Fall has always held a special place in my heart, not just because of the changing colors of the leaves or the crispness in the air, but because of the cherished memories it evokes, particularly those tied to a beloved seasonal drink – the iced dirty chai with pumpkin. This delightful concoction became a fall staple for me during my high school years back in 2016. I remember eagerly anticipating the release of Starbucks' fall menu each year, and my mom and I would make it a tradition to rise early, even before the crack of dawn, to be among the first to indulge in this seasonal delight. The ritual of savoring this drink is more than just a culinary experience; it's a journey back to my childhood and a celebration of the love and resilience of my mother. Growing up, my mom went above and beyond to ensure that every holiday, especially Halloween, was nothing short of magical for my brother and me. Despite the financial hardships we faced during the 2008 recession, with my mom being a newly minted college educator facing the threat of unemployment, she never let adversity dampen our spirits. Instead, she exhibited remarkable resilience, transforming humble materials into enchanting costumes that ignited our imaginations. I fondly recall the year she fashioned me a fairy princess costume and my brother a ninja outfit using fabric scraps from my grandmother's house. Our Halloween celebrations were not extravagant affairs, but they were infused with my mom's boundless creativity and love. The scent of pumpkin treats wafting through the air, the warmth of our cozy home adorned with decorations (albeit some older than me), and the flickering glow of Halloween-themed VHS tapes playing in the background – these are the memories that linger in my mind like the aftertaste of a perfectly brewed cup of chai. For me, this fall drink serves as a poignant reminder of my mother's unwavering love and her ability to craft joy out of simplicity. It embodies the essence of generations of mothers who have poured their hearts into creating memorable experiences for their children, even in the face of adversity. My mom's resilience and her knack for making everyone feel special continue to inspire me to this day. As I sip on my iced dirty chai with pumpkin, I am reminded not only of the flavors of fall but also of the love, warmth, and ingenuity that define my mother's spirit. It serves as a gentle nudge to express my own love and appreciation in small but meaningful ways, just as she has always done for me and our family. In every sip, I taste the essence of her enduring love, and I am filled with gratitude for the gift of her presence in my life.

Reducing my carbon footprint is not just a personal choice but an urgent necessity in today's world, particularly given the environmental challenges faced by regions like the great plains of Oklahoma, where I hail from. Climate change, driven largely by human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels, poses a significant threat to ecosystems, biodiversity, and human livelihoods worldwide. Living in close proximity to multiple oil refineries has provided me with a firsthand understanding of the detrimental effects of pollution on both the environment and public health. The rivers and lake systems in my region, once pristine natural resources, have become heavily polluted and unsafe for swimming due to industrial contamination. It's disheartening to witness the toll this pollution has taken on the health of my community, with reports of elevated cancer rates and infertility issues among residents. These alarming realities serve as a daily reminder of the critical importance of sustainable living practices in mitigating environmental degradation and safeguarding human health. In my quest to reduce my carbon footprint, I've focused on making conscious choices in my everyday life, particularly when it comes to shopping habits. I've opted to avoid big-box stores in favor of establishments that are transparent about their ethical values and commitment to sustainability. Natural Grocers has become my go-to destination for groceries, where I prioritize purchasing products that are either package-free or packaged in materials that are recyclable or biodegradable. One significant aspect of my sustainable shopping journey is the selection of personal care products that minimize waste and environmental impact. I've made the switch to packageless solid soaps, cardboard-packaged solid shampoo and conditioner bars, and toothpaste in metal tubes. While recycling is not a panacea for sustainability, I strive to ensure that every item I purchase aligns with my commitment to reducing waste and promoting eco-friendly alternatives. Beyond individual actions, I am deeply invested in pursuing higher education in Geography and Sustainability. My academic journey is driven by a passion for environmental conservation and a desire to contribute meaningfully to efforts combating climate change. Upon completing my bachelor's degree, I intend to pursue a master's program focused on conservation work, with the ultimate goal of forging a career dedicated to addressing the urgent challenges posed by climate change. As I embark on this career path, I am committed to leveraging my knowledge and skills to advocate for policy changes, implement sustainable practices, and empower communities to take action in safeguarding our planet for future generations. By dedicating myself to the cause of environmental conservation, I hope to make a tangible difference in combating climate change and fostering a more sustainable and resilient world for all.

Childhood development trauma has long impacts that last long into adulthood. Some issues include the development of major personality disorders and increased chances of substance abuse in adulthood. I spent the greater majority of my college life unsure of what I wanted to do with my degree, unsure of the difference I wanted to make in the world. It was not until I got my job in therapeutic foster care, the details of which I will go into later, that I realized how deeply I feel about supporting children with developmental trauma. I plan to pursue a master's in child counseling. I plan to be an advocate and voice for the most vulnerable members of society. I currently work for an agency that finds young children, typically between the ages of 8-13, in Oklahoma who have developmental disabilities and are in child welfare. The goal of the program is to provide therapeutic foster care to encourage normal development in the older childhood years. In addition to the therapeutic foster care many of the children work with a strong team of physicians and psychologist to help the children process and cope with their trauma. In this program the state provides a house for the child and staff rotates to provide a family environment for the kid in hopes of encouraging normal and healthy family relationships. This program is the first of its kind in the nation, being adopted federally around December of 2023, so proving the benefits of the program has been fairly difficult. The prof is in the weekly experiences of the staff. The child I specifically work with has gone through over 20 staff members in about 6 months, because of their trauma they have learned that abuse is love. They will hit and beat staff to show the love them. This child was so severely traumatized that they do not understand how to show love. This job has shown me exactly how important is is to be a voice and advocate for these high risk children, providing love and care for these kids has been the most rewarding thing I have, and will ever do. It also breaks my heart, its hard to believe that someone could be so hateful and so cruel to such an innocent being. What makes it even worse is that the kids I work with are some of the most extreme cases in Oklahoma, meaning there are thousands more who are not being helped.

I do not recall my diagnosis with NF1, I was only a few months old at the time but all the tell tail markers were there. I've been told countless times by countless doctors how lucky I am that I don't "have it worse". But in my eyes I don't have it good at all, I have have an optic glioma, have sufferer from migraines from the age of six, have chronic nausea, cyclic vomiting syndrome and multiple fibromas in my ribs and arms in recent years ive started developing nerve pains in my wrists and arms. The hardest part of NF for my is my skeletal deformity causing my to need from my septum down reconstructed trough three surgeries. Much of my early childhood was spent in MRI machines, in the nurses office or at home "sick" from school. I think in my first 10 years of life I visited more doctors than most people do in their entire life. My parents tried to support my best they could but they never really understood what was going on with me, I am one of the spontaneous mutation NF1 cases, and I am very blessed to have a mild form of the condition. There's a double edged sword behind having a mild form of NF1, I'm "lucky" enough to pass trough society with out many second glances, but health care professionals down play my symptoms and often time accusing my of lying about my diagnoses, and when they do believe me they tell me how lucky I am its not worse. I live with an invisible disability. I am so tired of being told I am lucky to be disabled, I am not no one is lucky to have NF. I peruse my education for my self, I want so badly to make a name for my self and prove that I can do something greater than my disability. My condition is not bad yet but I know it will get worse so I'm making the most of my life while I am still "healthy". I wish to live my life to the fullest while I still can. I believe I am an ideal candidate for this scholarship because I'm so tired of my disability being erased from my persona, I have NF1, I have a disability and it effects every single aspect of my life. I want to be seen as who I am and that is a woman with NF1 and a woman in college, a woman with a career. I want to be all those things at once yet trough the eyes of healthcare professionals I can not be because I am "lucky".

Often when telling people about my job I am greeted with a look that is equally confusion and sympathy. I am a direct support professional, for children's. Every week for 48 hours straight I come to work and support children with developmental disability's, mood disorders and severe trauma who have been displaced from the foster system. The best way to describe what i do is a step in foster parent, I administer medication , take them to school and doctors appointments and help them learn to navigate various social settings while simultaneously preparing them with the life skills they will need to live as independently as possible one day. The child I work with the most is only 9 and has been placed in over 14 foster homes and 5 institutions, some of these placements lasted less than a day. For her privacy I will be referring to her as "B". B has been diagnosed with a moderate learning disability and 3 mood disorders, she is filled with rage and anger, she has beaten and bruised grown men. Yet I don't blame her, she has had countless people abandon her and give up on her ,until recently she has had no one to advocate and speak for her. However B is the most loving person I have met, she has a radical sense of empathy that many adults only dream of having. B has shown to me its not having a disability that sets you back in the world, the world sets you back for having a disability. Even management in my agency treats her different than the other kids, they fear her and critique ever mistake she makes. The behavior deeply upsets me, B is only a child after all. The average staff member works 24 hours with her before they decide she is too much. B has lost every chance for a normal life because of the fear and stigma adults have placed on her. B is not her disability's she is a brilliant and complex human who just wants to love and be loved. I can not recall a single shift I have left at Bs not crying, not because of what she said or did to me, but because I so badly wish she could be given an equal chance in the world. All I want for her is to live a happy life with kind people and every shift I try so hard to give her that, a happy life with kind people. That's all I can do, so few people before me have given her a happy life, every kid deserves to be happy, including disabled ones. Across the nation there are 1000s of children just like B, turned away from foster homes nearly weekly. The program I work for is working to change that, each child in the program has a house they can call their own, they have a permeant address, the staff are the once bouncing around. Each kid can finally experience some form of normalcy. In December of 2023 the program was federally adopted, giving countless kids a second chance to be a regular normal kid. Children like B will no longer age out of the foster system due to disability's, they will finally have some form of "home", they will have somewhere safe, they will no longer be stigmatized for conditions that are outside of their control.