I have many goals for the future, some long-term; others short-term. A few short-term goals include finishing my associate's degree this upcoming semester, finalizing the plans for my upcoming wedding happening in July, and adjusting to life at Bradley University in the fall, as I pursue my Bachelor's Degree in Communications (Journalism). My long-term goals include completing my bachelor's degree, finding a career path that is fulfilling to my life's purpose, and having a lasting impact on the lives of those who I come into contact with. I also hope to inspire others to abandon the trap of working jobs that do not offer fulfillment and are not tied to their true passions in life. I am a firm believer in not just working a job to merely exist in this world, but to work a job that has a meaningful impact on our own lives as well as those around us. In my world, it's all about turning passion into a career path. The steps I have taken to bring these goals to fruition include going back to school, getting involved in my community college's news platform and working my way up to Managing Editor, being recognized for several awards and being named on the President's list and Dean's list of Honors. I encouraged my older sister to also return to school and she is now proudly pursuing a degree in Art which has been a lifelong passion of hers and producing an Award-Winning Self-Care podcast that allows me to inspire others to become more in touch with their true inner self which I hope will, in turn, help them to find their path towards turning their passion into a career path. Obstacles that I have faced so far in my pursuit of knowledge and happiness include many aspects. One aspect is that I am not a traditional student. I am 32 years old and have a family to support in addition to the obligation to live up to my full potential. This aspect comes with many challenges in itself. Some days I work, then attend classes, then return home to feed my children, help them with homework, get them ready for bed, then stay up for several hours completing homework or studying for tests and exams. Some days doing this while maintaining a good mental frame is very challenging and I've had to make sacrifices to make it all balance out. Another part of this aspect that is challenging is that I am typically the oldest person sitting in my classes, I struggle to connect with my peers who set beside me, and often in those I do connect with I become the line of support and can little peer support in return. I am typically fine with this as it comes very naturally to me to inspire and uplift others, but some days I feel the need to be uplifted as well. In addition to being a nontraditional student, I was also raised in the foster care system. Therefore I have embarked on this journey, with little to no support outside of the family I have gained through my son and fiance. I was adopted at the age of 14, but they do not "believe" in college and I am often mocked for attending college. I am the first in both my biological older siblings, and in the family that adopted me. I have had no example of what this is supposed to look like and most days I am merely making it up as I go. Its hard, but I will never give up. Thank you.

I believe handwritten notes are much more intimate and meaningful than typed messages. Partaking in a handwritten note or message takes much more time and thought to execute. In addition to the extra time spent handwriting a message, it also offers the writer the chance to truly reflect on the message that is being sent and received. The curves of the letters and the flow of the pen truly allow one's heart to be displayed on the page once finished. One of the most meaningful letters that were ever given to me was one I received from my cousin. We were both placed in foster care when we were seven and eight years old. Before being placed in foster care, we were inseparable, more like sisters than cousins. We both endured a significant amount of trauma at a young age and we were able to relate to and understand each other's hardships in a way that our peers could not. While the world made us feel alone, we knew we had at least one person who knew how we felt and understood why we responded to life the way we did, we had each other. We were placed into foster care only months apart, her first then me shortly after. We were placed in homes that were on separate ends of the state. For the first time in our lives, we were ripped away from one another, left again to live in a world where nobody understood our struggles. We were too young for cell phones, and they were too expensive in the early 2000s for our foster families to afford, the long-distance limited our ability to call one another, so we were left with mailing letters to one another. We wrote to each other a couple of times a week, which quickly became our saving grace. There were several times when we were each sent to new foster homes with new families, new schools, and new addresses. During these transitions, it would often take a few weeks or months to reconnect due to not knowing where the other was living. My heart would break each time I would get a "Return to Sender" letter I had sent to her. I kept every handwritten note we ever exchanged, and during those times of being lost, I would read the old letters just to feel closer to her. Eventually, we grew old enough to drive and were able to spend weekends together face-to-face. But those opportunities were limited as well. Now as I look back at those old letters, they hold a new meaning in my heart. As we grew into our early 20s, we grew apart. I worked hard to heal myself and she was unable to face those traumas we endured all those years ago, she fell into addiction and quickly spiraled out of control. It was no longer healthy for me to be that close to her. I had to learn to love her from a distance. During the pandemic, the hardest news came to my door; she was found dead in her apartment. Cause of death, overdose. Today, while I am beyond heartbroken that I will never hear her laugh again, we won't grow old together as we had always planned, and she will never stand beside me as I say I DO, I know that I can carry a piece of her heart with me through those letters. I'm forever grateful for her words and I know she is so proud, as she watches over me today. Thank you.

My primary motivation for pursuing a higher education is to provide a better life for my son and myself. I also hope that as a first generation student to create a new family tradition of seeking knowledge and building brighter futures for generations to come. I want my son, Silas, to see that all things are possible with enough determination and faith. Not only am I a single mother I also grew up in the foster care system. I hope that my son sees that even in the midst of all odds stacked against you, that it is still possible to pave your own path to success and that you can be whoever you hope to be with enough hard work and drive. I made a choice to stop working the day-in day-out grind in food service and take a leap of faith by turning my passion for writing into a career path. As you can imagine, I was terrified. I made the leap anyway. Despite all that I had seen and experienced in my life, I knew there had to be more to life than merely existing and surviving, there had to be a purpose; a purpose for my sufferings and a purpose in my overcoming them. My leap of faith has not left me with any regrets. In my short time of pursuing an associates in journalism, I have been named on the deans list twice, on the President's list ( our highest levels of honors at ICC) twice, I was featured as a success story in the college marketing department, landed a position as the managing editor at our school media platform, and awarded first place in the state for best podcast at the Illinois community college journalism association conference, and I was featured as Ms. September in this year's School Calendar. Now as my time comes to a close at ICC, I'm beyond excited to have been accepted into one of the most prestigious universities in my local community, Bradley University. I never thought a girl like me would make such dreams come true. I know it is only by God's guidance and grace that all these things have been possible in my life today. Obstacles that lie before could be tenfold if I spend enough time focusing on them. I know life comes with many challenges, and my experiences have never been the exception. I can only afford to attend such a prestigious university with the financial support of scholarships. The opportunity would be perfect for my situation of needing to be home in time to get my son from school, it's a short distance of 20 miles from our home, and not the mention the legacy of attending such a well-known and accredited university will surely pave the way to secured success for both myself and Silas. I express my highest level of gratitude to be considered for this scholarship and can ensure I will live up to the honor if awarded.

I place a high level of importance on my mental health because I spent a large part of my life neglecting, without knowing I was doing so. I was raised in an environment, where it was just easier, safer, and expected to ignore how I felt inside. Early in my life I became disassociated with my thoughts and feelings after enduring years of traumatic experiences. It was not until I stumbled across my healing journey that I became reacquainted with how I felt about those experiences and it was only by this reconnected sense of self, that I was able to begin working through those experiences. I've been on my healing journey for about six years now, and only started making real strides in the last two of them. I began EMDR, a type of trauma reprocessing therapy, and this requires me to do a deep and thorough assessment of my inner core belief system as a result of those horrid experiences. Only by recognizing the true root emotion is healing possible. As a result to the freedom I have found through this process, I wanted to use my position as a Journalism student to provide a safe channel to these tools for those who may still be in the pits of despair. I created, host, and produce a self care podcast which has been running for three seasons now, Self-Care Tips&Tools. This podcast was awarded first place in the state at the Illinois Community College Journalism Association Conference. I share many tools that I have learned and use this also as a means of accountability for myself to continue to grow and heal. I do research to learn new methods then share those results with my listeners. A few main cornerstones to my mental health journey has included meditation, spirituality, rest time, connecting with nature, therapy, and participating in things that are healing such as painting, reiki, yoga, journaling, reading, and listening to the quietness of my street at night with a cup of hot tea. All of these things bring peace to my heart and allow me a chance to truly connect with the moment I am living in. Mental health is a very fragile thing and I am not oblivious to the impact we have on ourselves and others. I practice (and encourage others) to use positive self-talk, be mindful of how my choices will impact my view of myself and others, I assess the root of my thoughts and feelings often and I try to make adjustments when needed. It is not a perfect science and I still have a long way to go in this matter, but I do believe the journey IS the destination and I will be working to improve this for the rest of my life and I'm thankful for that. The girl I was ten years ago would have never even taken a moment to ask herself, how are you feeling? Does this bring you happiness or a sense of purpose? Will these choices offer fulfillment to your life or will they be another ploy of self-destruction? I'm thankful for my hardships because they offer me skills and healing that some seek and never find. Thank you for considering my application and I will live up to the honor is awarded. Blessings!

I currently have two dogs Bolt and his daughter Sunny. Sunny is still a puppy and she still comes with many challenges but she is very sweet and kind hearted. Bolt has been with me for nearly four years. I got him when he was 12 weeks old. He is by far the best dog I have ever owned. I don't really think of him as a pet, he's more like a member of our family. When we first got him, he won my heart immediately due to his kind and tender nature. I'm wholeheartedly convinced he could qualify as an emotional support dog without any formal training. He is part great Pyrenees and has such a big and fluffy coat, he loves to cuddle, and is always here to provide me comfort when I am faced with the pits of my depression. I'm also convinced he knows when mom (me) is feeling the downside of life's weight. Bolt is also very funny. He really does think he's a human, which is hysterical considering how big he is. He climbs up in my bed and somehow is able to get under the blankets and cover himself up while laying his head on a pillow. I couldn't even tell you how many times I've walked into my bedroom to find him this way. Curled up under the blankets with his head on my pillow just like a little baby. He brings so much character into my household. He loves to join me on camping and hiking trips. He will sit guard in my camper watching for any signs of a threat to ensure the safety of my son and me. He's very protective of us, but in a gentle passive way. Part of me wonders if he would hide behind me if there was a serious threat, though I would never share that curiosity with him. His daughter Sunny came to us about four months ago. She is full of energy, and has renewed the youth of Bolt. I think he is happy to have another dog to run and play with. She is still in training so she spends time in the kennel while we are not home and when we arrive back home he's always laying there right next to here just outside the kennel as if he doesn't want her to feel alone. He's such a gentleman too. Bolt always allows Sunny to have first dibs on food, treats, and toys. He only expressed jealousy in the first few days but it was more towards me than towards her. I don't think he wanted to share me with her. But within days they were cuddled up together and he welcomed a new playmate. I may be slightly biased but I do believe we have the best dog in the world... And Sunny is just an extension of the love and joy that is brought to this home. I would like to express my highest levels of gratitude for being considered for this scholarship and if awarded, I'll continue to be the woman my dog wants me to be.

Recovery has been a long journey for me. I was born addicted to Crack Cocaine and my first few days of life were spent in withdrawals. As a child I endured many traumatic experiences and always swore, I would never be like them. I was placed into the foster care system at 8 years old and endured more trauma as I bounced from home to home. At 12 years old I found a family that was healthy in comparison and was adopted by them at 14. While they did their best to help me move forward they were ill-equipped to help me tackle my traumas. At 17 I ran away and quickly fell into addiction myself. I lived in that darkness for 6 years. I found out I was pregnant with my son at age 23, and in hopes of giving him better I reached out my hand towards recovery. I back slid several times over a 8 year span. But I never gave up. Today I am approaching 18 months of consistent sobriety. Recovery for me has been a lot of unlearning old behavior and retraining my brain to pick up more effective and healthy tools. I've been in trauma therapy for nearly 2 years and that has been a big portion of my success. I chair meetings, organize social outings in my home group, and always have a hand out for those still suffering. Today I'm thankful for my struggles, they have brought me to this place.

These walls I've built Too high to climb Only god can know How many have tried To sneak a peek At what they hide But all I see Is what's left behind You think you know Made up your mind What if you're wrong? Let's try to rewind Back to the place Of tears first cried You broke my trust I could have tried To tell the truth To myself I lied That pain is pleasure This moment love died My wires are crossed The truth is confined I'll always be broken The one left behind A lesson to learn Another mountain to climb But these damn walls They just won't subside Pulling at the bricks As they are multiplied Each a broken memory I just toss aside The damage is done The tears are cried The walls won't crumble My hands are tied Who could you blame But your foolish pride Life of a drifter Along for the ride This wall you see Isn't the girl inside Hard to be soft Just know I've tried Tough to be tender cause they always lied Won't run away from What these walls hide *by Stephanie Mcclaskey

A song that speaks the most to me is Gravity by Tim McGraw. This song tells of the obstacles we face in life and how in the grander scheme of things the mountains are merely mole hills. This song got me through a very difficult time and gave me motivation to keep pushing forward despite the odds being stacked against me. This song reminds me that many people before me have faced the same difficulties and have been even further victimized by the circumstances of life, and have found a way to come out on top. If they can do it I can do it. Afterall, gravity is so fragile in comparison to the leaps and bounds we can make in our progress when we hold on to our faith and determination. We are only held down by the limitations in which we place on ourselves. If we strive for success and refuse to accept less of ourselves we too shall prevail in even the more adverse circumstances. I express my highest levels of gratitude for taking my name into consideration for this scholarship and will live up to the honor if awarded.

My primary motivation for pursuing a higher education is to provide a better life for my son and myself. I also hope that as a first generation student to create a new family tradition of seeking knowledge and building brighter futures for generations to come. I want my son, Silas, to see that all things are possible with enough determination and faith. Not only am I a single mother I also grew up in the foster care system. I hope that my son sees that even in the midst of all odds stacked against you, that it is still possible to pave your own path to success and that you can be whoever you hope to be with enough hard work and drive. I made a choice to stop working the day-in day-out grind in food service and take a leap of faith by turning my passion for writing into a career path. As you can imagine, I was terrified. I made the leap anyway. Despite all that I had seen and experienced in my life, I knew there had to be more to life than merely existing and surviving, there had to be a purpose; a purpose for my sufferings and a purpose in my overcoming them. My leap of faith has not left me with any regrets. In my short time of pursuing an associates in journalism, I have been named on the deans list twice, on the President's list ( our highest levels of honors at ICC) twice, I was featured as a success story in the college marketing department, landed a position as the managing editor at our school media platform, and awarded first place in the state for best podcast at the Illinois community college journalism association conference, and I was featured as Ms. September in this year's School Calendar. Now as my time comes to a close at ICC, I'm beyond excited to have been accepted into one of the most prestigious universities in my local community, Bradley University. I never thought a girl like me would make such dreams come true. I know it is only by God's guidance and grace that all these things have been possible in my life today. Obstacles that lie before could be tenfold if I spend enough time focusing on them. I know life comes with many challenges, and my experiences have never been the exception. I can only afford to attend such a prestigious university with the financial support of scholarships. The opportunity would be perfect for my situation of needing to be home in time to get my son from school, it's a short distance of 20 miles from our home, and not the mention the legacy of attending such a well-known and accredited university will surely pave the way to secured success for both myself and Silas. I express my highest level of gratitude to be considered for this scholarship and can ensure I will live up to the honor if awarded.

I have been writing for as long as I could remember. Growing up in a traumatic childhood writing began as an outlet, a safe space to express my hardships, and as I began healing this tool grew into a passion. Writing is important to me because I have learned that by using my passion for writing to pave a path to success in the workforce, allows me the opportunity to truly enjoy my choice in career. I also believe that by aligning my passion with my purpose, I am able to share this inspiration to also help others to seek a career path that ignites happiness and purpose in the lives of those around. My choice to pursue a career in journalism allows me a platform to truly make a difference by educating, motivating, and empowering my community. With these tools, those touched by my words are invoked to move with knowledge and a renewed luster for a purposeful life, that truly makes a difference in their own communities. I have always said, " if I can make a difference for just one person with my writing, then my purpose has been achieved." One person once responded, "Anyone can be writer, you don't need an education to be a writer," to this person I say today, that by pursuing an education I am increasing my chances of reaching that one single soul my words are meant to impact, as it is all in the approach and without the proper approach our words can fall to deaf ears. In hopes of furthering my education, I am seeking scholarships to make my dreams come true by turning my passion for writing into a career path.