From the beginning of my life I’ve been dreaming about what I’ll be when I grow up. I’ve pondered the idea of being an artist, a dancer, an astronaut, a writer, and pretty much everything in between. The point is, I’ve always taken the aspirations in my heart and chosen to dream them to their fullest potential. Why just be an athlete if I could be a gold medal-winning olympian? Why become famous without also becoming a Dancing With the Stars champion? Why just be a doctor if I could also cure cancer? As I mentioned before, my hobbies have pretty much included everything under the moon. As a high school student, I spent most of my time as an athlete, earning accolades in volleyball and track and field as well as setting records in weightlifting. One of my most memorable high school experiences, though, was the one that made me fall in love with healthcare in the pediatric department. The THS Pageant, a school-wide competition in which seniors attempt to raise the most money for Children’s Miracle Network and babies in the neonatal intensive care unit, is the reason why so many of the dreams in my heart are there in the first place. I made the decision to take part in the THS Pageant as a sophomore when two junior girls I knew asked me to be a mini coordinator. I had heard of the pageant and knew what its purpose was in raising money as well, so when the opportunity came up to be a part of the competition, I jumped at the chance. To this day, I do not regret participating in the pageant sophomore year even a little, or continuing to now. I have had experiences that have taught me so much about myself, such as the great love I have for others. This year we got the opportunity to tour our local hospital and NICU. We got to see firsthand what life-saving equipment we were raising money for, and even met a baby that was a preemie in the NICU. For me, the most amazing part was getting to have a hands-on experience with an intubating machine. A certain doctor pulled my group aside to show us this incredible piece of technology, and he gave me the chance to use it on a fake baby. I got to simulate placing an oxygen tube into the baby, and the experience was incredible. Even though the baby wasn’t real, the sense of fulfillment and pride that I had in myself and the impressed comments of the adults certainly were. Ever since then, I’ve been able to imagine the impact I could have on people, children especially. I don’t think I will ever look back. These days, my heart dreams of not only having a career in pediatric healthcare, but doing all I can to serve patients with love, care, and selflessness. I will do whatever possible to make this dream a reality should I decide it is what my purpose is, and when I do, I will dedicate my life to changing the lives of others.

I grew up in a tight-knit community. In the Thurston area of Springfield, Oregon, everyone's lives revolve around the 5A high school and the 1,300 students that call it home. Growing up in Thurston means that you become very comfortable with family, carpooling, Friday night football lights, and supporting the Colts in your red and black. Everyone seems to be connected somehow, and no one seems to leave this town. Growing up, I never knew exactly what I wanted to do with my life. Maybe I wanted to be a teacher, a dancer, or a mathematician. Living in Thurston, you are influenced by all of the people around you who seemingly didn't have many exotic dreams for their lives. A lot of your family, friends, and coaches are also your teachers. All of your mom's high school friends are still around with their own families now. You don't hear about a ton of people who even left the state for college or extracurricular pursuits. Sometimes it is scary having to be in the midst of people who live their lives very much the same as their parents. Maybe at one point teaching sounded like a cool idea, but I've never wanted to live the cookie-cutter, small-town life. In a lot of ways, growing up in a community that is home to so many people with similar histories has shaped my desire to have a different future. I want to go to college out of state. I have no desire to go to community college. I do not want to leave my highest achievements in high school. I hope to continue pursuing academics, athletics, and other adventurous endeavors in college. When I get married and have a family one day, we may not move back to Thurston. My plans and goals for my life do not reflect those of the people in my town. There is no reason why the typical Thurston lifestyle is bad. The people I am blessed to have been surrounded with during my life value tradition, education, athletics, friendships, and family. This small town may be the reason why I know I do not want to stay, but it is also the reason why I will always love where I grew up. The amount of experiences I have, good and bad, are memories that I will carry with me and always cherish. They have made me stronger and better, and I am who I am today because of those experiences. Now, in order to tackle everything I hope to accomplish in college, I need support financially. This scholarship would give me a better opportunity to achieve everything I’ve ever dreamed of, starting with moving away from my hometown and beginning my college pursuits. The goal is to do this with ambition and excitement, and without fear of money or new challenges.

My name is Savannah Efseaff, and I am a recent graduate of Thurston High School in Springfield, Oregon. My proudest achievement while being in high school was when I was declared the winner of Thurston’s yearly THS Pageant. In this pageant, seniors spend months competing to raise money for Children’s Miracle Network and babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. A huge performance is put on during pageant night as friends and family watch contestants share talents, choreographed dances, and their experiences during the previous months. Hearts are moved as the crowd is also given the opportunity to share in the mission of the pageant and the purpose of the money raised. I have served as a coordinator for this event since sophomore year, but this year as a senior I got the chance to compete. Winning the contest based on my combined score on pageant night, though, is not the main source of my joy from this experience. Instead, that would be the cause that I was competing for. To this day, I do not regret participating in the pageant sophomore year even a little, or continuing to throughout high school. I have had experiences that have taught me so much about myself, such as the great love I have for others. This year we got the opportunity to tour our local hospital and NICU. We got to see firsthand what life-saving equipment we were raising money for, and even met a baby that was a preemie in the NICU. For me, the most amazing part was getting to have a hands-on experience with an intubating machine. A certain doctor pulled my group aside to show us this incredible piece of technology, and he gave me the chance to use it on a fake baby. I got to simulate placing an oxygen tube into the baby, and the experience was incredible. Even though the baby wasn’t real, the sense of fulfillment and pride that I had in myself and the impressed comments of the adults certainly were. Ever since then, I’ve been able to imagine the impact I could have on children and grown ups alike, and I don’t think I will ever look back. Thurston High School’s pageant has given me the opportunity to find parts of myself that I didn’t know existed. I got to experience serving my community by fundraising money that will save the lives of babies in need. My efforts totaled about $3,000 this year, and $12,000 as a group. That money will make such a difference, and I am so glad to have been a part of it. I now can say with full confidence that service is one of the greatest representations of love that exists. I plan to serve for the sake of other people for the rest of my life.

I never considered myself a “science girl” growing up in school. I didn’t really understand why we had to know the proper terms for things in nature, why we had to know the deep complexes of how the world works, or why we had to hear about the scientific “facts” such as evolution that as a Christian, I wasn’t sure I always believed to be true. As I developed a certain dislike for science, I also admit that I didn’t try as hard at it as I did my other subjects. As far as I was concerned, science could take a backseat. In seventh grade, my class and I started learning about genetics, probability, and chemistry. Although science had never been my forte prior to this, I had always favored math. Starting to connect science and math as I studied these new topics gave me a whole new perspective on science in general. I wasn’t just liking it, I was enjoying it, fascinated by it, and excelling at it. Ever since then, I have loved getting to learn different subsections and topics in science. I specifically took an interest in genetics and biology-related topics. This newfound love for the biological sciences drove my decision to major in biology in college. Over my high school years, I have been interested in many careers surrounding science and biology, including veterinarian, astronaut, forensic scientist, wildlife biologist, physician assistant, etcetera. While I have accepted that my ultimate choice in a career will come as I further my studies in college, I have to give props to science for helping me make the easy decision on my program. I am proud that I didn’t give up on science. It may not have always been my favorite thing, but that is why I think it is so cool that I am completely in awe of it now. I am thankful that I fell in love with so many aspects of science and subsequently chose to potentially dedicate my career to it. I have had the opportunity to discover how mystified I am by the creation of God, and know now that I want to see, research, and serve His earth and people. It will all be worth it if my pursuit of science can make an impact on the world in at least some small way. I anticipate that choosing exactly what to do with my life and science is going to be one of the most amazing journeys yet.

I grew up in a tight-knit community. In the Thurston area of Springfield, Oregon, everyone's lives revolve around the 5A high school and the 1,300 students that call it home. Growing up in Thurston means that you become very comfortable with family, carpooling, Friday night football lights, and supporting the Colts in your red and black. Everyone seems to be connected somehow, and no one seems to leave this town. Growing up, I never knew exactly what I wanted to do with my life. Maybe I wanted to be a teacher, a dancer, or a mathematician. Living in Thurston, you are influenced by all of the people around you who seemingly didn't have many exotic dreams for their lives. A lot of your family friends and coaches are also your teachers. All of your mom's high school friends are still around with their own families now. You don't hear about a ton of people who even left the state for college or extracurricular pursuits. Sometimes it is scary having to be in the midst of people who live their lives very much the same as their parents. Maybe at one point teaching sounded like a cool idea, but I've never wanted to live the cookie-cutter, small-town life. In a lot of ways, growing up in a community that is home to so many people with similar histories has shaped my desire to have a different future. I want to go to college out of state. I have no desire to go to community college. I do not want to leave my highest achievements in high school. I hope to continue pursuing academics, athletics, and other adventurous endeavors in college. When I get married and have a family one day, we may not move back to Thurston. My plans and goals for my life do not reflect those of the people in my town. There is no reason why the typical Thurston lifestyle is bad. The people I am blessed to have been surrounded with during my life value tradition, education, athletics, friendships, and family. This small town may be the reason why I know I do not want to stay, but it is also the reason why I will always love where I grew up. The amount of experiences I have, good and bad, are memories that I will carry with me and always cherish. They have made me stronger and better, and I am who I am today because of those experiences.

Nature is beautiful. That is why I desire for it to be protected. But it isn't just plain and simply beautiful. It is complex, mysterious, breathtaking and wonderful. I want to see every bit of it, for I have fallen in love with the environment of the Earth. The unfathomable wonder of creation leaves me lost in awe, which is the primary indicator of why I hope for my career to surround the world and its mysteries. I've allowed myself to be unsure about exactly where my career will take me because I know it will stem from Biology: the study of life, the study of Earth, and the study of all things that keep me entranced. I believe in the divinity of the Creator of this world, which is why I believe in the beauty of what He has created. This beauty is so fascinating and even cryptic, so I desire to spend my life exploring it. The nature of Earth has many wonders: the plants, animals, humans, parks, forests, oceans, and deserts are beautiful in their wonderful ways. I hope for these things to be advocated for, appreciated, and protected because of their significance and beauty. It is because I hope for this that I will always advocate for nature and its worthiness of love and safety. If I could leave a message at the top of a mountain, here is what it would say: "You will never regret giving yourself completely to something you are certain is beautiful."

@savannahefseaff

Music has been integrated into my life ever since I was born. My parents met and fell in love when they sang opera in college, so in a way, you could say that music is embedded in my DNA. As long as I’ve been alive, loving music has been second-nature. Like my parents, I’ve always had a deep passion for singing. My dad is a skilled guitar player as well as singer, and I’ve gotten to perform and record music alongside him in my lifetime. Being given that opportunity has always been surreal, getting to share that love of music with my dad and my family. It’s sparked so many dreams in my heart and given me the ability to foresee a future in singing and music. I long every day that that future will come to fruition. Performing and singing is only part of the influence music has had on my life, though. Music itself, listening to it, feeling it, has always given me a perspective that I believe to be different from others. I’ve never loved life more than when I’ve been listening to music. Music has this magic that makes you feel one emotion so deeply you could almost die, or every emotion imaginable all at once. The sweetest songs take me years back. Reminiscing about a time where life was so juvenile and innocent. No other thing, no material possession on earth has ever given me that same outlook and perception, and none ever will. Music makes itself present in every aspect of my life. If I am bored with nothing to do? I put in my earbuds and dance around the kitchen. If I have a long drive ahead, or even just time for one song…I turn the Bluetooth on. If I’m falling hopelessly in love and I want to remember those moments for the rest of my life? I don’t have to do anything, because I effortlessly will carry with me whichever songs were playing and permanently tie them with those memories. How has music shaped the way I view the world? Are you kidding? Music is my world. I can’t imagine…in fact, I am afraid to imagine what my world would be if music wasn’t a part of it. It’s in everything I was, everything I am, and everything I hope to become. The world seems more explorable, attainable, and reachable, all because of music.

I was ten years old. Performing in my elementary school talent show had been something I dreamed of since I was little. I couldn’t wait to showcase my love of singing to the whole school with the song “How Far I’ll Go” from the new Disney movie, Moana. Not only my love of singing, but also my love of Disney and the music it poured into my life could be seen as the words flowed from my lips that day. Disney has an incredible ability to pour music and life into the world, its audience. It is a gift that has been a consistent part of its movies, a gift that gives wonderful dreams and hopes to so many. From the nostalgic whistle of Walt’s original creation Mickey Mouse in “Steamboat Willie,” to the catchy tunes in Disney musicals like “The Lion King” or “Aladdin,” music that Disney has included in its works is the emphasis of wonder in its franchise. For myself, as a child and even still as I grow up, I am not an exception to the effect Disney music has on the soul. When I was a girl of ten years old, the only thing I wanted to do was spread my dreams of independence and exploration through the singing of a Disney song. Moana’s free-spirited character spoke so close to home for me, and her song “How Far I’ll Go” gave me a method of relating to her through music. Disney was the one that gave me that gift. That ability to do what I love, to sing, and not only that but to sing a song that I believed somehow they had created for me. I know this isn’t entirely true, but as a child, I knew it could be. Disney had created the song and movie to speak to the hearts of any kid that was moved to listen, and I was one of them. Since the creation of Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse, there’s no doubt that the Disney corporation has come far and had significant developments. But due to the reality of its dense history, there is one fact that I choose to believe: Disney will always be a source of wonder and magic through its music. Portrayed in movies, shows, and theme parks, music that features lyrics or doesn’t, it all sparks a sense of familiarity and inspiration that will always push people to reach their dreams.

Taylor Swift, the lyrical "mastermind" (get it?), has been capturing the hearts of her listeners through immaculate storytelling for almost two decades. I can remember being a young girl having her entire perception of music transformed as she listened to classics of Swift's such as "Sparks Fly" and "Mean." The now hundreds of hits that Swift has put out into the world now more than ever are epic supplements to my appreciation of good music, but no song has quite moved me in mind, body, and soul more than "Welcome to New York" from her revolutionary album "1989." When I first heard the song "Welcome to New York" from Swift's fifth album, I was about eight years old. As a girl of this young age, the only thing that truly caught my attention was the sound and dynamic of the song. One could say that in the early years the "vibe" was really speaking to me. Although my viewpoint of the song evolved as I grew older, the sound of the song itself is not something to be belittled. Before one even comprehends the lyrics of the song, the music and sound give off such a surreal sense of joy, opportunity, and freedom. As a child of eight, these were the aspects of the "1989" song that initially caught my attention. As I matured, my appreciation for songs began to include not only the sound but the story within them. I started to experience the magic that makes you feel one emotion so deeply you could almost die, or every emotion imaginable all at once. One benefit that came with my more mature appreciation of music was the greater perception of "Welcome to New York." What once was just a partiality to the music became an obsession with the emotions I felt as I experienced the song. I discovered that the very magic I've described was also present here. As the song begins with its initial verse "Walkin' through a crowd, the village is aglow...Searchin' for a sound we hadn't heard before," I am filled with this undeniable longing to be in the place it is describing and to put something into the world that is completely and uniquely mine. That is the one, powerful emotion: longing. As for the sensation of feeling multiple emotions at a time, that is also not without representation. The chorus ends with "The lights are so bright, but they never blind me, me, Welcome to New York, it's been waitin' for you, Welcome to New York, welcome to New York." The longing here continues, but is joined with a deeper joy as well as a deeper sorrow. I begin to imagine the euphoria of being in beautiful, far-away cities like New York. At the same time, I reflect on the places I have been to that brought painful experiences, as well as the places I wish I could be but feel so out of reach. My love story with Taylor Swift's own "Welcome to New York" may have began with a childlike fantasy in the music, but growing up and reinterpreting the lyrical engineering has given me a much more rewarding taste of the stories Swift tells. The way I have grown to connect with the song in both joyful and sad ways is a testament to how Taylor Swift reaches her audience. "Welcome to New York" is a song that allows me to reflect on my own life, wishes, and past. It is for that reason that the song is undeniably my favorite song on Taylor Swift's album "1989."