I have a longtime dream of playing college basketball but I am not blessed with extreme height. At an early age, I knew I would have to work harder and be stronger than the girls who towered above me. I am so fortunate to have tremendous athletic ability that allows me to play bigger than my 5'7" size. I signed up for every camp and training that I could attend and afford. When I was not in a structured lesson or camp, I went outside or to the school gym to work on my skills and shooting. I even worked with an online coach who helped me perfect my shot. I am proud of my growth and feel great knowing that I am in charge of my dream and journey. I was offered scholarships at several NAIA schools, and a few D2 and D3 schools. I accepted the scholarship at Hastings because of the coach, school size, and block schedule. I can honestly say that my work ethic has already made a difference in my life's journey but my journey took a drastic change in the spring of my senior year. While training for the regional track meet, I took a horrific spill on hurdles and broke my leg, and ankle, and tore several ligaments. After surgery, I spent the remainder of my senior year and all of the summer on crutches. I struggled mentally for a while because I was not the type of person to be on the sidelines. It was really hard to watch the regional track meet and know that I could have gone to state! I started college on two feet but just walking was difficult. Wouldn't you know that my dorm room would be on the 3rd floor!! I haven't let it stop me, but the injury has slowed me down. The coach redshirted me and thankfully has been patient with my rehab. I go to physical therapy 3 times a week and am seeing growth. I am still determined to play college basketball, probably more so than I ever was. In my tiny high school, I played every sport that was offered and was also a cheerleader. I learned to try different things and believe I could do anything I set my mind to. Sports kept me in shape and I loved being a part of the team. Basketball has always been my favorite sport, and I am super proud of all I have accomplished so far. I still have dreams of playing at the college level and plan to do all in my power to make sure this dream is a reality!

I have a longtime dream of playing college basketball but I am not blessed with extreme height. At an early age, I knew I would have to work harder and be stronger than the girls who towered above me. I am so fortunate to have tremendous athletic ability that allows me to play bigger than my 5'7" size. I signed up for every camp and training that I could attend and afford. When I was not in a structured lesson or camp, I went outside or to the school gym to work on my skills and shooting. I even worked with an online coach who helped me perfect my shot. I am proud of my growth and feel great knowing that I am in charge of my dream and journey. I was offered scholarships at several NAIA schools, and a few D2 and D3 schools. I accepted the scholarship at Hastings because of the coach, school size, and block schedule. I can honestly say that my work ethic has already made a difference in my life's journey but my journey took a drastic change in the spring of my senior year. While training for the regional track meet, I took a horrific spill on hurdles and broke my leg, and ankle, and tore several ligaments. After surgery, I spent the remainder of my senior year and all of the summer on crutches. I struggled mentally for a while because I was not the type of person to be on the sidelines. It was really hard to watch the regional track meet and know that I could have gone to state! I started college on two feet but just walking was difficult. Wouldn't you know that my dorm room would be on the 3rd floor!! I haven't let it stop me, but the injury has slowed me down. The coach redshirted me and thankfully has been patient with my rehab. I go to physical therapy 3 times a week and am seeing growth. I am still determined to play college basketball, probably more so than I ever was. In my tiny high school, I played every sport that was offered and was also a cheerleader. I learned to try different things and believe I could do anything I set my mind to. Sports kept me in shape and I loved being a part of the team. Basketball has always been my favorite sport, and I am super proud of all I have accomplished so far. I still have dreams of playing at the college level and plan to do all in my power to make sure this dream is a reality! Hastings is an awesome place but it is private and pretty pricey. This scholarship will help me attain my goal of going to college and graduating without debt. I am very fortunate to have been offered an athletic scholarship and extremely proud of the academic scholarships I received. After graduating with an exercise and sports study degree, I plan to pursue a career in physical therapy or athletic training. My grandad has pushed me to get an education but to focus on getting a career in something that I would look forward to working on every day. I believe I would love either of these professions and know helping others with the struggles I have had will be so rewarding. My best advice is that no matter what life throws your way, don't give up! Everything happens for a reason and sometimes the reason takes a while to evolve.

I have a longtime dream of playing college basketball but I am not blessed with extreme height. At an early age, I knew I would have to work harder and be stronger than the girls who towered above me. I am so fortunate to have tremendous athletic ability that allows me to play bigger than my 5'7" size. I signed up for every camp and training that I could attend and afford. When I was not in a structured lesson or camp, I went outside or to the school gym to work on my skills and shooting. I even worked with an online coach who helped me perfect my shot. I am proud of my growth and feel great knowing that I am in charge of my dream and journey. I was offered scholarships at several NAIA schools, and a few D2 and D3 schools. I accepted the scholarship at Hastings because of the coach, school size, and block schedule. I can honestly say that my work ethic has already made a difference in my life's journey but my journey took a drastic change in the spring of my senior year. While training for the regional track meet, I took a horrific spill on hurdles and broke my leg, and ankle, and tore several ligaments. After surgery, I spent the remainder of my senior year and all of the summer on crutches. I struggled mentally for a while because I was not the type of person to be on the sidelines. It was really hard to watch the regional track meet and know that I could have gone to state! I started college on two feet but just walking was difficult. Wouldn't you know that my dorm room would be on the 3rd floor!! I haven't let it stop me, but the injury has slowed me down. The coach redshirted me and thankfully has been patient with my rehab. I go to physical therapy 3 times a week and am seeing growth. I am still determined to play college basketball, probably more so than I ever was. In my tiny high school, I played every sport that was offered and was also a cheerleader. I learned to try different things and believe I could do anything I set my mind to. Sports kept me in shape and I loved being a part of the team. Basketball has always been my favorite sport, and I am super proud of all I have accomplished so far. I still have dreams of playing at the college level and plan to do all in my power to make sure this dream is a reality! Hastings is an awesome place but it is private and pretty pricey. This scholarship will help me attain my goal of going to college and graduating without debt. I am very fortunate to have been offered an athletic scholarship and extremely proud of the academic scholarships I received. After graduating with an agribusiness degree, I plan to return to my hometown and take over the management of the family ranch. I plan to continue my education further but in a vocational manner. I have also always dreamed of opening up my own hair salon. I will have to go to school to obtain my cosmetology license while running operations on the ranch. My grandad has pushed me to get an education but to focus on getting a career in something that I would look forward to working on every day. Hopefully, the business part of my degree will prepare me to successfully run my businesses, both cattle and beauty!

I am beyond blessed to live with my grandparents in one of the most beautiful parts of the country. Silverton is a super small town in Texas and very close-knit. I love the community spirit and that I feel safe (except for the fear of rattlesnakes) in my tiny school, at home, around the town, and countryside. It was hard to move away for college, but I plan on coming back as soon as possible. For the past several years, I have dreamed of playing college basketball and have worked tons of hours to achieve this goal. I am so fortunate to have received numerous offers to play at the collegiate level. After weighing all the factors that were important to me, I accepted the offer from Hastings College in Nebraska. Hastings is an awesome place but it is private and pretty pricey. This scholarship will help me attain my goal of going to college and graduating without loads of debt. I am very thankful to have been offered an athletic scholarship and extremely proud of the academic scholarships I received. I am focused and determined to obtain as many scholarships as I can to allow me to play basketball at the school of my dreams and remain debt-free. After graduating with an agribusiness degree, I plan to return to my hometown and take over the management of the family ranch. We raise registered Red Angus cattle and have for over 20 years. The weather is one of the biggest obstacles in running a profitable program. In ag, I learned how to better budget, cut costs, and develop a plan to be financially successful in years of drought, natural disasters, and cattle loss. I have learned many things about genetics but know that there is so much more to learn to sustain a quality registered herd. The ag mechanic skills that were taught to me will be extremely helpful daily . After college graduation and returning to Silverton, I plan to continue my education further but in a vocational manner. I have also always dreamed of opening up my own hair salon. I love styling hair and am quite good at it. I will have to go to school to obtain my cosmetology license while running operations on the ranch. I believe I can make these two diverse occupations work together and live my dream life! My grandad has pushed me to get an education but to focus on getting a career in something that I would look forward to working on every day. The idea of being self-employed and being my own boss is very appealing. Hopefully, the business part of my degree will prepare me to successfully run my businesses, both cattle and beauty!

I enjoy playing golf because I am a big-time competitor, even if it is against myself. I find it very therapeutic to hit the ball really hard off the tee and this is actually the best part of my game. I love the challenge of trying to play the game and staying under par! I also enjoy zipping along the cart path in the golf cart. I have come across several challenges in the game but they are not so specific to female golfers. The biggest problem I had in high school was that our school only offered the sport for one year and then cut funding for it. I think I could have done very well if I had been given the opportunity to practice and perfect my game. The closest golf course to my small hometown is about 40 miles away and is only a 9-hole course. I am not a member of any country clubs and only had access to play at small or city courses. It would have been so awesome to be in a place where I could have taken lessons and practiced the sport daily. My grandad helped me build a small putting area in the backyard but my border collie thought the game was for her and kept stealing my ball. I must admit that putting was the worst part of my game. I could always get to the green but then my score multiplied. I needed lots of work on putting! We had a huge yard so I could also work on hitting the ball hard off the tee. My yard is not a tree-rich environment and has no water obstacles so when I went to a real golf course to play, the struggle was real. It was like my ball was magnetically attracted to every tree in sight. I am not sure if it was more comical or frustrating but I worked my way through it. I love the sport of golf and hope that I will always be able to find the time and money to play. I believe it has so many positive attributes and helps teach more than just sports skills. Manners, patience, and goal setting all come to mind. I hope that all schools will offer this sport to their students and allow them to learn the game and all that it has to offer. Also, I hope I win this scholarship so that I will have some money to pay the green fees because I am a super-broke college student!

I have a longtime dream of playing college basketball but I am not blessed with extreme height. At an early age, I knew I would have to work harder and be stronger than the girls who towered above me. I am so fortunate to have tremendous athletic ability that allows me to play bigger than my 5'7" size. I signed up for every camp and training that I could attend and afford. When I was not in a structured lesson or camp, I went outside or to the school gym to work on my skills and shooting. I even worked with an online coach who helped me perfect my shot. I am proud of my growth and feel great knowing that I am in charge of my dream and journey. I was offered scholarships at several NAIA schools, and a few D2 and D3 schools. I accepted the scholarship at Hastings because of the coach, school size, and block schedule. I can honestly say that my work ethic has already made a difference in my life's journey but my journey took a drastic change in the spring of my senior year. While training for the regional track meet, I took a horrific spill on hurdles and broke my leg, and ankle, and tore several ligaments. After surgery, I spent the remainder of my senior year and all of the summer on crutches. I struggled mentally for a while because I was not the type of person to be on the sidelines. It was really hard to watch the regional track meet and know that I could have gone to state! I started college on two feet but just walking was difficult. Wouldn't you know that my dorm room would be on the 3rd floor!! I haven't let it stop me, but the injury has slowed me down. The coach redshirted me and thankfully has been patient with my rehab. I go to physical therapy 3 times a week and am seeing growth. I am still determined to play college basketball, probably more so than I ever was. In my tiny high school, I played every sport that was offered and was also a cheerleader. I learned to try different things and believe I could do anything I set my mind to. Sports kept me in shape and I loved being a part of the team. Basketball has always been my favorite sport, and I am super proud of all I have accomplished so far. I still have dreams of playing at the college level and plan to do all in my power to make sure this dream is a reality!

I would like to think that I qualify as a woman of excellence based on the strength of my character and work ethic. I am a biracial student who grew up in a very small country community in the Texas Panhandle where racial discrimination happened daily but mostly without intent. At first, it got to me but then I realized it was just ignorance on their part, and I grew thicker skin. I stepped up and proved that who I was and what I could accomplish had nothing to do with my skin color. Currently, I find diversity at college quite refreshing. For the past several years, I have dreamed of playing college basketball and have worked tons of hours to achieve this goal. I am so fortunate to have received numerous offers to play at the collegiate level. After weighing all the factors that were important to me, I accepted the offer from Hastings College. Hastings is an awesome place but it is private and pretty pricey. This scholarship will help me attain my goal of going to college and graduating without loads of debt. I am very thankful to have been offered an athletic scholarship and extremely proud of the academic scholarships I received. I am focused and determined to obtain as many scholarships as I can to allow me to play basketball and remain debt-free. After graduating with a business degree, I plan to return to my hometown and take over the management of the family ranch. We raise registered Red Angus cattle and have for over 20 years. The weather is one of the biggest obstacles in running a profitable program. In ag, I learned how to better budget, cut costs, and develop a plan to be financially successful in years of drought, natural disasters, and cattle loss. I have learned many things about genetics but know that there is so much more to learn to sustain a quality registered herd. The ag mechanic skills that were taught to me will be extremely helpful on a daily basis. After college graduation and returning to Silverton, I plan to continue my education further but in a vocational manner. I have also always dreamed of opening up my own hair salon. I love styling hair and am quite good at it. I will have to go to school to obtain my cosmetology license while running operations on the ranch. I believe I can make these two diverse occupations work together and live my dream life. My grandad has pushed me to get an education but to focus on getting a career in something that I would look forward to working on every day. The idea of being self-employed and being my own boss is very appealing. Hopefully, the business part of my degree will prepare me to successfully run my businesses, both cattle and beauty! While attending high school, I was an active volunteer for the Tri-County Food Bank and helped with the distribution of food to those who had a need. It was an eye-opening experience because I am blessed and have never been worried about not having enough food to eat. I truly enjoyed my 3 years of service and hope to continue my volunteer work when I move back to the community. It was rewarding to help people and a great reminder to be thankful for my blessings. To date, I believe my greatest accomplishment is being awarded a college athletic scholarship. I have a never-give-up mindset. This has helped me obtain my goal of being a college basketball player and helped me through a devastating track injury. I had to redshirt this year after a severe break and ligament damage that required surgery. I have had to learn how to walk all over again. I am determined to get back on the court and am getting stronger every week.

I am beyond blessed to live with my grandparents in one of the most beautiful parts of the country. Silverton is a super small town in Texas and very close-knit. I love the community spirit and that I feel safe (except for the fear of rattlesnakes) in my tiny school, at home, around the town, and countryside. It was hard to move away for college, but I plan on coming back as soon as possible. For the past several years, I have dreamed of playing college basketball and have worked tons of hours to achieve this goal. I am so fortunate to have received numerous offers to play at the collegiate level. After weighing all the factors that were important to me, I accepted the offer from Hastings College in Nebraska. Hastings is an awesome place but it is private and pretty pricey. This scholarship will help me attain my goal of going to college and graduating without loads of debt. I am very thankful to have been offered an athletic scholarship and extremely proud of the academic scholarships I received. I am focused and determined to obtain as many scholarships as I can to allow me to play basketball at the school of my dreams and remain debt-free. After graduating with an agribusiness degree, I plan to return to my hometown and take over the management of the family ranch. We raise registered Red Angus cattle and have for over 20 years. The weather is one of the biggest obstacles in running a profitable program. In ag, I learned how to better budget, cut costs, and develop a plan to be financially successful in years of drought, natural disasters, and cattle loss. I have learned many things about genetics but know that there is so much more to learn to sustain a quality registered herd. The ag mechanic skills that were taught to me will be extremely helpful on a daily basis. After college graduation and returning to Silverton, I plan to continue my education further but in a vocational manner. I have also always dreamed of opening up my own hair salon. I love styling hair and am quite good at it. I will have to go to school to obtain my cosmetology license while running operations on the ranch. I believe I can make these two diverse occupations work together and live my dream life! My grandad has pushed me to get an education but to focus on getting a career in something that I would look forward to working on every day. The idea of being self-employed and being my own boss is very appealing. Hopefully, the business part of my degree will prepare me to successfully run my businesses, both cattle and beauty!

The quality that I value most in myself is my extraordinary work ethic. I have a longtime dream of playing college basketball but I am not blessed with extreme height. At an early age, I knew I would have to work harder and be stronger than the girls who towered above me. I am so fortunate to have tremendous athletic ability that allows me to play bigger than my 5'7" size. I signed up for every camp and training that I could attend and afford. When I was not in a structured lesson or camp, I went outside or to the school gym to work on my skills and shooting. I even worked with an online coach who helped me perfect my shot. I am proud of my growth and feel great knowing that I am in charge of my dream and journey. I was offered scholarships at several NAIA schools, and a few D2 and D3 schools. I accepted the scholarship at Hastings because of the coach, school size, and block schedule. I can honestly say that my work ethic has already made a difference in my life's journey but my journey took a drastic change in the spring of my senior year. While training for the regional track meet, I took a horrific spill on hurdles and broke my leg, and ankle, and tore several ligaments. After surgery, I spent the remainder of my senior year and all of the summer on crutches. I struggled mentally for a while because I was not the type of person to be on the sidelines. It was really hard to watch the regional track meet and know that I could have gone to state! I started college on two feet but just walking was difficult. Wouldn't you know that my dorm room would be on the 3rd floor. I haven't let it stop me, but the injury has slowed me down. The coach redshirted me and thankfully has been patient with my rehab. I go to physical therapy 3 times a week and am seeing growth. I am still determined to play college basketball, probably more so than I ever was. In my tiny high school, I played every sport that was offered and was also a cheerleader. I learned to try different things and believe I could do anything I set my mind to. Sports kept me in shape and I loved being a part of the team. Basketball has always been my favorite sport, and I am super proud of all I have accomplished so far. I still have dreams of playing at the college level and plan to do all in my power to make sure this dream is a reality!

I am beyond blessed to live in one of the most beautiful parts of the country. Silverton is a super small town and very close-knit. I love the community spirit and that I feel safe (except for the fear of rattlesnakes) in my tiny high school, at home, around the town, and countryside. It was hard to move away for college, but I plan on coming back as soon as possible. For the past several years, I have dreamed of playing college basketball and have worked tons of hours to achieve this goal. I am so fortunate to have received numerous offers to play at the collegiate level. After weighing all the factors that were important to me, I accepted the offer from Hastings College in Nebraska. Hastings is an awesome place but it is private and pretty pricey. This scholarship will help me attain my goal of going to college and graduating without loads of debt. I am very thankful to have been offered an athletic scholarship and extremely proud of the academic scholarship I received. I am focused and determined to obtain as many scholarships as I can to allow me to play basketball at the school of my dreams and remain debt-free. After graduating with an agribusiness degree, I plan to return to my hometown and take over the management of the family ranch. We raise registered Red Angus cattle and have for over 20 years. The weather is one of the biggest obstacles in running a profitable program. In ag, I learned how to better budget, cut costs, and develop a plan to be financially successful in years of drought, natural disasters, and cattle loss. I have learned many things about genetics but know that there is so much more to learn to sustain a quality registered herd. The ag mechanic skills that were taught to me will be extremely helpful on a daily basis. After college graduation and returning to Silverton, I plan to continue my education further but in a vocational manner. I have also always dreamed of opening up my own hair salon. I love styling hair and am quite good at it. I will have to go to school to obtain my cosmetology license while running operations on the ranch. I believe I can make these two diverse occupations work together and live my dream life! My grandad has pushed me to get an education but to focus on getting a career in something that I would look forward to working on every day. The idea of being self-employed and being my own boss is very appealing. Hopefully, the business part of my degree will prepare me to successfully run my businesses, both cattle and beauty!

I enjoy playing golf because I am a big-time competitor, even if it is against myself. I find it very therapeutic to hit the ball really hard off the tee and this is actually the best part of my game. I love the challenge of trying to play the game and staying under par! I also enjoy zipping along the cart path in the golf cart. I have come across several challenges in the game but they are not so specific to female golfers. The biggest problem I had in high school was that our school only offered the sport for one year and then cut funding for it. I think I could have done very well if I had been given the opportunity to practice and perfect my game. The closest golf course to my small hometown is about 40 miles away and is only a 9-hole course. I am not a member of any country clubs and only had access to play at small or city courses. It would have been so awesome to be in a place where I could have taken lessons and practiced the sport daily. My grandad helped me build a small putting area in the backyard but my border collie thought the game was for her and kept stealing my ball. I must admit that putting was the worst part of my game. I could always get to the green but then my score multiplied. I really needed lots of work on putting! We had a huge yard so I could also work on hitting the ball hard off the tee. My yard is not a tree-rich environment and has no water obstacles so when I went to a real golf course to play, the struggle was real. It was like my ball was magnetically attracted to every tree in sight. I am not sure if it was more comical or frustrating but I worked my way through it. I love the sport of golf and hope that I will always be able to find the time and money to play. I believe it has so many positive attributes and helps teach more than just sports skills. Manners, patience, and goal setting all come to mind. I hope that all schools will offer this sport to their students and give them the opportunity to learn the game and all that it has to offer. Also, I really hope I win this scholarship so that I will have some money to pay the green fees because I am a super-broke college student!

I enjoy playing golf because I am a big-time competitor, even if it is against myself. I find it very therapeutic to hit the ball really hard off the tee and this is actually the best part of my game. I love the challenge of trying to play the game and staying under par! I also enjoy zipping along the cart path in the golf cart. I have come across several challenges in the game but they are not so specific to female golfers. The biggest problem I had in high school was that our school only offered the sport for one year and then cut funding for it. I think I could have done very well if I had been given the opportunity to practice and perfect my game. The closest golf course to my small hometown is about 40 miles away and is only a 9-hole course. I am not a member of any country clubs and only had access to play at small or city courses. It would have been so awesome to be in a place where I could have taken lessons and practiced the sport daily. My grandad helped me build a small putting area in the backyard but my border collie thought the game was for her and kept stealing my ball. I must admit that putting was the worst part of my game. I could always get to the green but then my score multiplied. I really needed lots of work on putting! We had a huge yard so I could also work on hitting the ball hard off the tee. My yard is not a tree-rich environment and has no water obstacles so when I went to a real golf course to play, the struggle was real. It was like my ball was magnetically attracted to every tree in sight. I am not sure if it was more comical or frustrating but I worked my way through it. I love the sport of golf and hope that I will always be able to find the time and money to play. I believe it has so many positive attributes and helps teach more than just sports skills. Manners, patience, and goal setting all come to mind. I hope that all schools will offer this sport to their students and give them the opportunity to learn the game and all that it has to offer.

I am beyond blessed to live in one of the most beautiful parts of the country. Silverton is a super small town and very close-knit. I love the community spirit and that I feel safe (except for the fear of rattlesnakes) in my tiny school, at home, around the town and countryside. It will be hard to move away for college, but I plan on coming back as soon as possible. Silverton School athletics have been my driving force and affected my life in the most positive ways. My school is very small so the programs depend on students being active in many activities. I have been a varsity cheerleader, and basketball player, and run cross country and track. I think being a part of all these teams has helped me become more organized, grow my leadership skills and kept me too busy to get into trouble. For the past several years, I have dreamed of playing college basketball and have worked tons of hours to achieve this goal. I have been further blessed by my coaches and grandparents who have helped me grow as a player. My coaches have pushed me to lead and to excel. My grandparents have helped me get to camps, trainers and to play on an awesome AAU team. I put in lots of work on my own in the gym trying to perfect my shot and dribbling skills. In the summer of my junior year, I began getting invited to many prospect camps and showcases. I am so fortunate to have received numerous offers to play at the collegiate level. After weighing all the factors that were important to me, I accepted the offer to play basketball at Hastings College in Nebraska. Hastings is an awesome place but it is private and pretty pricey. This scholarship will help me attain my goal of going to college and graduating without loads of debt. I am very thankful to have been offered an athletic scholarship and extremely proud of the academic scholarship I received. I am focused and determined to obtain as many scholarships as I can to allow me to play basketball at the school of my dreams and remain debt free. I hope to major in exercise and sports study and become a girls basketball and track coach.Being a coach will allow me to pay it forward and positively impact the lives of others.

I have been blessed with so many awesome role models that it might seem impossible to pick just one. While my grandparents, coaches, teachers and pastor are obvious choices, I am going to have to say that my absolute, biggest role model is Jesus. I know I don't have to explain my reasons but for the sake of the required word count, I will try my best. First, Jesus lived a life of service and sacrifice. He even sacrificed his own life for all of us. If I could model these traits of serving others, it would not only make me better but make the world a better place too. Jesus lived a life free of sin. I get that this is not possible for me to be free of sin, but what an outstanding goal to have. I am a sinner but if I strive to remember "what would Jesus do", I know that I will stay out of trouble. Jesus taught us to forgive. I believe this is crucial to living a happy life. Whenever I have been involved in conflict and drama, I always feel better when the mess is resolved. It is like a huge weight is lifted from my shoulders. I don't think you can have peace when you are really angry, upset or feel hate towards others. "Red and yellow, black and white, all are precious to His sight, " are words from a song that I learned in Sunday school. I would love to live in a world where we all loved and accepted each other regardless of race. As a biracial person, I have experience prejudice because of the color of my skin and it is painful. Jesus loves me, despite my sins and transgressions. To be loved, really loved, is such an awesome feeling. Relationships are tough and don't always last, but Jesus' love for me is eternal, just like my love for him. We all need to be loved and be able to love others. It is so amazing to know that Jesus will love me, no matter what! My grandparents, coaches, teachers and pastor are all role models too. I truly believe that they would choose Jesus as their biggest role model too. They have all modeled so many of the things Jesus has taught us and this has been a huge support in my life. I am blessed and Jesus is the biggest reason!

1, I stay very busy both with activities and community service. I have been a 4-year starter on the varsity basketball team and have signed a letter of intent to play in college. I have been to regionals in cross country. I also went to regionals in track in the high jump and all of the relays. I have been chosen as an All-American cheerleader for 3 years and served as captain. I have been in the UIL One Act play for 4 years as a member of the cast. I have competed in TAFE and advanced to state competitions two times. In FFA, I have become a certified welder, shown livestock and competed in numerous competitions, along with serving as an officer for 3 years. In 4-H, I have been an officer, showing livestock, advanced to state in the food quiz bowl and competed in many events. My community service has been volunteering at the Baptist Church nursery on Sundays and during revival. I have worked in the community gardens doing whatever task was necessary. I have worked on highway trash pick up several years. I have volunteered at community events as a booth worker every October and December. My collection and distribution of food for the local food bank is my all-time favorite community service and I help with this every month. 2. I plan to continue my volunteer work with the food bank after graduating. I enjoy delivering food to people who are so happy to receive it. I have always been so lucky that I have never been worried about having food to eat. This service is a great reminder to me of my blessings and is very rewarding. 3. My time in college is going to be pretty much mapped out. I am playing college basketball and this will take a tremendous amount of time. In my free time, I hope to play some golf, eat out with friends and SHOP! I also plan to be active in clubs and church throughout college. 4. If I were lucky enough to receive this scholarship, it would help me focus on my studies and basketball more. I am going to Hastings College in Nebraska. It is a private school with pricey tuition but is the right fit for me. I would love to graduate debt free and receiving this scholarship would have a positive impact in that regard.

I am beyond blessed to live in one of the most beautiful parts of the country. The town that I am from is super small and extremely close-knit. I love the community spirit and that I feel safe (except for the fear of rattlesnakes) in my tiny school, at home and around the town and countryside. For several years, I have dreamed of playing college basketball and have worked a ton of hours to achieve this goal. I am so fortunate to have received several offers to play at the collegiate level. After weighing all the factors that were important to me, I accepted the offer from Hastings College. Hastings is an incredible place but it is private and pretty pricey. This scholarship will help me attain my goal of going to college and graduating without a ton of debt. I am very thankful to have been offered an athletic scholarship and proud of the academic scholarship I received. My FAFSA came through with more help but there is still a pretty big number left to pay. I am focused and determined to obtain as many scholarships as I can to help me attend the school of my dreams and remain debt free. After graduating with an agribusiness degree, I plan to return to my hometown and take over the management of the family ranch. We raise registered Red Angus Cattle in the Panhandle of Texas. Extreme weather is one of the biggest obstacles I will face in running a profitable program. I need to learn how to better budget and cut feed costs. I need to develop a plan to be financially successful in years of drought and cattle loss. I will need to learn how to use the available government programs to enhance and grow operations. After college graduation, I plan to continue my education further but in a vocational manner. I have also dreamed of opening up a hair salon. I love styling hair and am quite good at it. I will have to go to school to obtain my cosmetology license while running the ranch. I believe I can make these two diverse occupations work together and live my dream life! My grandad has pushed me to get an education but to focus on getting a career in something that I would look forward to working on every day. The idea of being self-employed and being the boss of myself is very appealing. Hopefully, the business part of my degree will prepare me to successfully run my businesses, both cattle and beauty!

The BIBLE! If you just read one book, I would recommend the Bible. There are several reasons that I chose this book. I believe that the Bible has been the most influential guide in my life. There are stories and verses that can answer any question or dilemma I have ever encountered. The Ten Commandments alone are crucial words to live by. It is such an inspirational choice with lessons about living right. The Bible is a book to be read and reread. If you ever do finish reading the whole thing, reading it again just deepens understanding and growth. I have not finished it even once but have read several books in the Bible numerous times. If you enjoy book studies, the Bible is an excellent choice. I have been involved in several book studies that focus on just one small part of the Bible. The group discussions and study notes focused my learning and took my understanding to a greater level than achieved on my own. I also love miracles. There is no better choice for reading about miracles and getting hope for life on Earth and the afterlife too. Each weekend in Sunday school and church, I am amazed to learn about the miracles taught in the Bible. The Bible is such an awesome book. It has so many different versions. If you don't like to read paper books, the Bible is easily accessed online with even more study tools than you could imagine. Just read it, and then read it again.

The quality that I value most in myself is my extraordinary work ethic. I have a dream of playing college basketball but I am not blessed with extreme height. At an early age, I knew I would have to work harder and be stronger than the girls who towered above me. I am so fortunate to have tremendous athletic ability that allows me to play bigger than my 5'7" size. I sign up for every camp and training that I can possibly attend and afford. When I am not in a structured lesson, I get outside or to the school gym to work on my skills and shooting. I am proud of my growth and feel great knowing that I am in charge of my dream and journey. I have recently been offered scholarships at two different NAIA schools and have more visits scheduled. I can honestly say that my work ethic has already made a difference on my life's journey. I have not idea what school I will choose but am ecstatic that I have choices to make while living my dream.

The first time I ever played golf was in the seventh grade. My school coach encouraged me to try so we would have enough girls for a team. He had golf clubs that were way to big for me and an old rolling cart. I showed up for the first practice and LOVED it. We played in three meets that year. I even won an award. I loved it so much that my parents bought me a set of clubs for my birthday. They also paid for me to go to a local college's golf camp that summer. This instruction really improved my ability to drive the ball farther but my putting game still needs a lot of work. Sadly my school no longer offers golf but I still play when I can. There is a 9 hole course about 30 miles from my house that lets high school students play for a small fee. Golf is the one sport that I play that is not reliant on a team. I love that I can load my clubs and go play all by myself. As much as I enjoy playing alone, I have a great time competing with friends whenever we can arrange it. Golf is the sport I know I will play for life.

The quality that I value most in myself is my extraordinary work ethic. I have a dream of playing college basketball but I am not blessed with extreme height. At an early age, I knew I would have to work harder and be stronger than the girls who towered above me. I am so fortunate to have tremendous athletic ability that allows me to play bigger than my 5'7" size. I sign up for every camp and training that I can possibly attend and afford. When I am not in a structured lesson, I get outside or to the school gym to work on my skills and shooting. I am proud of my growth and feel great knowing that I am in charge of my dream and journey. I have recently been offered scholarships at two different NAIA schools and have more visits scheduled. I can honestly say that my work ethic has already made a difference on my life's journey. I have not idea what school I will choose but am ecstatic that I have choices to make while living my dreaam.

Every since I began to play in the third grade, I have dreamed of playing college basketball. I have worked diligently to make my dream a reality. After college, I know basketball will still be a huge part of life and will continue to guide my future.

As a female athlete, I feel it is incredibly important to confront the blatant gender disparity in our great state. The difference in athletic equipment, scholarships, and access to college scouts is a genuine factor. Not to mention, the lack of confidence held by women in entering a male-dominated field. Recent statistics show more women than men are attending college, however, the funding is not equitable to those stats. I feel compelled to make a difference in this disparity by entering a field in agriculture, mathematics, or science. If we as a gender can excel in these fields that have been dominated by men, it will send a message that cannot be denied. That message is: equal opportunity and equal pay. With access to jobs that pay more than stereotypical jobs held by females in prior generations, women will be encouraged to enter fields they never considered available to them. As more women pursue business, agriculture, mathematics, and science careers, it will up the scales in the job market forcing male-dominated industries to change. The future generations should not have to be exposed to the society of yesterday. The goal is to have women feel confident to pursue their career regardless of existing stereotypes. Gender disparity is a topic that many people shy away from because it is just uncomfortable. Perhaps, that is why it has continued to exist. Young people should feel confident choosing a major because a career is on the other side. In the current job market, women do not feel entering a male-dominated field will pay off for them in the long run. Nobody should go to college just to have a piece of paper hanging on the wall. I intend on attending college to pursue a career; not to just land a “job.” My hard work and dedication are all for naught if the system does not update with the times. I will not shy away from this topic as it directly affects me and so many other young women. I believe I will succeed in a male-dominated industry and remain hopeful for equality.

"Save your money. Don't spend it on junk!" are the words I heard and continue to hear from my grandpa all the time. I am a sucker for the checkout treasures and always want to add a goodie to my purchase. My grandpa got tired of my disrespect for the value of money and put me on an allowance plan. At first, I was ecstatic that I had my own money and could buy whatever I wanted without asking. Wow, the joy sure disappeared quickly. I blew through my allotted budget in no time!! I was shocked and saddened when I got invited to go to the movies with friends and couldn't go because I had no money left. I finally understood the value of saving. I would have enjoyed the night out with friends way more than the random "junk" that I had to have. Actually, I couldn't even remember what I had spent my money on but I know I would have remembered the movie night.

Jesus! Why?? "Jesus loves me. This I know, for the Bible tells me so." Enough said!

High school life is hectic and rarely contains any downtime. If this luxurious time ever happens, I break out my cherished stand mixer, my favorite Christmas gift, and search the web for a cake that I can create with ingredients on hand. I have always enjoyed cooking but have a real love for baking cakes from scratch and then decorating my masterpieces. This process is slow yet, oh so relaxing. I have had my share of flops but also several successes. This year we had a super cold and snowy New Year's Day, and I took advantage of being snowed in and made my fanciest cake ever. It took hours to whip up the icing and get all the decor to be symmetrical. The end result was not only almost too perfect to eat, but it also tasted amazing. And for once, no one griped about the heat from the oven.