I decided I wanted to go to the University of Oklahoma at a very young age. Growing up, I had always been an OU fan, so naturally it was my dream school. I am currently a sophomore majoring in atmospheric sciences and meteorology, in which that major was inspired by my father. My father graduated from the University of Arkansas and Mississippi State University with a bachelor's degree in broadcast meteorology. Although he never forced the career upon me, he did lightly encourage me when he saw how intrigued and curious I was around weather. Watching him work on television and at his station, which he would let me visit, inspired me to pursue a degree in his footsteps, and what better place to go than the University of Oklahoma. A few years ago, my father had a severe health crisis in which a blood vessel in his brain ruptured, nearly killing him. This completely changed my perspective on life as well as my relationship with him. It made me realize how fragile life is, and how easily a loved one can be taken away from you. As traumatic as this was for me and my family, this event motivated me to work hard and do well in school, so one day he can see me in his image. College is no easy task for students, it takes a level of strength and determination that many students struggle with. Most of everything I do here at OU is to prove to myself that I can accomplish hard things, and to show my father that his daughter can be a mirror image of himself someday. Looking more into my experiences here at OU as a whole, I love it here. I have experienced new things here and made many new friends that have made it so much fun. Of course, I can not forget the football games, I am a huge fan. My favorite thing here is looking back at who I was before I came here and who I am now. I have grown so much as a person, growing more confident in myself and also learning many new skills that come with being independent, such as time management. The experiences and hardships that led me to the University of Oklahoma, as well as the experiences I have had here, have helped me develop into the person I am today.

During an intramural volleyball match at the University of Oklahoma, other officials turned to ask me questions about lift and foot-fault calls as the championship game intensified. There was one specific time I was refereeing an intramural volleyball game at the University of Oklahoma, and my coworkers were fairly new to the sport. I have played volleyball most of my life, so I felt pretty confident in my abilities. My confidence rubbed off on the other officials, and they started to feel comfortable enough to ask me questions about certain calls, such as lift calls and foot faults. This made me feel like a leader and ultimately made me feel more confident in my abilities. This confidence helped decrease my anxiety as an official and helped me strive to share the knowledge of the sport with the other officials. For some background context, I am a current intramural official at the University of Oklahoma, where I officiate sports such as softball, soccer, and volleyball. Growing up, I had officiating experience through volleyball, as I would ref club games with my team at tournaments, as well as youth games at my local rec center. Being an official can be nerve-racking; there is a constant anxiety of getting yelled at by a team for making a call. The best way I have worked through this issue is by facing the anxiety, rather than avoiding it. Making myself feel anxious has helped me realize it is part of my growth, rather than my downfall. Having the ability to break through this and learn to better handle these situations when they happen builds a great official. Being able to ref the sport I played most of my life, as well as new sports, has helped push me out of my shell. I am a pretty socially anxious person, so being pushed to work in new and familiar environments has helped me feel more confident in my decisions. I have also made friends with my coworkers in the process. When it comes to volleyball, I have had the confidence that has caused me to be a leader for my coworkers. Given that, I strive to one day become a leader in the other sports I officiate. My end goal as an official is to become as confident as I am with volleyball in every sport I officiate. The best officials are those who are confident in their calls, regardless of whether they are good or not. I sometimes fall into anxiety or fear of messing up, when in reality, messing up will help me grow in understanding of the sport, as well as my confidence. Outside of confidence, I also hope to someday be able to officiate all the intramural sports that my University has to offer. Having the confidence to branch out to other sports will not only help me feel more confident in my abilities but could also help me get promoted to an intramural sports supervisor.

Throughout my life, I have had a hard time being committed to myself. I thought that commitment could only be shown externally to other people rather than internally to yourself. This summer was very hard for me, as I was heartbroken after my second relationship and having a very hard time finding myself. I decided I did not want to feel insecure anymore or be trapped in a constant loop of self-doubt, so I reflected on who I was as a person and what I valued. I concluded that I do value many things, but kept looping back to my self-identity and happiness. I never really understood self-commitment, but I wanted to learn how to commit to myself to become stronger and happier as a person. I pushed myself to try new things, such as working out and socializing with new people. With that, I found a new sense of style as well as music taste, and I started to become happier. Since I was happier, I made more friends and ended up getting invited on many trips throughout this summer. Those friendships grew, and ultimately resulted in me still having a strong relationship with those people, even while I am away in college. I also finally found a romantic relationship with someone willing to commit to me like I will to them. This summer, I learned that if I did not decide to commit to myself, I would have been stuck in the same loop that I was at the beginning of the summer. Everything happens for a reason, and maybe getting my heart broken happened so I could learn how to commit to myself and my improvement as a person. I learned that I needed to commit to myself before I could feel strong enough to commit to another person again after being hurt. My qualities of commitment throughout my life have shaped me to become the person I am today. Regarding my commitment to relationships and myself. Besides the good fortunes that came with being committed, the traumas that also came taught me so much about myself as well as the world around me. I learned how to love myself and how my commitment is special and should be earned, not just given to anyone, especially people who hurt me. For the rest of my life, I plan to continue to learn and express qualities of commitment to myself and others. I look forward to seeing where commitment will guide me years down the road.

Throughout my life, I have been very fortunate to be exposed to many diverse leadership opportunities. At a young age, I was awarded the Broken Arrow Volleyball Club leadership award. Being the backbone of the team when I was younger encouraged many other athletes to come out of their anxious shells and try volleyball. A handful of years later, I was granted a similar opportunity, when I was sixteen I was unfortunately put on a team that challenged me emotionally after getting thrown under the bus by other coaching staff. I used that as my opportunity to push past the disappointment and help my team learn and grow. Eventually, my teammates would openly ask for my advice on a certain skill, almost as if I were a coach, and I would always do my best to help them. When tournaments started, I was the team captain for the whole season and was always on the court if it was the front or back row. I was there to help and support my team throughout the entirety of the season. In pursuing a higher education, I will be setting myself up for the best chance of success in my future as well as my career. I am a hard-working high school senior who is also a student-athlete. I have always taken my academic career incredibly seriously and it has always been one of my top priorities in life. Throughout high school, I am a proud member of the National Honors Society and an AP student at my school. I also actively participate in community service through my school, such as blood drives, donating resources for different item drives, and helping out in retirement communities. When I graduate high school, I anticipate attending the University of Oklahoma starting in the fall of 2025, to study Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences. The opportunity to attend the University will help me step toward my dream career as well as expand my academic and social experiences. Growing up, I was always scared of storms. Watching the weather on television always gave me a sense of comfort despite my anxiety. My father is a meteorologist, so having him in my life at times of severe weather helps me and the rest of my family feel more at ease and safe. I want to be able to give people the same comfort that my father has given to me and my family, as well as to the public. Meteorology is a career in which I will have the ability to keep the public safe. I want to be able to help people understand different weather phenomena and what to do to keep them and their families safe in the occurrence of danger. In the face of danger, I would like to be able to study what most people are afraid of to give others a better understanding and sense of comfort in the event of something dangerous or scary.

When I was sixteen, I faced a difficult season that ultimately changed me as an athlete. I went into tryouts with high expectations, given the previous season I was very successful. I traveled across the country, won tournaments, and created new bonds with people. After tryouts were complete, it all went downhill from there. I got rejected by the previous club I played for, then got promised to be on a different club’s first team, only to get thrown on the lower team. Forcibly, I had to choose between going on and playing on the lower team or completely quitting. Quitting was not an option, so I decided to go on. I accepted it and faced the losses that ultimately ended in victories. Once the season started, I was miserable. My team struggled all around and I put pressure on myself to pick up the team’s slack. Over time, I started getting frustrated and depressed, pitying myself and lashing out at teammates because I was hurting. When the first tournament came around, I struggled with getting in my head and being hurtful towards my team. After our first game, I realized I was miserable and my teammates would be miserable around me if I didn’t fix this. I decided to change and fix myself, so on my own time, I read sports psychology books and practiced meditation. I practiced a healthy mindset and a substantial way to express or comfort negative emotions and internal and external conflicts. Over time, I improved as an athlete, teammate, and person. I became the team captain and was the leader on and off the court. My teammates looked up to me and would ask for advice as if I were a coach. When the season ended, I was an open and welcoming person and teammate compared to when I started. I was confident, kind, and happy with myself and my team. In the beginning, the whole experience was deemed negative. Crying as I signed the waiver to the team, dread had set in. I was miserable, so I drug my teammates down with me unintentionally and unfairly. I had lost all confidence and hope in myself, my love for volleyball was down the drain, making it seem like a chore. Until the day I decided to do something about it and change myself. I began to gain my confidence back, removing the headcase I was enveloped in. I hardly ever got upset with myself or my teammates after a mistake. I became the "cheerleader of the team", I felt happy being there and around my teammates. I found the love and enjoyment in my sport again. I left that season as a better teammate, person, leader, and athlete. I learned never to give up, even when times got tough. The outcome could change than what is anticipated to happen. Even though I initially started with dread and shame, I finished as a new and happier person. An athlete's mental game and bond with coaches and teammates is ultimately more impactful than physical skill. When a dilemma looks bad, it might not be as bad as it seems going into it. There is always room to learn and grow from both positive and negative occurrences in our lives. As the negatives were presented, I had no idea there was a light at the end of the tunnel. Without that season, I wouldn’t be the same person, athlete, or teammate I am today. I learned the importance of never giving up and that everything that occurs in our lives happens for a reason.

If I am allowed to excel in my academic career, I will always take advantage of it. I am a hardworking senior student-athlete looking to study meteorology and obtain a degree. I have been enrolled in AP classes throughout high school, been a member of the National Honors Society, and served community service time to help give back and set me up for success in college. STEM has shaped me into a better student throughout high school and even when I was younger. I have always found interest in science fields, and I have the opportunity to study meteorology at the University of Oklahoma starting fall of 2025. My father is also currently a meteorologist, and when I was younger I would frequently go into their casual work meetings to come and realize I was virtually the only female in the room. STEM fields tend to be more predominantly male, and I got to witness that first hand even if there was no discrimination to the women that were around. I plan to graduate from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in Meteorology and use it to help better educate the public on weather phenomena. My interest in Meteorology has primarily been evoked by my father. I was constantly fascinated by hearing and learning about different weather phenomena and the stories of those events. I frequently would research different historical weather events that occurred, such as devastating tornadoes in the United States. Over time, watching my dad do his work and going on storm-chasing trips with him, I started to believe that I might want to become a meteorologist as a career someday. Growing up, I did a lot of STEM summer camps with the Indian Education program. I learned how to be creative, build things with limited resources, and how to interact and take initiative on our projects. The introduction of STEM to me at a young age has impacted what career I want to pursue as well as my social experiences with others. With this scholarship, I will have been blessed with the opportunity to have additional help in my college education. It will help me thrive in my college studies, as well as help me learn and grow during my experience at University. Ultimately, with the opportunities I was blessed with and the support I am given, I can become a phenomenal student and meteorologist wherever I choose to go in college as well as in life.

My interest in Meteorology has primarily been evoked by my father. Ever since I was little my dad would let me come into his casual work meetings and I would listen to them discuss different weather phenomena occurring at the time or in the past. I was constantly fascinated by hearing everything going on and hearing the stories I was told. I frequently would research different historical weather events that occurred, such as devastating tornadoes in the United States. Over time, watching my dad do his work and going on storm-chasing trips with him, I started to believe that I might want to become a meteorologist as a career someday. I have always been close with my dad and would love to share the same career as him. So in high school, I started taking classes that are associated with that career field, such as physics and calculus. I also started researching schools with the best meteorology programs in the nation, which led me to the University of Oklahoma, which I have recently been accepted to attend. STEM has shaped me into a better student throughout high school and even when I was younger. I have always found interest in science fields, and I have the opportunity to study meteorology at the University of Oklahoma starting fall of 2025. STEM fields tend to be more predominantly male, and I got to witness that first hand even if there was no discrimination against the women that were around. This tendency gave me the motivation to be a woman pursuing a predominantly male career field. I plan to graduate from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in Meteorology and use it to help better educate the public on weather phenomena. I was constantly fascinated by hearing and learning about different weather phenomena and the stories of those events. I frequently would research different historical weather events that occurred, such as devastating tornadoes in the United States. Growing up, I did a lot of STEM summer camps with the Indian Education program. I learned how to be creative, build things with limited resources, and how to interact and take initiative on our projects. Which has ultimately shaped me as a student-athlete, especially in high school. The introduction of STEM to me at a young age has impacted what career I want to pursue as well as my social experiences with others. My interest in science and math-based fields started during those summer camps while at a young age, meteorology is something I discovered more as I got older. Meteorology is a career in which I will have the ability to keep the public safe. I recall many times during tornado warnings my dad would constantly text my mom and give her updates regarding our safety. Given that big responsibility, I would love to have the opportunity to help people feel better prepared and more at ease in times of extreme weather. I aim to pursue my dream career field after college graduation.

When I was sixteen, I faced a difficult season that ultimately changed me as an athlete. I went into tryouts with high expectations, given the previous season I was very successful. I traveled across the country, won tournaments, and created new bonds with people. After tryouts were complete, it all went downhill from there. I got rejected by the previous club I played for, then got promised to be on a different club’s first team, only to get thrown on the lower team. Forcibly, I had to choose between going on and playing on the lower team or completely quitting. Quitting was not an option, so I decided to go on. I accepted it and faced the losses that ultimately ended in victories. Once the season started, I was miserable. My team struggled all around and I put pressure on myself to pick up the team’s slack. Over time, I started getting frustrated and depressed, pitying myself and lashing out at teammates because I was hurting. When the first tournament came around, I struggled with getting in my head and being hurtful towards my team. After our first game, I realized I was miserable and my teammates would be miserable around me if I didn’t fix this. I decided to change and fix myself, so on my own time, I read sports psychology books and practiced meditation. I practiced a healthy mindset and a substantial way to express or comfort negative emotions and internal and external conflicts. Over time, I improved as an athlete, teammate, and person. I became the team captain and was the leader on and off the court. My teammates looked up to me and would ask for advice as if I were a coach. When the season ended, I was an open and welcoming person and teammate compared to when I started. I was confident, kind, and happy with myself and my team. In the beginning, the whole experience was deemed negative. Crying as I signed the waiver to the team, dread had set in. I was miserable, so I drug my teammates down with me unintentionally and unfairly. I had lost all confidence and hope in myself, my love for volleyball was down the drain, making it seem like a chore. Until the day I decided to do something about it and change myself. I began to gain my confidence back, removing the headcase I was enveloped in. I hardly ever got upset with myself or my teammates after a mistake. I became the "cheerleader of the team", I felt happy being there and around my teammates. I found the love and enjoyment in my sport again. I left that season as a better teammate, person, leader, and athlete. I learned never to give up, even when times got tough. The outcome could change than what is anticipated to happen. Even though I initially started with dread and shame, I finished as a new and happier person. An athlete's mental game and bond with coaches and teammates is ultimately more impactful than physical skill. When a dilemma looks bad, it might not be as bad as it seems going into it. There is always room to learn and grow from both positive and negative occurrences in our lives. As the negatives were presented, I had no idea there was a light at the end of the tunnel. Without that season, I wouldn’t be the same person, athlete, or teammate I am today. I learned the importance of never giving up and that everything that occurs in our lives happens for a reason.

When I was sixteen, I faced a difficult season that ultimately changed me as an athlete. I went into tryouts with high expectations, given the previous season I was very successful. I traveled across the country, won tournaments, and created new bonds with people. After tryouts were complete, it all went downhill from there. I got rejected by the previous club I played for, then got promised to be on a different club’s first team, only to get thrown on the lower team. Forcibly, I had to choose between going on and playing on the lower team or completely quitting. Quitting was not an option, so I decided to go on. I accepted it and faced the losses that ultimately ended in victories. Even though I initially started with dread and shame, I finished as a new and happier person. An athlete's mental game and bond with coaches and teammates is ultimately more impactful than physical skill. When a dilemma looks bad, it might not be as bad as it seems going into it. There is always room to learn and grow from both positive and negative occurrences in our lives. Outside of sports, I am a hardworking senior student-athlete looking to study meteorology and obtain a degree from the University of Oklahoma. I have been enrolled in AP classes throughout high school, been a member of the National Honors Society, and served community service time to help give back and set me up for success in college. I plan to graduate from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in Meteorology and use it to help better educate the public on weather phenomena. My interest in Meteorology has primarily been evoked by my father. I was constantly fascinated by hearing and learning about different weather phenomena and the stories of those events. I frequently would research different historical weather events that occurred, such as devastating tornadoes in the United States. Over time, watching my dad do his work and going on storm-chasing trips with him, I started to believe that I might want to become a meteorologist as a career someday. Ultimately, with the opportunities I was blessed with and the support I am given, I can become a phenomenal student and meteorologist wherever I choose to go in college as well as in life. With this scholarship, I will have been blessed with the opportunity to have additional help in my college education. It will help me thrive in my college studies, as well as help me learn and grow during my experience at University.

Throughout my life, I have been very fortunate to be exposed to many diverse leadership opportunities. At a young age, I was awarded the Broken Arrow Volleyball Club leadership award. Being the backbone of the team when I was younger encouraged many other athletes to come out of their anxious shells and try volleyball. A handful of years later, I was granted with a similar opportunity, when I was sixteen I was unfortunately put on a team that challenged me emotionally after getting thrown under the bus by other coaching staff. I used that as my opportunity to push past the disappointment and help my team learn and grow. Eventually, my teammates would openly ask for my advice on a certain skill, almost as if I were a coach, and I would always do my best to help them. When tournaments started, I was the team captain for the whole season and was always on the court if it was the front or back row. I was there to help and support my team throughout the entirety of the season. Controversial to volleyball, I also love to take charge when it comes to planning big things, such as prom or homecoming. I am always the first to reach out to friends and make plans, call for reservations, etc, for us to have the best experience possible. When there would be a question regarding said plans, they would reach out to me and I would respond to the best of my abilities or make compromises if something wouldn’t work out. I also have a job, I have been working at the same place for well over a year, and whenever there is a new hire I always am welcoming and kind to the trainee. If they make a mistake I tell them to brush it off and I stay around for support if there are any questions or concerns that they may have. I want them to feel comfortable around me so not only can we potentially develop a friendship but we can also work well together and they can feel comfortable enough to open up to any questions they have. Going forward, I feel I will have more opportunities presented to me. If I am allowed to excel in my academic career, I will always take advantage of it. I am a hardworking senior student-athlete looking to study meteorology and obtain a degree at a currently undecided University. I have been enrolled in AP classes throughout high school, been a member of the National Honors Society, and served community service time to help give back and set me up for success in college. I am also an active member of Cherokee Nation, and have had many opportunities to attend multiple summer camps as well as ACT prep courses that they provide. With this scholarship, I will have been blessed with the opportunity to have additional help in my college education. It will help me thrive in my college studies, as well as help me learn and grow during my experience at University. Ultimately, with the opportunities I was blessed with and the support I am given, I can become a phenomenal student and meteorologist wherever I choose to go in college as well as in life.

When I was sixteen, I faced a difficult season that ultimately changed me as an athlete. I went into tryouts with high expectations, given the previous season I was very successful. I traveled across the country, won tournaments, and created new bonds with people. After tryouts were complete, it all went downhill from there. I got rejected by the previous club I played for, then got promised to be on a different club’s first team, only to get thrown on the lower team. Forcibly, I had to choose between going on and playing on the lower team or completely quitting. Quitting was not an option, so I decided to go on. I accepted it and faced the losses that ultimately ended in victories. Once the season started, I was miserable. My team struggled all around and I put pressure on myself to pick up the team’s slack. Over time, I started getting frustrated and depressed, pitying myself and lashing out at teammates because I was hurting. When the first tournament came around, I struggled with getting in my head and being hurtful towards my team. After our first game, I realized I was miserable and my teammates would be miserable around me if I didn’t fix this. I decided to change and fix myself, so on my own time, I read sports psychology books and practiced meditation. I practiced a healthy mindset and a substantial way to express or comfort negative emotions and internal and external conflicts. Over time, I improved as an athlete, teammate, and person. I became the team captain and was the leader on and off the court. My teammates looked up to me and would ask for advice as if I were a coach. When the season ended, I was an open and welcoming person and teammate compared to when I started. I was confident, kind, and happy with myself and my team. In the beginning, the whole experience was deemed negative. Crying as I signed the waiver to the team, dread had set in. I was miserable, so I drug my teammates down with me unintentionally and unfairly. I had lost all confidence and hope in myself, my love for volleyball was down the drain, making it seem like a chore. Until the day I decided to do something about it and change myself. I began to gain my confidence back, removing the headcase I was enveloped in. I hardly ever got upset with myself or my teammates after a mistake. I became the "cheerleader of the team", I felt happy being there and around my teammates. I found the love and enjoyment in my sport again. I left that season as a better teammate, person, leader, and athlete. I learned never to give up, even when times got tough. The outcome could change than what is anticipated to happen. Even though I initially started with dread and shame, I finished as a new and happier person. An athlete's mental game and bond with coaches and teammates is ultimately more impactful than physical skill. When a dilemma looks bad, it might not be as bad as it seems going into it. There is always room to learn and grow from both positive and negative occurrences in our lives. As the negatives were presented, I had no idea there was a light at the end of the tunnel. Without that season, I wouldn’t be the same person, athlete, or teammate I am today. I learned the importance of never giving up and that everything that occurs in our lives happens for a reason.

I started playing indoor volleyball at a young age, and shortly after I took an interest in playing beach volleyball. I started volleyball as a whole when I was about seven or eight years old, the moment I picked up my first ball at my first recreational practice, the rest was history. The reason I fell in love with beach volleyball after indoor is I loved being on the sand, the challenges of moving in the sand and playing with just me, my partner, and the duo on the other side, helped take away the stress that indoor volleyball can sometimes have. I have always wanted to take my volleyball career to the next level, I have been blessed to recently receive an offer for Oklahoma Wesleyan University's beach volleyball and indoor volleyball program. I've decided to consider playing beach volleyball in college because volleyball is one of my biggest passions, and I do not want my volleyball career to end after high school. I also have unfortunately never had the opportunity to be an athlete through my school team, and I would love to be able to represent a school I am enrolled in. Being a collegiate athlete would allow me to sustain new friendships with teammates and broaden my horizons with travel opportunities and learn more complex skills within the sport of volleyball. Leadership is a predominant skill in team sports, and playing at the next level would help me take on the role of a leader for the team. While I have not accepted any offers, I have offers on the table that I am considering taking. If I accept my beach volleyball offer from OKWU, I plan to transfer and attend the University of Oklahoma to graduate with a degree in Meteorology and become a successful Meteorologist. Like volleyball, meteorology has always been a big interest for me, ever since I was little. My father is also currently a Meteorologist at Fox 23 News, so I also take some interest from him. Meteorology is a career in which I will have the ability to keep the public safe, given that big responsibility, I would love to have the opportunity to help people feel better prepared and more at ease in times of extreme weather. I would love to be able to play the sport I love so much after high school, as well as pursue my dream career field after college graduation.

Throughout my life, I have been very fortunate to be exposed to many diverse leadership opportunities. At a young age, I was awarded the Broken Arrow Volleyball Club leadership award. Being the backbone of the team when I was younger encouraged many other athletes to come out of their anxious shells and try volleyball. A handful of years later, I was granted with a similar opportunity, when I was sixteen I was unfortunately put on a team that challenged me emotionally after getting thrown under the bus by other coaching staff. I used that as my opportunity to push past the disappointment and help my team learn and grow. Eventually, my teammates would openly ask for my advice on a certain skill, almost as if I were a coach, and I would always do my best to help them. When tournaments started, I was the team captain for the whole season and was always on the court if it was the front or back row. I was there to help and support my team throughout the entirety of the season. Controversial to volleyball, I also love to take charge when it comes to planning big things, such as prom or homecoming. I am always the first to reach out to friends and make plans, call for reservations, etc, for us to have the best experience possible. When there would be a question regarding said plans, they would reach out to me and I would respond to the best of my abilities or make compromises if something wouldn’t work out. I also have a job, I have been working at the same place for well over a year, and whenever there is a new hire I always am welcoming and kind to the trainee. If they make a mistake I tell them to brush it off and I stay around for support if there are any questions or concerns that they may have. I want them to feel comfortable around me so not only can we potentially develop a friendship but we can also work well together and they can feel comfortable enough to open up to any questions they have. Going forward, I feel I will have more opportunities presented to me. If I am allowed to excel in my academic career, I will always take advantage of it. I am a hardworking senior student-athlete looking to study meteorology and obtain a degree at a currently undecided University. I have been enrolled in AP classes throughout high school, been a member of the National Honors Society, and served community service time to help give back and set me up for success in college. With this scholarship, I will have been blessed with the opportunity to have additional help in my college education. It will help me thrive in my college studies, as well as help me learn and grow during my experience at University. Ultimately, with the opportunities I was blessed with and the support I am given, I can become a phenomenal student and meteorologist wherever I choose to go in college as well as in life.

Throughout my life, I have been very fortunate to be exposed to many diverse leadership opportunities. At a young age, I was awarded the Broken Arrow Volleyball Club leadership award. Being the backbone of the team when I was younger encouraged many other athletes to come out of their anxious shells and try volleyball. A handful of years later, I was granted a similar opportunity, when I was sixteen I was unfortunately put on a team that challenged me emotionally after getting thrown under the bus by other coaching staff. I used that as my opportunity to push past the disappointment and help my team learn and grow. Eventually, my teammates would openly ask for my advice on a certain skill, almost as if I were a coach, and I would always do my best to help them. When tournaments started, I was the team captain for the whole season and was always on the court if it was the front or back row. I was there to help and support my team throughout the entirety of the season. Controversial to volleyball, I also love to take charge when it comes to planning big things, such as prom or homecoming. I am always the first to reach out to friends and make plans, call for reservations, etc, for us to have the best experience possible. When there would be a question regarding said plans, they would reach out to me and I would respond to the best of my abilities or make compromises if something wouldn’t work out. I also have a job, I have been working at the same place for well over a year, and whenever there is a new hire I always am welcoming and kind to the trainee. If they make a mistake I tell them to brush it off and I stay around for support if there are any questions or concerns that they may have. I want them to feel comfortable around me so not only can we potentially develop a friendship but we can also work well together and they can feel comfortable enough to open up to any questions they have. Going forward, I feel I will have more opportunities presented to me. If I am allowed to excel in my academic career, I will always take advantage of it. I am a hardworking senior student-athlete looking to study meteorology and obtain a degree at a currently undecided University. I have been enrolled in AP classes throughout high school, been a member of the National Honors Society, and served community service time to help give back and set me up for success in college. With this scholarship, I will have been blessed with the opportunity to have additional help in my college education. It will help me thrive in my college studies, as well as help me learn and grow during my experience at University. Ultimately, with the opportunities I was blessed with and the support I am given, I can become a phenomenal student and meteorologist wherever I choose to go in college as well as in life.

STEM has shaped me into a better student throughout high school and even when I was younger. I have always found interest in science fields, and I have the opportunity to study meteorology at the University of Oklahoma starting fall of 2025. My father is also currently a meteorologist, and when I was younger I would frequently go into their casual work meetings to come and realize I was virtually the only female in the room. STEM fields tend to be more predominantly male, and I got to witness that first hand even if there was no discrimination to the women that were around. I plan to graduate from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in Meteorology and use it to help better educate the public on weather phenomena. My interest in Meteorology has primarily been evoked by my father. I was constantly fascinated by hearing and learning about different weather phenomena and the stories of those events. I frequently would research different historical weather events that occurred, such as devastating tornadoes in the United States. Over time, watching my dad do his work and going on storm-chasing trips with him, I started to believe that I might want to become a meteorologist as a career someday. Growing up, I did a lot of STEM summer camps with the Indian Education program. I learned how to be creative, build things with limited resources, and how to interact and take initiative on our projects. The introduction of STEM to me at a young age has impacted what career I want to pursue as well as my social experiences with others.

When I was sixteen, I faced a difficult season that ultimately changed me as an athlete. I went into tryouts with high expectations, given the previous season I was very successful. I traveled across the country, won tournaments, and created new bonds with people. After tryouts were complete, it all went downhill from there. I got rejected by the previous club I played for, then got promised to be on a different club’s first team, only to get thrown on the lower team. Forcibly, I had to choose between going on and playing on the lower team or completely quitting. Quitting was not an option, so I decided to go on. I accepted it and faced the losses that ultimately ended in victories. Once the season started, I was miserable. My team struggled all around and I put pressure on myself to pick up the team’s slack. Over time, I started getting frustrated and depressed, pitying myself and lashing out at teammates because I was hurting. When the first tournament came around, I struggled with getting in my head and being hurtful towards my team. After our first game, I realized I was miserable and my teammates would be miserable around me if I didn’t fix this. I decided to change and fix myself, so on my own time, I read sports psychology books and practiced meditation. I practiced a healthy mindset and a substantial way to express or comfort negative emotions and internal and external conflicts. Over time, I improved as an athlete, teammate, and person. I became the team captain and was the leader on and off the court. My teammates looked up to me and would ask for advice as if I were a coach. When the season ended, I was an open and welcoming person and teammate compared to when I started. I was confident, kind, and happy with myself and my team. In the beginning, the whole experience was deemed negative. Crying as I signed the waiver to the team, dread had set in. I was miserable, so I drug my teammates down with me unintentionally and unfairly. I had lost all confidence and hope in myself, my love for volleyball was down the drain, making it seem like a chore. Until the day I decided to do something about it and change myself. I began to gain my confidence back, removing the headcase I was enveloped in. I hardly ever got upset with myself or my teammates after a mistake. I became the "cheerleader of the team", I felt happy being there and around my teammates. I found the love and enjoyment in my sport again. I left that season as a better teammate, person, leader, and athlete. I learned never to give up, even when times got tough. The outcome could change than what is anticipated to happen. Even though I initially started with dread and shame, I finished as a new and happier person. An athlete's mental game and bond with coaches and teammates is ultimately more impactful than physical skill. When a dilemma looks bad, it might not be as bad as it seems going into it. There is always room to learn and grow from both positive and negative occurrences in our lives. As the negatives were presented, I had no idea there was a light at the end of the tunnel. Without that season, I wouldn’t be the same person, athlete, or teammate I am today. I learned the importance of never giving up and that everything that occurs in our lives happens for a reason.

I started playing indoor volleyball at a young age, and shortly after I took an interest in playing beach volleyball. I started volleyball as a whole when I was about seven or eight years old, the moment I picked up my first ball at my first recreational practice, the rest was history. The reason I fell in love with beach volleyball after indoor is I loved being on the sand, the challenges of moving in the sand and playing with just me, my partner, and the duo on the other side, helped take away the stress that indoor volleyball can sometimes have. I have always wanted to take my volleyball career to the next level, I have been blessed to recently receive an offer for Oklahoma Wesleyan University's beach volleyball and indoor volleyball program. I've decided to consider playing beach volleyball in college because volleyball is one of my biggest passions, and I do not want my volleyball career to end after high school. I also have unfortunately never had the opportunity to be an athlete through my school team, and I would love to be able to represent a school I am enrolled in. Being a collegiate athlete would allow me to sustain new friendships with teammates and broaden my horizons with travel opportunities and learn more complex skills within the sport of volleyball. Leadership is a predominant skill in team sports, and playing at the next level would help me take on the role of a leader for the team. While I have not accepted any offers, I have offers on the table that I am considering taking. If I accept my beach volleyball offer from OKWU, I plan to transfer and attend the University of Oklahoma to graduate with a degree in Meteorology and become a successful Meteorologist. Like volleyball, meteorology has always been a big interest for me, ever since I was little. My father is also currently a Meteorologist at Fox 23 News, so I also take some interest from him. Meteorology is a career in which I will have the ability to keep the public safe, given that big responsibility, I would love to have the opportunity to help people feel better prepared and more at ease in times of extreme weather. I would love to be able to play the sport I love so much after high school, as well as pursue my dream career field after college graduation.