Community service is the single most important way that I have been able to help others and give back within my community. Active involvement in community service through church and school leadership has provided me the opportunity to learn the importance of servant leadership, the impact of doing for others, and has also sparked my love for working with children. True servant leadership is owning responsibility/accountability, the ability to listen and seek advice from others, the ability to be a team player, as well as the ability to work through challenges to achieve success. One of the most profound aspects of participating in community service is the ability to help serve others. Community service has also taught me gratitude and the importance of utilizing my leadership ability to help provide for others through service. I have been blessed by the opportunity to serve as the National Honor Society Chapter President, as well as the Class President for the last 3 years of high school. This opportunity has allowed me the ability to collaborate and coordinate 11 different service projects and over 150 service hours.

Helping to serve as my grandmothers caregiver was one of the single most challenging times in my life! My memories of my Gigi and the influence she made on me, are a huge part of the reason that I have such a strong work ethic. She was so much more than just a teacher, or a Gigi. She was a mentor, and a friend, and she truly had a passion for serving others through encouraging higher education. She encouraged me at a young age to set big goals and dreams for myself, which included pursing a college education. She is the reason that I am incredibly driven, and continually striving for academic excellence. Her strong encouragement and work ethic are what helped keep me motivated, to be the best that I can be, and to continue to reach for my goals of one day becoming a Physician. Helping to serve as my grandmothers’ caregiver, proved to be very challenging, however; allowed me to see the importance of being organized as well as having good time management skills, to help care for her and still keep schoolwork and studying as a priority. This experience truly taught me the importance of work ethic. Her daily struggles and her fight, to retain her memory and her health, along with the amazing person she was, motivate me to work even harder in pursuing my goal of becoming a Family Physician. My personal experience with Alzheimer’s has given me insight into the importance of the role of not only a caregiver, but also to be able to help other families that struggle with declining health of their loved ones. My ultimate dream is to become a Physician, so that I can use my gifts and talents, to care for others and their families.

Active involvement in community service through church and school leadership has provided me the opportunity to learn the importance of servant leadership, the impact of doing for others, and has also sparked my love for working with children. True servant leadership is owning responsibility/accountability, the ability to listen and seek advice from others, the ability to be a team player, as well as the ability to work through challenges to achieve success. One of the most profound aspects of participating in community service is the ability to help serve others. Community service has also taught me gratitude and the importance of utilizing my leadership ability to help provide for others through service. I have been blessed by the opportunity to serve as the National Honor Society Chapter President, as well as the Class President for the last 3 years of high school. This opportunity has allowed me the ability to collaborate and coordinate 11 different service projects. I have completed 150 service hours. It is an honor to share how I learned the value and impact of community service. My grandmother was one of my biggest influences. She made such a huge impact on me, encouraging the importance of community involvement and instilled in me the importance of pursing a higher education. My precious grandmother, “Gigi”, passed away on July 10, 2020 at the young age of 69, due to late stage Alzheimer’s disease. My grandmother was an educator in the public-school system for 29 years, prior to be diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease, at the young age of 54. My grandmother helped care for my sister and I, and at an early age, she instilled in us the importance of having a strong work ethic, as well as the importance of doing for others. Education and literacy were her passion, and she absolutely loved serving and helping others. She was larger than life and enjoyed making a difference in others. My memories of my Gigi and the influence she made on me, are a huge part of the reason that I have such a strong desire to attend college to pursue a degree in Medicine. She was so much more than just a teacher, or a Gigi. She was a mentor, and a friend, and she truly had a passion for serving others and encouraging higher education. She encouraged me at a young age to get involved in community service, by leading by example, along with encouraging me to set big goals and dreams for myself, which included pursing a college education. She is the reason that I am incredibly driven, and continually striving for academic excellence. Her strong encouragement and work ethic are what helps keep me motivated, to be the best that I can be, and to continue to reach for my goals of one day becoming a Physician. Through my grandmother’s physical decline with Alzheimer’s, I had the ability to help serve as her caregiver. I have had the honor of leading and collaborating multiple school-wide projects as the Senior Class President, including organizing a team to participate in the “Walk to End Alz”, with hopes of raising community awareness to support Alzheimer’s research. Helping to be my grandmothers’ caregiver, allowed me to see the importance of being organized as well as having good time management skills, to help care for her and keep schoolwork and studying as a priority. This experience truly taught me the importance of work ethic. Her daily struggles and her fight, to retain her memory and her health, along with the amazing person she was, motivate me to work even harder in pursuing my goal of becoming a Physician. My goal is to obtain a degree in Biology, and then attend Medical School. My personal experience with Alzheimer’s has given me insight into the importance of the role of not only a caregiver, but also to be able to help other families that struggle with declining health of their loved ones. My ultimate dream is to become a Board-Certified Physician, so that I can use my gifts and talents, to care for others and their families. My Gigi instilled so many incredible attributes in me. Ultimately, what I learned from my grandmother, is that despite the challenges and adversity, living each day to the fullest and continuing to pursue higher education, while continuing to support my community is extremely important. It is an honor to share how my grandmother was such a strong influence in my life! Earning a college degree would not only allow me to accomplish a major personal goal, but would also allow me to gain knowledge, skills and a better understanding of what it takes to be successful, as a Physician. In pursing a college degree, it will also foster a sense of self-discipline, that will help me in my professional career, in learning my own personal strengths and weaknesses. In my personal experience throughout school, I have found that the more I learn, the more I want to learn. Earning a higher education will not only improve my communication but will also improve my self-discipline. Self-discipline and goal setting have helped me maintain a strong work ethic, that has kept me focused throughout high school, resulting in maintaining a 4.0 and giving me the sense of self-accomplishment. I am extremely excited about my future and the possibilities of growth and advancement through seeking a college education. Attending college and obtaining a degree is truly an investment for my future. This scholarship would be a tremendous help in pursuit of a degree that would help prepare me for a rewarding career, while allowing me to continue to serve within my community.

Hands down, my biggest cheerleader and motivators are my parents. My dad is a Navy Veteran and a 21 year Veteran on the Police force. My mother has been a nurse for 23 years. Both of them have dedicated their life to serving others and giving back to the community. They are incredibly encouraging and uplifting. Both of my parents have instilled in me the importance of a strong work ethic. My parents are the reason that I am incredibly driven, and continually striving for academic excellence. Their strong encouragement and work ethic are what helps keep me motivated, to be the best that I can be, and to continue to reach for my goals of one day becoming a Physician. My ultimate dream is to become a Board-Certified Family Physician, so that I can use my gifts and talents, to care for others and their families, and become a community servant just like my parents.

Through my grandmother’s physical decline with Alzheimer’s, I had the ability to help serve as her caregiver. Serving as her caregiver allowed me to be more aware of the impact of the importance of helping others. Caring for others is by far my best attribute. In serving as a caregiver, this experience truly taught me the importance and impact of teamwork. My grandmothers physical decline helped motivate me to work even harder in pursuing my goal of becoming a Physician. My goal is to obtain a degree in Biology, and then attend Medical School. My personal experience with Alzheimer’s has given me insight into the importance of the role of not only a caregiver, but also awareness of the need to help other families that struggle with declining health of their loved ones. My ultimate dream is to become a Physician, so that I can use my gifts and talents, to care for others. Earning a higher education will not only improve my action-oriented awareness but will also improve my self-discipline and the ability to care for others.

Math is so much more than just numbers or equations. How we approach math helps us build better problem-solving skills, that help us in our every day lives. Being able to analytically think about a math problem and having the ability to conquer that problem is much similar to how we approach life. Math also encourages a new way of thinking, leading us to learning new skill sets. In a world of constant change, that often comes with chaos, math is definitive. Math is truly part of our every day lives. Math is a true mind developer, it empowers the study of other subjects and is a necessary component of any career! That is why studying math at the college level is incredibly important. It is quite a fair point to say math and history truly go hand in hand. Math is not a matter of simply remembering formulas to do long multiplication, solve harder equations or find the volume of a cuboid. Math is the art of using those hard formula at the right time and the right question. Those might be important to achieve, but patterns identifying ,structure recognition, logic investigating the behind words are major requirements of this art. These are necessary skills before anything else in daily life. Making decisions, taking steps, using technology or even reading a daily news are very good examples of it. Math is one of the most important subjects in our daily life and in most human activities the knowledge of mathematics is important. In the rapidly changing world and in the era of technology, math plays an essential role. To understand the mechanized world and match with the newly developing information technology knowledge in mathematics is vital. Math is the mother of all sciences. Without the knowledge of math, nothing is possible in the world. The world cannot progress without mathematics. Math fulfills most of the human needs related to diverse aspects of everyday life. I truly love a great academic challenge. That is why I connect with math and enjoy many aspects of learning math. My goal is to become a pediatric physician. Math plays a vital role in medicine. Math is crucial in practicing medicine, in ensuring correct doses of medication are given to patients. Numbers and math are essential in practicing medicine. Accuracy of correct dosage of medications with the use if math is invaluable to providing excellent patient care. Math is not only an important part of every day life, but crucial in caring for others.

The name Sarah means Joy. Very fitting that my name is Sarah Katherine. I find so much joy in volunteering and serving others. I am a 19 year old pre-med student with HUGE goals and dreams to practice medicine in a rural health clinic, where I hope to bring JOY and give back to others through caring for them. I am currently involved in multiple volunteer efforts in my community. One of which includes working at a free healthcare clinic, because those efforts bring me so much joy. Joy to me is helping others.

My career goal is to obtain a degree in biology, and ultimately become a family practice physician. Growing up in a small town, with an extremely close-knit community, our local Family Physician was so much more than someone we sought care from when we were sick. Family physicians truly provide care to people of all ages, from pediatrics to geriatrics. Family Physicians are the heart of preventive medicine, through providing education and preventive screenings to the community and area in which they practice. My local family medicine physician participated in community wide health screenings for hypertension and diabetes, and often provided local education regarding the importance of maintaining a good diet and exercise. Family physicians also have capabilities to prescribe medications, order labs and diagnostic tests, and determine if further specialized care is needed. Family physicians provide true comprehensive care to patients of all ages and with multiple different health conditions. Excellent communication skills are very important for family practice physicians, as they are often the first line of communication when a patient seeks healthcare services. They also generally work closely with other medical staff such as nurses, lab technicians and other physicians. Another important role of the family physician is to educate patients and their families on the availability of vaccines and the importance of vaccines to prevent potential disease outbreaks. Family physicians also create meaningful partnerships with patients to help them set healthcare goals, as well as achieve them. As healthcare in our Country shifts to become more preventive based care, family physicians are becoming more and more valued for their role in partnering with patients in the community to not only diagnose illnesses, but also prevent them. Also, due to improvements in medical technology and advancements in pharmaceuticals, patients are living longer, often relying on their family practice physician as a means to better access to care. For my family, seeking care with our local family practice physician allowed us to not only be treated by the same physician as children, but also into adulthood. The relationship that my family gained by utilizing a family practice physician was very personable and meaningful. Our family practice physician was the first to recognize cognitive decline and changes in my grandmother, who at the time was 53 years young. Due to the persistence of our local family practice physician, my grandmother was provided additional diagnostic studies and referred to a Neurologist, where she was later diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease. Family practice physicians are invaluable! They truly treat and manage more than just common colds and acute illnesses. My career goal is to become a family practice physician, where I can practice medicine within my local community, that has a vast population of aging adults and new families, with young children. I would love to be able to give back to the community, that has poured so much into my personal growth and development.

My grandmother was the biggest influence in my life. She instilled in me the importance of pursing a higher education. My precious grandmother recently passed away at the young age of 69, due to late stage Alzheimer’s disease. My grandmother helped care for my sister and I, and at an early age, she instilled the importance of having a strong work ethic into us. My memories of my Gigi and the influence she made on me, are a huge part of the reason that I have such a strong work ethic. She was so much more than just a teacher, or a Gigi. She was a mentor, and a friend, and she truly had a passion for serving others through encouraging higher education. She encouraged me at a young age to set big goals and dreams for myself, which included pursing a college education. She is the reason that I am incredibly driven, and continually striving for academic excellence. Her strong encouragement and work ethic are what helped keep me motivated, to be the best that I can be, and to continue to reach for my goals of one day becoming a Physician. Through my grandmother’s physical decline with Alzheimer’s, I had the ability to help serve as her caregiver. Her daily struggles to retain her memory and her health, along with the amazing person she was, motivate me to work even harder in pursuing my goal of becoming a Family Physician. My personal experience with Alzheimer’s has given me insight into the importance of the role of not only a caregiver, but also to be able to help other families that struggle with declining health of their loved ones. My dream is to become a Physician so that I can use my gifts to care for others.

Growing up in the deep south, my parents both shared their love for nature and the great outdoors, with me and my siblings. At a young age, we were shown how nature can not only provide us with resources, but also allow us to enjoy quality time together as a family. Enjoying time outdoors, camping, fishing and hunting has truly contributed to the best quality time together as a family. My parents engaged me and my siblings in planting our family garden each spring. This invaluable lesson taught me how invaluable nature really is! Being able to experience the outcome of the work that was put into growing the garden was incredible. My love for outdoors and awareness of the environment around me continues to grow. One small way that I have been able to impact nature and my surroundings while in school has been to help keep the grounds free of litter. Nature not only provides beauty and calmness, but it also provides us with life! That in itself is invaluable!

Creativity makes life interesting and fulfilling! Being creative has allowed me to engage with other students and adults and has empowered me to have connections with others on a deeper level. As a student with a full course load, part time job and multiple competing extra curricular activities, creativity has allowed me to be able to juggle competing responsibilities and do it with fulfillment. Creativity has also allowed me to make personal connections within the classroom, with friends and the people I work with. The most memorable creative moment to date, was organizing and collaborating a student wide fundraiser to raise money to help fund Alzheimer's research. Through participation, the students were not only engaging with one another, but also in a friendly competition to see which class could raise the most funds. This is just one small example of how creativity has helped me grow as a leader and a student. Creativity is truly an integral part of my life and will continue to be as I pursue higher education to hopefully become a physician one day in the near future.

It is an absolute honor to be able to share my story, about how my grandmother made such a huge impact on me and my work ethic and instilled in me the importance of pursing a higher education even through adversity in my life. My precious grandmother, “Gigi”, passed away on July 10, 2020 at the young age of 69, due to late stage Alzheimer’s disease. My grandmother was an educator in the public-school system for 29 years, prior to be diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease, at the young age of 54. My grandmother helped care for my sister and I, and at an early age, she instilled the importance of having a strong work ethic into us. Education and literacy were her passion, and she absolutely loved serving and helping others. She was larger than life and enjoyed making a difference in others. My memories of my Gigi and the influence she made on me, are a huge part of the reason that I have such a strong work ethic. She was so much more than just a teacher, or a Gigi. She was a mentor, and a friend, and she truly had a passion for serving others through encouraging higher education. She encouraged me at a young age to set big goals and dreams for myself, which included pursing a college education. She is the reason that I am incredibly driven, and continually striving for academic excellence. Her strong encouragement and work ethic are what helped keep me motivated, to be the best that I can be, and to continue to reach for my goals of one day becoming a Physician. Through my grandmother’s physical decline with Alzheimer’s, I had the ability to help serve as her caregiver. I have had the honor of leading and collaborating multiple school-wide projects as the Senior Class President, however, helping to be my grandmothers’ caregiver, proved to be very challenging, however; allowed me to see the importance of being organized as well as having good time management skills, to help care for her and still keep schoolwork and studying as a priority. This experience truly taught me the importance of work ethic. Her daily struggles and her fight, to retain her memory and her health, along with the amazing person she was, motivate me to work even harder in pursuing my goal of becoming a Family Physician. My goal is to obtain a degree in Biology, and then attend Medical School. My personal experience with Alzheimer’s has given me insight into the importance of the role of not only a caregiver, but also to be able to help other families that struggle with declining health of their loved ones. My ultimate dream is to become a Board-Certified Family Physician, so that I can use my gifts and talents, to care for others and their families. My Gigi instilled so many incredible attributes in me. Ultimately, what I learned from walking alongside my grandmother as she battled the disease, is that despite the challenges and adversity, living each day to the fullest and continuing to pursue higher education, with goals of improving myself, while continuing to have a strong work ethic is what is important. It is an honor to share how my grandmother was such a strong educational influence in my life!

Active involvement in community service through church and school leadership has provided me the opportunity to learn the importance of servant leadership, the impact of doing for others, and has also sparked my love for working with children. True servant leadership is owning responsibility/accountability, the ability to listen and seek advice from others, the ability to be a team player, as well as the ability to work through challenges to achieve success. One of the most profound aspects of participating in community service is the ability to help serve others. Community service has also taught me gratitude and the importance of utilizing my leadership ability to help provide for others through service. I have been blessed by the opportunity to serve as the National Honor Society Chapter President, as well as the Class President for the last 3 years of high school. This opportunity has allowed me the ability to collaborate and coordinate 11 different service projects. I have completed 150 service hours. It is an honor to share how I learned the value and impact of community service. My grandmother was one of my biggest influences. She made such a huge impact on me, encouraging the importance of community involvement and instilled in me the importance of pursing a higher education. My precious grandmother, “Gigi”, passed away on July 10, 2020 at the young age of 69, due to late stage Alzheimer’s disease. My grandmother was an educator in the public-school system for 29 years, prior to be diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease, at the young age of 54. My grandmother helped care for my sister and I, and at an early age, she instilled in us the importance of having a strong work ethic, as well as the importance of doing for others. Education and literacy were her passion, and she absolutely loved serving and helping others. She was larger than life and enjoyed making a difference in others. My memories of my Gigi and the influence she made on me, are a huge part of the reason that I have such a strong desire to attend college to pursue a degree in Medicine. She was so much more than just a teacher, or a Gigi. She was a mentor, and a friend, and she truly had a passion for serving others and encouraging higher education. She encouraged me at a young age to get involved in community service, by leading by example, along with encouraging me to set big goals and dreams for myself, which included pursing a college education. She is the reason that I am incredibly driven, and continually striving for academic excellence. Her strong encouragement and work ethic are what helps keep me motivated, to be the best that I can be, and to continue to reach for my goals of one day becoming a Physician. Through my grandmother’s physical decline with Alzheimer’s, I had the ability to help serve as her caregiver. I have had the honor of leading and collaborating multiple school-wide projects as the Senior Class President, including organizing a team to participate in the “Walk to End Alz”, with hopes of raising community awareness to support Alzheimer’s research. Helping to be my grandmothers’ caregiver, allowed me to see the importance of being organized as well as having good time management skills, to help care for her and keep schoolwork and studying as a priority. This experience truly taught me the importance of work ethic and the importance of community service.

Giving is so incredibly important to me, because it is something that my grandmother taught me at a young age. She absolutely loved doing for her students and those in her community. She taught me that giving could be something as simple as a small act of kindness, as well as doing for others. Giving became a huge part of my life at an early age. I chose my career field, in hopes of being able to give back to others through practicing medicine. Although my grandmother is no longer alive, she left an important legacy among me and my siblings by teaching us how important it is to do for others through giving! In honoring my grandmother and her legacy, I help organized a local walk to help raise funds to help find a cure for Alzheimer’s. I also volunteer at the local care home where I help serve others in need. This small gesture has been such a blessing to me snd my family, and is such a reminder of how impactful it is to do for others.

Active involvement in community service through church and school leadership has provided me the opportunity to learn the importance of servant leadership, the impact of doing for others, and has also sparked my love for working with children. True servant leadership is owning responsibility/accountability, the ability to listen and seek advice from others, the ability to be a team player, as well as the ability to work through challenges to achieve success. One of the most profound aspects of participating in community service is the ability to help serve others. Community service has also taught me gratitude and the importance of utilizing my leadership ability to help provide for others through service. I have been blessed by the opportunity to serve as the National Honor Society Chapter President, as well as the Class President for the last 3 years of high school. This opportunity has allowed me the ability to collaborate and coordinate 11 different service projects. I have completed 150 service hours. In volunteering with the South Rankin Food Resource Bank, I have had the opportunity to deliver meals to people in my community, many of which have limited resources. Along with serving special needs children at the Little Light House (LLH), I coordinated a gift-card drive, to collect gift cards to help provide the facility the means to take the LLH students out for lunch. This opportunity has given me a passion for working with children with special needs. I also had the honor to coordinate the “Sock It to Me” drive, in which I collected socks and coats school-wide for the We Will Go homeless shelter in downtown Jackson, MS. This ministry is extremely important to me, as many of the homeless population are Veterans and have served in the military. It is extremely difficult to summarize what community service means to me, and the impact it has made in my life. My career goal is to become a physician, where I can practice medicine within my local community. I would love to be able to serve and give back to the community that has poured so much into my personal growth and development. Once I achieve my personal goal of becoming a physician, I would like to volunteer with a local mission organization that provides medical care to underprivileged individuals in my community. Community service will continue to be a passion of mine. Earning a college degree would not only allow me to accomplish a major personal goal, but would also allow me to gain knowledge, skills and a better understanding of what it takes to be successful, as a Physician. In pursuing a college degree, it will also foster a sense of self-discipline, that will help me in my professional career, in learning my own personal strengths and weaknesses. In my personal experience throughout school, I have found that the more I learn, the more I want to learn. Earning a higher education will not only improve my communication but will also improve my self-discipline. Self-discipline and goal setting have helped me maintain a strong work ethic, that has kept me focused throughout high school, resulting in maintaining a 4.0 and giving me the sense of self-accomplishment. I am extremely excited about my future and the possibilities of growth and advancement through seeking a college education. Attending college and obtaining a degree is truly an investment for my future. This scholarship would be a tremendous help in pursuit of a degree that would help prepare me for a rewarding career, while allowing me to continue to serve within my community.

In an increasingly secular world, a Christian education provides a unique experience where like-minded, God-focused individuals can learn and grow in their relationship with Christ. Park Place Christian Academy has created an environment where I have been provided the opportunity to learn the world view versus biblical based principles, that have not only strengthened my faith, but helped develop my character, education and leadership abilities. Being surrounded by others who share similar morals and values has challenged me to integrate faith in every aspect of my life rather than just reserving it solely for church and outreach in the community. A Christian education has provided me with the foundation of discipline, and morality while encouraging a strong work ethic that can be applied to all areas of my life. As with many children, my beliefs and values are rooted in the lessons that I’ve learned from the people around me. Specifically, my parents have taught me the significance and importance of growing in my relationship with Christ. In giving me the best opportunity to grow in that relationship, they have sacrificed immensely for me to be able to grow and learn in a Christ-centered school. The teachers and administrators at Park Place have not only been physically a part of my growth and development, but they have also been invaluable in my spiritual growth. Those same teachers have modeled the importance of glorifying God through love and service. I have learned that those important attributes must extend outside of grade school education and continue through college and adulthood. Receiving a Christian education has helped lay the foundation for me to be able to integrate Christian principles into every aspect of my life. Park Place is not only provided me with an excellent Christian education, but it is also an extension of my family. My plan is to graduate from Medical School, and practice medicine as a Pediatrician in a rural medical clinic, that serves under-privileged children.

My best skill is the ability to be adaptable! Growing up, I helped take care of my young grandmother who had Alzheimer's disease. Helping with her care presented many physical and emotional challenges. It taught me a lot about myself and the importance of being flexible and adaptable. I never dreamed that helping care for her would help provide me with skills that helped me throughout high school and now into college. Having the ability to adapt easily to all situations helps decrease stress levels and allows me to set realistic goals for myself. I have also learned that adaptability is key to success, in all situations. Being adaptable has been very helpful in my transition into college. Change often creates stressful environments, but adapting to change and how well you adapt is so incredibly important. I challenge myself daily in setting goals that allow me to improve on how I adapt to each situation. I also surround myself with individuals who encourage and push me to reach my goals. That has also been the key to success.

Our founding fathers worked tirelessly to create a Country based on freedom and liberties for us as American citizens. The Constitution was created with the intent to protect individual rights and the civils rights for American Citizens. The Second Amendment has been the topic of considerable amount of debate for many years, and even more so recently with negative publicity surrounding public and school shootings. One of the biggest challenges facing all young American Citizens is the potential loss of the right to bear arms. Both my dad and my grandfather served and fought for the right for us to have this freedom, as well as the right to live in a Country where we have democracy. Having the opportunity to own a firearm comes with deep responsibility and is a privilege. The Second Amendment right promotes democracy, which is very important to me as an American, and something that is hard fought and earned, providing us as Americans the ability to have certain freedoms and have our voice heard. The Second Amendment right also symbolizes freedom and protection. That is something that can’t be bought. The Second Amendment rights are vital to the preservation of personal rights and the safety and democracy of our Country. In preserving liberty and upholding the Constitution, it's important for us to continue as citizens, to have the right to continue to bear arms. With continual political shifts, the Second Amendment right continues to be a topic of great debate, as many politicians lack understanding of the importance of the right to bear arms. As a young American citizen, it is important to protect the Second Amendment, in efforts to protect ourselves and our loved ones. I am honored to live in a Country where I can exercise the right to bear an arm.

It is an absolute honor to be able to share my story, about how my grandmother made such a huge impact on me and my work ethic and instilled in me the importance of pursing a higher education. My precious grandmother, “Gigi”, passed away on July 10, 2020 at the young age of 69, due to late stage Alzheimer’s disease. My grandmother was an educator in the public-school system for 29 years, prior to be diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease, at the young age of 54. My grandmother helped care for my sister and I, and at an early age, she instilled the importance of having a strong work ethic into us. Education and literacy were her passion, and she absolutely loved serving and helping others. She was larger than life and enjoyed making a difference in others. My memories of my Gigi and the influence she made on me, are a huge part of the reason that I have such a strong work ethic. She was so much more than just a teacher, or a Gigi. She was a mentor, and a friend, and she truly had a passion for serving others through encouraging higher education. She encouraged me at a young age to set big goals and dreams for myself, which included pursing a college education. She is the reason that I am incredibly driven, and continually striving for academic excellence. Her strong encouragement and work ethic are what helped keep me motivated, to be the best that I can be, and to continue to reach for my goals of one day becoming a Physician. Through my grandmother’s physical decline with Alzheimer’s, I had the ability to help serve as her caregiver. I have had the honor of leading and collaborating multiple school-wide projects as the Senior Class President, however, helping to be my grandmothers’ caregiver, proved to be very challenging, however; allowed me to see the importance of being organized as well as having good time management skills, to help care for her and still keep schoolwork and studying as a priority. This experience truly taught me the importance of work ethic. Her daily struggles and her fight, to retain her memory and her health, along with the amazing person she was, motivate me to work even harder in pursuing my goal of becoming a Family Physician. My goal is to obtain a degree in Biology, and then attend Medical School. My personal experience with Alzheimer’s has given me insight into the importance of the role of not only a caregiver, but also to be able to help other families that struggle with declining health of their loved ones. My ultimate dream is to become a Board-Certified Family Physician, so that I can use my gifts and talents, to care for others and their families. Earning a college degree would not only allow me to accomplish a major personal goal, but would also allow me to gain knowledge, skills and a better understanding of what it takes to be successful, as a Physician. In my personal experience throughout school, I have found that the more I learn, the more I want to learn. Earning a higher education will not only improve my communication but will also improve my self-discipline. Self-discipline and goal setting have helped me maintain a strong work ethic, that has kept me focused throughout high school, resulting in maintaining a 4.0 and giving me the sense of self-accomplishment. This scholarship would be a tremendous help in pursuit of a degree that would help prepare me for a rewarding career.

Some of my most BOLD and pivotal moments during my Senior year, have been serving in an inner-city homeless shelter. In serving, I have had the opportunity to understand the need for not only food and clothing, but also the importance in serving as an advocate for them. As a result, I have coordinated school wide clothing drives, to collect resources for the shelter. I have also completed over 200 community service hours this year, serving them. They have been a blessing to me.

My initial college goal is to obtain a degree in Biology, and then pursue a degree in Medicine. My personal experience with Alzheimer’s and serving as my grandmother's caregiver, has given me insight into the importance of the role of not only a caregiver, but also to be able to help other families that struggle with declining health of their loved ones. My ultimate dream is to become a Board-Certified Physician, so that I can use my gifts and talents, to care for others and their families. Earning a college degree would not only allow me to accomplish a major personal goal, but would also allow me to gain knowledge, skills and a better understanding of what it takes to be successful, as a Physician. In pursing a college degree, it will also foster a sense of self-discipline, that will help me in my professional career, in learning my own personal strengths and weaknesses. In my personal experience throughout school, I have found that the more I learn, the more I want to learn. Earning a higher education will not only improve my communication but will also improve my self-discipline. Self-discipline and goal setting have helped me maintain a strong work ethic, that has kept me focused throughout high school, resulting in maintaining a 4.0 and giving me the sense of self-accomplishment. I am extremely excited about my future and the possibilities of growth and advancement through seeking a college education. Attending college and obtaining a degree is truly an investment for my future. This scholarship would be a tremendous help in pursuit of a degree that would help prepare me for a rewarding career, while allowing me to continue to serve within my community.

My goal is to obtain a degree in Biology, and then attend Medical School. My personal experience with Alzheimer’s and helping to serve as a caregiver for my grandmother, has given me insight into the importance of the role of not only a caregiver, but also to be able to help other families that struggle with declining health of their loved ones. My ultimate dream is to become a Board-Certified Physician, so that I can use my gifts and talents, to care for others and their families. Through obtaining a college degree, I hope to better prepare myself for the future, physically as well as financially. Earning a college degree would not only allow me to accomplish a major personal goal, but would also allow me to gain knowledge, skills and a better understanding of what it takes to be successful, as a Physician. In pursing a college degree, it will also foster a sense of self-discipline, that will help me in my professional career, in learning my own personal strengths and weaknesses. In my personal experience throughout school, I have found that the more I learn, the more I want to learn. Earning a higher education will not only improve my communication but will also improve my self-discipline. Self-discipline and goal setting have helped me maintain a strong work ethic, that has kept me focused throughout high school, resulting in maintaining a 4.0 and giving me the sense of self-accomplishment. I am extremely excited about my future and the possibilities of growth and advancement through seeking a college education. Attending college and obtaining a degree is truly an investment for my future. This scholarship would be a tremendous help in pursuit of a degree that would help prepare me for a rewarding career, while allowing me to continue to serve within my community.

My goal is to obtain a degree in Biology, and then attend Medical School. My personal experience with Alzheimer’s has given me insight into the importance of the role of not only a caregiver, but also to be able to help other families that struggle with declining health of their loved ones. My ultimate dream is to become a Board-Certified Physician, so that I can use my gifts and talents, to care for others and their families. Earning a college degree would not only allow me to accomplish a major personal goal, but would also allow me to gain knowledge, skills and a better understanding of what it takes to be successful, as a Physician. In pursing a college degree, it will also foster a sense of self-discipline, that will help me in my professional career, in learning my own personal strengths and weaknesses. In my personal experience throughout school, I have found that the more I learn, the more I want to learn. Earning a higher education will not only improve my communication but will also improve my self-discipline. Self-discipline and goal setting have helped me maintain a strong work ethic, that has kept me focused throughout high school, resulting in maintaining a 4.0 and giving me the sense of self-accomplishment. I am extremely excited about my future and the possibilities of growth and advancement through seeking a college education. Attending college and obtaining a degree is truly an investment for my future. This scholarship would be a tremendous help in pursuit of a degree that would help prepare me for a rewarding career, while allowing me to continue to serve within my community.

I am extremely goal oriented, have a strong work ethic, and I thoroughly enjoy participating in community service. Volunteering in the community and community service have provided me with the opportunity to see the importance of doing for others. Active involvement in community service through church and school leadership has also provided me the opportunity to learn the importance of servant leadership, the impact of doing for others, and has also sparked my love for working with children. In volunteering with the South Rankin Food Resource Bank, I have had the opportunity to deliver meals to people in my community, many of which have limited resources. Along with serving special needs children at the Little Light House (LLH), I coordinated a school-wide gift-card drive, to collect gift cards to help provide for students at The Mustard Seed. This opportunity has given me a passion for working with children with special needs and has given me so much insight into the importance of caring for others. Volunteer experience have truly taught me the importance of work ethic. Following graduation from high school, I plan to attend a 4-year University, and major in Nursing. My dream is to obtain a Masters in Nursing, so that I can use my gifts and talents, to care for others and their families. My career goal is to become a Nurse Practitioner, where I can serve within my local community. I would love to be able to serve and give back to the community that has poured so much into my personal growth and development. My ultimate career goal is to volunteer with a local mission organization that provides medical care to underprivileged individuals in my community. Without scholarship assistance, affording college will be very difficult, although both my parents and I work extremely hard. This scholarship would be an invaluable help in allowing me the ability to be able to afford to pursue a degree that would help prepare me for a rewarding career, while allowing me to continue to serve within my community.

Marie Curie was a bold scientist who won the Nobel prize in Chemistry for the discovery of Polonium and Radium along with radioactivity. She was a true female leader and a rock star. She was a natural born leader, when it wasn't necessarily cool for women to lead the way, in academics and in life.

It is an absolute honor to be able to share my story, about how my grandmother made such a huge impact on me and my work ethic and instilled in me the importance of pursing a higher education. My grandmother helped care for my sister and she instilled the importance of having a strong work ethic into us. Education and literacy were her passion, and she absolutely loved serving and helping others. She was larger than life and enjoyed making a difference in others. My memories of my Gigi and the influence she made on me, are a huge part of the reason that I have such a strong work ethic. Through my grandmother’s physical decline with Alzheimer’s, I had the ability to help serve as her caregiver. It was one of the most challenging, yet rewarding times in my life. It allowed me to see the importance of being organized as well as having good time management skills, to help care for her and still keep schoolwork and studying as a priority. This experience truly taught me the importance of work ethic. Her daily struggles and her fight, to retain her memory and her health, along with the amazing person she was, motivate me to work even harder in pursuing my goal of becoming a Family Physician. My personal experience with Alzheimer’s has given me insight into the importance of the role of not only a caregiver, but also to be able to help other families that struggle with declining health of their loved ones. My ultimate dream is to become a Board-Certified Family Physician, so that I can use my gifts and talents, to care for others and their families. Ultimately, what I learned from walking alongside my grandmother as she battled the disease, is that despite the challenges and adversity, living each day to the fullest and continuing to pursue higher education, with goals of improving myself, while continuing to have a strong work ethic is what is important. It is an honor to share how my grandmother was such a strong educational influence in my life! Earning a college degree would not only allow me to accomplish a major personal goal, but would also allow me to gain knowledge, skills and a better understanding of what it takes to be successful, as a Physician. In pursing a college degree, it will also foster a sense of self-discipline, that will help me in my professional career, in learning my own personal strengths and weaknesses. In my personal experience throughout school, I have found that the more I learn, the more I want to learn. Earning a higher education will not only improve my communication but will also improve my self-discipline. Attending college and obtaining a degree is truly an investment for my future. This scholarship would be a tremendous help in pursuit of a degree that would help prepare me for a rewarding career.

My grandmother was one of my biggest influences. She made such a huge impact on me, encouraging the importance of community involvement and instilled in me the importance of pursing a higher education. My grandmother was an educator in the public-school system for 29 years, prior to be diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease, at the young age of 54. My grandmother helped care for my sister and I, and at an early age, she instilled in us the importance of having a strong work ethic, as well as the importance of doing for others and making a difference within our community My grandmothers influence is the reason that I have such a strong desire to pursue a degree in Medicine. She truly had a passion for serving others inside and outside of the classroom, and she continually encouraged me to actively community events that were impactful to others. She is the reason that I am incredibly driven, and continually striving for not only academic excellence, but also aware of the needs of others. Her strong encouragement and work ethic are what helps keep me motivated, to be the best that I can be, and to continue to reach for my goals of one day becoming a Physician. Through my grandmother’s physical decline with Alzheimer’s, I had the ability to help serve as her caregiver. Serving as her caregiver allowed me to be more aware of the impact of the importance of helping others. I have had the honor of leading and collaborating multiple school-wide projects as the Senior Class President, including organizing a team to participate in the “Walk to End Alz”, with hopes of raising community awareness to support Alzheimer’s research. This experience truly taught me the importance and impact of teamwork. My grandmothers physical decline helped motivate me to work even harder in pursuing my goal of becoming a Physician. My goal is to obtain a degree in Biology, and then attend Medical School. My personal experience with Alzheimer’s has given me insight into the importance of the role of not only a caregiver, but also awareness of the need to help other families that struggle with declining health of their loved ones. My ultimate dream is to become a Physician, so that I can use my gifts and talents, to care for others. Earning a higher education will not only improve my action-oriented awareness but will also improve my self-discipline. Self-discipline and goal setting have helped me maintain a strong work ethic, that has kept me focused throughout high school, resulting in maintaining a 4.0 and giving me the sense of self-accomplishment. This scholarship would be a tremendous help in pursuit of a degree that would help prepare me for a rewarding career, while allowing me to continue to serve within my community.

My name is Sarah Katherine Grice. I am a Senior at Park Place Christian Academy. I have a 4.0 GPA, and I have worked extremely hard to maintain that throughout high school. I am the Captain of the Park Place varsity cheer squad. I am also the Senior Class President and President of our National Honor Society school chapter. I also enjoy being a part of the Park Place Lady Crusaders fastpitch softball team. I am extremely goal oriented, and I enjoy learning, and being around my peers. Outside of school, I participate in multiple community wide service projects through church, and I enjoy outdoor activities, along with spending time with friends and family. It is an absolute honor to be able to share my story, about how my grandmother made such a huge impact on me and the importance of pursing higher education. My precious grandmother, “Gigi”, passed away on July 10, 2020 at the young age of 69, due to late stage Alzheimer’s disease. My grandmother was an educator in the public-school system for 29 years, prior to be diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease, at the young age of 54. My grandmother helped care for my sister and I, and at an early age, she instilled the importance of seeking higher education into us. She spent countless hours teaching us site words and how to read, at a young age. Education and literacy were her passion, and she absolutely loved serving and helping others. She was larger than life and enjoyed making a difference in others. My memories of my Gigi and the influence she made on me, are a huge part of the reason that I am pursuing a college education and have such a strong fight to better myself. She was so much more than just a teacher, or a Gigi. She was a mentor, and a friend, and she truly had a passion for serving others through encouraging higher education. She encouraged me at a young age to set big goals and dreams for myself, which included pursing a college education. She is the reason that I am incredibly driven, and continually striving for academic excellence. Her strong encouragement and work ethic are what drive me today, to be the best that I can be, and to continue to reach for my goals of one day becoming a Physician. Through my grandmother’s physical decline with Alzheimer’s, I had the ability to help serve as her caregiver. Her daily struggles and her fight, to retain her memory and her health, along with the amazing person she was, has driven me to pursue the goal of becoming a Family Physician. My goal is to obtain a degree in Biology, and then attend Medical School. My personal experience with Alzheimer’s has given me insight into the importance of the role of not only a caregiver, but also to be able to help other families that struggle with declining health of their loved ones. My ultimate dream is to become a Board-Certified Family Physician, so that I can use my gifts and talents, to care for others and their families. My Gigi instilled so many incredible attributes in me. Ultimately, what I learned from walking alongside my grandmother as she battled the disease, is that despite the challenges and adversity, living each day to the fullest and continuing to pursue higher education, with goals of improving yourself, is what is important. It is an honor to share how my grandmother was such a strong educational influence in my life! Earning a college degree would not only allow me to accomplish a major personal goal, but would also allow me to gain knowledge, skills and a better understanding of what it takes to be successful, as a Physician. In pursing a college degree, it will also foster a sense of self-discipline, that will help me in my professional career, in learning my own personal strengths and weaknesses. In my personal experience throughout school, I have found that the more I learn, the more I want to learn. Earning a higher education will not only improve my communication but will also improve my self-discipline. I am extremely excited about my future and the possibilities of growth and advancement through seeking a college education. Attending college and obtaining a degree is truly an investment for my future. This scholarship would be a tremendous help in pursuit of a degree that would help prepare me for a rewarding career.

It is an honor to share what it means to me to be community-conscious and action-oriented. I want to be the reason that change is made within my community. My grandmother was one of my biggest influences. She made such a huge impact on me, encouraging the importance of community involvement and instilled in me the importance of pursing a higher education. My grandmother was an educator in the public-school system for 29 years, prior to be diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease, at the young age of 54. My grandmother helped care for my sister and I, and at an early age, she instilled in us the importance of having a strong work ethic, as well as the importance of doing for others and making a difference within our community My grandmothers influence is the reason that I have such a strong desire to pursue a degree in Medicine. She truly had a passion for serving others inside and outside of the classroom, and she continually encouraged me to actively community events that were impactful to others. She is the reason that I am incredibly driven, and continually striving for not only academic excellence, but also aware of the needs of others. Her strong encouragement and work ethic are what helps keep me motivated, to be the best that I can be, and to continue to reach for my goals of one day becoming a Physician. Through my grandmother’s physical decline with Alzheimer’s, I had the ability to help serve as her caregiver. Serving as her caregiver allowed me to be more aware of the impact of the importance of helping others. I have had the honor of leading and collaborating multiple school-wide projects as the Senior Class President, including organizing a team to participate in the “Walk to End Alz”, with hopes of raising community awareness to support Alzheimer’s research. This experience truly taught me the importance and impact of teamwork. My grandmothers physical decline helped motivate me to work even harder in pursuing my goal of becoming a Physician, as well as staying action oriented to make changes within my community. My goal is to obtain a degree in Biology, and then attend Medical School. My personal experience with Alzheimer’s has given me insight into the importance of the role of not only a caregiver, but also awareness of the need to help other families that struggle with declining health of their loved ones. My ultimate dream is to become a Physician, so that I can use my gifts and talents, to care for others. Earning a higher education will not only improve my action-oriented awareness but will also improve my self-discipline. Self-discipline and goal setting have helped me maintain a strong work ethic, that has kept me focused throughout high school, resulting in maintaining a 4.0 and giving me the sense of self-accomplishment. This scholarship would be a tremendous help in pursuit of a degree that would help prepare me for a rewarding career, while allowing me to continue to serve within my community.

Having had the personal experience of helping to care for an aging loved one that had Alzheimer's Disease, as well as volunteering many hours in a Long Term Care home, it is equally important to focus on not only the current generation, but also our current geriatric population. I am extremely passionate about volunteering and serving with the older population. Many of them have served our country, or have given so much to the economy and workforce. It is an honor to be able to serve and give back to them, in their time of need. Likewise, I am also passionate about involvement in community service through volunteering my time to work with kids, to provide education/mentorship, as well as ensure they have the tools they need to be successful, to ensure our younger generation is equipped for the future. Active involvement in community service through church and school leadership has provided me the opportunity to learn the importance of servant leadership, the impact of doing for others, and has also sparked my love for working with children. In volunteering with the South Rankin Food Resource Bank, I have had the opportunity to deliver meals to people in my community, many of which have limited resources. Along with serving special needs children at the Little Light House (LLH), I coordinated a gift-card drive, to collect gift cards to help provide the facility the means to take the LLH students out for lunch. This opportunity has given me a passion for working with children with special needs. I also had the honor to coordinate the “Sock It to Me” drive, in which I collected socks and coats school-wide for the We will Go homeless shelter in downtown Jackson, MS. This ministry is extremely important to me, as many of the homeless population are Veterans and have served in the military. Following graduation from high school, I plan to attend a 4-year University, and major in Biology and Pre-Med. I plan to attend medical school at the University of MS Medical Center. My career goal is to become a physician, where I can practice medicine within my local community, where we have a large aging population. I would love to be able to serve and give back to the community that has poured so much into my personal growth and development. Once I achieve my personal goal of becoming a physician, I would like to volunteer with a local mission organization that provides medical care to underprivileged individuals in my community. Community service will continue to be a passion of mine. This scholarship would be an invaluable help in pursuit of a degree that would help prepare me for a rewarding career.

My name is Sarah Katherine Grice. I am a Senior at Park Place Christian Academy. I have a 4.0 GPA, and I have worked extremely hard to maintain that throughout high school. I am the Captain of the Park Place varsity cheer squad. I am also the Senior Class President and President of our National Honor Society school chapter. I also enjoy being a part of the Park Place Lady Crusaders fastpitch softball team. I am extremely goal oriented, have a strong work ethic, I enjoy learning, and I thoroughly enjoy involvement in community service. It is truly my passion. Outside of school, I participate in multiple community wide service projects through church, and I enjoy outdoor activities, along with spending time with friends and family. My grandmother was one of my biggest influences. She made such a huge impact on me, encouraging the importance of community involvement and instilled in me the importance of pursing a higher education. My precious grandmother, “Gigi”, passed away on July 10, 2020 at the young age of 69, due to late stage Alzheimer’s disease. My grandmother was an educator in the public-school system for 29 years, prior to be diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease, at the young age of 54. My grandmother helped care for my sister and I, and at an early age, she instilled in us the importance of having a strong work ethic, as well as the importance of doing for others. My memories of my Gigi and the influence she made on me, are a huge part of the reason that I have such a strong desire to attend college to pursue a degree in Medicine. She was so much more than just a teacher, or a Gigi. She was a mentor, and a friend, and she truly had a passion for serving others and encouraging higher education. She encouraged me at a young age to get involved in community service, by leading by example, along with encouraging me to set big goals and dreams for myself, which included pursing a college education. She is the reason that I am incredibly driven, and continually striving for academic excellence. Her strong encouragement and work ethic are what helps keep me motivated, to be the best that I can be, and to continue to reach for my goals of one day becoming a Physician. Through my grandmother’s physical decline with Alzheimer’s, I had the ability to help serve as her caregiver. I have had the honor of leading and collaborating multiple school-wide projects as the Senior Class President, including organizing a team to participate in the “Walk to End Alz”, with hopes of raising community awareness to support Alzheimer’s research. Helping to be my grandmothers’ caregiver, allowed me to see the importance of being organized as well as having good time management skills, to help care for her and keep schoolwork and studying as a priority. This experience truly taught me the importance of work ethic. Her daily struggles to retain her memory, along with the amazing person she was, motivate me to work even harder in pursuing my goal of becoming a Physician. My goal is to obtain a degree in Biology, and then attend Medical School. My personal experience has given me insight into the importance of the role of not only a caregiver, but also to be able to help other families that struggle with declining health of their loved ones. This scholarship would be a tremendous help in pursuit of a degree that would allow me to continue to serve within my community.

The perceived meaning of “being an American” goes far beyond simple citizenship. According to American historian Phillip Gleason, people don’t necessarily need to be of any particular racial or ideological background, spoken language, or nationality in order to be considered American. Essentially, being an American means two things: equality and freedom. It means having the freedom to move, speak, associate with people, affiliate with a particular religion and remain loyal to the America without being treated unequally in spite of the skin color and other choices made. Being an American means that one can go to the school of choice, without discrimination, and get quality education, get a good job and marry the person of choice and have a family. It is all about having the freedom to do things as provided in the constitution and other laws. To be treated fairly as well as treating others fairly, and remain loyal as per the pledge. There is much pride in being an American: in living in a society, which promotes equality and fairness. Being an American is an absolute privilege. Living in the United States gives us so many opportunities to do many things and to experience many things. Being an American means you are prideful of your country, that you would do everything for your country and to an extent, die for your country. But to me being an American doesn’t have to be proven on paper like a citizenship, to me being an American is a mindset. Individuality truly makes up part of being an American. What it means to be an American in my opinion is being diverse, having independence, and being able to experience freedom. America is the land of opportunities. Having freedom is what sets us apart from the other countries. As an American citizen you are born with the opportunity to be anything you want in life: the only person that is standing in your way is yourself. Growing up, my parents and teachers always encouraged me to dream big, and that I could be anything that I wanted to be. That is what the American dream is all about. Many countries do not give the same opportunities and rights to its people. For that, I am very proud to be an American. Thank you for the opportunity to earn this scholarship.

Although an oldy, but certainly a great one, A League of Their Own is one of my very favorite movies. This movie is an all-time favorite for many reasons. It is a sports-comedy drama that is filled with many highs and lows, as the Rockford Peaches start up the first all women's baseball team. This movie was based in the 1940's, when it was very uncommon for women to participate in a male dominant sport. I love the fact that the personalities of the players are all very different. Many of them are outgoing and extremely funny. The peaches grow popularity throughout the league, completing the season with qualifying to play in the World Series. This movie is a great go-to movie for me, as it encourages team-work and girl power, as the Peaches pushed through adversity! Thank you so much for the opportunity to earn this scholarship!!!

It is an honor to share what it means to me to be community-conscious and action-oriented. My grandmother was one of my biggest influences. She made such a huge impact on me, encouraging the importance of community involvement and instilled in me the importance of pursing a higher education. My grandmother was an educator in the public-school system for 29 years, prior to be diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease, at the young age of 54. My grandmother helped care for my sister and I, and at an early age, she instilled in us the importance of having a strong work ethic, as well as the importance of doing for others and making a difference within our community My grandmothers influence is the reason that I have such a strong desire to pursue a degree in Medicine. She truly had a passion for serving others inside and outside of the classroom, and she continually encouraged me to actively community events that were impactful to others. She is the reason that I am incredibly driven, and continually striving for not only academic excellence, but also aware of the needs of others. I have had the opportunity to serve in multiple local community homeless shelters, as well as coordinate schoolwide events to help those less fortunate. My grandmother's strong encouragement and work ethic are what helps keep me motivated, to be the best that I can be, and to continue to remain as engaged as possible in the community. Through my grandmother’s physical decline with Alzheimer’s, I had the ability to help serve as her caregiver. Serving as her caregiver allowed me to be more aware of the impact of the importance of helping others. I have had the honor of leading and collaborating multiple school-wide projects as the Senior Class President, including organizing a team to participate in the “Walk to End Alz”, with hopes of raising community awareness to support Alzheimer’s research. This experience truly taught me the importance and impact of teamwork. My grandmothers physical decline helped motivate me to work even harder in pursuing my goal of becoming a Physician. My goal is to obtain a degree in Biology, and then attend Medical School. My personal experience with Alzheimer’s has given me insight into the importance of the role of not only a caregiver, but also awareness of the need to help other families that struggle with declining health of their loved ones. My ultimate dream is to become a Physician, so that I can use my gifts and talents, to care for others. Earning a higher education will not only improve my action-oriented awareness but will also improve my self-discipline. Self-discipline and goal setting have helped me maintain a strong work ethic, that has kept me focused throughout high school, resulting in maintaining a 4.0 and giving me the sense of self-accomplishment. This scholarship would be a tremendous help in pursuit of a degree that would help prepare me for a rewarding career, while allowing me to continue to serve within my community.

My name is Sarah Katherine Grice. I am a Senior at Park Place Christian Academy. I have a 4.0 GPA, and I have worked extremely hard to maintain that throughout high school. I am the Captain of the Park Place varsity cheer squad. I am also the Senior Class President and President of our National Honor Society school chapter. I am extremely goal oriented, have a strong work ethic, I enjoy learning, and I thoroughly enjoy involvement in community service. It is truly my passion. Outside of school, I participate in multiple community wide service projects through church, and I enjoy outdoor activities, along with spending time with friends and family. My grandmother was my biggest influence. She made such a huge impact on me, encouraging the importance of community involvement and instilled in me the importance of pursing a higher education. My precious grandmother, “Gigi”, passed away on July 10, 2020 at the young age of 69, due to late stage Alzheimer’s disease. She was diagnosed at the young age of 54. My grandmother helped care for my sister and I, and at an early age, she instilled in us the importance of having a strong work ethic, as well as the importance of doing for others. Education and literacy were her passion, and she absolutely loved serving and helping others. She was larger than life and enjoyed making a difference in others. My memories of my Gigi and the influence she made on me, are a huge part of the reason that I have such a strong desire to attend college to pursue a degree in Medicine. She encouraged me at a young age to get involved in community service, by leading by example, along with encouraging me to set big goals and dreams for myself, which included pursing a college education.Her strong encouragement and work ethic are what helps keep me motivated, to be the best that I can be, and to continue to reach for my goals of one day becoming a Physician. Through my grandmother’s physical decline with Alzheimer’s, I had the ability to help serve as her caregiver. I have had the honor of leading and collaborating multiple school-wide projects as the Senior Class President, including organizing a team to participate in the “Walk to End Alz”, with hopes of raising community awareness to support Alzheimer’s research. Helping to be my grandmothers’ caregiver, allowed me to see the importance of being organized as well as having good time management skills, to help care for her and keep schoolwork and studying as a priority. This experience truly taught me the importance of work ethic. Her daily struggles and her fight, to retain her memory and her health, along with the amazing person she was, motivate me to work even harder in pursuing my goal of becoming a Physician. My goal is to obtain a degree in Biology, and then attend Medical School. My personal experience with Alzheimer’s has given me insight into the importance of the role of not only a caregiver, but also to be able to help other families that struggle with declining health of their loved ones. My ultimate dream is to become a Board-Certified Physician, so that I can use my gifts and talents, to care for others and their families. Ultimately, what I learned from my grandmother, is that despite the challenges and adversity, living each day to the fullest and continuing to pursue higher education, while continuing to support my community is extremely important.

It is an honor to reflect and share how 2020 changed me, and helped shape me for the future. Much like most of the nation, 2020 started off seemingly normal. Much of my time was focused on planning for my upcoming senior year of high school, and determining where I would potentially schedule college visits. Plans quickly changed, as our nation was plagued with the Covid virus. Majority of the second part of the school year was completed virtually, at home. At that point, I learned the importance of time management, as I juggled regular school work along with dual enrollment college assignments. Covid quickly impacted my family, as both of my parents were considered essential workers. It provided me the opportunity to help care for my younger sibling, as well as help my parents out with household chores and cooking. Those tasks were extremely meaningful to my parents, and truly allowed me to see how helpful they were. During the Covid crisis, visitation with my grandmother was abruptly halted, due to the fact that she lived in a Residence home due to her declining Alzheimer's disease. My grandmother and I were extremely close, and we visited her daily. This was such a challenging time for all of us. Facetime visits with her were the highlight of my day. In July 2020, prior to normal visiting hours being resumed, my grandmother fell abruptly ill, and passed away within 24 hours. My family was not allowed to be with her due to Covid. Experiencing her loss taught me to cherish time with loved ones and to appreciate the present. Life is like a vapor and can be changed in an instant. My grandmother was 68 years young. My memories of my Gigi and the influence she made on me, are a huge part of the reason that I have such a strong desire to attend college to pursue a degree in Medicine. She was so much more than just a teacher, or a Gigi. She was a mentor, and a friend, and she truly had a passion for serving others and encouraging higher education. She encouraged me at a young age to get involved in community service, by leading by example, along with encouraging me to set big goals and dreams for myself, which included pursing a college education. She is the reason that I am incredibly driven, and continually striving for academic excellence. Her strong encouragement and work ethic are what helps keep me motivated, to be the best that I can be, and to continue to reach for my goals of one day becoming a Physician. As a current Senior in high school, Covid has altered and taken away many extracurricular activities such as dances and socials. Throughout my experience, I have learned not to focus on material things that have been taken away, but to be flexible and the importance of helping others in need. My experience has no doubt grown me into a stronger student and person. I am excited to continue to grow and develop as I transition to college. This scholarship would provide a tremendous help in pursuit of a degree that would help prepare me for a rewarding career, where I can continue to serve and help others.

It is an honor to share how my grandmother was the most influential person in my life. She made such a huge impact on me, encouraging the importance of community involvement and instilled in me the importance of pursing a higher education. My grandmother was an educator in the public-school system for 29 years, prior to be diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease, at the young age of 54. My grandmother helped care for my sister and I, and at an early age, she instilled in us the importance of having a strong work ethic, as well as the importance of doing for others and making a difference within our community. She taught me humility and the impact of putting others first. My grandmothers influence is the reason that I have such a strong desire to pursue a degree in Medicine. She truly had a passion for serving others inside and outside of the classroom, and she continually encouraged me to actively community events that were impactful to others. She is the reason that I am incredibly driven, and continually striving for not only academic excellence, but also aware of the needs of others. Her strong encouragement and work ethic are what helps keep me motivated, to be the best that I can be, and to continue to reach for my goals of one day becoming a Physician. Through my grandmother’s physical decline with Alzheimer’s, I had the ability to help serve as her caregiver. Serving as her caregiver allowed me to be more aware of the impact of the importance of helping others. I have had the honor of leading and collaborating multiple school-wide projects as the Senior Class President, including organizing a team to participate in the “Walk to End Alz”, with hopes of raising community awareness to support Alzheimer’s research. This experience truly taught me the importance and impact of teamwork. My grandmothers physical decline helped motivate me to work even harder in pursuing my goal of becoming a Physician. My goal is to obtain a degree in Biology, and then attend Medical School. My personal experience with Alzheimer’s has given me insight into the importance of the role of not only a caregiver, but also awareness of the need to help other families that struggle with declining health of their loved ones. My ultimate dream is to become a Physician, so that I can use my gifts and talents, to care for others. Earning a higher education will not only improve my action-oriented awareness but will also improve my self-discipline. Self-discipline and goal setting have helped me maintain a strong work ethic, that has kept me focused throughout high school, resulting in maintaining a 4.0 and giving me the sense of self-accomplishment. This scholarship would be a tremendous help in pursuit of a degree that would help prepare me for a rewarding career, while allowing me to continue to serve within my community.

My favorite motivational quote is "Winners never quit and quitters never win". It is an honor to share how my grandmother was my biggest motivation and inspiration. She made such a huge impact on me, encouraging the importance of community involvement and instilled in me the importance of pursing a higher education. My grandmother was an educator in the public-school system for 29 years, prior to be diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease, at the young age of 54. My grandmother helped care for my sister and I, and at an early age, she instilled in us the importance of having a strong work ethic, as well as the importance of doing for others and making a difference within our community My grandmothers influence is the reason that I have such a strong desire to pursue a degree in Medicine. She truly had a passion for serving others inside and outside of the classroom, and she continually encouraged me to actively community events that were impactful to others. She is the reason that I am incredibly driven, and continually striving for not only academic excellence, but also aware of the needs of others. Her strong encouragement and work ethic are what helps keep me motivated, to be the best that I can be, and to continue to reach for my goals of one day becoming a Physician. Through my grandmother’s physical decline with Alzheimer’s, I had the ability to help serve as her caregiver. Serving as her caregiver allowed me to be more aware of the impact of the importance of helping others. I have had the honor of leading and collaborating multiple school-wide projects as the Senior Class President, including organizing a team to participate in the “Walk to End Alz”, with hopes of raising community awareness to support Alzheimer’s research. This experience truly taught me the importance and impact of teamwork. My grandmothers physical decline helped motivate me to work even harder in pursuing my goal of becoming a Physician. My goal is to obtain a degree in Biology, and then attend Medical School. My personal experience with Alzheimer’s has given me insight into the importance of the role of not only a caregiver, but also awareness of the need to help other families that struggle with declining health of their loved ones. My ultimate dream is to become a Physician, so that I can use my gifts and talents, to care for others. Earning a higher education will not only improve my action-oriented awareness but will also improve my self-discipline. Self-discipline and goal setting have helped me maintain a strong work ethic, that has kept me focused throughout high school, resulting in maintaining a 4.0 and giving me the sense of self-accomplishment. This scholarship would be a tremendous help in pursuit of a degree that would help prepare me for a rewarding career, while allowing me to continue to serve within my community.

It is an honor to share what I plan to study in college and why. My grandmother was one of my biggest influences. She made such a huge impact on me, encouraging the importance of community involvement and instilled in me the importance of pursing a higher education. My grandmother was an educator in the public-school system for 29 years, prior to be diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease, at the young age of 54. My grandmother helped care for my sister and I, and at an early age, she instilled in us the importance of having a strong work ethic, as well as the importance of doing for others and making a difference within our community My grandmothers influence is the reason that I have such a strong desire to pursue a degree in Medicine. She truly had a passion for serving others inside and outside of the classroom, and she continually encouraged me to actively community events that were impactful to others. She is the reason that I am incredibly driven, and continually striving for not only academic excellence, but also aware of the needs of others. Her strong encouragement and work ethic are what helps keep me motivated, to be the best that I can be, and to continue to reach for my goals of one day becoming a Physician. Through my grandmother’s physical decline with Alzheimer’s, I had the ability to help serve as her caregiver. Serving as her caregiver allowed me to be more aware of the impact of the importance of helping others. I have had the honor of leading and collaborating multiple school-wide projects as the Senior Class President, including organizing a team to participate in the “Walk to End Alz”, with hopes of raising community awareness to support Alzheimer’s research. This experience truly taught me the importance and impact of teamwork. My grandmothers physical decline helped motivate me to work even harder in pursuing my goal of becoming a Physician. My goal is to obtain a degree in Biology, and then attend Medical School. My personal experience with Alzheimer’s has given me insight into the importance of the role of not only a caregiver, but also awareness of the need to help other families that struggle with declining health of their loved ones. My ultimate dream is to become a Physician, so that I can use my gifts and talents, to care for others. Earning a higher education will not only improve my action-oriented awareness but will also improve my self-discipline. Self-discipline and goal setting have helped me maintain a strong work ethic, that has kept me focused throughout high school, resulting in maintaining a 4.0 and giving me the sense of self-accomplishment. This scholarship would be a tremendous help in pursuit of a degree that would help prepare me for a rewarding career, while allowing me to continue to serve within my community.

It is an absolute honor to be able to share my story, about experiencing and overcoming adversity. My grandmother made such a huge impact on me and my work ethic and instilled in me the importance of pursing a higher education. My precious grandmother, “Gigi”, passed away on July 10, 2020 at the young age of 69, due to late stage Alzheimer’s disease. My grandmother was an educator in the public-school system for 29 years, prior to be diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease, at the young age of 54. My grandmother helped care for my sister and I, and at an early age, she instilled the importance of having a strong work ethic into us. Education and literacy were her passion, and she absolutely loved serving and helping others. She was larger than life and enjoyed making a difference in others. My memories of my Gigi and the influence she made on me, are a huge part of the reason that I have such a strong work ethic. She was so much more than just a teacher, or a Gigi. She was a mentor, and a friend, and she truly had a passion for serving others through encouraging higher education. She encouraged me at a young age to set big goals and dreams for myself, which included pursing a college education. She is the reason that I am incredibly driven, and continually striving for academic excellence. Her strong encouragement and work ethic are what helped keep me motivated, to be the best that I can be, and to continue to reach for my goals of one day becoming a Physician. Through my grandmother’s physical decline with Alzheimer’s, I had the ability to help serve as her caregiver. I have had the honor of leading and collaborating multiple school-wide projects as the Senior Class President, however, helping to be my grandmothers’ caregiver, proved to be very challenging, however; allowed me to see the importance of being organized as well as having good time management skills, to help care for her and still keep schoolwork and studying as a priority. This experience truly taught me the importance of work ethic. Her daily struggles and her fight, to retain her memory and her health, along with the amazing person she was, motivate me to work even harder in pursuing my goal of becoming a Family Physician. My goal is to obtain a degree in Biology, and then attend Medical School. My personal experience with Alzheimer’s has given me insight into the importance of the role of not only a caregiver, but also to be able to help other families that struggle with declining health of their loved ones. My ultimate dream is to become a Board-Certified Family Physician, so that I can use my gifts and talents, to care for others and their families. My Gigi instilled so many incredible attributes in me. Ultimately, what I learned from walking alongside my grandmother as she battled the disease, is that despite the challenges and adversity, living each day to the fullest and continuing to pursue higher education, with goals of improving myself, while continuing to have a strong work ethic is what is important. It is an honor to share how my grandmother was such a strong educational influence in my life! Earning a college degree would not only allow me to accomplish a major personal goal, but would also allow me to gain knowledge, skills and a better understanding of what it takes to be successful, as a Physician. In pursing a college degree, it will also foster a sense of self-discipline, that will help me in my professional career, in learning my own personal strengths and weaknesses. In my personal experience throughout school, I have found that the more I learn, the more I want to learn. Earning a higher education will not only improve my communication but will also improve my self-discipline. Self-discipline and goal setting have helped me maintain a strong work ethic, that has kept me focused throughout high school, resulting in maintaining a 4.0 and giving me the sense of self-accomplishment. I am extremely excited about my future and the possibilities of growth and advancement through seeking a college education. Attending college and obtaining a degree is truly an investment for my future. This scholarship would be a tremendous help in pursuit of a degree that would help prepare me for a rewarding career.

It is an honor to share my story about how my grandmother was my biggest inspiration in life. She made such a huge impact on me, encouraging the importance of community involvement and instilled in me the importance of pursing a higher education. My grandmother was an educator in the public-school system for 29 years, prior to be diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease, at the young age of 54. My grandmother helped care for my sister and I, and at an early age, she instilled in us the importance of having a strong work ethic, as well as the importance of doing for others and making a difference within our community My grandmothers influence is the reason that I have such a strong desire to pursue a degree in Medicine. She truly had a passion for serving others inside and outside of the classroom, and she continually encouraged me to actively community events that were impactful to others. She is the reason that I am incredibly driven, and continually striving for not only academic excellence, but also aware of the needs of others. Her strong encouragement and work ethic are what helps keep me motivated, to be the best that I can be, and to continue to reach for my goals of one day becoming a Physician. Through my grandmother’s physical decline with Alzheimer’s, I had the ability to help serve as her caregiver. Serving as her caregiver allowed me to be more aware of the impact of the importance of helping others. I have had the honor of leading and collaborating multiple school-wide projects as the Senior Class President, including organizing a team to participate in the “Walk to End Alz”, with hopes of raising community awareness to support Alzheimer’s research. This experience truly taught me the importance and impact of teamwork. My grandmothers physical decline helped motivate me to work even harder in pursuing my goal of becoming a Physician. My goal is to obtain a degree in Biology, and then attend Medical School. My personal experience with Alzheimer’s has given me insight into the importance of the role of not only a caregiver, but also awareness of the need to help other families that struggle with declining health of their loved ones. My ultimate dream is to become a Physician, so that I can use my gifts and talents, to care for others. Earning a higher education will not only improve my action-oriented awareness but will also improve my self-discipline. Self-discipline and goal setting have helped me maintain a strong work ethic, that has kept me focused throughout high school, resulting in maintaining a 4.0 and giving me the sense of self-accomplishment. This scholarship would be a tremendous help in pursuit of a degree that would help prepare me for a rewarding career, while allowing me to continue to serve within my community, which is always been my dream career.

It is an honor to share my dreams and plans to shape my future and community. My grandmother was one of my biggest influences. She made such a huge impact on me, encouraging the importance of community involvement and instilled in me the importance of pursing a higher education. My grandmother was an educator in the public-school system for 29 years, prior to be diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease, at the young age of 54. My grandmother helped care for my sister and I, and at an early age, she instilled in us the importance of having a strong work ethic, as well as the importance of doing for others and making a difference within our community My grandmothers influence is the reason that I have such a strong desire to pursue a degree in Medicine. She truly had a passion for serving others inside and outside of the classroom, and she continually encouraged me to actively community events that were impactful to others. She is the reason that I am incredibly driven, and continually striving for not only academic excellence, but also aware of the needs of others. Her strong encouragement and work ethic are what helps keep me motivated, to be the best that I can be, and to continue to reach for my goals of one day becoming a Physician. Through my grandmother’s physical decline with Alzheimer’s, I had the ability to help serve as her caregiver. Serving as her caregiver allowed me to be more aware of the impact of the importance of helping others. I have had the honor of leading and collaborating multiple school-wide projects as the Senior Class President, including organizing a team to participate in the “Walk to End Alz”, with hopes of raising community awareness to support Alzheimer’s research. This experience truly taught me the importance and impact of teamwork. My grandmothers physical decline helped motivate me to work even harder in pursuing my goal of becoming a Physician. My goal is to obtain a degree in Biology, and then attend Medical School. My personal experience with Alzheimer’s has given me insight into the importance of the role of not only a caregiver, but also awareness of the need to help other families that struggle with declining health of their loved ones. My ultimate dream is to become a Physician, so that I can use my gifts and talents, to care for others. Earning a higher education will not only improve my action-oriented awareness but will also improve my self-discipline. Self-discipline and goal setting have helped me maintain a strong work ethic, that has kept me focused throughout high school, resulting in maintaining a 4.0 and giving me the sense of self-accomplishment. This scholarship would be a tremendous help in pursuit of a degree that would help prepare me for a rewarding career, while allowing me to continue to serve within my community, which is always been my dream career.

This meme is funny and important to me, because I am incredibly driven individual, although I often get bogged down at times with self defeat. I am extremely goal driven, with a strong work ethic. Humor is the absolute best medicine in helping to stay focused. Self-discipline and goal setting have also helped me maintain that strong work ethic. My goal in pursuit of higher education is to major in Biology/Pre-Med, and become a Board Certified Physician. I am certain that through the journey through college, I will need to reflect often on the meme in order to keep pushing myself to my goal. This scholarship would be a tremendous help in pursuit of a degree that would help prepare me for a rewarding career.

It is an honor to share my career goals and how I plan to pursue them. My grandmother was one of my biggest influences. She made such a huge impact on me, encouraging the importance of community involvement and instilled in me the importance of pursing a higher education. My precious grandmother, “Gigi”, passed away on July 10, 2020 at the young age of 69, due to late stage Alzheimer’s disease. My grandmother was an educator in the public-school system for 29 years, prior to be diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease, at the young age of 54. My grandmother helped care for my sister and I, and at an early age, she instilled in us the importance of having a strong work ethic, as well as the importance of doing for others. Education and literacy were her passion, and she absolutely loved serving and helping others. She was larger than life and enjoyed making a difference in others. My memories of my Gigi and the influence she made on me, are a huge part of the reason that I have such a strong desire to attend college to pursue a degree in Medicine. She was a mentor, and a friend, and she truly had a passion for serving others and encouraging higher education. She encouraged me at a young age to get involved in community service, by leading by example, along with encouraging me to set big goals and dreams for myself, which included pursing a college education. She is the reason that I am incredibly driven, and continually striving for academic excellence. Her strong encouragement and work ethic are what helps keep me motivated, to be the best that I can be, and to continue to reach for my goals of one day becoming a Physician. Through my grandmother’s physical decline with Alzheimer’s, I had the ability to help serve as her caregiver. I have had the honor of leading and collaborating multiple school-wide projects as the Senior Class President, including organizing a team to participate in the “Walk to End Alz”, with hopes of raising community awareness to support Alzheimer’s research. Helping to be my grandmothers’ caregiver, allowed me to see the importance of being organized as well as having good time management skills, to help care for her and keep schoolwork and studying as a priority. This experience truly taught me the importance of work ethic. Her daily struggles and her fight, to retain her memory and her health, along with the amazing person she was, motivate me to work even harder in pursuing my goal of becoming a Physician. My goal is to obtain a degree in Biology, and then attend Medical School. My personal experience with Alzheimer’s has given me insight into the importance of the role of not only a caregiver, but also to be able to help other families that struggle with declining health of their loved ones. My ultimate dream is to become a Board-Certified Physician, so that I can use my gifts and talents, to care for others and their families. Ultimately, what I learned from my grandmother, is that despite the challenges and adversity, living each day to the fullest and continuing to pursue higher education, while continuing to support my community is extremely important. It is an honor to share how my grandmother was such a strong influence in my life! Earning a college degree would not only allow me to accomplish a major personal goal, but would also allow me to gain knowledge, skills and a better understanding of what it takes to be successful, as a Physician. In pursing a college degree, it will also foster a sense of self-discipline, that will help me in my professional career, in learning my own personal strengths and weaknesses. Earning a higher education will not only improve my communication but will also improve my self-discipline. Self-discipline and goal setting have helped me maintain a strong work ethic, that has kept me focused throughout high school, resulting in maintaining a 4.0 and giving me the sense of self-accomplishment. I am extremely excited about my future and the possibilities of growth and advancement through seeking a college education. Attending college and obtaining a degree is truly an investment for my future. This scholarship would be a tremendous help in pursuit of a degree that would help prepare me for a rewarding career, while allowing me to continue to serve within my community.

My name is Sarah Katherine Grice. I am a Senior at Park Place Christian Academy. I have a 4.0 GPA, and I have worked extremely hard to maintain that throughout high school. I am the Captain of the Park Place varsity cheer squad. I am also the Senior Class President and President of our National Honor Society school chapter. I also enjoy being a part of the Park Place Lady Crusaders fastpitch softball team. I am extremely goal oriented, have a strong work ethic, I enjoy learning, and I thoroughly enjoy involvement in community service. It is truly my passion. Outside of school, I participate in multiple community wide service projects through church, and I enjoy outdoor activities, along with spending time with friends and family. It is an honor to share why community involvement is so important to me. My grandmother was one of my biggest influences. She made such a huge impact on me, encouraging the importance of community involvement and instilled in me the importance of pursing a higher education. My precious grandmother, “Gigi”, passed away on July 10, 2020 at the young age of 69, due to late stage Alzheimer’s disease. My grandmother was an educator in the public-school system for 29 years, prior to be diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease, at the young age of 54. My grandmother helped care for my sister and I, and at an early age, she instilled in us the importance of having a strong work ethic, as well as the importance of doing for others. Education and literacy were her passion, and she absolutely loved serving and helping others. She was larger than life and enjoyed making a difference in others. My memories of my Gigi and the influence she made on me, are a huge part of the reason that I have such a strong desire to attend college to pursue a degree in Medicine. She was so much more than just a teacher, or a Gigi. She was a mentor, and a friend, and she truly had a passion for serving others and encouraging higher education. She encouraged me at a young age to get involved in community service, by leading by example, along with encouraging me to set big goals and dreams for myself, which included pursing a college education. She is the reason that I am incredibly driven, and continually striving for academic excellence. Her strong encouragement and work ethic are what helps keep me motivated, to be the best that I can be, and to continue to reach for my goals of one day becoming a Physician. Through my grandmother’s physical decline with Alzheimer’s, I had the ability to help serve as her caregiver. Serving as her caregiver made me realize the impact and potential that I had to affect others suffering from the same condition. I have had the honor of leading and collaborating multiple school-wide projects as the Senior Class President, but the most impact project included organizing a team to participate in the “Walk to End Alz”, which helped raise funding for Alzheimer’s research, as well as promoted awareness in the community. Helping to be my grandmothers’ caregiver, allowed me to see the importance of being organized as well as having good time management skills, to help care for her and keep schoolwork and studying as a priority. This experience truly taught me the importance of work ethic. Her daily struggles and her fight, to retain her memory and her health, along with the amazing person she was, motivate me to work even harder in pursuing my goal of becoming a Physician. My goal is to obtain a degree in Biology, and then attend Medical School. My personal experience with Alzheimer’s has given me insight into the importance of the role of not only a caregiver, but also to be able to help other families that struggle with declining health of their loved ones. My ultimate dream is to become a Board-Certified Physician, so that I can use my gifts and talents, to care for others and their families. My Gigi instilled so many incredible attributes in me. Ultimately, what I learned from my grandmother, is that despite the challenges and adversity, living each day to the fullest and continuing to pursue higher education, while continuing to support my community is extremely important. It is an honor to share how my grandmother was such a strong influence in my life! Earning a college degree would not only allow me to accomplish a major personal goal, but would also allow me to gain knowledge, skills and a better understanding of what it takes to be successful, as a Physician. In pursing a college degree, it will also foster a sense of self-discipline, that will help me in my professional career, in learning my own personal strengths and weaknesses. In my personal experience throughout school, I have found that the more I learn, the more I want to learn. Earning a higher education will not only improve my communication but will also improve my self-discipline. Self-discipline and goal setting have helped me maintain a strong work ethic, that has kept me focused throughout high school, resulting in maintaining a 4.0 and giving me the sense of self-accomplishment. I am extremely excited about my future and the possibilities of growth and advancement through seeking a college education. Attending college and obtaining a degree is truly an investment for my future. This scholarship would be a tremendous help in pursuit of a degree that would help prepare me for a rewarding career, while allowing me to continue to serve within my community.

“How Jesus Changed My Life” It is an honor to for me to share how Jesus has touched my life, in an impactful way, that is hard to put into words. My grandmother was one of my biggest influences. She made such a tremendous impact on me, encouraging the importance of church attendance/ involvement and instilled in me the importance of loving and serving others. My grandmother helped care for my sister and I, and at an early age, she made sure we attended church, every time the doors were open. Her love for Jesus and her relationship with him was evident in every single aspect of her life. At the age of 10, I was baptized in church, and began my personal walk with Christ. For me, a bigger part of my childhood, and into my teens, church attendance and involvement were just part of going through the motions. The day after my 15th birthday, at the young age of 54, my grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Through my grandmother’s physical decline with Alzheimer’s, I had the ability to help serve as her caregiver. This was such a challenging time for me and my family. In the beginning of her decline, I had moments of fear and my faith was truly ridden. During the spring of 2020 when Covid hit our Nation hard, visitation to the care home where my grandmother had been previously placed, was abruptly stopped. This proved to be even more challenging to my faith, as close, daily contact with my grandmother was tremendously important to me! The care home staff were faithful in ensuring we remained in contact through Facetime. One afternoon, during a call with my grandmother, she sensed my despair and she said to me, “God’s got this, we have to keep the faith”! In that moment, her words resonated with me. At that moment, I realized that her earthly suffering was temporary, and hailed in comparison to the suffering that Jesus endured. For her to remain so strong in her faith, despite memory loss and loss of physical abilities, was a tremendous reminder to me that despite challenges, God always has our back! My grandmother abruptly passed away on July 10, 2020. Although months of physical contact were not allowed, I am often reminded that her suffering was temporary, and her life is eternal and made new through Christ. Her passion for living for Christ served as a perfect example to me of what it takes to be a Christ-like servant leader, and to persevere despite trials and challenges. My memories of my Gigi and the Christian influence she made on me, are invaluable. She is the reason that I am incredibly driven, steadfast in my walk with Christ, and continually striving for academic excellence. Her strong encouragement and work ethic are what helps keep me motivated, to be the best that I can be, and to continue to reach for my goals of one day becoming a Physician. My ultimate dream is to pursue a calling to become a Board-Certified Physician, so that I can use my gifts and talents, to care for others and their families. This scholarship would be a tremendous help in pursuit of a degree that would help prepare me for a rewarding career, while allowing me to continue to serve within my community.

This is Prince Jack! He is our rescue kitty that came to us completely unexpectedly! Our 12 y/o Boston Terrier was declining with cancer at the time. We welcomed Jack into our home not knowing that he would actually be the one to rescue us!!! Our Boston Terrier soon after passed away. Jack has helped fill that huge void. He’s very lovey and such a sweet boy!

“Earning a Biology Degree with the Goal of Becoming a Family Physician” Growing up in a small town, with an extremely close-knit community, our local Family Physician was so much more than someone we sought care from when we were sick. Family physicians truly provide care to people of all ages, from pediatrics to geriatrics. Family Physicians are the heart of preventive medicine, through providing education and preventive screenings to the community and area in which they practice. My local family medicine physician participated in community wide health screenings for hypertension and diabetes, and often provided local education regarding the importance of maintaining a good diet and exercise. Family physicians also have capabilities to prescribe medications, order labs and diagnostic tests, and determine if further specialized care is needed. Family physicians provide true comprehensive care to patients of all ages and with multiple different health conditions. Excellent communication skills are very important for family practice physicians, as they are often the first line of communication when a patient seeks healthcare services. They also generally work closely with other medical staff such as nurses, lab technicians and other physicians. Another important role of the family physician is to educate patients and their families on the availability of vaccines and the importance of vaccines to prevent potential disease outbreaks. Family physicians also create meaningful partnerships with patients to help them set healthcare goals, as well as achieve them. As healthcare in our Country shifts to become more preventive based care, family physicians are becoming more and more valued for their role in partnering with patients in the community to not only diagnose illnesses, but also prevent them. Also, due to improvements in medical technology and advancements in pharmaceuticals, patients are living longer, often relying on their family practice physician as a means to better access to care. For my family, seeking care with our local family practice physician allowed us to not only be treated by the same physician as children, but also into adulthood. The relationship that my family gained by utilizing a family practice physician was very personable and meaningful. Our family practice physician was the first to recognize cognitive decline and changes in my grandmother, who at the time was 53 years young. Due to the persistence of our local family practice physician, my grandmother was provided additional diagnostic studies and referred to a Neurologist, where she was later diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease. Family practice physicians are invaluable! They truly treat and manage more than just common colds and acute illnesses. My career goal is to earn a Biology degree and then pursue a medicine degree, to become a family practice physician, where I can practice medicine within my local community, that has a vast population of aging adults and new families, with young children. I would love to be able to give back to the community, that has poured so much into my personal growth and development.