When I began high school, I found myself intrigued by the various community service clubs, which completely changed my mindset in the best way. Through the National Beta Club, I was able to pick up trash at different beaches, buy clothing for women's shelters, and crochet meaningful gifts for people at many retirement homes who needed someone to show that they mattered. I enjoyed every second of the community service opportunities, but what I enjoyed most was listening to the people who struggled and the stories they needed to share. After realizing how much I enjoy communicating with others about the situations they struggle with, I felt the need and desire to become a clinical psychologist. People’s struggles vary from PTSD to anxiety disorders to depressive disorders and more. There must be individuals to give support to those who struggle within their minds, because that is the meaning of community. One thing I would be grateful to be a part of is volunteering with non-profit organizations to assist veterans who struggle with PTSD. The Headstrong Project provides cost-free mental healthcare to veterans struggling with trauma from different situations in their lives. Different therapy procedures used by this organization are cognitive behavioral therapy, prolonged exposure, and cognitive processing therapy. This organization is a great way for veterans to receive assistance without stressing about the cost of treatment. By helping veterans, I can give back to them for the many selfless things they have done for their community. The second opportunity I would love to be a part of is giving public speeches about the stigma revolving around mental health. People tend to internalize negative beliefs about mental health due to stereotyping and fear, which can lead to shame and more insecurities. When I was born, the doctors learned that I had a genetic disability, Waardenburg Syndrome. I am deaf in one ear, have balancing issues, and have noticeable discoloration in my skin and hair. Growing up, I was bullied in school due to my white hair and wide-set eyes, which destroyed my confidence. I was too ashamed and embarrassed to communicate my feelings with anybody, so I stayed silent. The people around me could tell how discouraged I was and realized I needed help before it was too late, which was the best thing anybody could have done for me. People need to understand that being vulnerable is not a horrible thing, but is something that can lead to a better life. Every single person has something they struggle with, and there is an entire community that struggles with the same thing, which means we are never alone. I am confident that after I finish my education and become a clinical psychologist, I can commit to my dreams and help others with their mental health. It is such a blessing that I was introduced to the meanings and actions of community service, because it led me to my passion for a career. Through all of the exhausting hours studying, all of the clinical hours needed to graduate, and all of the days I have to spend away from my family, it will all be worth it knowing I helped someone in their darkest place of mind.

It may appear surprising, but according to PewResearch.org, 46 percent of United States adults have a family member or close friend who has an addiction to drugs or has previously been addicted to drugs. I am part of that 46 percent, and it has shaped me in more fortunate ways than unfortunate ones. My aunt and uncle both experienced immense struggles from substance abuse. My uncle sadly passed away due to an accidental overdose, which almost destroyed my mother. My aunt struggled with opioid addiction, but unfortunately, she has not given up drugs entirely. Being exposed to substance abuse showed me that every human being struggles on this earth, and each person copes differently. Numerous individuals around me scolded people with substance abuse problems, but it is never 100 percent known what they are going through. While the general population views individuals struggling with substance abuse as something that is entirely their fault and shames them, I refuse to believe or act that way because everyone deserves a support system. My morals have shaped the relationships in my life in both positive and negative ways. On the negative side, my relationship with my aunt did not improve due to her inability to let go of the drugs that were controlling her life. I had to accept that she has to be ready to change on her own terms, but at least she is aware that she has a family that will support her when the time is right. On the positive side, I have become increasingly close to my mom through learning about her pain. To hear the news of her brother's passing away and watch her sister spiral out of control while trying to help her caused my mom to break down in front of me. Witnessing the vulnerability in the woman who always stayed strong for me was overwhelmingly eye-opening and brought us closer emotionally. That raw moment changed the trajectory of our mother-daughter relationship in the best way possible. Watching my family members struggle with addiction inspired me to pursue what I truly believe in, which is becoming a clinical psychologist. Figuring out what people are struggling with and why is what motivates me in life. As a clinical psychologist, I would conduct assessments on struggling individuals based on biological, psychological, and social factors. I would also lead productive therapy sessions and help patients move toward a better state of mind. I believe in creating positive change in people's lives, and after seeing how many individuals need assistance, I realized I am meant to be a psychologist. I am currently attending Mississippi State University to earn my bachelor's in psychology so I can go further and pursue my doctorate in clinical psychology. I know millions of people struggle with addiction, just like my family, and I want to make a difference so they can live lives meaningful to them. Thank you for considering me and reading my essay.

What does it mean to be neurodivergent? The majority of the population would say it correlates with an individual who has a disability, but my definition has a much deeper meaning. Yes, individuals with a disability can have immense challenges to face, but it also brings unique strengths as well. Not being typical means being positively unique, which truly captures diversity most beautifully. Greta Thunberg stated, "Being different is a gift." My disability, Waardenburg Syndrome, is a gift, along with every other individual with a disability. Waardenburg Syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that affects hearing loss, changes in hair and skin pigmentation, and facial anomalies. The doctors knew instantly that I was affected by it when they realized I was completely deaf in one ear. Growing up, I truly wish I could say I was treated equally, but that is not my story. With age comes more noticeable differences, and my noticeable differences are my wide-set eyes and lack of pigmentation in my skin and hair. I was called fish-face by other students and told I looked like a grandmother with my white streak of hair. My young, innocent self cherished my white streak, believing I looked like Anna from Frozen, but that cherished vision was destroyed by the words of others. By middle school, my hearing had gotten worse. This was an immense fear of mine since I did not want to get noticed by others in a "negative" way. People would laugh whenever I explained numerous times that I could not understand them, which at the time was quite embarrassing. Throughout my education, I felt shame as if I did not belong until I heard the words I always needed to hear. For once, I heard someone call me beautiful, and they genuinely meant it. They not only called my appearance beautiful but also my soul, my perseverance, and my heart. I realized Waardenburg Syndrome will always be a part of me, but I am not only made of my disability. I am an intellectual woman who cares about other individuals making a difference in their lives. It is not my disabilities' fault for making me different, it is those who connotate being different to something disgusting who are truly at fault. This realization empowered me and created a need in my heart to help others with a disability realize who they truly are. I plan to get a Bachelor's in Psychology as well as a Master's Degree in Counseling and pursue becoming a mental health therapist for those who struggle having a disability. So many individuals, including myself, struggle on a day-to-day basis coping with a disability. The world can be so cruel, especially to those who deserve cruelty the least, and I need to show them that there is still good in this world. I need to show them that there is someone who will call them beautiful and truly mean it. I need to show them that it is more than okay to be yourself and that there is no need to hide who you truly are. Your disability will always be a part of you, but it does not have to consume you in all the wrong ways. Thank you for listening to my story as well as my dreams.

My name is Sophia Dalton, and I am a senior at Sumrall High School in Mississippi. I love to read, paint, and draw. I enjoy living in the moment and not taking things for granted. I was raised always to be grateful and to love everybody despite their flaws, which has shaped me into who I am today. I love to work hard, strive for goals, and show kindness through community service acts. I enjoy helping women’s homeless shelters, the special needs elderly home, and St Luke’s Hospital with cancer patients. I chose psychology as my major because I want to help others with their problems and show them a good meaning in life. There are so many people in this world who are misunderstood, bullied, angry, and depressed, and who all need an individual to see them as if they are human beings. We all have emotions, and we deserve to be heard. Sometimes, one person, one conversation, and one act of love can make a difference in a person’s decision. I want to be that difference. I grew up with specific struggles, such as an eating disorder and my genetic disorder, which, in the long term, could have mentally damaged me immensely. Once I started talking to a therapist, it changed me for the better. I know that helping individuals understand themselves can lead to a better cause. My disability is Waardenburg Syndrome. I was diagnosed with Waardenburg Syndrome from the day I was born. My parents knew that my life and their lives would change instantly. Waardenburg Syndrome is a genetic condition that affects an individual in many ways, including hearing, walking, pigmentation, and opportunities. For most of my life, I had a negative relationship with my disability. Making friends was grueling because I could not hear them well and because people judged me for how I presented myself. I have wide-distanced eyes, splotchy skin, and white streaks of hair, which are difficult for people to see past. People in school called me “grandma” and claimed I resembled a fish. Besides that, it was challenging to learn in school because of my hearing loss. I could not understand the teacher and was embarrassed to receive help. I also have trouble walking and balancing from time to time. I was forced to grow up quickly and realize how cruel the world could be. Even though Waardenburg Syndrome had so many negatives in my life and gave me many reasons to give up, something made me think otherwise.  One day, I was listening to my therapist speak about life lessons. Their words touched my heart when they said, “You are in charge of your own life, and wallowing in your depression is not living.” These words had such a powerful impact on me and persuaded me to attempt to view life differently. I realized that being depressed because of something I cannot control is pointless. It was a long, complex process, but I learned to love myself and view negative things as positive. This scholarship would benefit me in so many ways because I genuinely want to show others that even though I have a disability, it does not mean I am not capable of earning a higher education. I want to teach others how to advocate for themselves in college and receive the help they need. My story is just one story, and I want to help others share theirs. I appreciate the person taking the time to read my essay while considering me for this fantastic opportunity, and I hope I made an impact with my story.

Out of all the community service projects I did, such as a beach clean up and helping with homeless shelters, my favorite community service project was throwing a Christmas party for the special needs elderly home. Our church received help from a wonderful family to throw a huge, amazing Christmas party indoors and outdoors. We prepared food that each special needs patient would love, invited a dress-up Santa Claus to hand out gifts that we wrapped, and brought zoo animals, such as camels and horses, to visit the patients. There were such an enormous amount of Christmas lights that it felt like a wonderland dream. The event took months to prepare because we wanted it to be perfect and a joyful celebration for everyone.  The reason why this event was so meaningful to me is because these patients deserve the best care. I have taken time over the years to get to know most of the patients, and it saddens me to see that they do not have a family to visit them or anyone to love them. They get lonely just like anybody else and love building relationships with people. One of my favorite patients explained to me how he had never seen Santa Claus and had never had a Christmas party, which hurt my heart. Every individual deserves a wonderful core memory of Christmas. Seeing them light up with joy as they laughed and smiled made me cherish every moment with them. After gathering help from many community members, I want to see more people engage with the special needs home. It would not only make their day brighter, but I guarantee it would make other people’s  day just as bright. We plan to have another Christmas party for the patients next year and hopefully more years later. I am so excited to see what is in store for these lovely patients, and this scholarship would mean so much so I can get an education in helping others.  I want to make a difference in this world by showing others that special needs patients deserve better memories than they were given. Most special needs individuals are abandoned, misunderstood, and overlooked, but I believe that can change. I want to be a big part of that change and show people the actual act of love. It means so much that you are considering me for this scholarship. Thank you.

My name is Sophia Dalton. Many people do not realize this, but loss surrounds all of us. No matter how small or big, there is always a sense of grief for individuals in this scary world. For me, loss and depression consumed me at one point. From an early age, I knew what death was like, the way it felt, the breaking of my own heart. I lost my uncle due to suicide, my grandmother due to heart complications, my baby cousin due to health issues, and I almost lost my best friend to suicide. All of these deaths occurred within the timespan of two years and nearly destroyed me. I did not know what to do or how to feel. The pain, agony, and tears became numbness as if there was no point in life. I would be lying today if I claimed that I did not view suicide as an option for me. Eventually, my mother forced me to talk to a therapist, which ultimately saved my life.  My therapist not only showed me what I was feeling but also how to navigate through my mental illness. I felt like a robot until I met her. She showed me the darkness I was in and the light I would find. Once I discovered that light, it was evident that I aspired to become a psychologist to help other teenagers in their struggles. An important lesson is to give back what you have been given, and I crave to pick up the broken pieces of others and shape them back together as what was done for me. To confirm that I would make my dream a reality, I assisted with kids who struggled with family struggles, disabilities, and grief. Not a day went by that I did not enjoy observing and helping those children.  I may struggle with confidence in things such as my looks, but there is nothing I am more confident in than the fact that I can make a difference in suicide prevention. There are so many people in this world who are misunderstood, bullied, angry, and depressed, and who all need an individual to see them as if they are human beings. We all have emotions, and we deserve to be heard. Sometimes, one person, one conversation, and one act of love can make a difference in a person’s decision. I want to be that difference. This scholarship would help me obtain my degree to make a difference in this world. I appreciate you considering me for this scholarship. Thank you.

1. My name is Sophia Dalton, and my disability is Waardenburg Syndrome. I was diagnosed with Waardenburg Syndrome from the day I was born. My parents knew that my life and their lives would change instantly. Waardenburg Syndrome is a genetic condition that affects an individual in many ways, including hearing, walking, pigmentation, and opportunities.  For most of my life, I had a negative relationship with my disability. It was grueling making friends because I could not hear them well and because people judged me for how I presented myself. I have wide-distanced eyes, splotchy skin, and white streaks of hair, which are difficult for people to see past. People in school called me “grandma” and claimed I resembled a fish. Besides that, it was challenging to learn in school because of my hearing loss. I could not understand the teacher and was embarrassed to receive help. I also have trouble walking and balancing from time to time. I was forced to grow up quickly and realize how cruel the world could be. Even though Waardenburg Syndrome had so many negatives in my life and gave me many reasons to give up, something made me think otherwise.  One day, I was listening to an individual speak about life lessons. Their words touched my heart when they said, “You are in charge of your own life, and wallowing in your depression is not living.” These words had such a powerful impact on me and persuaded me to attempt to view life differently. I realized that being depressed because of something I cannot control is pointless. It was a long, complex process, but I learned to love myself and view negative things as positive things. Even though I look different from others, I am still beautiful and unique in my way. Even though I had trouble learning in class because of my hearing loss, I learned to ask for help and sit in front of the classroom to succeed. Even though I do not have many friends, I am gifted with people who are true friends and who accept me for my looks. I would be lying if I said I do not struggle anymore, but I have grown so much because of my disability. I have learned self-worth, resilience, kindness, forgiveness, problem-solving skills, and the importance of advocating for myself.  This scholarship would benefit me in so many ways because I genuinely want to show others that even though I have a disability, it does not mean I am not capable of earning a higher education. I want to teach others how to advocate for themselves in college and receive the help they need. My story is just one story, and I want to help others share theirs. I appreciate the person taking the time to read my essay while considering me for this fantastic opportunity, and I hope I made an impact with my story. 2. I plan to study Psychology because it means so much to me to help other understand themselves, the way I now understand myself through my disability. Everybody deserves to feel understood and heard. 3. I hope to teach others how to love themselves and advocate for themselves. I t is important to know one's self worth, especially with a disability.

My name is Sophia Dalton, and my disability is Waardenburg Syndrome. I was diagnosed with Waardenburg Syndrome from the day I was born. My parents knew that my life and their lives would change instantly. Waardenburg Syndrome is a genetic condition that affects an individual in many ways, including hearing, walking, pigmentation, and opportunities.  For most of my life, I had a negative relationship with my disability. It was grueling making friends because I could not hear them well and because people judged me for how I presented myself. I have wide-distanced eyes, splotchy skin, and white streaks of hair, which are difficult for people to see past. People in school called me “grandma” and claimed I resembled a fish. Besides that, it was challenging to learn in school because of my hearing loss. I could not understand the teacher and was embarrassed to receive help. I also have trouble walking and balancing from time to time. I was forced to grow up quickly and realize how cruel the world could be. Even though Waardenburg Syndrome had so many negatives in my life and gave me many reasons to give up, something made me think otherwise.  One day, I was listening to an individual speak about life lessons. Their words touched my heart when they said, “You are in charge of your own life, and wallowing in your depression is not living.” These words had such a powerful impact on me and persuaded me to attempt to view life differently. I realized that being depressed because of something I cannot control is pointless. It was a long, complex process, but I learned to love myself and view negative things as positive things. Even though I look different from others, I am still beautiful and unique in my way. Even though I had trouble learning in class because of my hearing loss, I learned to ask for help and sit in front of the classroom to succeed. Even though I do not have many friends, I am gifted with people who are true friends and who accept me for my looks. I would be lying if I said I do not struggle anymore, but I have grown so much because of my disability. I have learned self-worth, resilience, kindness, forgiveness, problem-solving skills, and the importance of advocating for myself.  This scholarship would benefit me in so many ways because I genuinely want to show others that even though I have a disability, it does not mean I am not capable of earning a higher education. I want to teach others how to advocate for themselves in college and receive the help they need. My story is just one story, and I want to help others share theirs. I appreciate the person taking the time to read my essay while considering me for this fantastic opportunity, and I hope I made an impact with my story.