As a second grade student, I asked my teacher how to spell the word “margarita”. Now let me give some backstory— this took place on a Tuesday after a long weekend with many inches of snow. My best friend lives just down the street and quickly after we met in first grade, our families became best friends and we would all hang out together often. This day my best friend, her sister, my sister, and I were playing outside in the snow having the time of our lives. This was the most snow we had ever seen, so we took advantage of the opportunity by throwing snowballs, sledding down the hills, and making snowmen. During our snow fun we noticed that the two moms, who had been inside, kept coming outside with a bowl and collecting snow. This was weird considering that they kept taking the snow inside, where it would melt, but we continued on playing. I specifically remember making snow angels with my friends all in a line, standing back to admire our work, and then running to our sled to race down the hill again. Eventually we were so tired and cold that we retreated inside where we wrapped ourselves in blankets and drank hot chocolate to warm ourselves. This is when we noticed the snow bowl, which was once again empty. We asked our parents about this and they immediately started laughing, followed up by a response of, “it is for our drinks”. We looked at them confused until they further explained that the snow was the base to their margaritas. This was very funny to all of us kids, permanently engraving the moment into our memory. Fast forward to school the next day, we were instructed to write about what we did over our weekend, and I chose to write about the highlight, the snow. This story included all the details, including the unusual behavior of our moms. As the perfectionist person I am, I wanted to be sure all the words I was writing were spelled correctly, so I went up to my teacher and asked her how to spell the word “margarita”. She spelled the word out and then proceeded to ask why I was writing about margaritas. I told her the entire story and she laughed and laughed. I proudly walked back to my desk, confident that I had the best snow day story. Later that day, my teacher was still surprised and decided to email my mom to share the comical story that brightened up her day. My mom immediately felt a bit of embarrassment because she could not believe I wrote about her snow margaritas in my story and could not wait to share the story with the other mom. What makes this story even better is that after we finished writing our stories, we decorated and colored the papers because they were hung in the hallways for parent teacher conferences. As my parents came for conferences, they read many snow day stories about making snowmen and sledding, meanwhile just down the hallway was a story written by a second grade student about her mom making snow margaritas over the weekend.

Nursing has always felt like the right fit because supporting others has been a consistent, quiet pull in my life for as long as I can remember. In the future, I see nursing as more than a career; it is a way to be present for people during moments of uncertainty and vulnerability. I may not have a dramatic story that led me to nursing, but I do have clarity in my values. This path feels right because it reflects the person I strive to be and will allow me to give back in the future through consistent, patient-centered care. Human touch is a vital part of nursing. It goes beyond physical care for a patient. It shows sincerity and commitment to support patients throughout their journey. The touch expresses to patients there is someone that cares about them and wants to see them grow strong again. It allows for room that the patient can trust their caregiver to take care of them, and indicates that the patient is deserving of something better. Patients will feel respected and understood when healthcare providers show empathy, listen, and communicate well. This develops the trust that is needed to treat the patient as best as possible and lead to better overall outcomes. Human touch is a core component to making an interaction feel personal and meaningful, which I intend to emphasize in my future nursing profession. Often, when I speak to other aspiring healthcare workers, they express how they want to work in pediatrics, physical therapy, psychology, and many other specialties, but they rarely mention geriatrics. I hope to enter this area of nursing in the future because I believe it is a neglected generation of people that deserve just as much personal care as others. I currently work at a retirement home as a dining associate, where I interact with residents daily by serving their food and assisting them with any dining needs. Through this role, I also get to observe how nurses care for the residents, giving me a meaningful glimpse into what my future profession could look like. I treasure these relationships I have built with the residents, and I know I would feel deeply fulfilled by caring for them. This area of nursing would allow me to support the older generation as they live the last chapter of their lives, helping to ease their pain and improve their quality of life. I have seen how healthcare and education changes lives, and I cannot wait to be a part of it. As a college graduate, I will be able to care for patients in my community, all while mentoring students with an interest in healthcare. I will share my journey through nursing school, the good and the bad, and hopefully show others that higher education is attainable and anything is possible with drive and determination. I want to encourage younger generations to get involved, explore their interests, and embrace who they are while they have more freedom.

One day, my mom received news she needed open heart surgery, turning my world upside down and creating a void that no one else could fill. I spent as much time with her as possible, and held on tight whenever she had to leave, begging her to stay. Eventually I overcame these fears and focused on the positives as she grew stronger. I saw all the work the nurses were doing, and I thought “I want to do that”. Overtime I realized I have grown from this experience and it led me to want to pursue a healthcare career in the future. Nursing has always felt like the right fit because supporting others has been a consistent, quiet pull in my life for as long as I can remember. In the future, I see nursing as more than a career; it is a way to be present for people during moments of uncertainty and vulnerability. I may not have a dramatic story that led me to nursing, but I do have clarity in my values. This path feels right because it reflects the person I strive to be and will allow me to give back in the future through consistent, patient-centered care. Human touch is a vital part of nursing. It goes beyond physical care for a patient. It shows sincerity and commitment to support patients throughout their journey. The touch expresses to patients there is someone that cares about them and wants to see them grow strong again. It allows for room that the patient can trust their caregiver to take care of them, and indicates that the patient is deserving of something better. Patients will feel respected and understood when healthcare providers show empathy, listen, and communicate well. This develops the trust that is needed to treat the patient as best as possible and lead to better overall outcomes. Human touch is a core component to making an interaction feel personal and meaningful, which I intend to emphasize in my future nursing profession. Often, when I speak to other aspiring healthcare workers, they express how they want to work in pediatrics, physical therapy, psychology, and many other specialties, but they rarely mention geriatrics. I hope to enter this area of nursing in the future because I believe it is a neglected generation of people that deserve just as much personal care as others. I currently work at a retirement home as a dining associate, where I interact with residents daily by serving their food and assisting them with any dining needs. Through this role, I also get to observe how nurses care for the residents, giving me a meaningful glimpse into what my future profession could look like. I treasure these relationships I have built with the residents, and I know I would feel deeply fulfilled by caring for them. This area of nursing would allow me to support the older generation as they live the last chapter of their lives, helping to ease their pain and improve their quality of life. I have seen how healthcare and education changes lives, and I cannot wait to be a part of it. As a college graduate, I will be able to care for patients in my community, all while mentoring students with an interest in healthcare. I will share my journey through nursing school, the good and the bad, and hopefully show others that higher education is attainable and anything is possible with drive and determination. I want to encourage younger generations to get involved, explore their interests, and embrace who they are while they have more freedom.

1. Whenever people ask why I want to pursue nursing, I never know how to answer. I don’t have a single moment or dramatic experience that pushed me toward it. Instead, nursing has always felt like the right fit because supporting others has been a consistent, quiet pull in my life for as long as I can remember. I often avoid giving the answer of “I want to help people”, because it seems like a generic response that is not personal to me, yet I have shown it through my actions. Within my high school I have taken on leadership roles in many clubs, most notably as an executive of Mini-THON. I am constantly involved in this mission to conquer childhood cancer through daily actions such as counting money, organizing fundraisers, and promoting the cause to raise funds for Four Diamonds. I have also been acknowledged by numerous people, including teachers, adults, family members, and friends, about my compassion and support towards others. They see my dedication in daily life, helping others as often as possible. In the future, I see nursing as more than a career; it is a way to be present for people during moments of uncertainty and vulnerability. Nursing appeals to me because it allows me to show up every day in a role that aligns with who I am and turn my desire to help into a meaningful action. I may not have a dramatic story that led me to nursing, but I do have clarity in my values. This path feels right because it reflects the person I strive to be and will allow me to give back in the future through consistent, patient-centered care. 2. Human touch is compassion. Human touch is medicine. Human touch is the connection that makes treatment more bearable. Human touch is not only physical attachment, but also the emotional bond created between people. Additionally, it is a characteristic that a sympathetic person may possess. This can occur everyday in close relationships, or in minute long interactions with a stranger. Human touch is a characteristic demonstrated through people that attract others because of their kindness and friendliness. Others are attracted to these types of people because they are mentally and emotionally present for anyone in need. I strive to be one of these people, which has become the foundation of who I am today. Everyone knows me as the kind, smart girl who cares about others, and they began trusting me because they knew I would do anything to help. I was the go-to friend, the invisible glue. I never set out to take on this role, it just happened. All of a sudden I was helping people through problems that I had never experienced. I did everything in my power to make others feel noticed and supported. Everyone seemed to come to me whenever they had a problem, needed advice, or just needed a shoulder to cry on. I have built a quiet strength and resilience in myself that does not seek recognition, but continues growing stronger with each person I can help. This role has shown me how important human touch is, and how I can help so much by being there for others and acting as the invisible glue. Human touch goes beyond physical care for a patient. It shows sincerity and commitment to support patients throughout their journey. The touch expresses to patients there is someone that cares about them and wants to see them grow strong again. It allows for room that the patient can trust their caregiver to take care of them, and indicates that the patient is deserving of something better. Medicine is not just about diagnosing and treating disease; it is about supporting someone who may feel vulnerable and in pain. Patients will feel respected and understood when healthcare providers show empathy, listen, and communicate well. This develops the trust that is needed to treat the patient as best as possible and lead to better overall outcomes. The human touch is the core component to making an interaction feel personal and meaningful.

I have always lived in a Christian household where we attended church every Sunday and my parents enforced the fundamental Christian beliefs. I continually asked questions about God, trying to make sense of what faith really meant. Growing up, I rarely implemented my faith into my daily life, usually only at church on Sunday and praying before meals. In the past two years, I have begun to prioritize my relationship with Jesus more and have learned the best ways to continue growing my faith. When my family switched churches about a year ago, my perspectives changed, and I realized what I had been missing before. I learn best when I am engaged and taught in a more story-like fashion because then I absorb the information better. The pastor of our new church taught like this, which instantly appealed to me. I wanted to learn exactly what Jesus taught in the Bible, so I implemented this new perspective by finding a Bible plan that explained what I was reading in a way that made sense to me. Adults consistently tell me to surround myself with the kinds of people that I want to be. Currently I have taken that to be my friends, who I specifically selected because they are trustworthy, supportive, and honest. I have become even closer with two of my friends because they too are putting Jesus first in their life, which led us to new experiences together. We discovered that a nearby church holds a service called “First Wednesdays” once a month, where everyone comes together to worship and praise the Lord. The first evening I attended was life changing. It was the first time I held my hands out to God while worshipping, and this felt like a breakthrough for me. Later, an employee of the church prayed over me, showing me that God is listening and wants to help me through all of my struggles. These friends and I have started attending weekly youth groups and church services together, surrounding ourselves with Jesus as much as possible. We each send each other pictures of our Bible reading every day to keep us accountable in our goals. By growing my relationship with Jesus, I have become prouder of the person I am today. College will start a new phase of my life where I am searching for a new group of friends. I want to be surrounded by a community that shares my values and encourages me in my walk with Christ. I do not want to be like all the other students that forget the importance of their faith when they reach college, I want to thrive and continue to strengthen my relationship with God. Looking to my future, I know that my faith needs to be my foundation, and I will remove any distractions from my pursuit towards a meaningful, Christ-centered life. I intend to join a community of like-minded students in college so that I do not stray from my faith. I have learned that growing a deeper connection with Jesus allows me to breathe and trust that everything will work out the way it is supposed to, because it is all in His hands. I am drawn to an environment where biblical principles are woven into every discipline, allowing me to see how faith applies to real world problems. This will keep me accountable, knowing that faith relates to everything in my life. God has a purpose for my life and I want to be in the best environment possible that encourages me to seek Him in everything I do.

Youth sports may be one of the most beneficial activities children can become involved. Not only do they keep you active and your body in shape, but sports free your mind and allow for intellectual growth. Countless amounts of people use sports as their safe space, their time for themselves, because they enjoy the activity and everything it involves. Intellectually, the brain is learning more as you play sports because you are having to make quick, decisive actions and play smart. For so many people, sports shape the person they are. I am a senior at Lower Dauphin High School near Hershey, Pennsylvania. I am a very involved student with rigorous classes, lead positions in clubs, and part time jobs outside school. My favorite part of school though, is the friendships I have made. Some of my best friends came from my volleyball team which I have played on all four years of high school. I have been through everything with them and have grown so much as a person because of the team and the friendships. My senior year volleyball season was some of the best months of my life. However, I would not have been able to have such an amazing experience if I did not get involved in the sport at a young age. Throughout the years, girls have come and gone in and out of the sport, but the core group of us that stayed made it through seven years together and we made history for the program. If you were to ask anyone what they admire about me the most, it would revolve around my compassion and empathy towards others. I am the one that others come to lean on when they are struggling the most, and the one that people come to when they need someone to celebrate their accomplishments. I am consistently praised for the good work I do for others, but it never seems to be enough for me. I often care for others so much that I have to remind myself to guard my heart and take care of myself as well. One day I heard of an opportunity that fit my personality perfectly, a summer camp counselor, and four years later, I look forward to it everyday. I love everything about camp, between the relationships I have with other counselors, and the friendships I have with the campers, it is where I am the happiest. Summer camp revolves around the sports that everyone plays each and every day. As counselors we are always being asked to participate in a game, or set up the next one. If you asked every camper what their favorite part of camp is, nine out of ten children would say the dodgeball, kickball, gaga ball, basketball, or street hockey games. These children value sports so much because that is where they thrive. These are the learning moments for these children as they learn new skills that they have never tried before. I enjoy summer camp because when I go home, I know I have made a difference in the lives of these young children. I have experienced first hand how sports can change a child’s life. My goal is to continue to make a positive impact on children by helping them fall in love with sports. I will continue to counsel these children at camp, and help them discover their true potential. Sports truly helped me to grow as a person, and I hope everyone has the opportunity to experience something through their sport just like me.