My love for math did not begin with memorizing formulas. It began when I realized that numbers could help me create stability and make better decisions about my future. I started learning about investing when I was thirteen years old. At first, I was fascinated by how a small amount of money could grow over time. Learning about percentages, compound interest, risk, and returns made math feel real to me. It was no longer just something I completed for a grade. It became a tool that could help me understand money and create opportunities for myself. Growing up with uncertainty made that especially meaningful. There were many parts of my life that I could not control, but math gave me something clear and dependable. Numbers allowed me to set a goal, break it into smaller steps, and measure whether I was moving in the right direction. Even when the answer was not what I hoped for, it gave me honest information that I could use to improve. Math has also helped me through work. When cleaning windows, sharpening knives, or completing other jobs, I use math to calculate prices, expenses, time, and profit. It helps me determine whether I am working efficiently and what I need to change. Every decision becomes easier when I can support it with real numbers instead of guessing. I am now studying business administration with a concentration in finance at Western Washington University. I want to use math to understand investments, evaluate properties, manage businesses, and eventually work in real estate development. My goal is to build a stable future for myself while creating jobs and opportunities for other people. What I love most about math is that it turns large dreams into achievable plans. A goal may seem impossible at first, but math shows me what must happen each day, month, and year to reach it. To me, math is more than numbers. It is a way to solve problems, create direction, and turn uncertainty into possibility.

Dear Scholarship Committee, My name is Railer Biggs and I’m a senior in high school. I’m applying for this scholarship because college is the path I’m taking to change my life and hopefully the lives of others. I come from a tough background, and getting here hasn’t been easy, but I’ve learned to keep going no matter what. I want to use my education to create something bigger than me, and this scholarship would help take a weight off my shoulders. I grew up in foster care and was taken in by a family when I was ten. I wasn’t adopted, but I’m grateful for the home and the opportunities I’ve had. I’ve had to grow up a little faster than most people. I’ve learned how to be independent, how to work hard, and how to keep pushing forward even when things feel stacked against me. Life hasn’t been handed to me, but that’s what motivates me to keep going. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned came from working. I’ve held jobs that taught me responsibility and service. One of them was working on the greens crew at a golf course, where I’d be up early every morning taking care of the course. That job taught me a lot. It gave me discipline, work ethic, and pride in doing things right. Golf itself has played a big role in shaping who I am. It’s a game that requires patience, focus, and a short memory. You hit a bad shot, you move on. That mindset has helped me in school, in life, and through loss. Last summer, I lost my dad to a drug overdose. It happened fast and unexpected. That was a moment that changed everything for me. I wasn’t at the hospital because I couldn’t bring myself to see him like that. Since then, I’ve tried to become a better man. I’ve tried to stay strong, be kind to people, and stay focused on my goals. I want to use everything I’ve been through to fuel something good. I plan to study business in college and eventually start my own real estate company or something in the service industry. I want to build something that not only helps me but gives back to others. I want to hire people, give second chances, and be someone others can look up to. I know what it’s like to feel lost, and I want to be the kind of person who helps people find direction again. This scholarship means more than just money to me. It means someone sees the work I’ve put in and believes in where I’m going. Thank you for reading my story and for giving students like me a shot at something bigger. Sincerely, Railer Biggs

Growing up in foster care, I never had a lot of money or anyone to teach me how to handle it. Everything I know about finances and investing came from figuring it out by myself. When I was around thirteen, I got really into real estate and the stock market. I didn’t have a mentor or a class to take, so I started watching YouTube videos and learning from people who were actually out there doing it. I got hooked. Eventually I started saving up from jobs and investing in my own portfolio. At first I made a lot of mistakes. I chased quick wins, and I even lost a whole paycheck on a penny stock. That hurt, but it taught me more than anything else. I learned the value of research, patience, and having a plan. Now I mostly dollar cost average into the S and P 500, and I’m way more focused on consistency over time. It’s not just my portfolio that’s grown, it’s my mindset too. Budgeting and being smart with money has been a huge part of my life. I’ve had to be careful with every dollar and make hard choices between what I want and what I need. But because of that, I’ve become more responsible and learned how to work for what I want. Even small wins feel like big ones when you know how much effort went into them. In the future I want to take everything I’ve learned and use it in a trade I’m really passionate about, which is real estate and construction. I’m going to major in construction management and eventually start my own real estate business. I know that’s going to take time, hard work, and a strong understanding of finances. I’m ready for that. But I don’t want it to just be about me. I want to help others too, especially kids who grew up like me without a lot of support or knowledge about money. If I can teach someone how to avoid the mistakes I made while still learning the same lessons, that would mean a lot. I want to give back by sharing what I’ve learned in a way that’s real and helpful. This scholarship would take a huge weight off my shoulders. It would help me stay focused on building a future that I’m proud of. One that shows the grit, growth, and hard work it took to get here. I’m not just investing in stocks anymore. I’m investing in myself.

Growing up in foster care, I had very little financial stability or someone to teach me about money. All of what I know has come from figuring it out on my own. I really got into real estate and the stock market when I was thirteen. With no mentor or class to take, I started watching YouTube videos and learning from people who had real experience. I got hooked. Eventually, I saved up money from jobs and started to invest in my own portfolio. At first, I chased quick gains, and I even lost a whole paycheck on a penny stock. That was a tough lesson, but honestly, that is when I learned the most. The downs taught me discipline. They made me realize the importance of having a solid plan, doing research, and staying consistent. Over time, I have shifted my approach and mainly dollar cost average the S&P 500. I am proud of how far I have come and what I have learned. I have not only grown my portfolio but have grown my mindset. Learning how to budget has been a very defining part of my life. I have had to manage my money carefully. It has made me more responsible and has made me understand the value of working for everything and making hard choices between wants and needs. Even very small wins feel big when you know how much effort went into earning them. Looking ahead, I plan to always keep building on what I know. I am going to study construction management in college and after that, I want to start my own real estate business. That means I'll need to be very fluent in Financial literacy. I also want to pass along the lessons and knowledge I have learned to other young people who grew up similarly to me. If I can help someone skip the mistakes while still learning the lessons, that would mean a lot. Money has never come easy to me, but the discipline, patience, and thinking long term are things that I will carry for my whole life. This scholarship would take a lot of weight off my shoulders and help me stay focused on building a future I'm proud of. One that reflects the hard work, grit, and growth it took to get here. Not only am I investing in stocks but I am also Investing in myself.

Growing up in foster care, I had very little financial stability or someone to teach me about money. All of what I know has come from figuring it out on my own. I really got into real estate and the stock market when I was thirteen. With no mentor or class to take, I started watching YouTube videos and learning from people who had real experience. I got hooked. Eventually, I saved up money from jobs and started to invest in my own portfolio. At first, I chased quick gains, and I even lost a whole paycheck on a penny stock. That was a tough lesson, but honestly, that is when I learned the most. The downs taught me discipline. They made me realize the importance of having a solid plan, doing research, and staying consistent. Over time, I have shifted my approach and mainly dollar cost average the S&P 500. I am proud of how far I have come and what I have learned. I have not only grown my portfolio but have grown my mindset. Learning how to budget has been a very defining part of my life. I have had to manage my money carefully. It has made me more responsible and has made me understand the value of working for everything and making hard choices between wants and needs. Even very small wins feel big when you know how much effort went into earning them. Looking ahead, I plan to always keep building on what I know. I am going to study construction management in college and after that, I want to start my own real estate business. That means I'll need to be very fluent in Financial literacy. I also want to pass along the lessons and knowledge I have learned to other young people who grew up similarly to me. If I can help someone skip the mistakes while still learning the lessons, that would mean a lot. Money has never come easy to me, but the discipline, patience, and thinking long term are things that I will carry for my whole life. This scholarship would take a lot of weight off my shoulders and help me stay focused on building a future I'm proud of. One that reflects the hard work, grit, and growth it took to get here. Not only am I investing in stocks but I am also Investing in myself.

Through golf I have learned many lessons about patience, discipline, and self control, but the most important lesson that stands out to me would be staying grounded in who I am no matter what. When it comes to course play, no matter how perfect you play on the hole before, one bad shot can humble you very fast. I didn't grow up with a typical childhood. I grew up in foster care. From a young age I've had to support myself emotionally and mentally. A lot of people might not understand the struggle of how isolation can feel. But when I picked up golf it brought me a sense of peace. On the course I didn't have to be anyone else. I could be the calm, focused, and present person that I am. Golf forced me to slow down and really think about exactly what I need to do in the moment which is vital in a world that often feels too fast. I have also learned accountability. In golf, you can't blame anyone but yourself for your score. That responsibility has shaped the way I approach life. I don't make any excuses. When I mess up on the course or in my day to day life I always look at how this can teach me something. This fall I plan to attend Washington State University and major in construction management. I dream to start my own construction business one day. I know that it will take a lot of hard work but I also know how to commit to something because of golf. I know how to keep pushing when it's complicated and frustrating even when you don't see immediate results. Golf has taught me that progress is slow, and consistency is key. Being a foster child, I know what hard work looks like and how to support myself. However, I also know that I can't do everything on my own. I am applying for the Samuel D. Hartley Memorial Scholarship because financial help would help relieve the pressure that comes with independence. This will help me focus on my education, continuing to grow as a person, and one day have the ability to give back to others the same way I have been blessed. Samuel D. Hartley was someone who loved golf and served his country and community with dedication and character. Those values are things I try to live by every day. Golf has been more than just a sport to me—it's been a mentor and an escape. It's really a reminder that no matter what background you have or what you're going through in life, you will always need to work for what you get and be the best version of yourself on and off the course. And I will.

Growing up in foster care, I had very little financial stability or someone to teach me about money. All of what I know has come from figuring it out on my own. I really got into real estate and the stock market when I was thirteen. With no mentor or class to take, I started watching YouTube videos and learning from people who had real experience. I got hooked. Eventually, I saved up money from jobs and started to invest in my own portfolio. At first, I chased quick gains, and I even lost a whole paycheck on a penny stock. That was a tough lesson, but honestly, that is when I learned the most. The downs taught me discipline. They made me realize the importance of having a solid plan, doing research, and staying consistent. Over time, I have shifted my approach and mainly dollar cost average the S&P 500. I am proud of how far I have come and what I have learned. I have not only grown my portfolio but have grown my mindset. Learning how to budget has been a very defining part of my life. I have had to manage my money carefully. It has made me more responsible and has made me understand the value of working for everything and making hard choices between wants and needs. Even very small wins feel big when you know how much effort went into earning them. Looking ahead, I plan to always keep building on what I know. I am going to study construction management in college and after that, I want to start my own real estate business. That means I'll need to be very fluent in Financial literacy. I also want to pass along the lessons and knowledge I have learned to other young people who grew up similarly to me. If I can help someone skip the mistakes while still learning the lessons, that would mean a lot. Money has never come easy to me, but the discipline, patience, and thinking long term are things that I will carry for my whole life. This scholarship would take a lot of weight off my shoulders and help me stay focused on building a future I'm proud of. One that reflects the hard work, grit, and growth it took to get here. Not only am I investing in stocks but I am also Investing in myself.

Through golf, I have learned many lessons about patience, discipline, and self control. However, The most important lesson that stands out to me would be staying grounded in who I am no matter what happens. When it comes to course play, no matter how perfectly I play on any hole, one bad shot can humble me very fast. I didn't grow up with a typical childhood. I grew up in foster care. From a young age, I've had to support myself both emotionally and mentally. A lot of people might not understand the struggle of how isolation can feel. Yet when I picked up golf, it brought me a sense of peace. On the course, I didn't have to be anyone else. I could be the calm, focused, and present person that I am. Golf forced me to slow down and really think about exactly what I need to do in the moment. This is vital in a world that often feels to me that it is moving too fast. I have also learned accountability. In golf, I can't blame anyone but myself for my score. That responsibility has shaped the way I approach life. I don't make any excuses. When I mess up on the course or in my day to day life, I always look at how what happened can teach me something. This fall, I plan to attend Washington State University and major in construction management. My dream is to start my own construction business one day. I know that it will take a lot of hard work, but I also know how to commit to something because of what I have learned from golf. I know how to keep pushing when it is complicated and frustrating even when I don't see immediate results. Golf has taught me that progress is slow, and consistency is key. Being a foster child, I know what hard work looks like and how to support myself. However, I also know that I cant do everything on my own. I am applying for this scholarship because financial aid will help relieve some of the pressure that comes with independence. This will keep me focused on my education, continue to grow as a person, and one day have the ability to give back to others the same way I have been blessed. Tom LoCasale strongly believed in patience, perseverance, and character. These are values that I live by, thanks to the game of golf. Golf has been more than just a sport to me, it has been a mentor and an escape. It is really a reminder that no matter what background I have or what I am going through in life, I will always need to work for what I get and be the best version of myself on and off the course. And I will.