Swooping, sloping fields of color danced around my canvas. Thick oil pastel disguised the formerly white frame, smearing strokes of serenity while capturing the essence of clarity. My greatest piece of artwork: a warm landscape featuring rolling hills, great oak trees, lovely pink tulips, and a golden sunrise. It's hard to believe that just 13 years ago, it was a thin black frame that contained my latest work of art: a paper covered with blobs of every color of the rainbow. Although it was no Picasso, my 5-year-old self beamed with pride and accomplishment. I was thrilled to see my dad hanging it on the wall. What encouraged me most was that my dad actually believed my art was good- he believed in me. Ever since I was little, I’ve loved to do art; whether I’m drawing, painting, or sculpting, the whole world starts to melt away. Attention to detail and the urge to do my best have resulted in art being what I am most proud of. Piece by piece, I cultivate my technique and style, becoming a more unique artist. Interestingly, art has been a connection that I share with my dad- whenever I work on a piece, I show him, seeking approval and new ideas. Although I didn’t always notice, art helped us bond and create a relationship where we can have meaningful and honest conversations. Consequently, a substantial factor of my love for art stems from this relationship; my dad’s honesty and unwavering belief in my talent have pushed me to continue pursuing my artistic talents. But, as I’ve continued to grow up and become more confident in my skills, I've stopped seeking so much approval. Instead, I focused on believing in my worth and ability as an artist. As I became more independent with my art, I learned to try new things and experiment with different mediums, not limited to colored pencil realism, painting abstractly, making clay sculptures, and experimenting with oil paints. No matter what, I have continuously created artwork, learning more about myself and my perception of the world. I am proud of the independence and self-sufficiency that creating art has brought me over the years. As I prepare to go out into the world, I will continue to express myself through my artwork, experimenting with new ideas from my experiences and education. This investigation will help me be creative, hone my skills, and learn about myself simultaneously.

I laid in bed, my dark room illuminated only by my treacherous phone screen. I should've been sleeping but instead I scrolled endlessly, witnessing the horrors of the day. War. Genocide. Murder. Injustice. All components of modern day life. In a world that may seem daunting or scary, the best thing a person can do is be educated. Recently, it seems as though a large portion of society has lost their sense of empathy, ignoring their acclaimed morals. Over the past couple years I have become painfully aware of the tragedies people face everyday, often making me sick to my stomach. There is a reason why people say ignorance is bliss, however, while not having to face the darkness is only beneficial short-term, it only stunts the responsibility that each citizen requires. A global citizen should be aware and understanding of the impacts they and others have on the world, acknowledge global issues, respect cultural or religious differences, and attempt to contribute positively to their community. As I’ve grown up, the opportunity to travel has challenged my assumptions allowing me to gain insight on the diversity the world has to offer. Seeing the beauty and struggles of other places has made me more aware and grateful for what I have, thereby inspiring me to contribute more positively to my environment. As a result, my interest in climate change and sustainable development has steadily increased over the years. I am fascinated by the ways the planet naturally reacts to increased greenhouse gas emissions and other urban developments through tropical storms, sea levels rising, and wildfires. But this is not enough, ecosystems across the world are struggling, the Earth simply can not keep up with the near-constant alterations we make to the world. Though delineated by continents and states, we all are sharing the same Earth. I believe that the world’s leaders should come together and learn from each other to combat climate change more effectively, hopefully through the implementation of sustainable initiatives, legislation, or architecture. I have taken steps to further my knowledge in this area by including environment based classes in my schedule, attending a National Student Leadership Conference (NSLC) for environmental sustainability at Yale, and actively researching current issues and sustainability efforts regarding the environment. With the addition of environmental issues into my studies, I’ve been able to maintain focus and stay up to date on the progress made in my field of choice while accumulating new interests such as food insecurity and environmental law/policy. Additionally, by attending a NSLC, I had the ability to work with and learn from students from across the country. This expanded my knowledge by discovering how to create proposals to logically solve detrimental environmental issues such as drought and resource management. By continuously seeking to learn more, my passion for the environment has grown stronger and more extensive. This scholarship would help me make a difference by helping me afford a good education, so I can go on to have a successful career. I hope to continue pursuing my passion for the environment in college and beyond.

I laid in bed, my dark room illuminated only by my treacherous phone screen. I should've been sleeping but instead I scrolled endlessly, witnessing the horrors of the day. War. Genocide. Murder. Injustice. All components of modern day life. In a world that may seem daunting or scary, the best thing a person can do is be educated. Recently, it seems as though a large portion of society has lost their sense of empathy, ignoring their acclaimed morals. Over the past couple years I have become painfully aware of the tragedies people face everyday, often making me sick to my stomach. There is a reason why people say ignorance is bliss, however, while not having to face the darkness is only beneficial short-term, it only stunts the responsibility that each citizen requires. A global citizen should be aware and understanding of the impacts they and others have on the world, acknowledge global issues, respect cultural or religious differences, and attempt to contribute positively to their community. As I’ve grown up, the opportunity to travel has challenged my assumptions allowing me to gain insight on the diversity the world has to offer. Seeing the beauty and struggles of other places has made me more aware and grateful for what I have, thereby inspiring me to contribute more positively to my environment. As a result, my interest in climate change and sustainable development has steadily increased over the years. I am fascinated by the ways the planet naturally reacts to increased greenhouse gas emissions and other urban developments through tropical storms, sea levels rising, and wildfires. But this is not enough, ecosystems across the world are struggling, the Earth simply can not keep up with the near-constant alterations we make to the world. Though delineated by continents and states, we all are sharing the same Earth. I believe that the world’s leaders should come together and learn from each other to combat climate change more effectively, hopefully through the implementation of sustainable initiatives, legislation, or architecture. I have taken steps to further my knowledge in this area by including environment based classes in my schedule, attending a National Student Leadership Conference (NSLC) for environmental sustainability at Yale, and actively researching current issues and sustainability efforts regarding the environment. With the addition of environmental issues into my studies, I’ve been able to maintain focus and stay up to date on the progress made in my field of choice while accumulating new interests such as food insecurity and environmental law/policy. Additionally, by attending a NSLC, I had the ability to work with and learn from students from across the country. This expanded my knowledge by discovering how to create proposals to logically solve detrimental environmental issues such as drought and resource management. By continuously seeking to learn more, my passion for the environment has grown stronger and more extensive. This scholarship would help me make a difference by helping me afford a good education, so I can go on to have a successful career. I hope to continue pursuing my passion for the environment in college and beyond.

As I’ve grown up, the opportunity to travel has challenged my assumptions allowing me to gain insight on the diversity the world has to offer. Seeing the beauty and struggles of other places has made me more aware and grateful for what I have, thereby inspiring me to contribute more positively to my environment. As a result, my interest in climate change and sustainable development has steadily increased over the years. I am fascinated by the ways the planet naturally reacts to increased greenhouse gas emissions and other urban developments through tropical storms, sea levels rising, and wildfires. But this is not enough, ecosystems across the world are struggling, the Earth simply can not keep up with the near-constant alterations we make to the world. Though delineated by continents and states, we all are sharing the same Earth. I believe that the world’s leaders should come together and learn from each other to combat climate change more effectively, hopefully through the implementation of sustainable initiatives, legislation, or architecture. I have taken steps to further my knowledge in this area by including environment based classes in my schedule, attending a National Student Leadership Conference (NSLC) for environmental sustainability at Yale, and actively researching current issues and sustainability efforts regarding the environment. With the addition of environmental issues into my studies, I’ve been able to maintain focus and stay up to date on the progress made in my field of choice while accumulating new interests such as food insecurity and environmental law/policy. On the other hand, by attending a NSLC, I had the ability to work with and learn from students from across the country. This expanded my knowledge by discovering how to create proposals to logically solve detrimental environmental issues such as drought and resource management. By continuously seeking to learn more, my passion for the environment has grown stronger and more extensive. I plan to continue pursuing my passion for the environment during college. I hope that someday I will help create sustainable solutions to modern day issues, whether that is locally or globally.