I am a senior at a vocational high school, and money is a problem. The college that I plan to attend is very costly at the moment. My mother and stepfather are not in a position where they will be able to give me money to help pay for tuition, as it is more important that my four younger brothers be provided for. My mother had me at the very young age of 18, and my biological father left shortly after learning about the pregnancy. He was involved in numerous drug addictions, mainly cocaine. The absence of a father figure for most of my life posed a great obstacle for me. My mother struggled to balance raising me, completing college, and working enough to pay for necessities. I was mistreated at school a lot for my living situation, as we resided in the basement of my grandparents' house. I am very grateful to have even had a place to live. Eventually, my mother got with my stepfather, and he didn't always treat us the best for a while. Two of my brothers were born before we were able to move to an actual house. I grew up without sleepovers, the ability to go to friends' houses, or having friends at birthday parties, which were always very small. I went through elementary school with very few friends, who broke away during middle school. I found myself alone at the beginning of high school, and I struggled with meeting new people. I was going through high school without having been taught the things that a father is supposed to offer. Eventually, my other two brothers were born, and I felt truly irrelevant, as my parents were working a lot and would focus almost completely on the younger ones. The bullying, unfortunately, did not stop at high school, and in my sophomore year, I found an escape through alcohol. I would drink almost every night and would often go to school, barely able to keep my eyes open. This continued throughout the years in high school, and as a senior with two jobs and a love for working on cars and computers, I acknowledged the problem. I am currently working very hard to get alcohol out of my life completely, and just recently marked my fourth month sober. I am grateful for being able to continue doing the things that I love and not having been completely consumed by drinking. I would be more than grateful to receive this scholarship, and I am very thankful to even have the opportunity to apply for it. Drug addiction has had such a negative impact on my life, and I feel that every bit of help that I receive goes a long way for me, helping restore the ruins that are left from the damage alcohol has done to my life, and allowing me to further progress on my goal of becoming a computer software developer. Thank you for this opportunity, and I hope to hear back from you.

As someone who is a part of the LGBTQIA community, I am always so appreciative of being treated fairly, and I see this most often through things such as acts of advocacy and support, such as charitable events and peaceful protests. I think this scholarship is such a great opportunity for fellow community members to express themselves and tell their stories to potential sponsors. I am strongly committed to donating to LGBTQIA charities/fundraisers because I know that I have gone through various troubles in the past, especially when it comes to financial stability. Throughout the past few years, I have been helping others come out to their parents and being someone they can talk to openly. I am always there for people, regardless of whether or not they know or like me. Everyone deserves someone to talk to, and everyone should be respected as a human being, at the very least. I am planning on going to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach Campus. I am currently a senior in a vocational high school. I am the representative for my shop, Computer Science, and I bear that title proudly. I am also an avid member of the National Honor Society and have participated in numerous athletic programs. I was voted as Varsity Cross Country Captain this past season, and I was given an additional title through a Team Supporter Award (an award given to an individual who is constantly helping others and motivating their teammates to push past their limits and get stronger). I currently work at a marketing company through a Cooperative Education program, and do various Web Design and SEO Optimization. I am going to carry this experience with me to college as I take on a major in Computer Science. In addition to this, I am planning on taking part in AFROTC (Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps), and graduating as an Officer after I receive my master's degree. This scholarship is important to me financially because I am a current high school student with very little free time due to the vast number of community service events and opportunities for me to get ahead in college. I spend most of my money on my car insurance, and the rest goes into gas. I am almost always relying on payday to pay my insurance, and the way things are going, I will not be able to pay for college. This scholarship would relieve me from copious amounts of stress and anxiety that I am constantly fighting. If I am blessed with this scholarship, I would be more than grateful and would do all that I can to send out letters of gratitude to all who contributed to the donation amount. I am very pleased to have been able to write a brief essay, and I'm grateful for the opportunity. Thank you, and I hope to hear back from you soon.