really difficult challenges. Some cannot speak or hear; others are not mobile or can’t participate in life the way most of us consider normal. My heart goes out to them, and through that I have developed a passion for helping and caring for people. This passion has fueled events with and for the special end department. Halloween celebrations, community service events, and events to facilitate better relationships between general ed and special ed students to name a few. These events were all designed to serve. This leads me to my career aspirations. It is my dream to become a nurse and to serve my community in a meaningful way because I believe that nurses make a large impact on the patients they humbly serve and the lives they touch. My inspiration for becoming a nurse comes from my mother, who is a registered nurse herself. She makes a difference by advocating for registered nurses and patient safety. By becoming a nurse, I want to follow in her footsteps while I work at the bedside. My short-term career plan is to attend Carroll College in Helena, obtain my BSN, and become a registered nurse. I am especially excited to attend Carroll because they offer a unique direct admit nursing program with a Spanish nursing minor. I achieved the seal of biliteracy from the 5 years of Spanish that I took in high school. The program at Carroll will build on that knowledge by teaching me Spanish medical vocabulary and common conditions facing Hispanic populations so that I will be able to give more accessible care to marginalized patients. In the long term, I hope to work at a hospital in pediatrics, devoting my time to helping children and families. A scholarship would allow me to achieve my dreams. I want nothing more than to give back to my community and help those who have helped me. Obtaining a college degree will allow me to become a nurse so that I can continue to serve my community in a very tangible way. Every day I will be helping people, tending to the sick, and saving lives. There is no better way to serve the community more humbly and selflessly than the way that nurses do.

I have become a leader is through my leadership class at school. My focus in class is to serve the students with special needs. The students in the special ed program have given me lessons on what it means to be a leader. While I consider myself a generally positive happy person, no one exemplifies positive or happy like those kids. They live every day with really difficult challenges. Some cannot speak or hear; others are not mobile or can’t participate in life the way most of us consider normal. My heart goes out to them, and through that I have developed a passion for helping and caring for people. This passion has fueled events with and for the special end department. Halloween celebrations, community service events, and events to facilitate better relationships between general ed and special ed students to name a few. These events were all designed to serve. This leads me to my career aspirations. It is my dream to become a nurse and to serve my community in a meaningful way because I believe that nurses make a large impact on the patients they humbly serve and the lives they touch. My inspiration for becoming a nurse comes from my mother, who is a registered nurse herself. She makes a difference by advocating for registered nurses and patient safety. By becoming a nurse, I want to follow in her footsteps while I work at the bedside. My short-term career plan is to attend Carroll College in Helena, obtain my BSN, and become a registered nurse. I am especially excited to attend Carroll because they offer a unique direct admit nursing program with a Spanish nursing minor. I achieved the seal of biliteracy from the 5 years of Spanish that I took in high school. The program at Carroll will build on that knowledge by teaching me Spanish medical vocabulary and common conditions facing Hispanic populations so that I will be able to give more accessible care to all patients. In the long term, I hope to work at a hospital in pediatrics, devoting my time to helping children and families.

A few weeks ago, my cross-country team ran our last meet of the season. After the meet, I noticed one of the younger girls on my team, away from everyone else, disengaged from the situation, staring at the ground. I left the majority of my team to walk over to her and ask her if she was okay. She said she didn’t meet her goals and continued to look down. I could tell she was sad and disappointed in herself. I told her that I didn’t reach all my goals either and offered her a hug. She accepted and I comforted her. Another girl on the team was nearby and joined in. Through my act of kindness, I comforted a friend and inspired others to do the same. Giving her a hug and comforting her felt right, and she cheered up afterward. I was proud of the difference I made. I resisted pressure to conform when I decided to take 4 AP tests in the fall. The culture at my school and of my generation is to be lazy, to do the least amount of work possible, and to get by. Many kids in my class chap GPT assignments instead of do them themselves. I have never use Chat GPT on an assignment. Last year, I took 4 AP tests, meaning I dedicated a lot of time to studying. I never had time for football games or mixers. I was at home, studying. I am proud of my performance on my exams. I passed them all with high scores. I work to create a sense of belonging for students with disabilities at my school through my leadership class at school. My focus in class is to serve the students with special needs While I consider myself a generally positive happy person, no one exemplifies positive or happy like those kids. They live every day with really difficult challenges. Some cannot speak or hear; others are not mobile or can’t participate in life the way most of us consider normal. My heart goes out to them, and through that I have developed a passion for helping and caring for people. This passion has fueled events with and for the special end department. Halloween celebrations, community service events, and events to facilitate better relationships between general ed and special ed students to name a few. These events were all designed to serve. Additionally, they have been very successful in creating that sense of belonging.

Over the past four years of high school, I have been involved in a variety of extracurriculars and community service activities. These activities have shaped me and have influenced my career choice as well as my dream for my future. I have become a leader is through my leadership class at school. My focus in class is to serve the students with special needs. Like the cross-country girls, the students in the special ed program have given me lessons on what it means to be a leader. While I consider myself a generally positive happy person, no one exemplifies positive or happy like those kids. They live every day with really difficult challenges. Some cannot speak or hear; others are not mobile or can’t participate in life the way most of us consider normal. My heart goes out to them, and through that I have developed a passion for helping and caring for people. This passion has fueled events with and for the special end department. Halloween celebrations, community service events, and events to facilitate better relationships between general ed and special ed students to name a few. These events were all designed to serve. This leads me to my career aspirations. It is my dream to become a nurse and to serve my community in a meaningful way because I believe that nurses make a large impact on the patients they humbly serve and the lives they touch. My inspiration for becoming a nurse comes from my mother, who is a registered nurse herself. She makes a difference by advocating for registered nurses and patient safety. By becoming a nurse, I want to follow in her footsteps while I work at the bedside. My short-term career plan is to attend Carroll College in Helena, obtain my BSN, and become a registered nurse. I am especially excited to attend Carroll because they offer a unique direct admit nursing program with a Spanish nursing minor. I achieved the seal of biliteracy from the 5 years of Spanish that I took in high school. The program at Carroll will build on that knowledge by teaching me Spanish medical vocabulary and common conditions facing Hispanic populations so that I will be able to give more accessible care to all patients. In the long term, I hope to work at a hospital in pediatrics, devoting my time to helping children and families. My experiences in sports and community service have shaped me into the person that I am today. A scholarship would allow me to achieve my dreams. I want nothing more than to give back to my community and help those who have helped me. Obtaining a college degree will allow me to become a nurse so that I can continue to serve my community in a very tangible way. Every day I will be helping people, tending to the sick, and saving lives. There is no better way to serve the community more humbly and selflessly than the way that nurses do.

Over the past four years of high school, I have been involved in a variety of extracurriculars and community service activities. These activities have shaped me and have influenced my career choice as well as my dream for my future. I have become a leader is through my leadership class at school. My focus in class is to serve the students with special needs. Like the cross-country girls, the students in the special ed program have given me lessons on what it means to be a leader. While I consider myself a generally positive happy person, no one exemplifies positive or happy like those kids. They live every day with really difficult challenges. Some cannot speak or hear; others are not mobile or can’t participate in life the way most of us consider normal. My heart goes out to them, and through that I have developed a passion for helping and caring for people. This passion has fueled events with and for the special end department. Halloween celebrations, community service events, and events to facilitate better relationships between general ed and special ed students to name a few. These events were all designed to serve. If I could start my own charity, it would be to help people with disabilities. I would fundraise money to help them pay for equipment that they need to function. For example, my friend who is nonverbal uses an iPad at school to communicate with others who don't know sign language. However, once she graduates, she will not be able to bring that home with her anymore. Technology can be expensive; my charity would help people with disabilities pay for that. This leads me to my career aspirations. It is my dream to become a nurse and to serve my community in a meaningful way because I believe that nurses make a large impact on the patients they humbly serve and the lives they touch. My inspiration for becoming a nurse comes from my mother, who is a registered nurse herself. She makes a difference by advocating for registered nurses and patient safety. By becoming a nurse, I want to follow in her footsteps while I work at the bedside. My short-term career plan is to attend Carroll College in Helena, obtain my BSN, and become a registered nurse. I am especially excited to attend Carroll because they offer a unique direct admit nursing program with a Spanish nursing minor. I achieved the seal of biliteracy from the 5 years of Spanish that I took in high school. The program at Carroll will build on that knowledge by teaching me Spanish medical vocabulary and common conditions facing Hispanic populations so that I will be able to give more accessible care to all patients. In the long term, I hope to work at a hospital in pediatrics, devoting my time to helping children and families. Obtaining a college degree will allow me to become a nurse so that I can continue to serve my community in a very tangible way. Every day I will be helping people, tending to the sick, and saving lives. There is no better way to serve the community more humbly and selflessly than the way that nurses do.

My inspiration for becoming a nurse comes from many aspects on my life. First, it has come from experiences I have had at school by becoming a student leader. I joined my school's leadership class about a year ago. My focus in class is to serve the students with special needs. Like the cross-country girls, the students in the special ed program have given me lessons on what it means to be a leader. While I consider myself a generally positive happy person, no one exemplifies positive or happy like those kids. They live every day with really difficult challenges. Some cannot speak or hear; others are not mobile or can’t participate in life the way most of us consider normal. My heart goes out to them, and through that I have developed a passion for helping and caring for people. Through this passion, I have helped plan events with and for the special end department. Halloween celebrations, community service events, and events to facilitate better relationships between general ed and special ed students to name a few. These events were all designed to serve. This leads me to my career aspirations. It is my dream to become a nurse and to serve my community in a meaningful way because I believe that nurses make a large impact on the patients they humbly serve and the lives they touch. Another one of my inspirations for becoming a nurse comes from my mother, who is a registered nurse herself. She makes a difference by advocating for registered nurses and patient safety. By becoming a nurse, I want to follow in her footsteps while I work at the bedside. My short-term career plan is to attend Carroll College in Helena, obtain my BSN, and become a registered nurse. I am especially excited to attend Carroll because they offer a unique direct admit nursing program with a Spanish nursing minor. I achieved the seal of biliteracy from the 5 years of Spanish that I took in high school. The program at Carroll will build on that knowledge by teaching me Spanish medical vocabulary and common conditions facing Hispanic populations so that I will be able to give more accessible care to all patients. In the long term, I hope to work at a hospital in pediatrics, devoting my time to helping children and families. My experiences in sports and community service have shaped me into the person that I am today. A scholarship would allow me to achieve my dreams. I want nothing more than to give back to my community and help those who have helped me. Obtaining a college degree will allow me to become a nurse so that I can continue to serve my community in a very tangible way. Every day I will be helping people, tending to the sick, and saving lives. There is no better way to serve the community more humbly and selflessly than the way that nurses do.

Math is intricately intertwined in everyday life. It is all around us and can be used in an infinite number of applications. From physics to finance, math has become a tool that we cannot live without. To start off, there are many practical uses for math. Realistically, all college degrees require some sort of math requirement. I plan on becoming a nurse in the future, so statistics will be my focus. However, some jobs require more in-depth knowledge such as engineering, architecture, computer science, finance, and research. For these areas, math is more than a helpful tool to have; it becomes a vital skill. I have taken many advanced high school math courses, including AP Calculus, AP Statistics, and AP Physics. Each of these courses has allowed me to broaden my view of the world around me. I remember when I started AP Calculus, my teacher asked me if it would be possible to find the rate of change at any given instant in time. I told her no, that would be impossible (when in fact that is what calculus is all about). I spent the next 8 months realizing how wrong I had been. My math classes challenge me to think outside the box. Math is not about formulas, variables, and solving for x. It is about critical thinking, problem solving, and the real-world applications. Finally, I believe that math brings people together. The math world is also a community. Who doesn’t love eating a slice of pie on pi day? Unless you celebrate tau day, the twenty-eighth of June (two slices of pie!). It doesn’t matter if someone is good at the subject, likes it or dislikes it; math is something that people can agree on and are familiar with. Two plus two will always equal four. Everyone remembers learning the quadratic formula (x is equal to negative b plus or minus the square root of b squared minus four ac all over two a). Since math is considered a core subject in school, people across the country and across the world can relate to each other through what they were taught in math class. Math is uniquely different from any other subject. History can be told from many different sides, not every country speaks English, however math will always remain the same. Math is more than a subject. It is a tool with many practical applications, a way to challenge thinking, and math brings people together.

A few weeks ago, my cross-country team ran our last meet of the season. The last race tends to be the most stressful because it is the capstone of the whole season. The effort from countless hours running during the summer in blistering heat and countless difficult workouts both mentally and physically culminate into one 3 mile run that defines the level of success (or failure) that an athlete can attribute to her season. One of the things that I love most about cross country is that any sort of improvement, even a few seconds, can be counted as a victory. It isn’t like any other team sport; the focus is self-improvement. However, this mindset can allow athletes to be overcritical of themselves and their performance. The day of the meet was cold, windy and rainy. The course was hilly, and it was on grass, so it was very slippery. Only one girl on my whole team improved her time that day. We had absolutely terrible running conditions, and unfortunately our times showed it. After the meet, the cross-country girls were grouped near the starting line to watch and cheer for the cross-country boys. We were chatting and waiting for their race to start when I noticed one of the younger girls on my team, away from everyone else, disengaged from the situation, staring at the ground. There was something about the way that she looked that let me know something was wrong. She was almost on the verge of tears. In that moment, I knew that though she may think she wanted to be left alone, what she really needed was a friend. In my experience, having someone to talk to about something that makes you sad can be very heartwarming, and even if it doesn’t fix the problem, it is good to know that you are not alone and that people care about you. I took the initiative to leave the majority of my team to walk over to her. When I came closer, I asked if she was okay. She explained to me that she didn’t meet her goals for the season and continued to look down. I could tell she was disappointed in herself. I let her know that it was okay that she didn’t meet them – very few of us did – and offered her a hug. It was a little awkward, because I don’t normally hug people and she and I aren’t that close, but it didn’t matter. I was focused on comforting her and if she needed a hug, I was happy to provide one. Another girl on the team must have seen me because she came over and joined in. The hug and support really cheered her up. I know that it didn’t solve everything, but I do believe that it changed the course of her day. In the time that I had known her, she hadn’t been a very outgoing or sociable person. Often, the team allows her to be invisible, but on the last day of the season, I made sure that she felt known, loved, and valued. That sense of belonging and acceptance can be powerful, both in the way she views the team and the way that she views herself. The whole experience has taught me something that I believe is very important to athletes in any sport. Our performance does not define who we are. We define our identity in the way that we act, the friendships we create, and desire to help those in need around us.

My personal relationship affects my faith in that he is present in everything that I do, from interactions with friends to decisions that I make. I chose to pray about important decisions in my life that will affect my future, so that through his guidance I may make the right decision. First, I prayed about my vocation in life. I considered all aspects, from what job I would have, to if I was being called to marriage or religious life. Ultimately, I decided that God was calling me to become a nurse. This realization was heavily influenced by my relationship with the Lord and my beliefs as a Catholic. I thought that the best way that I could serve the Lord would be to help his children in their illness, whether that be physical, mental, or spiritual. In the bible, Jesus healed countless people through working miracles. Though I won't be able to work any miracles, I believe that He is calling me to follow in His footsteps, by dedicating my life to the service of others. After I found my career path, I prayed about the institution that I should go to. I know that college is an important time of life, and I wanted to make sure that I found a college that would affirm my Christian beliefs and bring me closer to God. I searched for a variety of public and private colleges and determined Carroll College as my best match. Carroll is an ecumenical private Catholic College in Helena, MT. When I visited campus, I could tell that God lives on campus. The students and staff there would support my journey and growth in faith. Pope Leo said that a Catholic education “forms citizens capable of serving and believers capable of bearing witness — men and women who are freer, not more isolated." Since faith is so intricately tied to identity, when we have an in-depth understanding our relationship with God can impact how we view ourselves, our neighbors, and world events. It is my dream to become a nurse and to serve my community in a meaningful way because I believe that nurses make a large impact on the patients they humbly serve and the lives they touch. My inspiration for becoming a nurse comes from my mother, who is a registered nurse herself. She makes a difference by advocating for registered nurses and patient safety. By becoming a nurse, I want to follow in her footsteps while I work at the bedside. My short-term career plan is to attend Carroll College in Helena, obtain my BSN, and become a registered nurse. I am especially excited to attend Carroll because they offer a unique direct admit nursing program with a Spanish nursing minor. I achieved the seal of biliteracy from the 5 years of Spanish that I took in high school. The program at Carroll will build on that knowledge by teaching me Spanish medical vocabulary and common conditions facing Hispanic populations so that I will be able to give more accessible care to all patients. In the long term, I hope to work at a hospital in pediatrics, devoting my time to helping children and families. I also believe that I have a lot of strengths that will help me achieve this dream with excellence. With my determination, leadership skills, empathy, and mission, I will fit the need perfectly and provide care in the best way possible. My passion for caring for people will help me go above and beyond for patients and offer them quality care. My hard-working attitude, ability to work in a team, listening and communication skills, and empathy will allow me to go far in any field, but specifically in nursing because these skills are vital to the job. Finally, my humility will keep me caring for patients for the right reasons. I don't want to be rich or famous; I want to improve the lives of those around me. This is my biggest dream. A scholarship would allow me to achieve my dreams. I want nothing more than to give back to my community and help those who have helped me. Obtaining a college degree will allow me to become a nurse so that I can continue to serve my community in a very tangible way. Every day I will be helping people, tending to the sick, and saving lives. There is no better way to serve the community more humbly and selflessly than the way that nurses do.

Over the past four years of high school, I have been involved in a variety of extracurriculars and community service activities. These activities have shaped me and have influenced my career choice as well as my dream for my future. My involvement in sports has put me in an important position to lead; this year I have been given the honor and opportunity of being the team captain on the cross-country team. Going into my senior year, I knew that I would have my last cross-country season, and I was determined to get the most out of it. My motto, like my coach always says, was “last one, best one”. When I thought about executing this, I thought about huge PRs, and that success would be on Athletic.net, in the times that I ran that the places I earned. However, reflecting on my season, I believe that I fulfilled my “last one, best one” goal, though not in the way that I thought I would. When I think about the successes of my season, I don’t think of my times or races, I think of the time I spent with my teammates and the memories that we shared. Maya Angelo once said, “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” This quote reminds me of all the upperclassmen that have inspired me over the 4 years I have been running. I don’t remember their PRs, but I do remember the joy of running with them in practice and the desire to be like them. This leads me to the first lesson that I have learned from doing sports: a leader is a role model to their followers, so they must set a good example. With the importance of setting a good example and the inspirational upperclassmen in my mind, I have set my focus on fostering a positive team culture this year. I did everything that I could to increase the number of athletes on our small team. Starting in late spring I reached out to incoming freshman who thought they might want to run cross country and personally invited them to summer conditioning. As new faces came, I made an effort to really get to know each of the girls’ stories. What motivates them and what are they scared of? What are they passionate and excited about? I have helped create a tight knit team that celebrates everyone's victories, however big or small. We win as a team, and we lose as a team. This is the second lesson that I have learned: no one runs alone! When we work as a team we can go farther than if we work alone. Finally, in getting to know my teammates and their strengths and weaknesses, I have learned that the best way to lead is to listen to the people you are leading. We all have unique talents, and giving people the opportunity to use them makes them feel special and important. Furthermore, if a leader can understand their followers’ unique challenges, then they will be better able to support every member of the group and build a better team. Another way that I have become a leader is through my leadership class at school. My focus in class is to serve the students with special needs. Like the cross-country girls, the students in the special ed program have given me lessons on what it means to be a leader. While I consider myself a generally positive happy person, no one exemplifies positive or happy like those kids. They live every day with really difficult challenges. Some cannot speak or hear; others are not mobile or can’t participate in life the way most of us consider normal. My heart goes out to them, and through that I have developed a passion for helping and caring for people. This passion has fueled events with and for the special end department. Halloween celebrations, community service events, and events to facilitate better relationships between general ed and special ed students to name a few. These events were all designed to serve. This leads me to my career aspirations. It is my dream to become a nurse and to serve my community in a meaningful way because I believe that nurses make a large impact on the patients they humbly serve and the lives they touch. My inspiration for becoming a nurse comes from my mother, who is a registered nurse herself. She makes a difference by advocating for registered nurses and patient safety. By becoming a nurse, I want to follow in her footsteps while I work at the bedside. My short-term career plan is to attend Carroll College in Helena, obtain my BSN, and become a registered nurse. I am especially excited to attend Carroll because they offer a unique direct admit nursing program with a Spanish nursing minor. I achieved the seal of biliteracy from the 5 years of Spanish that I took in high school. The program at Carroll will build on that knowledge by teaching me Spanish medical vocabulary and common conditions facing Hispanic populations so that I will be able to give more accessible care to all patients. In the long term, I hope to work at a hospital in pediatrics, devoting my time to helping children and families. My experiences in sports and community service have shaped me into the person that I am today. A scholarship would allow me to achieve my dreams. I want nothing more than to give back to my community and help those who have helped me. Obtaining a college degree will allow me to become a nurse so that I can continue to serve my community in a very tangible way. Every day I will be helping people, tending to the sick, and saving lives. There is no better way to serve the community more humbly and selflessly than the way that nurses do.

Over the past four years of high school, I have been involved in a variety of extracurriculars and community service activities. These activities have shaped me and have influenced my career choice as well as my dream for my future. Another way that I have become a leader is through my leadership class at school. My focus in class is to serve the students with special needs. Like the cross-country girls, the students in the special ed program have given me lessons on what it means to be a leader. While I consider myself a generally positive happy person, no one exemplifies positive or happy like those kids. They live every day with really difficult challenges. Some cannot speak or hear; others are not mobile or can’t participate in life the way most of us consider normal. My heart goes out to them, and through that I have developed a passion for helping and caring for people. This passion has fueled events with and for the special end department. Halloween celebrations, community service events, and events to facilitate better relationships between general ed and special ed students to name a few. These events were all designed to serve. This leads me to my career aspirations. It is my dream to become a nurse and to serve my community in a meaningful way because I believe that nurses make a large impact on the patients they humbly serve and the lives they touch. My inspiration for becoming a nurse comes from my mother, who is a registered nurse herself. She makes a difference by advocating for registered nurses and patient safety. By becoming a nurse, I want to follow in her footsteps while I work at the bedside. My short-term career plan is to attend Carroll College in Helena, obtain my BSN, and become a registered nurse. I am especially excited to attend Carroll because they offer a unique direct admit nursing program with a Spanish nursing minor. I achieved the seal of biliteracy from the 5 years of Spanish that I took in high school. The program at Carroll will build on that knowledge by teaching me Spanish medical vocabulary and common conditions facing Hispanic populations so that I will be able to give more accessible care to all patients. In the long term, I hope to work at a hospital in pediatrics, devoting my time to helping children and families. My experiences in sports and community service have shaped me into the person that I am today. A scholarship would allow me to achieve my dreams. I want nothing more than to give back to my community and help those who have helped me. Obtaining a college degree will allow me to become a nurse so that I can continue to serve my community in a very tangible way. Every day I will be helping people, tending to the sick, and saving lives. There is no better way to serve the community more humbly and selflessly than the way that nurses do.

Heart disease, diabetes and obesity have become prevalent issues over the years. According to the Centers for Disease Control, about every 34 seconds someone in the world dies because of heart disease. Additionally, the CDC has found that 11.6% of Americans have type 2 diabetes. Finally, according to the world health organization, 1 out of 8 people in the world are diagnosed with obesity. However, these problems are not caused by problems in health care, or need for better treatment. They are societal problems that spring from American culture, the food production industry, and people’s access to quality, healthy food. Steps must be taken to correct this problem. The way that food is produced has changed drastically from the way it used to be. Back in the day, people grew their own food and raised their own meat. Nothing was pre-packaged and packed with preservatives. I believe that we have made compromises on the quality of the food we produce in order to increase sales and production. A great example of this is food dyes. Food dye does not do give us any nutritional benefits. It simply makes our food look appealing, and therefore more likely to sell, meanwhile introducing a completely synthetic substance to our bodies that has shown harmful side effects. Additionally, due to an increase of food production and prepacked meals, Americans have come to rely on convenience rather than sustainability. We would rather eat something that tastes good and requires very little time than something that is healthy. One problem from eating food that is convenient is that pre-packaged food contains a lot of preservatives that are not good for you. Another problem is that eating out of convenience reinforces the idea and creates a culture of bad habits such as laziness. An example of this is TV dinners because so little effort goes into a TV dinner. Why would anyone want to prepare a meal when all they must do is pop a tray into the microwave and have dinner is 2 minutes or less. They don’t even have to make conversation with their family. The TV is the entertainment. Finally, I would consider the cost of our food. These days, it is very expensive to live a healthy lifestyle. Organic fruits and vegetables are much more expensive than regular ones. It is more cost effective to buy junk food. $5 at McDonalds can get someone a whole meal, whereas $5 at the grocery store might buy a little bit of produce, but no sort of protein. These three things, pre-packaged food, harmful substances, and high cost are three major problems with our food system. If we change these problems, then we will improve nutrition. Finally, I would create a system to evaluate the effectiveness of my campaign and policies. I would conduct regular, monthly surveys to monitor change. After the first year, I would evaluate the statistical data and decide if my policies need reform. In conclusion, my plan follows a few straightforward steps. First, assemble a team to research the problem and obtain a firm scientifically proven background knowledge on the causes of heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. When I do this, I will be sure to consider the quality of food, American culture surrounding food, and the cost of food for Americans. Then I will create and enforce policies that address the problem and work towards a solution. Finally, I will continually evaluate the measures that I have put in place to ensure that they continue to be effective.

It is my dream to become a nurse and to serve my community in a meaningful way because I believe that nurses make a large impact on the patients they humbly serve and the lives they touch. My inspiration for becoming a nurse comes from my mother, who is a registered nurse herself. She makes a difference by advocating for registered nurses and patient safety. By becoming a nurse, I want to follow in her footsteps while I work at the bedside. My short-term career plan is to attend Carroll College in Helena, obtain my BSN, and become a registered nurse. I am especially excited to attend Carroll because they offer a unique direct admit nursing program with a Spanish nursing minor. I achieved the seal of biliteracy from the 5 years of Spanish that I took in high school. The program at Carroll will build on that knowledge by teaching me Spanish medical vocabulary and common conditions facing Hispanic populations so that I will be able to give more accessible care to all patients. In the long term, I hope to work at a hospital in pediatrics, devoting my time to helping children and families. Once, after our last cross-country meet, I noticed one of the younger girls on my team, away from everyone else, disengaged from the situation, staring at the ground. There was something about the way that she looked that let me know something was wrong. She was almost on the verge of tears. In that moment, I knew that though she may think she wanted to be left alone, what she really needed was a friend. In my experience, having someone to talk to about something that makes you sad can be very heartwarming, and even if it doesn’t fix the problem, it is good to know that you are not alone and that people care about you. I took the initiative to leave the majority of my team to walk over to her. When I came closer, I asked if she was okay. She explained to me that she didn’t meet her goals for the season and continued to look down. I could tell she was disappointed in herself. I let her know that it was okay that she didn’t meet them – very few of us did – and offered her a hug. It was a little awkward, because I don’t normally hug people and she and I aren’t that close, but it didn’t matter. I was focused on comforting her and if she needed a hug, I was happy to provide one. Another girl on the team must have seen me because she came over and joined in. The hug and support really cheered her up. I know that it didn’t solve everything, but I do believe that it changed the course of her day. In the time that I had known her, she hadn’t been a very outgoing or sociable person. Often, the team allows her to be invisible, but on the last day of the season, I made sure that she felt known, loved, and valued. That sense of belonging and acceptance can be powerful, both in the way she views the team and the way that she views herself. This small gesture is what I believe the human touch means. There are things that humans can notice or feel that is unlike anything else. The feeling of being recognized by another and given a sense of belonging is truly special and cannot be recreated by and AI or robot. The human touch means caring for one another.

My personal relationship affects my faith in that he is present in everything that I do, from interactions with friends to decisions that I make. I chose to pray about important decisions in my life that will affect my future, so that through his guidance I may make the right decision. First, I prayed about my vocation in life. I considered all aspects, from what job I would have, to if I was being called to marriage or religious life. Ultimately, I decided that God was calling me to become a nurse. This realization was heavily influenced by my relationship with the Lord and my beliefs as a Catholic. I thought that the best way that I could serve the Lord would be to help his children in their illness, whether that be physical, mental, or spiritual. In the bible, Jesus healed countless people through working miracles. Though I won't be able to work any miracles, I believe that He is calling me to follow in His footsteps, by dedicating my life to the service of others. After I found my career path, I prayed about the institution that I should go to. I know that college is an important time of life, and I wanted to make sure that I found a college that would affirm my Christian beliefs and bring me closer to God. I searched for a variety of public and private colleges and determined Carroll College as my best match. Carroll is an ecumenical private Catholic College in Helena, MT. When I visited campus, I could tell that God lives on campus. The students and staff there would support my journey and growth in faith. Pope Leo said that a Catholic education “forms citizens capable of serving and believers capable of bearing witness — men and women who are freer, not more isolated." Since faith is so intricately tied to identity, when we have an in-depth understanding our relationship with God can impact how we view ourselves, our neighbors, and world events. I want to have a firm knowledge of my faith because I understand the importance of it and value living a devout, Christian life. On campus, I plan to become a part of campus ministry to help spread Christianity. One of the things that Carroll does is "service Sundays." Each Sunday, a team of students goes out to the community and volunteers wherever needed: at food banks, homeless shelters etc. I am excited to join something bigger than myself.

Over the past four years of high school, I have been involved in a variety of extracurriculars and community service activities. These activities have shaped me and have influenced my career choice as well as my dream for my future. I have become a leader is through my leadership class at school. My focus in class is to serve the students with special needs. Like the cross-country girls, the students in the special ed program have given me lessons on what it means to be a leader. While I consider myself a generally positive happy person, no one exemplifies positive or happy like those kids. They live every day with really difficult challenges. Some cannot speak or hear; others are not mobile or can’t participate in life the way most of us consider normal. My heart goes out to them, and through that I have developed a passion for helping and caring for people. This passion has fueled events with and for the special end department. Halloween celebrations, community service events, and events to facilitate better relationships between general ed and special ed students to name a few. These events were all designed to serve. This leads me to my career aspirations. It is my dream to become a nurse and to serve my community in a meaningful way because I believe that nurses make a large impact on the patients they humbly serve and the lives they touch. My inspiration for becoming a nurse comes from my mother, who is a registered nurse herself. She makes a difference by advocating for registered nurses and patient safety. By becoming a nurse, I want to follow in her footsteps while I work at the bedside. My short-term career plan is to attend Carroll College in Helena, obtain my BSN, and become a registered nurse. I am especially excited to attend Carroll because they offer a unique direct admit nursing program with a Spanish nursing minor. I achieved the seal of biliteracy from the 5 years of Spanish that I took in high school. The program at Carroll will build on that knowledge by teaching me Spanish medical vocabulary and common conditions facing Hispanic populations so that I will be able to give more accessible care to all patients. In the long term, I hope to work at a hospital in pediatrics, devoting my time to helping children and families. My experiences in community service have shaped me into the person that I am today. A scholarship would allow me to achieve my dreams. I want nothing more than to give back to my community and help those who have helped me. Obtaining a college degree will allow me to become a nurse so that I can continue to serve my community in a very tangible way. Every day I will be helping people, tending to the sick, and saving lives. There is no better way to serve the community more humbly and selflessly than the way that nurses do.

It is my dream to become a nurse and to serve my community in a meaningful way because I believe that nurses make a large impact on the patients they humbly serve and the lives they touch. My inspiration for becoming a nurse comes from my mother, who is a registered nurse herself. She makes a difference by advocating for registered nurses and patient safety. By becoming a nurse, I want to follow in her footsteps while I work at the bedside. My short-term career plan is to attend Carroll College in Helena, obtain my BSN, and become a registered nurse. I am especially excited to attend Carroll because they offer a unique direct admit nursing program with a Spanish nursing minor. I achieved the seal of biliteracy from the 5 years of Spanish that I took in high school. The program at Carroll will build on that knowledge by teaching me Spanish medical vocabulary and common conditions facing Hispanic populations so that I will be able to give more accessible care to all patients. In the long term, I hope to work at a hospital in pediatrics, devoting my time to helping children and families. I have financial need that comes from the fact that I will be paying for most of my college on my own. My parents plan to pay a portion of my junior and senior years of college, about $24,000 in total. Additionally, I have money saved for college that my parents started when I was very little, about $20,000. The rest is up to me. I work a job about 20 hours a week and save every penny possible to pay for college in the fall. Once I graduate, I plan to move to a full-time job for the summer. I have calculated the total costs, and I need scholarships to cover what I cannot afford. A scholarship would allow me to achieve my dreams. I want nothing more than to give back to my community and help those who have helped me. Obtaining a college degree will allow me to become a nurse so that I can continue to serve my community in a very tangible way. Every day I will be helping people, tending to the sick, and saving lives. There is no better way to serve the community more humbly and selflessly than the way that nurses do.

My adversity in life has come from my parents' divorce in the summer after my 3rd grade year. Toward the end of the school year, things were getting heated at home. Eventually, my mother walked down the front walk with a laundry bin of her clothes and asked my sister and I to get into the car. We arrived at my grandparent's house. My grandparents were happy to see us, their hugs still felt the same, and the dogs jumped on us and barked like they always do. That summer ended up being the most fun summer of my life. There were some things that I had to adjust to. My sister and I started going back and forth from mom’s to dad’s every other weekend. We also started going out to dinner to spend time with my dad. And, I got to spend all day every day with my grandparents. They lived on a farm, so we got to bottle feed baby calves and take care of the animals. My grandparents spoiled us rotten; my sister and I got endless ice cream – mint chocolate chip flavor, since that was the only kind my grandpa didn’t eat. It was like a dream. We never really escaped the challenges that come with divorced parents. Since we moved to the city, my dad’s house changed from down the road to an hour and a half drive. Weekends with him became increasingly difficult, and I could never see my friends whenever it was his weekend. My one lifeline through all the challenges has been my sister. She is my best friend, gives the best advice, and helped me through the tough experiences in life. Having gone through all the same experiences, she really gets me. We are practically attached at the hip. It was not long after that my mother met my soon-to-be stepfather, and since then I truly believe that he changed the course of my life. He influenced me in so many profound ways and shaped me into who I am today. For one, he introduced me to cross country running and track, sports which have been central to my high school career. He challenges me to be the best person that I can be. I believe that a lot can be learned from my experience. Sometimes, life throws challenges at us. We have no control over them; they simply happen, and they are not easy. However, what we do have control over is how we react to those challenges. We can choose to make the most of them, or we can choose to shut down, and the greatest things can happen to us if we choose to make the most of them. I chose to make the most of my situation. I made new friends after the move, and I didn’t let my circumstances ruin my summer. Today, I still deal with struggles from the nature of my family structure, and I will for the rest of my life. However, I remain resilient. I continue to move forward despite the struggles, and I am a better person for it. I will forever believe in the light at the end of the tunnel.