It was my first day of high school and I walked into my speech and debate class a little nervous. My mom had encouraged me to take this class but I had heard that Dr. Rowe was a hard teacher and there were plenty of upper classmen when I looked around the room. But within a few days, it had quickly become my favorite class. Dr. Rowe challenged us daily, and shared his philosophy that we should be independent and find our own voice. He didn’t micro manage us and he wasn’t there to babysit. He shared his own life story, his journey from his troublesome high school days to receiving his PhD and become teacher of the year. My respect for him was immediate. By January of that year, Dr. Rowe had nominated me to attend the Emerging Rural Leadership program at University of Chicago that coming summer, an experience that would later open my eyes to diverse people, a new city and an introduction to college life. Coming from the town of Truckee, with a population of 15,000 people, this opportunity was amazing. In March of that same year, with Dr. Rowe’s help, I competed in my first speech contest at the local Rotary and placed second, enough to send me to the regional competition where I would eventually place fourth. I often consult with Dr. Rowe for advice on classes to take and programs to apply for and he continues to help me, long after my speech and debate class has ended. This year he encouraged me to do another speech contest, even though it was to take place the next day. When I showed trepidation, he looked at me and told me that I can do it. I worked late into the night and the next day I took first place. Expanding on my interest in the field of communications, Dr. Rowe also suggested a new journalism class, and accordingly, I now serve on the editorial board for The Truckee Times, our school newspaper. Dr. Rowe also serves as our Model United Nations advisor and in November of this year, I traveled to UCLA to compete in my first conference, another incredible experience. Sometimes life hands you a gift that will forever change the trajectory of your future. I am only a sophomore but Dr. Rowe has already done that for me. Next year, I look forward to taking both his AP English Language class and College Readiness course. The word on the street is that they are both challenging classes with a heavy workload, but I am certain it will be worth it. I am dreaming bigger these days. I look forward to going to college and excited to know that I have a passion for public speaking and communications. I don’t know exactly what my future holds but I hope that I can encourage others to explore new horizons like Dr. Rowe has done for me.

I had to learn the importance of discipline and commitment in 7th grade. That fall, I was spending a lot of time on the bench after being a team starter for years. The girls around me seemed to be growing and getting stronger while I felt weaker weighing in at just 70 pounds. I even overheard my coach tell another coach "she's just too slow now". By Christmas of that same year, my parents could tell something was wrong. I had always thrived in athletics and loved being a part of a team, and at that time I was struggling to get out of the house. Soon after, I was diagnosed with severe Chron's disease, a type of Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Guided by a great care team, I went through surgery and began monthly infusions and started my road to recovery. Within six months I was back on the field, but with a new awareness that Chron's disease will require life-long medical treatment as well as a commitment to eating healthy daily and exercising wisely. With my parents and nutritionists' help, I started to feel myself again. Over the next couple of years, I thought a lot about my teammates and fellow students often and wondered what they may be going through that no one knows about, and I vowed to support them unconditionally. Now as a sophomore in high school, I appreciate that Chron's disease gives me a unique perspective. I love being a leading goal-scoring midfielder on the varsity lacrosse team, but I am very aware that our team is only strong when we are all lifted up and feeling good. I encourage them to be their best but give them grace when they are not. I train every day with my team or on my own to keep my Chron's symptoms at bay and my body strong. And I felt pride in my recovery when I placed 9th last year at the Nevada State Cross-Country championships. At school, I stay focused on my classwork maintaining a 4.0 GPA, serving as class president, and being a member of the Model United Nations travel team. I am now pursuing my goal to play lacrosse in college and am hoping that the discipline that I have instilled in my athletics, my school work and my health will allow me to fulfill my dreams. In the past year, I have expanded my athletics to include distance trail running, and racing, which lets me clear my mind, organize my thoughts and gives me the space to focus on what's important. This allows me to be my best self on the field with my teammates and deal with disappointments that come up. Looking at my Chron's diagnosis as a building block instead of a setback will always allow me to move forward positively.

I live in a beautiful, small town in the mountains. This beautiful natural environment has allowed me opportunities to backpack, mountain bike and backcountry ski. But, I cannot wait to meet new people and explore different cultures once I get to college. This past summer I won a scholarship to University of Chicago for Rural Emerging Leaders. It was everything I had hoped, and I loved speaking with students from around the country. College will be my opportunity to grow into a global citizen and from there, anything is possible. I hope to always remember my small town roots but I am excited to experience a broad understanding of different cultures and diverse views while getting a great education.