I am ginger and apparently have no soul! While this may not be super unique, dealing with 17 years of comments, jokes, teasing, and touching (yes people like to touch my hair) has made me tough, resilient, and always one with a quick comeback. My hair is bright red and I am covered in freckles. It doesn’t get any more stereotypical. The middle school years were the meanest and the high school years were the crudest, but I handled it. I believe that because of my toughness, I wasn't afraid to join the water polo team as a freshman when I had never played the sport. I loved that team, we ended our season undefeated and the best in our league. I think my resilience led me to always be up for an adventure. There is nothing better than looking down a new black diamond ski run and just going for it, then using those experiences to encourage others to enjoy the mountains. My quick wit has led me to lead with humor, not let one comment ruin my day, and appreciate and treasure my friends. I remember being in 3rd grade and mom asked me to join her on the couch. She said, “I have something to talk to you about, it’s about your friend Bella". Bella was a good friend of mine from school. We went to each other's birthday parties, played together after school, and had known each other since kindergarten. My mom let me know that Bella had been diagnosed with Leukemia. I didn’t realize at the time what it was, but my mom who is a Certified Child Life Specialist was able to come to my 3rd-grade class and explain what Leukemia was to us and also spoke about how we could help Bella. I spent the next 2 years visiting Bella in the hospital when I could, visiting her after school, and having playdates when she felt like being around others. Unfortunately, Bella’s leukemia returned and she did not survive. She died when we were 10 years old. This experience shaped my personal philosophy of “don’t be afraid to have fun”. Life is short, love your friends and your community and be a good person to others. Bella loved a good party, laughing and being with her friends. School was hard for her and missing out was even harder. I don’t want anyone to feel that way and I do everything I can to create an inclusive community. Having fun is easy when you have the right people by your side. I love school spirit and community engagement. I believe the community should be capable of supporting each other, having fun, and learning together. I use my status in my school community as an honors student and leadership team member to encourage others to do well so that we can play well. I believe community, outreach, and doing well in school are symbols of success. I have chosen classes that would help me be well-rounded, from AP Psychology to ceramics to automotive shop. I can think critically, change my own oil and have it drain in a well that I made myself. I believe in setting an example of how a well-rounded education can support growth in a community and enhance the spirit of our school. I believe that this scholarship will support my future as someone who wants to work with children of all abilities helping them live extraordinary lives because everyone deserves to have fun!